207. Memorandum From Paula Dobriansky of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Clark)1
SUBJECT
- NSSD 11–82: U.S. Policy Toward the Soviet Union
On Friday, August 27, I attended a State-chaired interagency meeting convened to task drafting responsibilities of NSSD 11–82, a U.S. policy toward the Soviet Union. At the meeting, State distributed an outline which differs in part from the Terms of Reference signed by [Page 679] the President. Specifically, their outline omits an introduction, a section detailing the objectives of the directive2 and recommended policies for the U.S. These sections are crucial in providing the appropriate background, overview and focus that the directive needs. During the meeting, State also recommended that only CIA and State should draft the directive, thus excluding NSC and all other agencies. Hence, I proposed that NSC should draft the introduction and the section on the objectives of the review and should work jointly with State on recommended U.S. policies. My suggestions were met with resistance by State. I, therefore, propose that you authorize Richard Pipes to secure State’s approval of NSC’s drafting role and direct him to write the omitted sections.
RECOMMENDATION
That you authorize Richard Pipes to secure State approval of NSC drafting role and to write the omitted sections.3