Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume II, Organization and Management of U.S. Foreign Policy, 1969–1972

134. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Eliot) to the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Hillenbrand)¹

Washington, January 18, 1971.

SUBJECT

• Coordination of Official Contacts with the USSR

Upon reading Mr. Kissinger’s memorandum of January 7 on the above subject,² the Secretary asked me to inform you that the procedures outlined in the memorandum should not alter our internal procedures for clearances of substantive cables with the White House. This means that such cables will only be cleared with the White House if the Secretary, the Under Secretary, or the Under Secretary for Political Affairs deem it necessary.

Theodore L. Eliot Jr.³

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Memoranda Files: Lots 72 D 371, Memos, 1971, Vol. 3. Secret. Copies were sent to Rogers, Irwin, Johnson, Pedersen, Stevenson, the heads of 10 bureaus, and the Director of ACDA.
2. Document 131.
3. Printed from a copy that indicates Eliot signed the original.