Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume V, Soviet Union, March 1985–October 1986

82. Notes of a Meeting¹

Washington, September 11, 1985

BRIEFING THE SECRETARY ON
McFARLANE-NITZE MEETING 9/10/85

—I met with Bud last night after our brief discussion, and presented him with the talking points paper on Arms Control Strategy for Geneva, along with our elaborative piece on “laying down a marker.”² He read through both, and then raised the issue of a “recommitment” to the ABM Treaty.

—That morning he had met with the President to discuss nuclear weapons arms control. The President made it clear that he wants to protect our ability to test SDI technology, including tests in space, in order not to foreclose the opportunity of abolishing nuclear weapons.³

—Bud pressed the President then on how we should respond if Gorbachev accepted the US proposal for mutual limits of 5000 on ballistic missile re-entry vehicles coupled to a Soviet proposal on SDI. The President acknowledged that we could not just sit there, and would have to have a response.

—Bud asked me whether in my opinion a test of kinetic energy system in space would be permissible under the ABM Treaty. I replied that, if the system included a guidance platform carrying one or more small kill-mechanisms that could in fact take out an object in space, testing such a system in space would indeed be a violation of the ABM Treaty; such a device could in fact be able to substitute for an “ABM interceptor.” I said subcomponents such as sensors and communication links could be tested, but, without amendment to the Treaty, not actual systems or components.

—Bud said he thought the strategy talking points would be appropriate for you to use at Friday’s NSC.⁴ After re-reading them, he commented that maybe the elements could satisfy the President’s requirement.

—Bud said what was necessary was a clear indication by the President of what he wanted, then the community would fall in to get it done. He hoped the President would do this on Friday.

1. Source: Department of State, Ambassador Nitze’s Personal Files 1953, 1972–1989, Lot 90D397, August–September 1985. Secret; Sensitive. Nitze wrote the meeting notes.
2. Attached but not printed are the undated “Arms Control Strategy for Geneva Meeting” and September 10 “Laying Down a Marker” papers.
3. Reagan and McFarlane met on September 10 from 9:44 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. (Reagan Library, President’s Daily Diary) That day, Reagan wrote in his personal diary: “Later with our staff I made a decision we would not trade away our program of research—S.D.I. for a promise of Soviet reduction in nuclear arms.” (Brinkley, ed., The Reagan Diaries, vol. I: January 1981–October 1985, p. 495)
4. September 13. In a September 10 memorandum to McFarlane, Matlock explained that no formal NSC meeting would take place on Friday, September 13. (Reagan Library, Jack Matlock Files, Chronological File, 1980–1986, Matlock Chron September 1985 (2/6)) A “special meeting of selected presidential advisors” was held; see Document 86.