151. Options Paper Prepared by the Verification Panel Working Group

Summary: The paper summarized the background of the proposed West German sale of a nuclear reactor to the Soviet Union, outlined several issues for the administration to consider in approving the sale in principle, and offered four options for review by the Verification Panel.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files—NSDMs, Box 60, NSDM 298—FRG Reactor Sale to the USSR. Secret. NSDM 261 is printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XVIII, China, 1973–1976, as Document 83.

152. National Security Decision Memorandum 298

Summary: President Ford approved granting an exemption for the FRG reactor sale to the Soviet Union if the Soviet Union would supply the uranium and provide a peaceful purposes assurance. He also decided that IAEA safeguards should be required in future COCOM cases in specific instances. He directed the Verification Panel Working Group to prepare a study of the prospects and implications of nuclear trade with Communist countries.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files—NSDMs, Box 69, Originals—NSDM 281 to NSDM 300. Secret. A copy was sent to Colby. Also published in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume E–15, Part 2, Western Europe, 1973–1976, as Document 288. The Verification Panel Working Group options paper, “Proposed FRG Nuclear Reactor Sale to USSR,” is Document 151.

153. Paper Prepared in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs

Summary: The paper provided information on the national security implications of the administration’s proposal to have private industry finance, construct, and operate uranium enrichment facilities.

Source: Ford Library, Glenn R. Schleede Files, Subject File, 1974–77, Box 51, Uranium Enrichment, 1975: National Security Implications. No classification marking. Bengelsdorf sent the paper to Schleede under a June 20 covering memorandum and indicated it reflected input from “the various interested agencies,” including the Department of State, National Security Council, Energy Research and Development Administration, Office of Management and Budget, and the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. For the decision regarding private industry see telegram 145886 to multiple recipients, June 20, National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750216–0297.

154. Memorandum From Jan Lodal of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)

Summary: Lodal wrote that as a result of concern over the Republic of Korea’s apparent intent to develop nuclear weapons, an interagency consensus had developed, at the staff level, that the United States should persuade the Republic of Korea to “abandon” plans to purchase a reprocessing plant from France.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Program Analysis Staff Files, Convenience Files, Box 47, TTB/PNE Memos, Round 2 (2). Secret. Sent for urgent action. Marcum initialed for Lodal. Neither recommendation was approved, but a handwritten notation by Marcum on the second page indicates that the issue was “Handled orally with Ingersoll” on July 3.

155. Telegram 159191 From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union

Summary: The Department transmitted the “non-paper” that the Soviet Embassy had delivered in reply to the démarche Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Armitage had made to Soviet Minister Counselor Vorontosov in June and provided an unofficial translation of the paper.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750234–1086. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Zook; cleared by McNeill, Borg, Ifft, Shinn, and Palmer; approved by Armitage. Repeated for information to the Mission to the IAEA at Vienna and to London. Telegram 133038 is Document 148.

156. Memorandum From Jan Lodal and David Elliott of the National Security Council Staff to Secretary of State Kissinger

Summary: Lodal and Elliott informed Kissinger that “bureaucratic concurrence” at the staff level had developed concerning a guidance cable that would authorize the Embassy in Seoul to approach the Republic of Korea on matters related to nuclear reprocessing, and suggested that Kissinger approve sending the cable to Seoul. They also indicated that Kissinger could instead wait for a ROK response to an earlier U.S. aide-mémoire and a Canadian démarche, noting that if the South Koreans rejected the aide-mémoire, the United States could then “consider a somewhat stronger approach” than described in the cable.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Program Analysis Staff Files, Convenience Files, Box 32, Reprocessing Study. Secret. Sent for action. Marcum initialed for both Lodal and Elliott. The tabs are attached but not published. Published from a copy that does not indicate Kissinger approved the recommendation, but see Document 158. The U.S. aide-mémoire is in telegram 133128 to Seoul, June 6. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750199–0829)

157. Editorial Note

158. Memorandum From Jan Lodal and David Elliott of the National Security Council Staff to Secretary of State Kissinger

Summary: Lodal and Elliott briefed Kissinger on the ongoing state of negotiations concerning the South Korean reprocessing situation and asked for further guidance on approaches for deterrence.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for East Asia and the Pacific, Box 9, Korea. Secret. Sent for action. Marcum initialed for both Lodal and Elliott. A handwritten notation by Molander on the first page indicates that the issue was “handled orally with Elliot per HAKTO 5.” All brackets are in the original except those indicating text omitted by the editors. Kissinger accompanied President Ford on an official visit to Bonn and East Europe July 26-August 4. The South Korean response to the U.S. aide-mémoire is in telegram 5462, July 21. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750251–0081)

159. Memorandum From Jan Lodal of the National Security Council Staff and the Counselor of the Department of State (Sonnenfeldt) to Secretary of State Kissinger

Summary: Lodal and Sonnenfeldt presented an updated set of topics to be raised by the U.S. delegation at the fourth round of PNE talks in Moscow. Noting “substantial bureaucratic concurrence” on the issues, they wrote that there was no need for Ford to review the instructions and recommended that Kissinger sign the attached National Security Decision Memorandum containing the instructions to the delegation.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files—NSDMs, Box 61, NSDM 304—Instructions for the U.S. Delegation to the PNE Negotiations, Moscow, 9/5/75. Secret; Completely Outside the System. Marcum initialed for both Lodal and Sonnenfeldt. Attached at Tab A is the draft NSDM; NSDM 304 as approved is Document 161. Tab B, the draft treaty, and Tab C, an undated memorandum from Lodal and Sonnenfeldt to Kissinger commenting on Iklé’s memorandum (Document 141), are attached but not published; the interagency discussion paper noted at Tab B is not attached.

160. Memorandum From David Elliott and Jan Lodal of the National Security Council Staff to Secretary of State Kissinger

Summary: Elliott and Lodal provided Kissinger with recommendations concerning the instructions to the U.S. delegations to the Nuclear Suppliers’ Conference in London and to the U.S.-French nuclear talks in Paris. They recommended that Kissinger approve the attached instructions to the two delegations.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Program Analysis Staff Files, Convenience Files, Box 32. Secret. Sent for action. Marcum initialed for both Elliott and Lodal. Kissinger initialed his approval of both recommendations. Tab A, the draft instructions to the U.S. delegation to the conference in London, is attached but not published. Tabs B–E are not attached. NSDM 298 is Document 152. NSDM 275 is Document 92.

161. National Security Decision Memorandum 304

Summary: Kissinger transmitted the approved instructions for the U.S. delegation to the fourth round of the PNE negotiations in Moscow.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files—NSDMs, Box 61, NSDM 304—Instructions for the U.S. Delegation to the PNE Negotiations, Moscow, 9/5/75. Secret. Copies were sent to Brown and Colby. NSDM 297 is Document 150. The Department transmitted the instructions in telegram 214009 to Moscow, September 9. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750311–1129) The fourth round of PNE negotiations opened on September 5 and concluded on October 31.

162. Telegram 12888 From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State

Summary: Ambassador Stoessel reported that during a break in the PNE negotiations the Soviet delegates had informed him that the Soviet Union intended to present a proposal for a nuclear weapons test ban at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750313–0568. Confidential; Immediate. Repeated for information to the Mission in Geneva and Immediate to USUN. For the text of the draft Soviet proposal, see Document 163.

163. Telegram 12947 From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State

Summary: The Embassy transmitted its translation of the Soviet draft treaty on a nuclear weapons test ban and its translation of a letter to UN Secretary General Waldheim from Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko, in which Gromyko indicated that the initiative supplemented the Limited Test Ban Treaty.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750314–1230. Limited Official Use; Immediate. Repeated for information Immediate to USUN. For Gromyko’s September 11 letter to Waldheim submitting the draft treaty and the full text of the draft, see Documents on Disarmament, 1975, pp. 459–463. Telegram 12888 from Moscow, September 10, is Document 162.

164. Telegram 256194 From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union

Summary: The Department summarized a meeting between Chief of the International Organizations Division of the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs Israelyan and Admiral Davies, during which the officials discussed various Soviet disarmament initiatives.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750376–0061. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by J. Glassman (EUR/SOV); cleared by John Baker (IO/UNP), Davies, Kelley, Phelps, and Ortiz; approved by Garrison. Repeated for information to USUN and the U.S. delegation to the SALT II talks in Geneva. The Soviet draft resolution banning new weapons of mass destruction was submitted to the UN General Assembly on September 30. For the text, see Documents on Disarmament 1975, p. 495.

165. Memorandum From John Marcum of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)

Summary: Marcum notified Scowcroft of two important concessions made by Soviet officials at the conclusion of the fourth round of PNE negotiations in Moscow on October 31.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Program Analysis Staff Files, Convenience Files, Box 46, PNE Working Papers number 1. Secret; Sensitive. Sent for information. Sent through Boverie. The fifth round of negotiations began on November 19 and concluded on December 17.

166. Memorandum From the Deputy Secretary of State (Ingersoll) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)

Summary: Ingersoll briefed Scowcroft on guidelines for U.S. compliance with Article II of the Biological Weapons Convention and offered recommendations on this matter for President Ford’s approval.

Source: Ford Library, White House Central Files, Subject Files, Box 71, ND 19–1, December 23, 1975. Unclassified. Tab 1, the undated, interagency enumeration of activities to be permitted under the peaceful purposes clause, entitled “Prophylactic, Protective, or Other Peaceful Purposes,” is attached but not published. Tab 2 is not attached but was attached as Tab A to Document 167.

167. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to President Ford

Summary: Scowcroft recommended that Ford certify compliance with Article II of the Biological Weapons Convention prior to the December 26 deadline by approving an attached memorandum.

Source: Ford Library, White House Central Files, Subject Files, Box 71, ND 19–1, October 1, 1975–December 22, 1975. Confidential. Hyland initialed for Scowcroft. A stamped notation on the first page of the memorandum indicates that Ford saw it. All brackets are in the original. Ford initialed his approval of the recommendation. Tab A, the memorandum signed by Scrowcroft, is attached but not published. Tab B is Document 166.

168. Telegram 301860 From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union

Summary: The Department transmitted the text of the note verbale Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Hartman delivered to Soviet Minister Counselor Vorontsov on December 23 regarding recent Soviet nuclear testing.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750445–1084. Confidential; Immediate. Drafted by McNeill; cleared by Davies; approved by Zook. Repeated for information to London, Helsinki, Stockholm, Paris, the Mission in Geneva, the Mission to the IAEA at Vienna, and USUN. For the previous exchanges on venting, see Documents 148 and 155.

169. Memorandum From David Elliott and John Marcum of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)

Summary: Elliott and Marcum reported that agreement had been reached on common safeguards guidelines for nuclear exports at the Nuclear Suppliers’ Conference.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files—Secretariat, Box 94, Logged Documents—1976—Log Numbers 7600058–760067. Confidential. Sent for information. A notation by Scowcroft on the first page of the memorandum reads: “Looks like clear progress. B.” Tab A, a January 5 memorandum from Springsteen to Scowcroft; Tab B, a November 5 paper entitled “Guidelines for Nuclear Transfers;” and Tab C, telegram 215360 to London and Paris, September 10, 1975, containing the President’s instructions to the U.S. delegation to the Nuclear Suppliers’ Conference are all attached but not published.

170. Memorandum of Conversation

Summary: Kissinger and Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko discussed the limitations of new weapons of mass destruction and the PNE negotiations.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger Reports on USSR, China, and Middle East Discussions, 1974–1976, Box 1, USSR Memcons and Reports, January 21–23—Kissinger Moscow Trip (3). Secret; Nodis. No drafting information appears on the memorandum. All brackets are in the original except those indicating text omitted by the editors. The meeting took place in the Foreign Ministry’s Tolstoi House. The memorandum is printed in full in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XVI, Soviet Union, August 1974–November 1976, as Document 258.

171. Memorandum From David Elliott of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)

Summary: Elliott noted that Scowcroft was scheduled to meet with Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs Cannon to discuss the question of reaching an agreement with the Government of Iran on nuclear cooperation. Elliott updated Scowcroft on the current status of negotiations, summarized current U.S. nonproliferation policy, the proposal for negotiations with the Government of Iran, and the involvement of Cannon and the Domestic Council on this issue.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Files of NSC Logged Documents, NSC “NS” Originals File, Box 60, 7600599, Scowcroft Meeting With Jim Cannon on U.S./Iran Nuclear Agreement. Secret. Sent for information. Scowcroft initialed the memorandum. An attached NSC Correspondence Profile indicates that he read the memorandum on January 31. Tab A, a January 28 memorandum from Cannon to Connor, is attached but not published. The text in parentheses in the section “The Current Proposal for Further Negotiations with Iran” was added by hand. Also printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XXVII, Iran; Iraq, 1973–1976, as Document 160. The unsigned and undated action memorandum 7742 from Scowcroft to the President is ibid., Document 159. No record of Scowcroft’s meeting with Cannon has been found. NSDMs 255 and 292 are Documents 53 and 139 of this volume.

172. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to Secretary of State Kissinger, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, the Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (Iklé), and the Administrator of the Energy Research and Development Administration (Seamans)

Summary: Scowcroft informed the addressees that President Ford had reviewed an earlier study on the negotiation of a nuclear agreement with Iran and had noted their comments and recommendations. He stated that Ford opted to reserve judgment as to any final position the United States would take on the substance of a nuclear agreement with Iran, while approving a proposal that the Department of State and the Energy Research and Development Administration should send a “high-level” team to Iran to engage in exploratory talks. Once talks had concluded, the team would submit a report to Ford.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files—NSDMs, Box 64, NSDM 324—Negotiations of a Nuclear Agreement with Iran. Secret. Copies were sent to Brown and Bush. Also printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XXVII, Iran; Iraq, 1973–1976, as Document 162. The study, prepared by the Verification Panel’s nonproliferation working group, was attached to a November 20, 1975, memorandum from Davis to Kissinger. (Ford Library, NSC Institutional Files, Box 59, NSDM 292—U.S. Nuclear Corporation)

173. Memorandum NSC–U/SM–79M From the Staff Director of the NSC Under Secretaries Committee (Gathright) to the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Clements) and Other Addressees

Summary: On behalf of President Ford, Gathright requested an interagency study of actions required for the implementation of U.S. obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Files of NSC Logged Documents, IF/INS File for the President, Box 32, 7600797, Implementation of Biological Weapons Convention. Confidential. Louise Froebe signed for Gathright. Also sent to Scowcroft, Bush, Brown, Tyler, Lynch, Iklé, and Keogh. Copies were sent to Frizzell, Knebel, Baker, and Peterson. Tab A, NSC–U/SM–79L, a February 6 memorandum from Scowcroft to the Chairman of the NSC Under Secretaries Committee, is attached but not published.

174. Telegram 2218 From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State

Summary: The Embassy transmitted the translation of a Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs note that requested an “exchange of opinions” between Soviet and American officials on the “question of prohibiting the development and production of new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons.” Soviet officials proposed that such an exchange take place in Moscow, February 18–19.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760055–0812. Confidential; Immediate. In telegram 37502 to Moscow, February 14, the Department transmitted the text of a note for the Embassy to deliver to the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs, indicating that the United States was not prepared to discuss the proposal at the current time. (Ibid., D760057–0705) For Kissinger’s earlier discussion in Moscow, see Document 170.

175. Telegram 1126 From the Mission in Geneva to the Department of State

Summary: The mission transmitted a summary of the opening plenary session of the spring session of the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament, noting that U.S. Representative to the CCD Martin had called on the CCD to “make every effort” to complete the negotiations of the EnMod convention and proposed that the CCD undertake, during 1976, a review of its procedures.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760060–0718. Limited Official Use; Priority. Repeated for information to Bonn, London, Mexico City, Moscow, the Mission to NATO, and USUN. The 29th session of the CCD opened in Geneva on February 17 and concluded on April 22. The full text of Martin’s February 17 statement is printed in Documents on Disarmament, 1976, pp. 44–46. On August 21, 1975, the United States and Soviet Union submitted identical draft conventions prohibiting military use of environmental modification techniques to the CCD. See ibid., 1975, pp. 385–388.

176. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to President Ford

Summary: Scowcroft recommended that Ford approve a proposal for a voluntary U.S. in-kind contribution to the International Atomic Energy Agency over the next 5 years. Scowcroft also provided Ford with options for the financing of the contribution.

Source: Ford Library, Presidential Handwriting File, Subject File, Box 25, International Organizations, International Atomic Energy Agency. No classification marking. Sent for action. Ford initialed his approval of the voluntary $5 million contribution and the proposal for a $1 million amendment to the foreign aid budget request.

177. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to Secretary of State Kissinger

Summary: In advance of a March 5 Verification Panel meeting on peaceful nuclear explosions, Scowcroft briefed Kissinger on remaining issues in the PNE negotiations and presented ratification options for the TTB/PNE agreements.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files—Meetings, Box 6, Verification Panel Meeting, 3/5/76, PNE (1). Secret. Printed from a copy that bears Scowcroft’s typed signature. Tab A is a draft of NSDM 321, the final version of which is Document 181. Tabs B and E are not attached and not found. Tab C, a Verification Panel Working Group paper entitled “TTBT/PNE Negotiations: An Examination of Several Remaining Issues,” and Tab D, a Verification Panel Working Group paper entitled “Possible Options if the TTBT and PNE Treaty are Not Ratified by March 31, 1976,” are attached but not published. All brackets are in the original except those indicating text that remains classified and “[50]”, added for clarity. Under a March 4 note, Marcum sent Scowcroft talking points in advance of the meeting, commenting: “I hope you were not too surprised by the length of the VP memorandum for the Secretary. With three topics to cover and no recent policy level review, I felt that a detailed treatment would be useful.” (Ford Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files—Meetings, Box 6, Verification Panel Meeting, 3/5/76, PNE) The minutes of the March 5 Verification Panel meeting are ibid., Box 22, Verification Panel Minutes (Drafts), March 1976.

178. Telegram 1662 From the Mission in Geneva to the Department of State

Summary: The mission reported that during the March 4 Conference of the Committee on Disarmament plenary session, U.S. Representative to the CCD Martin presented a more detailed explanation of the U.S. position on environmental modification techniques.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760083–0966. Limited Official Use. Repeated for information to Bonn, Bucharest, London, Moscow, Rome, Stockholm, The Hague, Tokyo, ERDA, the Mission to NATO, the U.S. delegation to the SALT II talks in Geneva, and USUN. For the full text of Martin’s March 4 statement, see Documents on Disarmament, 1976, pp. 56–61. For Martin’s February 17 statement, see Document 175.

179. Memorandum of Conversation

Summary: In a meeting with his senior advisors from the Department, Kissinger discussed problems linked to nuclear exports and a multilateral approach to nuclear enrichment.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P820117–1400. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Kelly; approved by J. Covey (S) on March 16. The conversation took place in the Secretary’s office. Kissinger is referring to his appearance before the Senate Committee on Government Operations, scheduled for March 9. For Kissinger’s statement before the Committee, see Document 180.

180. Statement by Secretary of State Kissinger

Summary: Kissinger, speaking before the Senate Committee on Government Operations, addressed a variety of nonproliferation issues, including multilateral arms control initiatives and the U.S. national strategy.

Source: Department of State Bulletin, March 29, 1976, pp. 405–411. For Kissinger’s September 1974 speech to the UN General Assembly, see Document 84. His October 1975 speech to the same body is in the Department of State Bulletin, October 12, 1975, pp. 545–553.