Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXIV, Middle East Region and Arabian Peninsula, 1969–1972; Jordan, September 1970

42. National Security Study Memorandum 104¹

Washington, November 9, 1970.

TO

• The Secretary of State
• The Secretary of Defense
• The Director of Central Intelligence Agency

SUBJECT

• Soviet and Friendly Naval Involvement in the Indian Ocean Area, 1971–1975

The President has asked for an assessment of possible Soviet naval threats to U.S. interests in the Indian Ocean area and the development of friendly naval force and basing alternatives consistent with varying judgments about possible threats and interests over the 1971–1975 period.² He has asked that special attention be given to possible U.S. cooperation with British and other friendly forces in the area.

The study should:

• —Specify U.S. interests involved in the Indian Ocean area, including political considerations, commercial and trade interests, communications and logistics requirements under current and possible contingency conditions, surveillance needs, and strategic force issues.
• —Survey current and projected possible Soviet involvement in the Indian Ocean area and assess the possible threats to U.S. interests.
• —Assess the current and possible future roles of British, Australian, South African and other forces in the Indian Ocean area, giving special consideration to possible basing requirements.
• —Consider how the political, commercial and other interests of Japan, Australia, India, Indonesia, and other countries in the area affect the options for Soviet and U.S. naval involvement in the Indian Ocean area.
• —Develop alternative U.S. force and basing arrangements (specifying the costs of each) consistent with differing views of U.S. interests in the Indian Ocean area, giving special attention to the associated roles of British and Australian and other friendly naval forces and joint housing arrangements.

This study should be carried out by an Interdepartmental Group under the chairmanship of the Department of Defense. It should be completed by December 1, 1970, and submitted to the Chairman, NSC Senior Review Group.

Henry A. Kissinger

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–176, National Security Study Memoranda, NSSM 104. Secret. A copy was sent to Moorer. In a November 9 covering memorandum, Kissinger stated that the NSSM emerged from an understanding reached between President Nixon and Prime Minister Heath on October 3; see Document 41.
2. According to a September 17 memorandum from Chafee to Packard, Nixon called for more information about Diego Garcia and the Reindeer Station Project after Admiral John S. McCain, Jr. (CINCPAC) informed him on the matter. (Washington National Records Center, OSD Files: FRC 330–76–067, Box 73, Indian Ocean 1970)