88. Memorandum From Secretary of State Vance to President Carter1
[Omitted here is material unrelated to India.]
6. Indian Nuclear Policy: Prime Minister Desai reiterated to the Indian Parliament on December 22 that India would not “explode any nuclear device for peaceful purposes or make any nuclear weapons.” He also implied that fuel for the Tarapur reactors would be forthcoming as in the past and said that the matter would be discussed during your visit.
Commenting on the pending US non-proliferation legislation, the Prime Minister said that if there was any clause in the bill which affected “our self-respect it will not be accepted by us. But I have no control over the United States Congress and I cannot prevent them from passing any legislation.” This underlines the importance of making progress on full scope safeguards during your visit to New Delhi.2
[Omitted here is material unrelated to India.]
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 19, Evening Reports (State): 12/77. Secret. Vance wrote at the top of the memorandum: “Merry Christmas—Cy.” Beneath Vance’s handwritten note, Carter wrote: “cc Cy, J.”↩
- Carter’s planned to visit India January 1–3, 1978. In the left-hand margin next to this and the preceding paragraph, Carter wrote: “Good.”↩