U LLASSIFIED 1 AuthorityAJ D r J 7 DEPARTMENT OF STATE Wash nglon D C 20520 October 31 1979 CONFIDENTIAL TO 0 AS - Mr Allen Locke INR - Director William G Bowdler OES - Mr Leslie H Brown FROM S MS - Dick Combs SUBJECT Attached cable to Amb Watson Ambassador Watson has sent a personal message to Marshall Shulman asking whether our delay in going to the Soviets on the possible nuclear event in the South Atlantic marked a change in our policy of consulting with Soviets on such matters The Secretary has asked that our reply be along the lines of the attached draft Appreciate your clearance by COB today October 31 Please call Dick Combs x 28904 CONFIDENTIAL DECLASSIFIED AuthorityAHJD66 s'J 7 CONFIDENTIAL S -1S J ECO jBS 10 31 79 X2b904 SI tiS r1DSHULliA N P RBAKER S AS ALOCKE OES LHBROWN EUR RLBARRY INR WGBOWDLEk tiOSCOW IflMEDIATE NODIS E O 11652 TAGS RDS-3 10 31 89 SHULMAN MARSHALL D RB RLB AL UR US PARf'J SUBJECT SOUTH ATLANTIC INCIDENT REF MOSCOW 24880 WGB LHB FOR AMBASSADOR FROM SHULMAN THE SECRETARY WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT OUR APPROACH IN THIS CASE DOES NOT REPRESENT A DEPARTURE FROM OUR POLICY OF SHARING INFORMATION WITH THE SOVIETS ON INCIDENTS OF THIS NATURE HOWEVER IN THIS INSTANCE WE DELAYED GOING TO THE SOVIETS FOR TWO REASONS FIRST OUR INITIAL INFORMATION WAS HIGHLY INCONCLUSIVE SECOND OUR ALLIES WERE CONCERNED THAT PRECIPITATE ACTION MIGHT COMPLICATE OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES FYI IN PARTICULAR THE BRITISH WERE CONCERNED THAT THE U K -RHODESIAN NEGOTIATIONS MIGHT BE AFFECTED THEREFORE WE DECIDED TO HOLD OFF APPROACHING THE SOVIETS PENDING FURTHER EFFORTS TO CLARIFY DATA YY CONFIDENTIAL L fJDS REC b t