Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Commitee; Seabed Arms Control Treaty
123. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Nutter) to the Deputy Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (Farley)
Nutter responded to Farley’s September 24 memorandum citing alternative two as the least detrimental to U.S. security. In the explanation of DOD’s concerns, Nutter noted that alternate two eliminated Soviet claim to the strategically important Sea of Okhotsk as “historic waters” and therefore opened it to compliance inspections.
Source: Washington National Records Center, OSD Files: FRC 330–72–6309, 388.3 (August–September 1969). Secret. Printed from a copy that indicates Nutter signed the original.
124. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Sonnenfeldt forwarded for Kissinger’s approval draft instructions to Geneva outlining the compromise reached by State, ACDA, and Defense on territorial waters.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 381, Subject Files, Seabeds Vol. I, May 1970. Secret; Limdis. Sent for urgent action. Kissinger initialed “Approve.” A handwritten notation on the first page reads, “Watts informed.” The attached telegram was repeated to USUN, Moscow, and London. Tabs B and C are Documents 121 and 123.
125. Telegram 3531 From the Mission in Geneva to the Department of State
The telegram transmitted further Soviet comments on the new U.S. draft seabeds treaty, accepting the majority of the draft but rejecting the U.S. provision establishing the coastal zone as articulated by the 1958 Geneva Convention on the Territorial Sea.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 381, Subject Files, Seabeds Vol. I, May 1970. Secret.; Limdis. It was repeated to Moscow, USNATO, and USUN.
126. Telegram 167972 From the Department of State to the Mission in Geneva
The telegram instructed Leonard to seek a meeting with Soviet Representative Roshchin. At the proposed meeting, Leonard was to present a detailed response addressing each issue articulated by the Soviets with regards to the seabeds treaty.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–1969, POL 33–5. Secret; Limdis. Also sent to USNATO and Tokyo. It was repeated to USUN, Moscow, and all NATO capitals. Drafted by Gleysteen (ACDA/IR) and Hancock (ACDA/GC); cleared by Sonnenfeldt and, in draft, in PM, H, AEC, IO, EUR, L, and DOD/ISA; and approved by Smith.
127. Telegram 3575 From the Mission in Geneva to the Department of State
The telegram transmitted the text of the joint U.S.-Soviet draft seabed treaty, to be tabled on October 7.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–1969, POL 33–5. Secret; Limdis. Also sent to USNATO. It was repeated to USUN and U.S. embassies in Athens, Bonn, Brussels, Canberra, Copenhagen, The Hague, Lisbon, London, Luxembourg, Oslo, Moscow, Ottawa, Paris, Reykjavik, Rome, and Tokyo.
128. Revised U.S.-Soviet Draft Treaty
Text of the revised “American-Soviet Draft Treaty on the Prohibition of the Emplacement of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction on the Sea-Bed and the Ocean Floor and in the Subsoil thereof.”
Source: Documents on Disarmament, 1969, pp. 507–509. No classification marking.
129. Notes of Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and Secretary of State Rogers
Kissinger complained to Rogers about the way that ACDA Director Smith handled the seabed arms control treaty.
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 361, Telephone Conversations, Chronological File, November 11–17, 1969. No classification marking.
130. Telegram 4311 From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State
The telegram discussed problems and prospects for the seabed arms control treaty in the UN General Assembly. It reiterated the more problematic issue of the Article defining the “contiguous zone,” the potential Argentinean objection, and the various positions feasible in light of the previous extensive negotiations between the U.S. and USSR centered around that same issue.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–1969, POL 33–6. Confidential. It was repeated to USNATO and USMission Geneva.
131. Telegram 1145 From the Mission in Geneva to the Department of State
The telegram transmitted the Soviets’ revised draft seabed treaty.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 381, Subject Files, Seabeds Vol. 1, May 1970. Confidential; Limdis. It was repeated to USUN and USNATO.
132. Telegram 1146 From the Mission in Geneva to the Department of State
The telegram reported on the discussion at the Co-Chairmen’s meeting of the Soviets’ revised draft seabed treaty. The Soviets had made only minor changes and accepted all of the U.S. suggestions. As a result, Soviet Co-Chair Roshchin informed U.S. Co-Chair Leonard of the Soviet desire to compete consideration of the treaty by the end of the Spring Session. Leonard disagreed.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–1973, POL 33–6. Confidential. It was repeated to USUN, USNATO, and Vienna.
133. Telegram 55038 From the Department of State to the Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
The telegram directed that U.S. NATO distribute the Soviets’ revised draft seabed treaty to NATO delegations and that embassies in NATO capitals circulate it to their respective Governments. It then concluded with a positive projection for the passage of the new draft at the upcoming CCD meeting.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–1973, POL 33–6. Confidential; Priority. It was also sent to all NATO capitals, USMission Geneva, and Tokyo. It was repeated to Moscow, USUN, and Vienna. Drafted by Malin (ACDA/IR); cleared by NEIDLE (ACDA/IR) and in draft in ACDA/GC, PM/DCA, LO/PMO, EUR/RPM, IO/UNP, OSD/ISA, and the White House; and approved by Farley (ACDA/DD). The treaty, the text of which was essentially the same as in Document 131 was submitted to the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament on April 23 and is printed, along with statements by the U.S. and Soviet representatives to the Committee, in Documents on Disarmament, 1970, pp. 175–188.
134. Telegram 3043 From the Mission in Geneva to the Department of State
The telegram focused on the seabed arms control treaty in its wrap-up of the 1970 meetings of the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament. It lauded the consensus supporting the revised treaty as the “main accomplishment of 1970,” and listed those nations which had articulated their support of the draft.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–1973, DEF 18–3 Switz (GE). Confidential. It was repeated to Moscow, Mexico City, Rio De Janeiro, Buenos Aires, USUN, and USNATO, and pouched to 21 other embassies.
135. Telegram 2548 From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State
The telegram reported on U.S.-Soviet consultations on plans for submitting a seabed disarmament resolution to the UN General Assembly and individually examined the response of the other delegates who supported the agreement.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–1973, POL 33–6. Confidential. It was repeated to USMission Geneva, USNATO, and Moscow.
136. Telegram 2766 From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State
The telegram reported on the status of negotiations at the UN General Assembly over a resolution commending the seabed arms control treaty, highlighting the positive response to the draft and noting all CCD allies of both the United States and Soviet Union would co-sponsor the resolution.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–1973, POL 33–6. Confidential. It was repeated to USNATO and USMission Geneva.
137. Telegram 191560 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Djakarta
The telegram transmitted the final text of the UN General Assembly resolution commending the seabed arms control treaty.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–1973, POL 33–6. Confidential; Priority. It was repeated to USUN and USDEL SALT III. Drafted by Rodes (ACDA/IR); cleared in IO/UNP, PM/DCA, and EA/IND; and approved by Day (ACDA/IR). The resolution, 2660 (XXV), passed on December 7, 1970, by a vote of 104 to 2, with 2 abstentions.
138. Seabed Arms Control Treaty
Text of the “Treaty on the Prohibition of the Emplacement of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction on the Sea-Bed and the Ocean Floor and in the Subsoil Thereof,” opened on this day for signature in Washington, London, and Moscow.
Source: Documents on Disarmament, 1971, pp. 7–11. No classification marking. For text of President Nixon’s remarks at the signing ceremony on February 11, see Public Papers: Nixon, 1971, pp. 150–151. The treaty was approved by the U.S. Senate on February 15, 1972, by a vote of 83 to 0, and ratified by the President on April 26, 1972. It entered into force on May 18, 1972.