Office of the Historian

182. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Moorer) to the Chairman of the Verification Panel (Kissinger)1

CM–1066–71
Washington, July 20, 1971.

SUBJECT

  • Draft Strategic Defensive and Strategic Offensive Agreements
1.
Reference is made to:
a.
SALT Delegation messages to the Secretary of State, SALT V 0794/121032Z July 1971, JCS IN 26300, and SALT V 0797/121542Z July 1971,2 JCS IN 26413, subject: “Draft Agreement on Limiting Strategic Defensive Weapons,” which presented the Delegation’s interpretation of National Security Decision Memorandum (NSDM) 117 and supporting rationale to the President on a draft strategic defensive agreement.
b.
SALT Delegation message to the Secretary of State, SALT V 0796/121437Z July 1971,3 JCS IN 26412, subject: “Draft Interim Agreement on Strategic Offensive Weapons,” which presented the Delegation’s interpretation of NSDM 117 to the President on a draft strategic offensive agreement.
2.
The messages in reference 1.a contain certain Delegation dissenting views on which the Joint Chiefs of Staff desire to express their view. On SALT 0794, the Joint Chiefs of Staff strongly support the SALT Delegation majority positions on Articles 2 and 4 and support the accompanying rationale as outlined in SALT 0797.
3.
Article 6 is of great concern and lists alternatives in connection with futuristic systems. The Joint Chiefs of Staff strongly recommend Alternative 3 of paragraph 2, Article 6. Including either of the other alternatives could lead to a unilateral US interpretation that research and development of advanced defensive systems is limited or prohibited, while in all likelihood the Soviets would proceed with research and development on such systems. Such development is highly unlikely to be identified by the United States.
4.
With regard to reference 1.b, the Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend approval of the words “have not initially reached operational status” in paragraph 1. The rest of the draft is acceptable to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
5.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff support the draft agreements with the foregoing modifications.
T.H. Moorer
  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 881, SALT, SALT talks (Helsinki), Vol. XV, 1 May–July 1971. Top Secret. Copies were sent to the members of the Verification Panel: Packard, Irwin, Helms, Farley, and Mitchell.↩
  2. Telegram USDEL SALT 794 is Document 175. Telegram USDEL SALT 797, July 12, is not printed. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 881, SALT, SALT talks (Helsinki), Vol. XV, 1 May–June 1971)↩
  3. Not printed. (Ibid.)↩