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  3. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XVIII, Middle East Region; Arabian Peninsula
  4. Document 87

87. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1

Washington, July 22, 1980

MEMORANDUM FOR

  • The Secretary of State
  • The Secretary of Defense
  • The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • The Director of Central Intelligence

SUBJECT

  • July 15 SCC on the Persian Gulf Security Framework (C)

The President has reviewed the results of the July 15 SCC meeting on the Security Framework for the Persian Gulf2 and directed the following:

—Ras Banas. Access to Ras Banas is approved. State and DOD will develop a negotiating strategy for obtaining access. DOD will also prepare a paper on MilCon funds for Ras Banas, showing where they [Page 286] will come from. Both papers will be submitted to the President for his approval prior to the beginning of negotiations.3 (S)

—Ground Forces Presence. The Defense Department request to reduce our ground forces presence in the Indian Ocean area from 100% to 70% of the time is granted. These forces may either be a land-based battalion or a MAU. (S)

—Ground Forces Exercises in Egypt and Kenya. DOD will conduct an RDJTF exercise in Egypt and a MAU exercise in Kenya by the end of the year. In addition, a MAU exercise in Egypt should be pursued, either this year or early in 1981. State will query Egypt on the acceptability of both exercises, giving priority to the RDJTF. Based upon Egypt’s response, State will then query Kenya again on the MAU exercise, pointing out that Kenya is not alone in hosting such an exercise. (S)

State and Defense will coordinate necessary adjustments in the military exercise schedule in light of these decisions. Defense will also prepare a paper addressing as appropriate the remaining recommendations in the basing paper for further consideration by the SCC. (C)

Zbigniew Brzezinski
  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Defense/Security, Shoemaker, Box 123, Persian Gulf Security Framework: 7/80. Secret.↩
  2. See Document 86.↩
  3. A July 31 memorandum from Brown to Muskie setting forth a proposed negotiating strategy for a facility at Ras Banas is printed in Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. IX, Arab-Israeli Dispute, August 1978–December 1980, Document 395. ↩