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

9. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to President Bush¹

Washington, March 31, 1989

SUBJECT

• Arms Control Review

Purpose

To provide guidance for reviewing our arms control policies and positions.

Discussion

In directing the review of defense strategy mandated by NSR–12,² you stated that you would direct the Arms Control Policy Coordinating Committee to review current U.S. arms control positions and policies both to reflect the results of the defense strategy review and to resolve outstanding issues requiring resolution before resumption of negotiations. A draft National Security Review³ providing such direction is attached.

The arms control review will include:

— A review of the details of our START and Defense and Space negotiating positions, timed to allow resumption of negotiations as early as mid-June.⁴

— A review of various issues associated with the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) negotiations, including the military and political implications of reductions in NATO and Warsaw Pact forces in Europe which exceed those in the initial NATO proposal.⁵

— A review of the verification issues associated with a global chemical weapons ban.⁶

— A review of those areas—anti-satellite arms control, naval arms control, and nuclear weapons free zones—in which the United States has not favored negotiations in the past.

Preliminary decisions associated with the basic United States position concerning a global ban on chemical weapons production and stockpiling were made incident to the resumption of negotiations on that subject in the Conference on Disarmament. A work program to allow resumption of nuclear testing negotiations has been promulgated separately. Therefore, except for chemical weapons verification, neither area will be dealt with extensively in this review.

The schedule set forth is exceptionally ambitious and may not be attainable. I believe, however, it is important to complete the review expeditiously so that a resumption date for START and Defense and Space negotiations can be agreed upon during Secretary Baker’s May 10-11 meeting in Moscow.

Recommendation

That you sign the attached National Security Review providing guidance for reviewing our arms control policies and positions.

1. Source: George H.W. Bush Library, Bush Presidential Records, National Security Council, H-Files, NSR Files, OA/ID 90006–025, NSR–14—April 03, 1989—Review of U.S. Arms Control Policies [1]. Secret. Sent for action. Prepared by Brooks. Copied to Quayle and Sununu. A stamped notation indicates Bush saw the memorandum. Bush wrote in the upper right-hand corner: “signed GB 4–2.”
2. NSR–12, dated March 3, “Review of National Defense Strategy,” is scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1989–1992, vol. XXVIII, National Security Policy, 1989–1992.
3. Printed as Document 10.
4. Bush underlined “of our START and Defense” and wrote a checkmark in the left-hand margin beside this paragraph.
5. Bush underlined “Conventional Forces” and wrote a checkmark in the left-hand margin beside this paragraph.
6. Bush underlined “chemical” and wrote a checkmark in the left-hand margin, between this and the subsequent paragraph.