Office of the Historian

194. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon1

Washington, April 26, 1971.
  • SUBJECT
    • Black and Baltic Sea Operations

The attached memorandum from Secretary Laird (Tab 1)2 encloses tracks of both the Black Sea (Tab A) and Baltic Sea (Tab B)3 non-reconnaissance operations revised in accordance with your wishes.

The Black Sea Task Group comprised of four destroyers entered the Black Sea on 16 April and will remain there for a total period of five days including two 12–hour loiter periods.

The Baltic Sea Task Group comprised of the aircraft carrier Intrepid, two destroyers, and a destroyer escort will operate in the Baltic Sea area from 16 to 26 May with a three-day port visit to Kiel, West Germany, during the period 21–24 May.

Ambassador Peterson requested cancellation of a port visit to Helsinki as the scheduled presence of two British ships there at the same time would place a strain on Finnish hospitality. An appropriate U.S. visit to Helsinki will be arranged at a later date.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 405, Subject File, USSR US Ships in the Black Sea (Silver Fox). Secret. Sent for information. According to a notation and attached correspondence profile, the President saw the memorandum on May 5.↩
  2. Dated April 17; attached but not printed.↩
  3. Tabs A and B are attached but not printed.↩