Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXXII, SALT I, 1969–1972

256. Telegram From the Department of State to the Delegation to the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks¹

Washington, April 10, 1972, 2347Z.

61537. Subject: Further instructions on our ABM position. The President has directed that:

1. The Soviet ABM proposal of April 6² is unacceptable in its present form.

2. The delegation is authorized to table as a formal proposal the U.S. ABM position described in paragraph 9 of NSDM–158.³ The presentation should explicitly note that this ABM proposal is made in the context of including SLBM launchers in the interim offensive freeze. Moreover, our August 20 proposal of 2-or-1 ABM sites is not withdrawn.

3. The delegation should proceed, as already authorized in paragraphs 12 and 13 of NSDM–158, to negotiate limits on ABM radars. The delegation is not authorized at this time to employ the approach in paragraph 14.

Rogers

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 882, SALT, SALT talks (Helenski) [sic], Vol. 17, January–April 1972. Top Secret; Immediate. Drafted by A.M. Christopher (ACDA) and cleared by Farley and Miller (S/S).
2. See Document 252.
3. Document 243.