141. Memorandum From Dennis C. Blair of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Clark)1
SUBJECT
- Presidential Letters on Law of the Sea
The State Department has forwarded for approval (Tab II) messages for the President to send to Prime Minister Thatcher and to the heads of government of Italy, France, Japan, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. The messages urge these prime ministers to support the U.S. position at the Law of the Sea (LOS) conference which will reconvene early next month. (C)
As you recall, the United States has decided that the deep seabed mining provisions of the present LOS treaty are inadequate, and we will be seeking to renegotiate them. The support of the other industrialized nations is essential. We understand that most of these governments will be making their decisions on whether or not to support us in the next week or two, so it is important for the President’s message to arrive in the next few days. (C)
Mike Guhin worked closely with State in drafting these letters. I have cleared those to European leaders and Don Gregg has cleared the one to Suzuki.
Once you approve these messages, Mike Wheeler will sign the memo at Tab I to State directing them to send the messages to the relevant embassies for delivery.
RECOMMENDATION:
That you approve the messages from the President at Tab II.2
- Source: Reagan Library, Guhin, Michael A.: Files, LOS (Law of the Sea) Negotiations (1). Confidential. Sent for action.↩
- Clark checked the approve option. Draft telegrams are attached but not printed. Sent as telegram 42446 to Rome, Paris, Tokyo, Bonn, Brussels, The Hague, and London. February 17 (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File D820086–0703), and as telegram 42475 to London, February 17. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D820086–0635) A memorandum from Wheeler to Bremer at Tab I was not found. Clark indicated after the recommendation that the memorandum to Bremer “needs change before I sign.”↩