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

337. Memorandum From Secretary of State Kissinger to President Ford¹

Washington, undated.

SUBJECT

• Control Data Corporation Request for Export License

The Control Data corporation has requested a license to export a CDC–7600 computer to France for use by the Division of Military Applications of the French Atomic Energy Commission for research and development in the field of nuclear weapons. This is a computer to which the GOF has attached very great practical and symbolic significance. A computer of such a large size for nuclear weapons work raises the question of denial under NSAM 294 (4/20/64).

The latter directive established a policy of not approving sales of equipment that would directly contribute to development of a strategic nuclear weapons capability that is not committed to NATO. However, while we would expect the CDC–7600 computer to be particularly useful to French nuclear warhead design and testing in an underground environment, the French nuclear weapons program is now sufficiently advanced to raise a serious question as to what would be accomplished by denying the Control Data case. As I see it, a denial would

—rebuff the French on a project of great importance to them in terms of enhancing their defense capabilities;

—deny them this highly important computer or force them to try to improvise by combining the capabilities of several less advanced US computers that they already have;

—risk a reversal of the trend toward a pattern of greater French military cooperation with us and toward limiting French nuclear testing to an underground environment;

—still not prevent them from further developing their nuclear forces, though it may slow that process somewhat.

For these reasons, I believe it would be desirable to approve the Control Data case as an exception to NSAM 294, while leaving the policy under the directive unchanged. At the same time, I recommend that you approve this export in principle, but that the approval be communicated following satisfactory discussions during the state visit of President Giscard d’Estaing (or at another opportunity as appropriate), after which the approval would be implemented through Commerce Department channels. This would enable us to highlight to Giscard our willingness to move forward in military cooperation as a reflection of the kind of bilateral relationship we would like to have with France, while expressing our desire for similar cooperation in related areas involving the Elysee and the French nuclear bureaucracy, such as civil nuclear export policy. For example, I believe that this forward movement could facilitate French cooperation in tightening up non-mandatory nuclear suppliers’ guidelines governing sensitive nuclear transfers such as national reprocessing facilities.

The only difficulty with approval of the CDC computer is that IBM put us on notice last July that they were aware of Control Data’s negotiations with the French and urged that all US manufacturers be treated equally. IBM had reference to the fact that in 1974, when the company sought guidance on whether to pursue French interest in an IBM computer for French Atomic Energy Commission weapons work, the US Government recommended that the company not pursue the discussion.

The IBM point could be covered if we informed them, following Giscard’s state visit, that, while the policy has not changed, as a result of recent developments in our relations with France we will take a case-by-case approach to any future applications for advanced computers for use by the French CEA. IBM would then be free to resume discussions with the French if they have not definitely decided on the Control Data computer.

Recommendation:

That, subject to prior, satisfactory discussions during the state visit of President Giscard d’Estaing (or at another opportunity as appropriate), you direct an exception to be made to the NSAM 294 denial policy that would permit the approval of a Control Data advanced computer for use by the French Atomic Energy Commission, or of a comparable system by an alternative American supplier.

1. Summary: Kissinger discussed the request for a license to export the CDC–7600 computer to France.

   Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of the Office of the Counselor, Helmut C. Sonnenfeldt, 1955–1977, Entry 5339, Box 14, Unfiled material. Top Secret; Nodis. Kissinger did not initial the memorandum, which was forwarded to him under cover of an April 19 memorandum from Sonnenfeldt; a notation on Sonnenfeldt’s memorandum indicates that Kissinger signed the memorandum to Ford on May 15. Ford did not indicate his preferences regarding Kissinger’s recommendations; see, however, Document 338.