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THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20301

8

JUL 1978

MEMORANDUM FOR THE ASSISTANT TO THE. PRESIDENT FOR NATIONAL
SECURITY AFFAIRS
SUBJECT:

Micronesian Status Negotiations

By letter dated March 27, 1978, Secretary Duncan. made an
informal request to Peter R. Rosenbla
the-President's
Personal Representative for Micronesian Status Negotiations,
that he include on the agenda for the negotiations potential

claims arising out of United States nuclear testing and
related activities. A copy of his letter is attached.

In discussions between the Department of Defense and the |
Office of Micronesian Status Negotiations, Ambassador
Rosenblatt has expressed concern that his instructions from

the National Security Council do not authorize him to raise

this question in the negotiations.
To remedy this concern,
we believe that Ambassador Rosenblatt should be authorized
to discuss the issue.

The issue is ripe for decision now because the Ambassador
departs for Micronesia July 14, 1978 to present and explain
the text of a draft compact preparatory to a plenary negotiating session which will commence cn or about August l,

1978.

The current draft is silent on the claims question.

The negotiations presently are being conducted pursuant to
PD/NSC-11, dated May 5, 1977, as amended by PD/NSC-34.
I
would like to see these instructions supplemented as follows:

(1)

To direct the United States negotiator,

(2).

To direct the United States negotiator

prior to the next Plenary Session, to raise with all
relevant parties the possibility of arranging for a
_ final disposition as part of the status negotiations
of all potential claims arising out of United States
nuclear testing and related activities in Micronesia;
to obtain from such discussions the views of such
parties with respect to the parameters that any
such final .disposition might take; and

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