Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–15, Part 2, Documents on Western Europe, 1973–1976

330. National Security Decision Memorandum 299¹

Washington, June 23, 1975.

TO

• The Secretary of Defense
• The Deputy Secretary of State

SUBJECT

• Cooperation with France

The President has directed that discussions with the Government of France concerning nuclear safety cooperation (currently being conducted under NSDM 104) be expanded to include assistance in the area of underground testing. The purpose of this expanded program is to provide assistance for French efforts to increase nuclear safety in underground testing and to encourage the French to refrain from further atmospheric testing through the adoption of an underground testing program for all of its nuclear explosives tests. In implementing this expanded program, technical information on instrumentation, containment, and other pertinent technology which will serve to improve the efficacy of the French underground test program may be exchanged. The President has authorized disclosure of unclassified information and classified information through Secret, but not including Restricted Data, for this purpose.

Discussions with the French Government concerning nuclear safety in other areas may be continued within the limits provided in NSDM 104. The President has decided that no French nuclear explosive devices of any type may be accepted for test by the US.

In specific implementation of this decision, the President directs that:

1. The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, inform the French Government of our willingness to expand the current nuclear safety cooperation program as generally described above.

2. The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Administrator of the Energy Research and Development Administration and the Secretary of State, develop a specific program of cooperation for nuclear safety and underground testing assistance, including consideration of any constraints which might be placed on such cooperation by our obligations under the Limited Test Ban Treaty and the Atomic Energy Act.

3. The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator, Energy Research and Development Administration, inform the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy of our extension of the current program and that no exchange of Restricted Data will be involved.

Henry A. Kissinger

1. Summary: The President directed the expansion of the U.S.-French discussions concerning nuclear safety cooperation.

   Source: Ford Library, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box 60, NSDM 299—Cooperation with France (3). Top Secret; Sensitive. Copies were sent to the DCI, the ERDA Administrator, the Director of ACDA, and the Chairman of the JCS.