328. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in South Africa1

9388. For the Ambassador deliver opening of business. Subject: Nuclear Talks. Ref: Pretoria 171.2

1. After this extended silence from the SAG on arrangements for team visit, a discussion with Fourie clearly is called for.3 Continued reticence on the part of the SAG to address the issue would, at some point, bear implications for the likely utility of such an undertaking and of any subsequent political negotiation as the means to achieve our nuclear objectives. Eagerness on our part, on the other hand, could well erode our position at the start of a sensitive exploratory process, and lead the SAG to conclude that it has something to gain by playing “hard-to-get.”

2. You might wish to draw on the following, as appropriate, in indicating to Fourie that we prefer a technical exchange sooner rather than later, and that we view it as a necessary prelude to any negotiations involving Gerard Smith.

—We look upon a private meeting between Gerard Smith and South African officials in Vienna on the margins of the February 21–22 IAEA board meeting as a possible next step after the SAG has received our technical proposals.

—It is becoming unlikely that such a meeting could result in a final settlement, but it could serve as a useful prelude to a meeting held for that purpose if it could build upon the work accomplished by an exchange on the technical elements of our position.

—We would hope, therefore, that the team visit would be viewed as useful by the SAG and that it could be scheduled early enough for the SAG to be able to prepare a response to our technical proposals which could then be made available to Smith in any Vienna discussion.

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—Continued slippage of the team visit would diminish the opportunity for a useful exchange with Smith in Vienna, with attendant prejudice for working out a nuclear settlement within an acceptable time frame.

Christopher
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840156–2385. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by Allen W. Locke (PM/NPP); cleared by Gerard C. Smith (S/AS), William B. Edmondson (AF), and Lewis R. MacFarlane (AFS); approved by Joseph S. Nye (T/D).
  2. In telegram 171 from Pretoria, January 11, the Embassy informed the Department that the Ambassador was scheduled to meet with Fourie on January 13 to discuss the lack of movement on scheduling nuclear talks. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780016–0360)
  3. In telegram 298 from Pretoria, January 17, the Embassy reported on Bowdler’s January 13 meeting with Fourie. Bowdler noted that Fourie did not commit to sending a high-level delegation to the IAEA board meeting, which would preclude a dialogue with Smith. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840150–2294)