102. Editorial Note
The third and final stage of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) was held in Helsinki July 30–August 2, 1975. Although the strategic arms limitation talks (SALT) were not a central issue, President Ford and Leonid Brezhnev, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, nevertheless had several discussions on the subject. They discussed SALT II on July 30 at 9:35 a.m. at the American Ambassador’s residence and again on August 2 at 9:05 a.m. at the Soviet Embassy. Near the end of the August 2 discussion, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger made the following summary remarks:
“I believe we could say that we have agreed to refer to Geneva certain points on which we have reached agreement without specifying those points. As I see it, we have agreed that: (a) ballistic missiles with a range of over 600 kilometers on surface ships will be banned; (b) ballistic missiles and cruise missiles on the seabed, including in territorial waters, will be banned; (c) placing nuclear weapons in orbit will be banned; (d) development, testing, and deployment of cruise missiles with a range of over 600 kilometers on aircraft other than bombers will be banned; and (e) development of land-based cruise missiles of inter [Page 454] continental range will be banned. So all these items should be referred to Geneva, but all we would say to the public is that a number of issues have been referred to Geneva.” (Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger Reports on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, Box 1, USSR Memcons and Reports, July 30–August 2, 1975, Ford/Brezhnev Meetings in Helsinki, CSCE)
The full texts of all memoranda of conversation of the meetings in Helsinki are in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, Vol. XXXIX, European Security, and ibid., Vol. XVI, Soviet Union, August 1974–December 1976.