Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–13, Documents on China, 1969–1972

156. Note From the Government of the Soviet Union to the Government of the United States, Moscow, September 13, 1972¹ ²

Moscow, September 13, 1972

Prevention of Nuclear War

1. The President has considered our discussions on this subject.

2. We believe that any discussion of this subject must take the following points into account:

• — We believe it important to avoid any formulation that carried an implication of a condominium by our two countries;
• — We believe it important that an agreement between our two countries should not carry any implication that we were ruling out only nuclear war between ourselves but were leaving open the option of nuclear war against third countries;
• — We think it important that in concentrating on the prevention of nuclear war we should not at the same time appear to be legitimizing the initiation of war by conventional means;
• — We think it important that past agreements, whether alliances or other types of obligations, designed to safeguard peace and security should not be put into question.

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, June 25, 1972-Oct 17, 1972. No classification marking. A handwritten note indicates that representatives of the Soviet Government delivered the note to U.S. officials on September 13, 1972. Kissinger referenced this message during his September 19 meeting with Huang Hua; see Document 253, Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XVII.
2. The note outlined the Soviet decision to introduce a declaration entitled “On the non-use of force in international relations and on the prohibition for all time of the use of nuclear weapons,” at the 27th session of the UN General Assembly.