Office of the Historian

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 Addressees1

Washington, February 9, 1976.

TO

  • The Deputy Secretary of Defense
  • The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
  • The Director of Central Intelligence
  • The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • The Deputy Attorney General
  • The Under Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare
  • The Director, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
  • The Director, United States Information Agency
[Page 560]

SUBJECT

  • Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention

REF

  • NSC–U/SM–79L

The President has requested that a study be prepared, including agency recommendations, delineating those actions that are required or are advisable in implementing U.S. obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention. The terms of reference for this study are contained in the attached memorandum.

The chairman of the working group for this study will be Mr. Homer Phelps of the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs of the Department of State. Mr. Phelps will contact the addressee agencies concerning representation and arrangements for a meeting of the working group.

This study and the recommendations will be forwarded to the President together with the annual review of chemical weapons and biological research which is underway. The annual review, the study on implementation and a draft Memorandum for the President should be completed for circulation to the Members of the Under Secretaries Committee no later than Friday, February 27, 1976.

Wreatham E. Gathright
Staff Director

  1. 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.

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