84. Notes of a Meeting1
SUBJECT
- Arms Control/START II
DC, JB, CP, BS, RG
DC—events coming, prob. w. both mobile ICBMs, FOTL, time—where we go w. arms control. Trade in START 24 for MX, long term—deMIRV ICBMs.—Not fund or cancel msl. prog—arms control strat. Stay where are—lose FOTL, strat. prog. Long term objectives.
BS—Like idea. RG for SS 24—long term START II de-MIRV ICBM force.
JB—Not inconsistent my view. 90 days away from Summit. Conclude I—Jt. declar.—P. lay out long term proposals. Reluctant to back off getting I initialed.
BS—All agree on that. Ann on proposal on mobiles now to be discussed at summit. Wrap up I, strategy for II.
DC—Match our legis. timetable. House—kill both Aspin kill both.
BS—Gen. agree on substance.
CP—This deal—I agree. JCS have certified START on basis of approval of mod. program. esp
[4 lines not declassified]
DC—Long term can shrink size of force + bring chiefs along—take a long time.
BS—Not focus on warhead #s in Start II—Improve stat. Chiefs no prob w. RGarr.
DC—Will reduce size of B–2 buy.
JB—timing?
BS—need to work out For DC purposes—statement or jt declar RG–24s before Summit (jt ann. plan at summit running start or START II—focus on 24/RG prelim. disc. in April).
JB—Summit not deal w outstanding Start issues.
[Page 520]BS—Start I a ceremony at Summit. Kick off Start II—“build on START I.”
JB—No other countries?
BS—Sovs might
JB—Build on Start
—Formal Negot begin only after START I enters into force. not complicate START I ratif.
CP—debate that. Not rat. before ’91.
JB—Bilat.—jt declaration.
DC—reserve on jt declar. Say something now—preempt Cong.
CP—Then lose the stuff
BS—Rpts Sovs [illegible]—hate to be preempted
DC—Why not in Apr Min—announce. Agenda for Sum—Sign St. I, begin negot on BOSTART. Obj 1) do away with rail mob 2) long term work on de-MIRV out ahead.
JB—okay, if agree. Pull aside in Nam—think about jt ann. after Min. Take package to him.
BS—will look unbalanced to Sovs. Will [illegible] into Start II fast Akh—you’re gutting our force.
JB—Only 2 wks [illegible] Seize init from Cong.
DC—Sign I. Rail Mobile. Jt Statement—Start II
CP—Sam Nunn—do it in Start I?
BS—Too many details.
JB—if agree, put in Start I.
DC—de-Mirving only long term thing makes sense.
JB—Do both
CP—Chiefs buy both.
DC—Let’s think about timing de-MIRVing
RG—offer as phased
JB—Heavies?
DC/BS—get when de-MIRV
JB—Think about “entry into force.”2
BS—might have to wait til late ’91.
JB—Mobile limits Minis
DC—If they buy swap, doesn’t matter
CP—Get all this, need $30 b for SICBM?
[Page 521]BS—need single W/L msl. Don’t like downloading systems. Keep it clean—no downloading.
DC—Be realistic about budget push? Look at various options for single warhead ICBM Midgetman, MM IV.
- Source: George H.W. Bush Library, Bush Presidential Records, Brent Scowcroft Collection, Robert M. Gates Files, Memorandum of Conversation Files, OA/ID 91166–007, I Bob Gates Memcons 1989–1992 [7]. No classification making. Drafted by Gates, who handwrote the notes. Gates wrote at the top of the notes: “No final. File notes.” No formal minutes were found. The editor transcribed the portion of the text here specifically for this volume.↩
- Gates drew an arrow from Baker’s comment to the right-hand margin where he wrote: “RG—prepare something rail mobile de-MIRV.”↩