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  4. Document 259

259. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Powell) to President Reagan1

Washington, January 12, 1988

SUBJECT

  • Guidance for the Upcoming Nuclear and Space Talks (NST) Negotiating Round

Issue

To approve instructions for the ninth round of Nuclear and Space Talks (NST) in Geneva.

Background

The Nuclear and Space Talks resume in Geneva on January 14.

Discussion

Draft instructions for the upcoming round have been prepared by the appropriate interagency bodies. Normal practice is to document your approval of all instructions in an NSDD. A draft NSDD2 is at Tab [Page 1154] A; it includes as attachments individual instructions for START and Defense and Space and overall NST instructions.

In preparing the instructions, several issues arose, none of which I consider to require action by you, since none involves new policy. I resolved them as follows:

—Maintained our formal position to ban mobile ICBMs, based on the desire you expressed during the summit that we make more progress in other areas before formally accepting mobile ICBMs. (State and ACDA opposed)

—Authorized dropping our past demand for a sublimit of 1650 warheads on heavy or highly MIRVd ICBMs, replacing it with the 1540 sublimit on heavy ICBM warheads you agreed to during the summit. (OSD, JCS and Ambassador Rowny opposed)

—Accepted wording making it clear that we desire a meaningful constraint on ballistic missile throwweight in the START treaty itself. (State and JCS opposed)

—Accepted the INF approach to defining cruise missile range. (ACDA opposed).

—Deferred for further study an OSD/ACDA proposal for additional constraints on the number of ballistic missile warheads a side could declare a missile possesses as well as an ACDA/State proposal to combine quotas for various types of inspections.

—Added new notification requirements for movements of treaty limited items. (JCS opposed)

—Characterized the status of the ABM Treaty after the period of non-withdrawal in such a way as to protect our right to deploy defenses after the period, without implying a date certain for ending the Treaty.

In addition, I resolved minor wording issues.

In accordance with NSDD 266, Nicholas Rostow, Legal Adviser to the NSC, has coordinated the attached NSDD with A.B. Culvahouse in advance of its submission to you.

Recommendation

OK No
That you sign the attached NSDD approving the negotiating instructions for NST Round IX.3
  1. Source: National Security Council, National Security Council Institutional Files, Box SR 096, NSDD 295. Secret. Sent for action. Prepared by Brooks and Tobey. Copied to Bush and Howard Baker. A stamped notation at the top of the memorandum reads: “The President has seen 1/13/88.”↩
  2. Printed as Document 260.↩
  3. Reagan initialed his approval.↩