Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–6, Documents on Africa, 1973–1976

156. Memorandum From Jeanne Davis of the National Security Council Staff to the Deputy Secretaries of State (Ingersoll) and Defense (Clements), Director of Central Intelligence Bush, and the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (Smith)¹ ²

Washington, March 1, 1976

SUBJECT:

• Summary of SRG Meeting on NSSM 233—The Future of Kagnew Station

A Senior Review Group meeting was held on February 12, 1976 to discuss the NSSM 233 study. At that meeting it was agreed that:

• —There is a continuing need for the functions performed by the Kagnew facility.
• —The United States should remain in Kagnew as long as possible.
• —The United States should not take any diplomatic initiatives or precipitous action with the Ethiopian Government with regard to Kagnew.
• —If the Ethiopian Government begins to exert real pressure on the United States regarding Kagnew we could then enter into bilateral talks at a slow and deliberate pace and discuss the possibility of relocating in Ethiopia.
• —On a contingency basis alternate sites should be studied as part of NSSM 238—U.S. Policy Toward the Persian Gulf.

Jeanne W. Davis

Staff Secretary

1. Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Institutional Files, Box 33, IF/NS Files for the President, Summary of SRG Meeting on NSSM 233. Top Secret.
2. Davis reviewed the conclusions of the February 12 Senior Review Group meeting.