Office of the Historian

248. National Security Decision Memorandum 3131

Washington, November 14, 1975.

TO

  • The Secretary of State
  • The Secretary of Defense
  • The Administrator, Agency for International Development
  • The Director, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
  • The Director of Central Intelligence

SUBJECT

  • Establishment of US Sinai Support Mission

The President has reviewed the response to National Security Study Memorandum 2302 regarding the establishment of a U.S. Support Mission in the Sinai, pursuant to the U.S. Proposal of September 1, 1975. The President concurs in the first recommendation of the study and has directed that a senior interagency group be established under the auspices of the National Security Council to organize, coordinate and provide overall management for the Mission. The member agencies of the management board will be the Department of State and Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Agency for International Development, and the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.

The President also concurs in the third and fourth recommendations of the Study. He has directed that the Mission be headed by a Director, who will receive broad policy guidance and report to the President through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. He will be assisted by a small staff in Washington, as well as drawing upon the support of the interagency management board. In the field, the major part of the work will be carried out under private contract with the contractors and their personnel responsible to the Mission Director and his designated representatives. In carrying out his functions, the Director shall hold the additional title of Special Representative of the President.

The President wishes the Sinai Support Mission to be established expeditiously, in order to be in position to carry out effectively its assigned tasks once the Basic Agreement has been fully implemented. Addressees should designate a senior representative to serve on the interagency management board.

[Page 868]

The President has also directed that there be a comprehensive review of all operations of the Sinai Support Mission one year from the date of this memorandum, with a view to determining the advisability of any changes in the management or organization of the Mission.

Brent Scowcroft
  1. Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSDMs, Box 1, NSDM 313. Secret. Copies were sent to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Director of the Office of Management and Budget.↩
  2. Document 238.↩