Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume XLIV, Part 1, National Security Policy, 1985–1988

127. Memorandum From Sven Kraemer and Robert Linhard of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Poindexter)¹

Washington, August 22, 1986

SUBJECT

• Interim Restraint Policy

As the Administration prepares for a new series of U.S.-Soviet meetings in September/October (including NST experts, Shultz-Shevardnadze, NST resumption, and SCC) and in the face of Congressional legislation seeking to mandate arms control by legislative fiat, we need to consider more specifically how future U.S. restraint, and the interim framework of truly mutual interim restraint we have proposed, can be developed and implemented in a manner consistent with established policy guidance and supportive of our objectives and our approach in the START negotiations.

In particular, we need to be clear on what our interim restraint policy is, and on a close-hold and timely basis, to have a study prepared on possible interim limitations on strategic arms (including limitations that might be drawn from SALT and some that might be new) consistent with U.S. policy and with the START negotiations.

We believe such work would best be tasked through an NSDD and worked through a special group. Accordingly, we have prepared an NSDD at Tab A² for the President’s signature, summarizing established U.S. interim restraint policy and tasking preparation of a study on the above elements through the Arms Control Support Group by mid-September. Because the document includes a statement of policy, and to give it more weight, we have titled it as an NSDD rather than as an NSSD.

We have touched base informally on the tasking aspects of this NSDD with appropriate CIA and OSD reps and will do so with other agencies soon. We propose to have a special subgroup of the Arms Control Support Group work this study (probably in a compartmented channel) and will try for a first draft for Support Group review by Labor Day, with the final product due to the NSC by September 17. We propose to kick off the effort with a meeting of such a group next Tuesday, August 25, starting with an inventory and assessment of SALT limitations, definitions, counting rules, notifications, etc., that to be considered for carrying forward if consistent with the U.S. proposal on START and with U.S. policy on interim restraint.

A memorandum explaining the purpose of the NSDD and recommending the President’s signature is attached for your approval at Tab I.³ A memorandum of transmittal to agencies is attached at Tab II,⁴ for use if and when the President signs the NSDD.

RECOMMENDATION

That you sign the memorandum to the President at Tab I forwarding the proposed NSDD for his signature.⁵

1. Source: National Security Council, National Security Council Institutional Files, Box SR–093, NSDD 236. Secret. Sent for action. A stamped notation at the top of the memorandum reads: “Signed.”
2. Printed as Document 129
3. Printed as Document 128.
4. Attached but not printed is the letter of transmittal; see footnote 1, Document 129.
5. Poindexter neither approved nor disapproved the recommendation.