Office of the Historian

139. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Clark) to President Reagan1

Washington, January 26, 1982

SUBJECT

  • Decision Directive and Public Statement on US Law of the Sea Policy

As directed at the January 21 NSC meeting on this subject,2 we have prepared a decision directive (Tab A)3 and public statement (Tab B).4 These reflect your decisions and the agreement in that meeting. State concurs. Aram Bakshian concurs in the statement.

We should issue the directive and release the statement as early in the week of January 25 as possible. We will background the statement with Jim Malone, your Special Representative for Law of the Sea. Key capitals have been advised to expect a favorable announcement shortly.

RECOMMENDATION

That you approve and sign the National Security Decision Directive (Tab A) and approve release of the Presidential statement (Tab B).5

  1. Source: Reagan Library, Guhin, Michael A.: Files, 01/20/1982–01/22/1982. Secret. A stamped notation on the document reads: “The President has seen.”↩
  2. See Document 138.↩
  3. Tab A, not attached, is printed in Document 140.↩
  4. Not attached. See Public Papers: Reagan, 1982, Book I, p. 92.↩
  5. The President checked and initialed the approve option.↩