January–May 1977
1. Letter From President Carter to Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office, Outside the System File, Box 69, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR): Brezhnev–Carter Correspondence: 1–2/77. Confidential. Brzezinski recalled in his memoirs: “Carter would be the first to admit that he came to the White House without a detailed plan for managing U.S.-Soviet relations. He was, however, determined to move on SALT, and he firmly supported the concept of detente. At the same time, Carter was critical of the way the previous Administration had allowed the Soviet Union to exploit detente, and in campaign speeches developed by me, he had stressed that detente inevitably had to involve both cooperation and competition and that it had to be both more comprehensive and more reciprocal.” (Power and Principle, p. 147)
2. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Name File, Box 3, Sakharov, Andrei, 2–3/77. Confidential. Sent for action. Carter wrote in the upper right-hand corner, “Zbig—Where is Cy’s proposed message—(att. 1)? J.” Carter wrote in his memoirs, “While improving diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union was an important goal of mine, I had made it clear in the campaign that I was not going to ignore Soviet abuse of human rights, as I believed some previous administrations had done.” (Keeping Faith, p. 146)
3. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office, Outside the System File, Box 47, Chron: 2/77. Top Secret. Brackets in the original. The meeting took place in the Oval Office. In his memoirs, Dobrynin described Carter: “American historians describe his presidency as erratic, and in my country it is considered one of the unfortunate pages in Soviet-American relations, an assessment with which I am inclined to agree, although at the start he had had good intentions and wanted to develop stable relations with the Soviet Union. One of the main reasons for his failure was the incompatibility between his ideas, some of which were very good, and his ability to put them into practice. He lacked flexibility. Seeking to achieve the best, he would underestimate tangible assets. The most egregious example was in the field of disarmament. As he pursued the wonderful bird of his dream—a drastic reduction in nuclear weapons—he let go of the bird in his hand, the ratification of the SALT II treaty.” (In Confidence, pp. 374–375)
4. Letter From Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 61, Soviet Exchanges: 1/77–12/78. No classification marking. Printed from an unofficial translation. Carter wrote in the upper right-hand corner, “Zbig—They were found—J,” in response to Brzezinski’s covering memorandum, which reads, “These are copies. The missing originals are somewhere in your residence. A search is in progress! Zbig.”
5. Letter From President Carter to Professor Andrei Sakharov
Source: Department of State, Files of the Bureau of European Affairs, Office of Soviet Union Affairs, Lot 91D231, Box 3, Old Sakharov Files, 1975–1978. No classification marking.
6. Memorandum for the Record
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Name File, Hyland, William G., 2/77. Secret. Drafted by Hyland, who transmitted a copy to Brzezinski under a covering memorandum.
7. Letter From President Carter to Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office, Outside the System File, Box 69, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR): Brezhnev–Carter Correspondence: 1–2/77. No classification marking.
8. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 28, Human Rights: 2–4/77. Confidential; Cherokee; Niact Immediate; Nodis. In the upper right-hand corner, an unknown hand wrote, “WH Eyes Only Brzezinski.”
9. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 78, USSR: 1–2/77. Confidential; Cherokee; Niact Immediate; Nodis. In the upper right-hand corner, an unknown hand wrote, “LDX E[yes] O[nly] Brzezinski.” A handwritten notation on the last page reads: “OCT did not pass Secretary.”
10. Telegram From the Department of State to Secretary of State Vance in the Middle East
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Global Issues, Mathews Subject File, Box 11, Human Rights: USSR, Eastern Europe, Helsinki: 12/76–4/77. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Mark Garrison (EUR/SOV); cleared by Lynn Pascoe (D) and Robert Perito (S/S); approved by Hartman. Sent for information Immediate to Moscow and the White House. Vance was in the Middle East, February 15–21 to meet with leaders and review the Middle East peace process.
11. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office, Outside the System File, Box 47, Chron: 2/77. Secret. Drafted by Brzezinski.
12. Letter From Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office, Outside the System File, Box 69, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR): Brezhnev–Carter Correspondence: 1–2/77. No classification marking. Printed from an unofficial translation. Carter recalled in his memoirs, “Brezhnev’s tone changed to harshness in his second message on February 25. His primary objection was to my aggressive proposals on nuclear arms limitations—advocating much deeper cuts than had been discussed at Vladivostok in 1975—but he also expressed strong opposition to our human-rights policy. He seemed especially provoked by my corresponding with him and at the same time sending a letter to Sakharov, who was considered by the Soviet leader to be ‘a renegade who proclaimed himself an enemy of the Soviet state.’” (Keeping Faith, p. 146)
13. Letter From President Carter to Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office, Outside the System File, Box 69, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR): Brezhnev–Carter Correspondence: 1–2/77. No classification marking. In the upper right-hand corner, Carter wrote, “Zbig—O.K. to transmit as amended. J.C.”
14. Letter From Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office, Outside the System File, Box 69, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR): Brezhnev–Carter Correspondence: 3–5/77. No classification marking. Printed from an unofficial translation.
15. Letter From President Carter to Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office, Outside the System File, Box 69, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR): Brezhnev–Carter Correspondence: 3–5/77. No classification marking. The letter is handwritten. In a March 24 covering memorandum to Carter, Brzezinski commented, “It seems to Cy [Vance] and to me that it might be a nice gesture if you were to write a brief (perhaps hand-written) personal note to Brezhnev.” Brzezinski also provided three points for Carter to consider including, all of which are in Carter’s hand-written letter.
16. Telegram From the Department of State to the White House
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Trip File, Box 41, Vance, Europe and Moscow, 3/27/77–4/4/77: Cables and Memos, 3/15–31/77. Secret; Nodis. Printed from a copy that indicates the original was received in the White House Situation Room. Brzezinski forwarded Vance’s cable to Carter under a covering memorandum that read in part, “Brezhnev’s phone call a nice & clearly deliberate gesture.” In a March 24 letter, Carter provided Vance with pre-Moscow meeting instructions. (Ibid.)
17. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Special Adviser to the Secretary (S/MS) on Soviet Affairs Marshall Shulman—Jan 21, 77–Jan 19, 81, Lot 81D109, Box 8, Vance to Moscow, 3/28–30, 1977. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Krimer; reviewed in draft by Hyland; approved by Twaddell on April 12. The meeting took place in the Kremlin.
18. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Cyrus R. Vance, Secretary of State—1977–1980, Lot 84D241, Box 10, Vance NODIS MemCons, 1977. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Krimer; reviewed in draft by Hyland; approved by Twaddell on April 12. The meeting took place in the Kremlin. In Secto 3022 from Moscow, March 28, Vance summarized his meeting for Carter and Christopher. The telegram is in the Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Europe, USSR, and East/West, Hunter/Rentschler Trips/Visits File, Box 17, 3/25–4/2/77 Vance Trip to Moscow: 3/28–31/1977.
19. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Special Adviser to the Secretary (S/MS) on Soviet Affairs Marshall Shulman—Jan 21, 77–Jan 19, 81, Lot 81D109, Box 8, Vance to Moscow, 3/28–30, 1977. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Krimer on April 4; reviewed in draft by Hyland; approved by Twaddell on April 12. The meeting took place at the Kremlin. In Secto 3030 from Moscow, March 29, Vance summarized his meeting for Carter, Brzezinski, and Christopher. The telegram is in the Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Europe, USSR, and East/West, Hunter/Rentschler Trips/Visits File, Box 17, 3/25–4/2/77 Vance Trip to Moscow: 3/28–31/1977.
20. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Special Adviser to the Secretary (S/MS) on Soviet Affairs Marshall Shulman—Jan 21, 77–Jan 19, 81, Lot 81D109, Box 8, Vance to Moscow, 3/28–30, 1977. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Krimer; approved in draft by Hyland; approved by Twadell on May 9. The meeting took place at the Kremlin. Sent to Schulman under a covering memorandum which read: “Attached is an advance copy of the March 29 afternoon meeting. This document has not been officially distributed yet because S/S is waiting for the completion of page 1. FYI—apparently the interpreter arrived late. Hyland will be providing notes for the beginning of the discussion.” None of the memoranda of this conversation found include the Middle East portion on page 1. Another copy is in the Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Europe, USSR and East/West, Hunter/Rentschler Trips/Visits File, Box 17, 3/25/77–4/2/77, Vance Trip to Moscow: 3/28–31/77. In Secto 3033 from Moscow, March 29, Vance summarized his meeting for Carter, Brzezinski, and Christopher. The telegram is in the Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Europe, USSR, and East/West, Hunter/Rentschler Trips/Visits File, Box 17, 3/25–4/2/77 Vance Trip to Moscow: 3/28–31/1977.
21. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Special Adviser to the Secretary (S/MS) on Soviet Affairs Marshall Shulman—Jan 21, 77–Jan 19, 81, Lot 81D109, Box 8, Vance to Moscow, 3/28–30, 1977. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Krimer on April 12; reviewed by Hyland; approved by Twaddell on April 12. The meeting took place at the Kremlin.
22. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Special Adviser to the Secretary (S/MS) on Soviet Affairs Marshall Shulman—Jan 21, 77–Jan 19, 81, Lot 81D109, Box 8, Vance to Moscow, 3/28–30, 1977. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Krimer; approved by Twaddell on April 13. The meeting took place at Spaso House.
23. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Special Adviser to the Secretary (S/MS) on Soviet Affairs Marshall Shulman—Jan 21, 77–Jan 19, 81, Lot 81D109, Box 8, Vance to Moscow, 3/28–30, 1977. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Krimer; reviewed in draft by Hyland; approved by Twaddell on April 16. The meeting took place at the Kremlin. Vance described this meeting in his memoirs: “I expected that after a day of study and discussions in the Politburo, the Soviets would come back with objections to specific aspects of our proposal and to our numbers and possible with counterproposals. This could provide a basis for serious negotiations. Consequently, when I next met with Brezhnev on the evening of March 30, I was angered at the vehemence and finality with which he rejected our SALT proposals. There was not even a hint of a counterproposal. He called our position ‘unconstructive and one-sided,’ and ‘harmful to Soviet security.’ It was evident there was no point in attempting to pursue serious negotiations on this trip.” (Hard Choices, p. 54)
24. Letter From Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, Plains File, President’s Personal Foreign Affairs File, Box 4, USSR (Brezhnev Drafts/Letters), 4/77–9/80. No classification marking. Printed from an unofficial translation. The initial “C” is written in the upper right corner of the letter, indicating that Carter saw it.
25. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Cyrus R. Vance, Secretary of State—1977–1980, Lot 84D241, Box 10, Vance NODIS MemCons, 1977. Confidential; Nodis. Drafted by Leonard F. Willems (EUR/SOV) on April 11; cleared in draft by Shulman; approved by Twaddell on April 19. Willems initialed for Schulman. The meeting took place in Vance’s office.
26. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Carter Library, Brzezinski Donated Material, Subject File, Box 39, SALT—Chronology: (1/24/77–5/9/77: Tabs 11–19). Secret. Drafted by Shulman. A “C” in the upper right-hand corner indicates Carter saw it.
27. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Europe, USSR and East/West, Hunter/Rentschler Trips/Visits File, Box 18, 4/12/77 Dobrynin (USSR) Visit: 4/77. Top Secret; Sensitive. Drafted by Hunter. The meeting took place in the Oval Office.