404. Telegram From the Delegation to the Heads of Government Meeting to the Department of
State0
Nassau, December 19,
1962.
1. Eyes only for the Secretary from Ball. No other distrubution. The
following two documents are being presented to the British this evening
after a day of intense discussion of Skybolt. First document is a draft
public statement which might be released, if agreed, tomorrow night or
Friday morning. Second is a private understanding of dealing with degree of
independence British element of proposed force. Discussion of these
documents will resume about ten Thursday morning and we would like your
comment and Bohlen’s if possible
before then:
- “1. The President and the Prime Minister reviewed the
development program for the Skybolt missile. The President
explained that it was no longer expected that this very complex
weapons system would be completed within the cost estimate or
the time scale which were projected when the program was
begun.
- “2. The President informed the Prime Minister that for this
reason and because of the availability to the United States of
alternative weapons systems, he had decided to cancel plans for
the production of Skybolt for use by the United States.
Nevertheless, recognizing the importance of the Skybolt program
for the United Kingdom and recalling that the purpose of the
offer of Skybolt to the United Kingdom in 1960 had been to
assist in improving and extending the effective life of the
British V bombers, the President expressed his readiness to
continue that development of the missile as a joint enterprise
between the United States and the United Kingdom, with each
country bearing equal shares of the future cost of completing
developments, after which the United Kingdom would be able to
place a production order to meet its requirements.
- “3. While recognizing the generosity of this offer, the Prime
Minister decided after full consideration not to avail himself
of it because of uncertainty regarding the date of completion
and the final cost of the program.
- “4. As a possible alternative the President suggested that the
Royal Air Force might use the Hound Dog missile. The Prime
Minister responded that in the light of difficulties in adapting
this missile for the British V bombers. He was unable to accept
this suggestion.
- “5. The President then proposed a plan for joint action by the
two governments in the field of sea-based missile forces in
cooperation with other members of NATO. The Prime Minister accepted this plan, and
the President and the Prime Minister agreed that it should be
further developed on an urgent basis, in the closest
consultation with all interested parties.
- “6. The role which the President and Prime Minister envisage
for their two governments in this undertaking is as follows:
- (A)
- Forces developed by the UK under this plan would be
assigned to NATO
deterrent forces and targeted under agreements approved
by NATO.
- (B)
- The US would undertake to make a similar assignment of
forces of at least equal size.
- (C)
- The US and the UK would support the creation of a
NATO multilateral
force.
- (D)
- The US and UK forces referred to in paragraphs (A) and
(B) above would be included in such a NATO multilateral
force.
- (E)
- The US under these conditions would make available
Polaris missiles (less warheads) together with
associated equipment for fire control, launching,
guidance and navigation for the British vessels included
in the forces referred to in sub-paragraph (A) above.
The US would also study the feasibility of making
available certain support facilities for such vessels.
The UK Government would construct the submarines in
which these weapons would be placed and they would also
construct the nuclear warheads for the Polaris
missiles.
- “7. The President and the Prime Minister have as their
objective in this new plan strengthening the nuclear defense of
the Western Alliance. In strategic terms this defense is
indivisible, and it is their conviction that in all ordinary
circumstances of crisis or danger, it is this very unity which
is the best protection of the West.
- “8. The US and the UK agree that in addition to having a
nuclear shield it is important for NATO to strengthen its non-nuclear sword. They
agree to meet their NATO
non-nuclear force goals at agreed NATO standards.”
Document two follows:
“Understanding between the President and Prime Minister regarding the answer
to inquiries as to the degree of independence of the British element of the
proposed force.
Begin text: “Only in the event of a dire national
emergency—an emergency which we might have to face alone, which we happily,
cannot envisage, and which we must all trust will never occur—would Her
Majesty’s Government be faced with a decision of utilizing such forces on
their own—always, of course, after adequate notice to all their Allies.”End text.
