March 1985–July 1985
“Now we have to begin everything anew”: Gorbachev’s Debut


31. National Security Decision Directive Number 169

Source: Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC National Security Decision Directives, NSDD 169 05/17/1985 [US-USSR Joint Commercial Commission Meetings]; NLR–751–8–13–2–3. Secret. In a May 9 covering memorandum to McFarlane, Robinson provided a memorandum from McFarlane to Reagan and a draft of the NSDD, recommending the NSDD for transmission to the President. McFarlane forwarded the NSDD to Reagan for his signature on May 16.


32. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, [no N number]. Secret; Niact Immediate; Nodis.


33. Briefing Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs (Burt) to Secretary of State Shultz

Source: Reagan Library, George Shultz Papers, Secretary’s Meetings with the President (05/22/1985). Secret; Sensitive. Sent through Armacost.


35. Memorandum From Secretary of State Shultz to President Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, George Shultz Papers, 1985 Soviet Union May. Secret; Sensitive. A typed note in the top margin reads: “5/25 Orig +1 via Special Courier 1310 p.m. per S/S.” Under a June 1 covering memorandum, McFarlane forwarded the memorandum to Reagan. (Reagan Library, Jack Matlock Files, Chronological File, 1980–1986, Matlock Chron June 1985 (1/4))


36. Memorandum From Jack Matlock of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (McFarlane)

Source: Reagan Library, Jack Matlock Files, Chronological File, 1980–1986, Matlock Chron June 1985 (1/4). Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. Sent for action. McFarlane wrote in the top margin: “I agree.”


37. Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Abramowitz) to Secretary of State Shultz

Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S, Executive Secretariat Special Caption Documents, 1979–1989, Lot 92D630, Not for the System Documents, May 1985. Confidential. Not for the System. Drafted by Abramowitz on May 28. A stamped notation reading “GPS” appears on the memorandum, indicating Shultz saw it. McKinley wrote in the top margin: “See the Secretary’s request p. 3.”


38. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Reagan Library, Jack Matlock Files, Chronological File, 1980–1986, Matlock Chron May 1985 (5/5). Confidential. The meeting took place in the Oval Office. No drafting information appears on the memorandum of conversation. Robinson sent it to McFarlane under a May 30 memorandum, recommending McFarlane approve it.


39. Memorandum From Jack Matlock of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (McFarlane)

Source: Reagan Library, Jack Matlock Files, Chronological File, 1980–1986, Matlock Chron June 1985 (1/4). Secret. Sent for action. A copy was sent to Fortier.


40. Memorandum From the Deputy Secretary of State (Dam) to Secretary of State Shultz

Source: Reagan Library, George Shultz Papers, 1985 Soviet Union June. Secret; Sensitive. Copies were sent to Whitehead, Armacost, and Nitze. On June 14, Kenneth Dam, who had served as Shultz’s deputy since October 1982, left the Department of State for a job at IBM. Dam was replaced by John Whitehead.


41. Memorandum From Secretary of State Shultz to President Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, George Shultz Papers, 1985 Soviet Union June. Secret; Sensitive. Brackets are in the original. Kelly sent Shultz the memorandum under an undated action memorandum, recommending that he send it to Reagan. Jonathan Benton (S/S–S) noted on the action memorandum: “GPS gave Sec—Pres to Bud McFarlane 6/12/85—JSB.” Reagan initialed the copy of the memorandum from Shultz. (Reagan Library, Jack Matlock Files, Head of State Correspondence (US-USSR) June 1985 (2/2))


42. Memorandum From Secretary of State Shultz to President Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, George Shultz Papers, 1985 Soviet Union June. Secret; Sensitive. A typed notation in the upper right-hand margin reads: “6/15 The Secretary will hand carry to White House per S/S—cdb.” Burt sent Shultz the memorandum under a June 14 action memorandum, recommending that he sign it. According to Burt’s memorandum, the memorandum to the President was drafted by Simons and cleared by Palmer and Burt.


43. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S, Top Secret/Secret Sensitive Memorandum, Lot 91D257, Eggplant I, June, July, August 1985 NP. Secret; Super Sensitive. The meeting took place in Shultz’s office. No drafting information appears on the memorandum of conversation. In his memoir, Dobrynin recalled this meeting: “Finally on June 17 I had a meeting with Shultz that showed we were heading into the final stages of a summit arrangement. With McFarlane and Paul Nitze present, Shultz said the president reluctantly accepted Gorbachev’s proposal to meet in a third country, and suggested Geneva. Then he read from a text which boiled down to the idea that the United States was ready to slow its Star Wars program in exchange for a Soviet agreement to make sizeable cuts in its strategic missiles. The rationale for this was that if the Soviet force of offensive missiles were reduced, the United States could then justify slowing down SDI, which it regarded as a defensive project. This was really a sort of compromise within the administration between Shultz and Weinberger rather than a compromise with us, because Weinberger had started out by refusing to accept any limits at all on SDI. We of course had always assumed that the size of missile forces would be on the table in negotiations.” (Dobrynin, In Confidence, p. 573)


44. Memorandum From Jack Matlock of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (McFarlane)

Source: Reagan Library, Jack Matlock Files, Chronological File, 1980–1986, Matlock Chron June 1985 (2/4). Confidential. Sent for information.


45. Memorandum From Jack Matlock of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (McFarlane)

Source: Reagan Library, Jack Matlock Files, Chronological File, 1980–1986, Matlock Chron June 1985 (2/4). Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. Sent for information. McFarlane wrote in the top margin: “Set up a mtg w/ Jack.”


46. Memorandum From Secretary of State Shultz to President Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, George Shultz Papers, Secretary’s Meetings with Dobrynin June 1985. Secret; Sensitive. Under a June 25 action memorandum, Burt sent Shultz the memorandum to Reagan and recommended that he sign it. Burt’s action memorandum indicates that he drafted the memorandum to Reagan. According to a covering memorandum, McFarlane forwarded Shultz’s memorandum and Gorbachev’s letter to the President on July 1. Reagan initialed the covering memorandum. (Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC Head of State File, U.S.S.R.: General Secretary Gorbachev (8590382, 8590419))


47. Memorandum From Jack Matlock of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (McFarlane)

Source: Reagan Library, Jack Matlock Files, Chronological File, 1980–1986, Matlock Chron June 1985 (4/4). Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. Not for system. Sent for information. Sent through Poindexter.


48. Paper Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency

Source: Reagan Library, Jack Matlock Files, Chronological File, 1980–1986, Matlock Chron July 1985 (1/8). Secret; [handling restriction not declassified]. Prepared in the Office of Soviet Analysis, Directorate of Intelligence. In an attached June 27 covering note to Reagan, Casey wrote: “Dear Mr. President, You may find this good airplane reading. It is a good picture of Gorbachev’s style, objectives and operating methods as shown in the first 100 days of his leadership. You will sympathize with his targeting the massive bureaucratic apparatus, which, he complains, implements the Central Committee decisions so that after they are finished ‘nothing is left.’” (Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 88B00443R: Policy Files (1980–1986), Box 17, Folder 432: DCI Memo Chron (1–30 Jun ‘85)) On June 28, in a forwarding memorandum, Matlock sent McFarlane Casey’s note and the CIA paper, explaining: “Bill Casey has supplied, for the President’s reading, a well-written paper on Gorbachev’s first hundred days in office. Although I received the paper after the President’s departure for Chicago today, I believe it is very appropriate for weekend reading.” McFarlane approved the recommendation to forward the paper to Reagan, who left for Chicago on June 28 for a series of meetings. (Reagan Library, Jack Matlock Files, Chronological File, 1980–1986, Matlock Chron July 1985 (1/8))


49. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D850461–0299. Secret. Sent for information to USNATO, NST Delegation Geneva, and Secretary of Defense.


50. Memorandum From the Special Advisor to the President and Secretary of State on Arms Control Matters (Nitze) to Secretary of State Shultz

Source: Department of State, Ambassador Nitze’s Personal Files 1953, 1972–1989, Lot 90D397, June–July 1985. Secret; Sensitive.