Foreign Relations of the United States, 1989–1992, Volume XXXI, START I, 1989–1991

229. Telegram From the Delegation to the Nuclear and Space Talks in Geneva to the Department of State¹

7646.

Geneva, July 11, 1991, 1343Z

SUBJECT

• START: Brooks-Nazarkin Luncheon, July 8, 1991

1. This is NST/START Memcon-XV-M-344. Secret—Entire Text.

2. Meeting Date: July 8, 1991

• Time: 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
• Place: Trois Mousquetaires Restaurant, Geneva

3. Participants:

U.S.

• Amb. L.F. Brooks

USSR

• Amb. Yu.K. Nazarkin

4. Nazarkin said he had been instructed to send General Peresypkin to Washington for the July 11/12 ministerial meeting. Nazarkin himself had been told to remain in Geneva to continue working on the text. In response to a question, Nazarkin said he assumed a large contingent from Moscow, including Col. Koltunov, would be present. Brooks responded that he would be going to Washington on July 10, along with several members of his delegation.

5. Nazarkin said he had received very strong instructions to reject heavy bomber contingency operations. The ideas Nazarkin had suggested to Brooks at their last meeting (NST/START Memcon-XV-M-343 of July 5, 1991)² were personal, and were given before the new instructions had been received from Moscow. Nazarkin was not authorized to engage on the subject at all, and asked that Brooks not mention any of the ideas which Nazarkin had raised.

6. Brooks said that he had been instructed not to discuss an agreed statement on Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. Any discussion of such a statement would have to occur in Washington.

7. Brooks noted that the U.S. position on telemetry included early implementation of at least some elements of the ban on data denial. Brooks asked what the Soviet view of such early implementation was. Nazarkin, who seemed distracted and upset by his exclusion from the impending ministerial, did not respond. Nazarkin said that effort in Moscow was focused on tape exchange. Brooks urged Nazarkin to ensure that the team attending the ministerial was prepared to settle on the issue of early implementation of the data denial agreement.

8. Brooks informed Nazarkin that the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty would be submitted to the Senate July 9 with initial testimony by Secretary Baker on July 11. Nazarkin thanked Brooks for the information.

9. Brooks noted that the Soviet side had tabled language providing for only one fixed structure for road-mobile ICBMs to be inspectable in a restricted area. Brooks said he wished to make sure Nazarkin understood that Brooks had not agreed to this. The Soviet position appeared to be based on a false analogy with bombers and would lead to more limited inspection rights under START than under INF. There was no possibility of U.S. acceptance of such an outcome. Nazarkin said he would pass on the comments.

10. Documents exchanged: None.

1. Source: Department of State, Bureau of Arms Control, Lot 02D360, Edward M. Ifft Files, Baker-Nazarkin Memcons 1991. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Sent Priority for information to Moscow, the Mission to NATO, and USNMR SHAPE. Drafted by Brooks; cleared by Kangas; approved by Ifft.
2. 2 In telegram 7527 from NST Geneva, the delegation transmitted an account of Brooks’s meeting with Nazarkin on July 5. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D910648–0150)