144. National Security Study Memorandum 1001
TO
- The Secretary of State
- The Secretary of Defense
- Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT
- Military Cooperation with France
1. The President has directed that a study be prepared to review all the various areas of current and potential military cooperation with France. The study should include:
a. a status report on bilateral and multilateral areas of cooperation with France relating to NATO (SACEUR), and, specifically, alternative ways to encourage French association with the NPG; future problems and policy choices should be identified;
b. a status report on Franco-American military Research and Development projects under consideration or proposed in the recent meeting of the Steering Group in Paris; potential problems should be identified;
c. a status report on technical discussions thus far with French on their requests for assistance in their missile programs, a discussion of [Page 516] alternative courses of action in providing assistance, including an analysis of areas of potential conflict with a possible SALT agreement;
d. an evaluation of prospects for Anglo-French nuclear collaboration and alternative postures that the US might adopt;
e. a discussion of alternatives in regard to dealing with the French request for a relaxation of restrictions on the use of US computers and computer components in the French nuclear weapons program, including as much factual detail as necessary on the status of the program, the contribution of computers and the pertinent legal and political factors involved in our restrictions.
2. Consideration of study items 1c, 1d, and 1e should include an in-depth analysis of American interests in relation to third country (Allied) nuclear capabilities both in terms of separate countries and in terms of any collaboration between Allied powers.
3. In view of the sensitivity of this subject and particularly of study items 1c, d and e, participation in the work of this study must be strictly limited and the entire subject matter handled on a highly classified and restricted basis.
4. This study will be prepared by an ad hoc group comprising representatives of the addressees and the NSC staff and chaired by the Chairman of the NSC Interdepartmental Political Military Group. The completed study should be forwarded to the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs not later than September 14.
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 365, Subject Files, National Security Study Memoranda (NSSM’s)—Nos. 43–103. Top Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. A copy was sent to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.↩