Cablegate: Notification Re Authorization to Engage Nro

VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSA #0327 0461407
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151407Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3493
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS PRETORIA 000327

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PM, AF/S, AF/RSA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPA PREL MARR SF
SUBJECT: NOTIFICATION RE AUTHORIZATION TO ENGAGE NRO
SATELLITE

REF: SECSTATE 015164

1. (SBU) DCM provided reftel notification to Department of
Foreign Affairs (DFA) Deputy Director General Abdul Minty by
telephone at 21:50 local (14:50 EST) on 14 February. Minty
had no substantive reaction, but expressed appreciation for
the information and noted he had seen the CNN coverage of the
DoD briefing.

2. (SBU) DepPolCouns provided similar oral notification to
the DFA Operations Center at 22:00 local (15:00 EST). She
passed written notification (para 5 of reftel) to DFA Deputy
Director: Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Michiel
Combrink on 15 February. Combrink expressed interest in
receiving more detailed information on expected coordinates
for the engagement and for re-entry of resulting debris. He
also noted that the timing of the incident was "unfortunate"
as "certain other countries" might seek to use it as "cover"
their own activities.

BOST

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