1. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for International Economic Affairs (Flanigan) to President Nixon

Summary: Flanigan sought Nixon’s approval of U.S. policy toward Concorde.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 752, Presidential Correspondence, France, Pompidou, 1972 (1 of 2). Confidential. Shultz and Colson concurred. Attached but not published is Tab 1, a December 11, 1972 letter from Kosciusko-Morizet to Nixon; Tab 2, a December 11 letter from Cromer to Nixon; and Tab 3, minutes of a December 11, 1972 Interagency Review Group discussion of Concorde. Nixon did not indicate his preferences regarding Flanigan’s recommendations; however, he did sign the attached letters to Heath and Pompidou, both of which are dated January 19. (Ibid.)

2. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Summary: Sonnenfeldt discussed French fears of U.S.–USSR collusion and the “neutralization” of Germany.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 679, Country Files, Europe, France Vol. X (Aug 72–Apr 73). Top Secret; Codeword; Sensitive. Sent for information. Attached but not published are Tabs A through D. Kissinger initialed the memorandum.

3. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for International Economic Affairs (Flanigan) to the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment (Casey)

Summary: Flanigan reported the decisions reached at a January 25 CIEP SRG meeting on the U.S. position on the GATT negotiations on EC enlargement and the EC–EFTA agreements.

Source: National Archives, RG 429, Records on the Council on International Economic Policy, 1971–1977, Records of Senior Review Group Meetings, 1971–1974, Box 254, SRG Meetings 1973, 1/25/73 SRG Meeting re GATT and EC Enlargement (51718). Confidential. Memorandum addressed to William Casey, Jack Bennett, William Eberle, Carroll Brunthaver, Lawrence Fox, Helmut Sonnenfeldt, and Geza Feketekuty. Copies were sent to Treasury, State, USDA, NSC, and STR. For memoranda of conversation recording Heath’s February 1 to 2 official visit to Washington, see Documents 216, 217, and 218.

4. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Summary: Sonnenfeldt provided an analytical summary of the study prepared in response to NSSM 164, United States Relations with Europe.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–66, Meeting Files, SRG Meeting—Europe (NSSM 164). Secret. An unknown hand initialed the memorandum on Sonnenfeldt’s behalf. Attached but not published are Tabs A through F. Tab A is a January 4 memorandum from Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce Lawrence Fox to Hyland; Tab B is a January 11 memorandum from Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Carroll Brunthaver to Sonnenfeldt; Tab C is a January 26 memorandum from Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury John Hart to Kissinger; Tab D is a January 2 memorandum from Assistant Secretary of Defense John Morse to Sonnenfeldt; Tab E is a December 29, 1972 memorandum from Special Assistant to ACDA Director A. M. Christopher to Davis; and Tab F is a CIA memorandum. For NSSM 164, see Document 84, Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. XLI, Western Europe; NATO, 1969–1972.

5. Minutes of Senior Review Group Meeting

Summary: The Senior Review Group considered the study prepared in response to NSSM 164, United States Relations with Europe.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–113, SRG Minutes (Originals) 1972–1973 (3 of 4). Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. Attached but not published is Helms’ briefing, January 30. Flanigan sent the CIEP memorandum requested at this meeting to Kissinger under cover of a February 27 memorandum; the undated memorandum was entitled “US-European Relations: Economic Objectives.” (Ibid., NSC Files, Box 1052, Institutional Materials, NSC Institutional Papers—March 1973)

6. Conversation Between President Nixon and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Summary: Nixon and Kissinger discussed Heath’s recent visit to the United States and the state of Western Europe.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Oval Office, Conversation No. 840–12. Secret. The editor transcribed the portion of the conversation published here specifically for this volume. The transcription is part of a larger conversation that lasted from 12:12 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. Memoranda of conversation on Nixon’s meetings with Heath, during Heath’s February 1 to 2 official visit to Washington, are published as Documents 216, 217, and 218.

7. National Security Study Memorandum 168

Summary: The President requested a comprehensive study of NATO strategy, U.S. policy choices, and programs supporting the NATO allies.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–195, Study Memorandums, 1969–1974, NSSM–168 (2 of 2). Secret.

8. National Security Study Memorandum 170

Summary: The President requested a study of alternative arrangements that could ease the future balance of payments costs of keeping U.S. troops in Europe and provide a firm economic foundation for preserving current levels of U.S. troop deployments in the future.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–196, Study Memorandums, 1969–1974, NSSM–170. Secret. Copies were sent to the DCI and the President’s Assistant for International Economic Affairs. Eliot sent Kissinger the requested position paper on U.S.–FRG bilateral offset on February 22. (Ibid.)

9. Memorandum From President Nixon to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Summary: Nixon discussed the implications of Western European unity for the United States.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Special Files, Staff Member & Office Files, President’s Personal Files, Memoranda from the President, Box 4, Memos—March 1973. No classification marking. The memorandum is marked “draft” and contains multiple minor handwritten revisions by Nixon. Nixon spent most of March 10 at Camp David, Maryland, returning to Washington that evening. (Ibid., White House Central Files, President’s Daily Diary) He spoke to Kissinger by telephone from Camp David from 11:40 a.m. to 12:08 p.m. and from 5:36 p.m. to 5:43 p.m. (Ibid.) The transcript of the morning telephone conversation contains no mention of the monetary crisis. (Ibid., Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Box 19) No other record of the evening conversation has been found.

10. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and Secretary of the Treasury Shultz to President Nixon

Summary: Kissinger and Shultz secured Nixon’s approval of their strategy for addressing the issue of EC preferential agreements with Spain and Israel.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 322, Subject Files, European Common Market, Vol III Oct 72–Jun 73 (1 of 2). Confidential. Sent for action. Attached but not published is Tab A, an undated paper entitled “Negotiating Instructions on EC-Spain and EC-Israel Trade Agreements.” A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it. Nixon initialed his approval of the proposed strategy.

11. Memorandum From Philip Odeen of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Summary: Odeen reviewed the issue of balance of payments offset agreements and summarized the interagency study prepared in response to NSSM 170, Offsetting the Costs of U.S. Forces in Europe.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–67, Meeting Files, SRG Meeting—Cancelled 4/26/73. Confidential. Sent for action. Sonnenfeldt and NSC staff member John Lehman concurred. Attached but not published are the enclosures included in the briefing book. The 43-page study prepared in response to NSSM 170, dated April 1973, is ibid.

12. Paper Prepared in the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs

Summary: The paper represents Part II of the study prepared in response to NSSM 168, U.S. NATO Policies and Programs.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–195, Study Memorandums, 1969–1974, NSSM–168 (1 of 2). Secret. Attached but not published is the remainder of the 76-page paper. Sent to Kissinger under cover of an April 30 memorandum from Stoessel. For the analytical summary of Part I of the study prepared in response to NSSM 168, see Document 16.

13. National Security Decision Memorandum 214

Summary: The President specified the guidelines that would govern the U.S. negotiating approach to the balance of payments offset and burden-sharing negotiations.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–239, Policy Papers, NSDM–214. Confidential. Copies were sent to the DCI, the Chairman of the JCS, and the President’s Assistant for International Economic Affairs. After reviewing a draft of this NSDM sent to him by Odeen on April 30, Kissinger directed: “Get something that authorizes deferral of actual negs [negotiations] till fall. Discussed with Brandt.” (Memorandum from Odeen to Kissinger, April 30; ibid.) For a memorandum of conversation recording Brandt’s May 1 discussion with Nixon and Kissinger in Washington, see Document 265. For a summary analysis of the study prepared in response to NSSM 170, see Document 11. For further documentation on the U.S.–FRG bilateral offset issue, see the West German compilation in this volume.

14. National Security Study Memorandum 183

Summary: The President directed that a set of principles be prepared to govern the U.S. relationship with its Atlantic partners.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1054, Institutional Materials, NSC Institutional Papers—May 1973 (2 of 2). Confidential. Copies were sent to the Chairman of the JCS and the DCI.

15. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Summary: Kissinger discussed the Western European response to the Year of Europe initiative and assessed the likelihood of its success.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 64, Country Files, Europe, General, Exchanges with the UK, Other, July 12, 1973 (2 of 3). Secret; Sensitive. Sent for information. Memoranda of conversation on Kissinger’s May 10 discussions with British officials in London are ibid., Box 62, Country Files, Europe, General, UK Memcons HAK London Trip (originals), May 1973. On April 23, Kissinger delivered a speech entitled “The Year of Europe” to the Associated Press editors’ annual meeting in New York City in which he called for a reinvigoration of the Atlantic alliance. For the text of Kissinger’s speech, see Department of State Bulletin, May 14, 1973, pp. 593–598.

16. Paper Prepared in the National Security Council

Summary: The paper provided an analytical summary of Part I of the study prepared in response to NSSM 168, U.S. NATO Policies and Programs.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–67, Meeting Files, SRG/DPRC Meeting—NATO Security Issues 5/25/73. Secret. Sent to Kissinger under cover of a May 24 briefing memorandum from Odeen concerning a May 25 SRG/DPRC meeting on U.S.-West European relations. The 40-page paper representing Part I of the study prepared in response to NSSM 168 is ibid. For Part II of the study prepared in response to NSSM 168, see Document 12.

17. Paper Prepared by the Interdepartmental Group for Europe

Summary: The paper represents the study prepared in response to NSSM 183, Principles for a Declaration on Atlantic Relations.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–67, Meeting Files, SRG/DPRC Meeting—NATO Security Issues 5/25/73. Confidential. Attached but not published are Annexes A through E. Sent to Kissinger under cover of a May 24 briefing memorandum from Sonnenfeldt concerning a May 25 SRG/DPRC meeting on U.S.-West European relations.

18. Minutes of Defense Program Review Committee/Senior Review Group Meeting

Summary: The Defense Program Review Committee and the Senior Review Group considered the studies prepared in response to NSSM 168, U.S. NATO Policies and Programs, and NSSM 183, Principles for a Declaration on Atlantic Relations.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–113, SRG Minutes (Originals), 1972–1973 (3 of 4). Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.

19. Paper Prepared in the National Security Council

Summary: The paper outlined the proposed outcome of the meeting between Nixon and Pompidou in Iceland.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 949, VIP Visits, Pompidou/Nixon Mtg., Iceland, PM Johannesson May 31–Jun 1, 1973 (1 of 3). Secret. A stamped notation on the paper indicates the President saw it. In backchannel message WH31448, May 25, Kissinger forwarded this paper to Irwin for transmission to Jobert. (Ibid., Box 424, Backchannel, Backchannel Messages—Europe—1973) On May 17, Kissinger and Jobert discussed the Year of Europe in Paris. (Memorandum of conversation, May 17; ibid., NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 56, Country Files, Europe, General, French Memcons (originals) Peter Rodman, January–May 1973)

20. Memorandum of Conversation

Summary: Pompidou, Nixon, and Kissinger discussed the Year of Europe.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Special Files, Staff Member & Office Files, President’s Office Files, Memoranda for the President, Box 91, Beginning May 27 (1973). Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in Kjarvalsstadir.

21. Memorandum of Conversation

Summary: Pompidou, Nixon, and Kissinger discussed the Year of Europe.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Special Files, Staff Member & Office Files, President’s Office Files, Memoranda for the President, Box 91, Beginning May 27 (1973). Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting took place in Kjarvalsstadir. The remainder of this memorandum of conversation, which reports the discussion on economic relations, is printed as Document 41 in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. XXXI, Foreign Economic Policy, 1973–1976. On June 8 Kissinger and Jobert met in Paris, where they discussed the fall-out of the Reykjavik summit, a Year of Europe declaration, and next steps in the Year of Europe. (Memorandum of conversation, June 8; National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 56, Country Files, Europe, General, French Exchanges—Sensitive, 1973 (RN))

22. Memorandum From Philip Odeen of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Summary: Odeen reviewed the June 7 meeting of NATO defense ministers.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 263, Agency Files, NATO June 73, Vol. XIV. Secret. Sent for information. Kissinger wrote at the top of the memorandum, “Nonsense—it was a disaster.” At the end of the seventh paragraph, Kissinger wrote in the margin, “What do you think we are about?” Under cover of a June 4 memorandum, Odeen, Eagleburger, and Sonnenfeldt forwarded a draft of Schlesinger’s remarks to Kissinger, calling it “a tough speech” that addressed “the fundamental questions of force structure, strategy, and the conventional balance” and clearly called “for a major review of security issues within the Alliance.” Kissinger approved the speech, with minor changes. (Ibid.)

23. Message From French Foreign Minister Jobert to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Summary: Jobert discussed the next steps in the Year of Europe.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 56, Country Files, Europe, General, French Exchanges—Sensitive, 1973 (RN). No classification marking. All brackets are in the original. Forwarded, along with the original French text of the message, to Kissinger under cover of a July 16 memorandum from Sonnenfeldt, in which Sonnenfeldt recorded the meeting during which a French Embassy official delivered the message to Kissinger. Kissinger initialed Sonnenfeldt’s memorandum.

24. Message WH31863 From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to French Foreign Minister Jobert

Summary: Kissinger replied to Jobert’s letter on the Year of Europe.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 56, Country Files, Europe, General, French Exchanges (2 of 2). Top Secret; Immediate; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only.

25. Message From British Prime Minister Heath to President Nixon

Summary: Heath briefed Nixon on the July 23 EC Foreign Ministers meeting in Copenhagen.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 431, Backchannel, Hotlines (all circuits) PRESUS IN/OUT thru Aug. 9, 1974. Secret; Immediate; Sensitive. In message WH31855 to Heath, July 18, Nixon urged the importance of a renewed expression of Western solidarity. (Ibid.)

26. Message WH31875 From President Nixon to British Prime Minister Heath

Summary: Nixon expressed his concern about the outcome of the July 23 EC Foreign Ministers meeting and its implications for U.S.-West European relations.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 431, Backchannel, Hotlines (all circuits) PRESUS IN/OUT thru Aug. 9, 1974. Secret; Immediate; Sensitive. In a July 26 telephone conversation with Kissinger, Sonnenfeldt noted that the West Europeans were at least “working on the documents.” Kissinger replied, “Yeah, but in a framework that is suicidal. Unless we shoot one across the bow to them brutally now . . .” Sonnenfeldt responded, “Well, I think that you should do.” (Ibid., Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Box 21) In a July 26 telephone conversation with Sykes, Kissinger stressed that Nixon wanted Heath to know that he, Nixon, had personally dictated this message and that “it was not a staff effort.” (Ibid.)

27. Memorandum of Conversation

Summary: Trend, Kissinger, and other British and American officials discussed Poseidon and the Year of Europe.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Kissinger-Scowcroft West Wing Office Files, Box 23, United Kingdom (8). Top Secret. All brackets are in the original except “[M]”, added for clarity. The meeting took place in Kissinger’s office at the White House. Tab A is published as Documents 25 and 26. Kissinger and Trend reviewed their July 30 meeting by telephone later that evening. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Box 21)

28. Message From President Nixon to West German Chancellor Brandt

Summary: Nixon expressed his disappointment in the EC response to the Year of Europe.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 754, Presidential Correspondence, Germany, Willy Brandt 1972 (1 of 3). Secret; Immediate. A subsequent message to Brandt, WH31880, July 31, corrected the first line of Nixon’s message to read, “I appreciated having your message of July 27 with your.” (Ibid.) In backchannel message WH31856 to Brandt, July 18, Nixon discussed Scheel’s July 12 visit to Washington, the Year of Europe, recent press stories about U.S.–USSR and U.S.-West European relations, and the importance of Western solidarity. (Ibid., Box 424, Backchannel Messages, Europe, 1973) In a July 27 message to Nixon, Brandt asserted that the EC Foreign Ministers meeting represented “an encouraging step forward” in the process of defining “the relationship between the United States and uniting Western Europe;” he noted, however, that this definition could not “be completed until Europe has assumed its final form.” (Ibid.)

29. Message From West German Chancellor Brandt to President Nixon

Summary: Brandt replied to Nixon’s July 30 message on the EC response to the Year of Europe.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 61, Country Files, Europe, General, German Exchange (3 of 3). Secret; Immediate; Annex Charlie. Nixon’s July 30 message was transmitted July 31, and is published as Document 28. In message WH31904 to Brandt, August 11, Nixon stated that his concern was not with the creation of a common European position, but the process by which it would be achieved, such that “our allies will no longer be engaged in a joint Atlantic process but in a negotiation between the United States, on the one hand, and the EC Nine on the other.” Nixon, asserting that the U.S. was “not the supplicant in the Year of Europe,” expressed his hope that they could “bring this project to a successful conclusion as partners” and noted that Brandt’s message led him “to believe that this is still possible.” (Ibid., NSC Files, Box 754, Presidential Correspondence, Germany, Willy Brandt 1972 (1 of 3))

30. Memorandum for the Record Prepared by Director of Central Intelligence Colby

[Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 80M01048A, Box 8, Memorandum for the Record. Secret. 1 page not declassified.]