Office of the Historian

275. Memorandum by the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1 2

Washington, January 5 1973

MEMORANDUM FOR:

  • The Secretary of State
  • The Secretary of Defense
  • The Director of Central Intelligence
  • The Director, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
  • The President’s Science Adviser

SUBJECT:

  • US Position on Chemical Weapons Prohibitions: Updating of NSSM 157 Study

My memorandum of September 25 noted that the President wishes to have the issues related to the NSSM 157 study, United States Position on Chemical Weapons Prohibitions, aired at an NSC meeting.

In preparation for such a meeting and for a decision which will form the basis of the U.S. position at the Geneva Conference of the Committee on Disarmament (CCD), certain aspects of the study noted below should be updated by the following study groups:

1.
The Ad Hoc Working Group, established by NSSM 157 and chaired by a representative of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, should review the verification aspects of the study and submit an analysis of any further verification measures deemed appropriate.
2.
The President’s Science Adviser, in coordination with Defense and NSC Staffs and in consultation with other agencies as appropriate, should provide:
—
An updating of the shelf-life question. (For example, will there be any serious deterioration or obsolescence problems in the next few decades? Approximately how long can a capability be maintained with current stocks and what measures would be necessary to ensure this capability?)
—
An update regarding the binary weapons program. (For example, what are recent developments or problems and current plans for meeting such?)

Recognizing that a decision prior to the February 20 session of the CCD is preferable, these reports should be submitted as supplements to the NSSM 157 study by January 21, 1973.

Henry A. Kissinger
  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Boxes H–192 and H–193, NSSM 157. Secret. The memorandum was also sent to Laird, Helms, Smith, and David.↩
  2. Kissinger requested reports reflecting recent discussions on verification measures and the question of stockpiles shelf-life pertaining to the NSSM 157 study be completed by January 21, 1973.↩