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

369. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the Chairman of the National Security Council Under Secretaries Committee (Irwin)¹

Washington, January 25, 1971.

SUBJECT

• Sale of British Computers to the Soviet Union

During his recent conversations with the President, Prime Minister Heath raised the question of the export of U.K. computers to the Soviet Union.² As a result, the President would like to receive an interagency review of the issue, outlining the implications for U.S. national security and foreign policy of the different courses of action open to the United States Government.

The review should be conducted by the Under Secretaries Committee and submitted to the President by February 15, with agency recommendations. It would be useful if, prior to the Committee review, a technical examination were conducted by the Office of Science and Technology to help provide a basis for the policy decision, as proposed in the Executive Secretary’s memorandum of January 13.³

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 73 D 288, NSC/USC Memos. No classification marking.
2. The President met with Prime Minister Heath at the White House and at Camp David on December 17 and 18, 1970. (Ibid., Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Central Files, President’s Daily Diary)
3. The January 13 memorandum was not found. The 23-page Office of Science and Technology report, entitled “Technical Examination of the Proposed Sale of an ICL 1906 Computer Complex to the Institute of High Level Physics at Serpukhov (USSR),” is dated February 11. (Ibid., RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 73 D 288, NSC/USC Memos)