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

66. Memorandum From Robert Linhard and Kenneth deGraffenreid of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (McFarlane)¹

Washington, October 4, 1985

SUBJECT

• NSPG Meeting, Monday, October 7, Briefing on Soviet Strategic Defenses

We have an NSPG meeting scheduled for Monday, October 7. The purpose of this meeting is to give the President the briefing on Soviet strategic defenses that we gave to the Congress last week.

This memorandum provides the following material in support of Monday’s NSPG meeting:

Tab I—Presidential Meeting Memorandum²

A—Agenda³

B—List of Participants⁴

Tab II—Proposed Talking Points for Mr. McFarlane

Recommendation

That you approve the Presidential Meeting Memorandum at Tab I.⁵

Concurrence: Lehman, Wright, Steiner

Tab II

Talking Points Prepared in the National Security Council⁶

Washington, undated

MEETING WITH THE NATIONAL SECURITY PLANNING GROUP

STATUS OF SOVIET STRATEGIC DEFENSES

Proposed Talking Points for Mr. McFarlane

Agenda Item I: Introduction (5 minutes)

— Today’s subject is Soviet strategic defenses.

— Our agenda for today calls for a briefing by Dr. Larry Gershwin, the National Intelligence Officer for Soviet Strategic Programs, followed by a few minutes for questions and general discussion.

— The background for this briefing is that several members of Congress who support the SDI program suggested to the President that the Administration provide a classified briefing on the Soviet defensive program to the Congress for their information.

— This suggestion resulted in briefings to both the Senate and the House by Larry on October 3.

— These briefings were followed by the release of a joint, State/Defense unclassified publication on Soviet strategic defenses.⁷

— Mr. President, as you know, we had hoped to get you to see this before you made the request for the Congress to schedule time for the briefing.

— Unfortunately, your schedule did not permit this to occur.

— However, the Congressional briefings went well (although the turn-out in the Senate was a bit thin).

— The NSPG session today permits you to review the classified, detailed presentation that was given to Congress.

Agenda Item II: Status of Soviet Strategic Defenses (35 minutes)

— To get us started, Bill (Casey), would you like to introduce the briefings for us?

[After a short introduction by the DCI, we should go directly into the briefing by Larry Gershwin.]

[After Gershwin completes his briefing]

— Thank you, Larry, Bill Casey, do you have any concluding observations before we throw this open for discussion?

[After the DCI’s remarks, if any]

Agenda Item III: Questions & Discussion (15 minutes)

— Mr. President, do you have any specific questions that you would like to ask of Bill Casey or our briefer, Larry Gershwin?

[After the President has a chance to ask anything he wishes]

— Do others have questions?

[After questions are exhausted]

— How about any general observations or discussion? George (Shultz), would you like to start us off?

Agenda Item IV: Summary and Closing Remarks (5 minutes)

— I think that this has been a very useful briefing and discussion.

— I think that we should also thank Larry, and his colleagues in the Intelligence Community involved, for the good work done here and in briefing the Congress.

— Mr. President, would you like to make any closing remarks?

1. Source: National Security Council, National Security Council Institutional Files, Box SR–110, NSPG 118 7 Oct 1985. Unclassified. Sent for action.
2. Printed as Document 67.
3. Attached but not printed is the agenda.
4. Attached but not printed is a list of participants.
5. Poindexter approved the recommendation.
6. No classification marking. All brackets are in the original. A stamped notation at the top of the document indicates McFarlane saw it. The document notes that the meeting was scheduled for October 7 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the White House Situation Room.
7. Reference is to Soviet Strategic Defense Programs (Washington, Department of Defense and Department of State, 1985).