Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume IV, Foreign Assistance, International Development, Trade Policies, 1969–1972

182. National Security Study Memorandum 16¹

Washington, February 5, 1969.

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• The Secretary of State
• The Secretary of Treasury
• The Secretary of Interior
• The Secretary of Agriculture
• The Secretary of Commerce
• The Secretary of Labor
• The Director of the Bureau of the Budget
• The Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers
• The Special Representative for Trade Negotiations

SUBJECT

• U.S. Trade Policy

The President has directed the preparation of a paper on U.S. trade policy for consideration by the National Security Council. The paper should deal with over-all U.S. trade policy, including the need for new legislation this year, and specific issues such as East-West trade, trade preferences for less developed countries, regulation of oil imports, major industry problems such as textiles and steel and the future administration of U.S. trade policy. It should present all of the alternatives available to the United States and the costs and benefits of each. The paper should be submitted by March 31.

To prepare the paper, the President has directed the creation of a NSC Ad Hoc Group chaired by a representative of the Secretary of State.² The members of the group will be the Special Representative for Trade Negotiations, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Domestic and International Business, the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for International Affairs, the Assistant Secretary of Treasury for International Affairs, the Assistant Secretary of Labor for International Affairs, the Assistant Secretary of Interior for Mineral Resources, a member of the Council of Economic Advisers, a representative of the Bureau of the Budget, a representative of the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and/or their alternates. The Chairman may invite representatives of other agencies to attend particular meetings. He may also create subcommittees, chaired by whomever he may appoint, to deal with any or all of the specific issues to be studied.

Henry Kissinger

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 80 D 212, NSSM 16. Limited Official Use.
2. A February 12 memorandum from Secretary of State Rogers to Joseph Greenwald designated the latter as the Secretary’s representative to chair the NSC Ad Hoc Group. Rogers instructed Greenwald to prepare a paper for him recommending the policy position he should take in the meeting of the National Security Council. (Ibid.) See Document 192.