Page 222 - Argentina - Carter, Regan, and Bush VP

No Objection To Declassification in part 2013/01/16 : NLC-1 -13-8-31 -4|
H H "w i j - I

MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON
■6-EGRET January 17, 1980

1. Afghanistan Expels All American Journalists) Embassy Kabul
was informed today by the foreign ministry that all American
journalists have been ordered to depart Afghanistan on the
first available aircraft. The Afghan official stated that
this action had been taken because of the "American journalists'
interference in the internal affairs of Aghanistan and their
biased reporting." Our embassy estimates that there are
30 to 50 American journalists and cameramen in Afghanistan,
and it is now in the process of informing the journalists
and assisting them to exit the country. (Kabul 175, PSN
36409) (C) ,
S

2.' Christopher/Genscher Meeting: Christopher outlined to Foreign
Minister Genscher yesterday our strategy toward Iran, explaining
the need to implement economic sanctions and requesting
FRG assistance. He clarified that we hope sanctions will
obviate the need for other, more risky measures, and stressed
the importance of European support. Genscher expressed
an FRG willingness to help as much as possible bn sanctions,
indicated coordination with the other Europeans, and promised
an early decision.. The foreign minister stressed the need
to consider our decisions and the developments in Iran carefully
to ensure that European nationals are not taken hostage.
The foreign minister stated it is important that Iranian
leaders not see the conflict with the U.S. as more important
than the Soviet threat; therefore, Western public statements
should not diminish the Soviet conflict with the Islamic
world. Genscher proposed that the Western reaction to the
events in Afghanistan be incorporated into an overall political
strategy, and outlined some steps the EC is considering
in this regard, including new arrangements with Yugoslavia
and consideration of a possible political arrangement with
the Gulf states and Iraq modeled ion the EC-ASEAN cooperation
agreement. Genscher further stressed the need to reach
a comprehensive Middle cAst peace settlement, and described
Israel's security concerns as small compared to the threat
now posed by the Soviets to all countries of the region.
(Bonn 916, PSN 35795, 35800, 35802, 35806, 35810) (S)

CECRBT DECLASSIFIED
REVIEW ON JANUARY 16, 1990 E.O.13526 ^
CLASSIFIED BY MULTIPLE SOURCES
Authority
D8tO... ------
NAHA.

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No Objection To Declassification in Part 2013/01/16 : NLC-1-13-8-31-4