Arms Control and Disarmament
271. Special National Intelligence Estimate
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, National Intelligence Estimates, Box 4. Top Secret; Limited Distribution.
272. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Strategic Missile Talks, Box 11. Top Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Secretary Rusk on August 16.
273. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Intelligence File, Arms Limitation Talk, Box 11. Top Secret; Sensitive.
275. Record of Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Committee of Principals
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Non-Proliferation, Box 11. Top Secret; Nodis. No drafting information appears on the source text. Typewritten notations on pages 3 and 7 indicate that they were revised on September 11. The meeting took place in the Secretary’s Conference Room.
276. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense Clifford
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 72 A 1498, 388.3, August-December 1968. Secret. The source text was sent under cover of a September 6 memorandum from Halperin to Fisher, which reads as follows: “The current views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on a possible cutoff of production of fissionable material for weapons purposes are forwarded for your information. You will note that the JCS oppose a cutoff of production at this time. I believe that it would be useful if ACDA would circulate substantially in advance of the reconvening of the ENDC (or the GA if the issue will come up there) a proposed U.S. position on the range of issues related to the cutoff question.”
277. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Subject File, Non-Proliferation Treaty, Vol. II, Box 26. Top Secret; Nodis. Handwritten notations in the margin read: “Jane told Rostow” and “Mr. Rostow notified; also Mr. Keeny.”
278. Memorandum From the Ambassador to the Soviet Union (Thompson) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 18. Top Secret. Sent through Ambassador Bohlen.
279. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (Sisco) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 72 A 1498, 388.3, August-December 1968. Confidential. Drafted by David H. Popper (IO) on September 4.
281. Note From the Government of the Soviet Union to the Government of the United States
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Chlodnick File, Box 12. No classification marking. An attached memorandum from Rostow to President Johnson, September 13, 1:45 p.m., indicates that Dobrynin orally delivered the contents of the note to Rostow just before 1 p.m. on September 13, and also left with him Dobrynin’s “handwritten translation from which we typed up his communication, literally.” The handwritten text is ibid. Rostow also summarized the points he raised with Dobrynin following the latter’s presentation, as they might pertain to a prospective summit meeting. None of Rostow’s points involved the strategic missile talks or arms control.
Rostow offered his “very tentative first thoughts” on the Soviet message in a memorandum to President Johnson, September 13, 3 p.m. Concerning strategic missiles, Rostow wrote: “The formula on missile talks is probably as far as one could go unless one were immediately to exchange position papers and try to get a bit more substance into the communique.” Later in the same memorandum, he called this formula “promising.” (Ibid.)
In another memorandum to the President, September 13, 6:40 p.m., Rostow related his just completed conversation with Secretary Rusk about the Soviet note. As summarized by Rostow, their discussion did not touch on the missile talks or arms control. (Ibid.)
282. Memorandum From the Government of the United States to the Government of the Soviet Union
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Chlodnick File, Box 12. No classification marking. Originally drafted by Secretary Rusk following Rostow’s September 13 meeting with Dobrynin (undated memorandum from Rusk to Rostow; ibid.), with the understanding that Rostow would hand the text of the message to Ambassador Dobrynin, and revised by Rostow (memorandum from Rostow to Rusk, September 15; ibid.). Rostow forwarded the revised message to President Johnson under cover of a memorandum, September 16. Also attached were “rough guidelines for my ‘personal’ remarks [to Dobrynin] which would be done as reflecting the President’s attitude as I’ve perceived it, with no trace of ultimatum,” and a “paper of issues and actions that lie down the line if you decide to proceed.” (Ibid.) The message forwarded to President Johnson is identical to the text printed here.
In a September 16 memorandum for President Johnson, Rostow reported that he handed this memorandum to Ambassador Dobrynin, with whom he met from 6-7:30 p.m. that evening, noting that it had the same status as Dobrynin’s September 13 “oral communication.” After reading the memorandum carefully, Dobrynin “said in general that the communication was ‘positive and clear.’” Concerning the missile talks, Dobrynin made the following observations: “He understood our objective in proposing an amplification of the principles. He wanted to know, simply, whether the response of the Soviet government should come back through his channel to me or through normal diplomatic exchanges. I said that until we were clearer as to whether the conditions for a Summit were mutually understood and agreed, he might let their response come back to me. I then went through the points that it was agreed that I should make on a ‘personal basis’ as reflecting the attitude of the President, as he had indicated it to Sec. Rusk and myself.” (Ibid.)
283. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 18-6. Confidential;Exdis. Drafted by Foster on September 17 and approved in S on September 18. The meeting took place at the Soviet Embassy.
284. Telegram From the Department of State to All Posts
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 18 UN. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by D.L. Aaron and A.F. Neidle (ACDA/IR) on September 19; cleared by officers in ACDA/IR, IO, EA/AA,EUR, NEA, AFI, ARA, and G/PM; and approved by Adrian Fisher. The telegram requested action from all posts except Algiers, Dar es Salaam, Cairo, Kabul, Khartoum, Lusaka, Saigon, London, Paris, Moscow, Warsaw, Prague, Sofia, and Bucharest.
285. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Non-Proliferation, Box 11. Drafted by Leddy and approved by John P. Walsh (S/S) on September 24.
286. Memorandum From the Special Assistant to the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Shaw) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Bohlen)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 12. Limited Official Use.
287. Message From the Government of the Soviet Union to the Government of the United States
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Chlodnick File, Box 12. No classification marking; Unofficial Translation. A handwritten note on the source text reads, “handed to Sec. Rusk by Gromyko on Oct. 2.” Gromyko apparently gave it to Secretary Rusk along with the Russian text. (Ibid.)
288. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Clifford to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 383, Central Policy File: FRC 86 A 5, Folder 3548. Top Secret.
289. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 18-6. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Krimer and approved in S on October 17. The source text is labeled “Part V of VIII.” The meeting took place at the Waldorf Towers.
290. Letter From the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (Seaborg) to the Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (Foster)
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 383, Central Policy File: FRC 85 A 83, Master Book, No. 2 of 3, July-September 1968. Secret. The letter is also reproduced in Seaborg, Journal, Vol. 17, pp. 332-333.
291. Special National Intelligence Estimate
Source: Johnson Library, Clifford Papers, Kosygin—Talks with Soviet Union (3), Box 22. Secret; Controlled Dissem. Prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency and the intelligence departments of the Departments of State and Defense, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the National Security Agency; concurred in by Vice Admiral Rufus Taylor (Deputy Director, Central Intelligence), Thomas L. Hughes (Director,INR), Lieutenant General Joseph F. Carroll (Director, DIA), Marshall S. Carter (Director, NSA), and Dr. Charles H. Reichardt (AEC). William O. Cregar (FBI) abstained; the subject being outside his jurisdiction.
292. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President, Rostow, Vol. 105, Box 42R. Top Secret; Sensitive; Literally Eyes Only.
293. Summary Notes of the 594th Meeting of the National Security Council
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, NSC Meetings File, Vol. 5, Tab 76, Box 2. Secret; Sensitive. Drafted by Bromley Smith.
294. Memorandum of Telephone Conversation Between the Ambassador to the Soviet Union (Thompson) and Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Kosygin. No classification marking. Ambassador Thompson was in Moscow; Secretary Rusk was in Washington. The time is apparently Washington time.
295. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Clifford to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, Clifford Papers, Kosygin-Talks with Soviet Union (3), Box 22. Secret; Sensitive. The date has been inserted by hand. Attached is a memorandum from Clifford to Walt Rostow, December 2, asking Rostow to forward his memorandum to the President.
Rostow forwarded Clifford’s memorandum to the President under cover of a December 2 note, which noted Clifford’s “strong case for beginning strategic talks with the Soviets at the heads of government level, followed by working level talks,” and continued: “If I may say so, the problem with working level talks (as opposed to simply exchanging positions and asking some initial clarifying questions) is:
- “—We will have to take some time to study throughout the government the Soviet paper;
- “—We are pretty well committed not to negotiate off our initial position during the life of this Administration.
- “Perhaps Clark’s point could be met if:
- “—On the first day of the talks the chiefs of government presented their respective positions;
- “—On the second day working sessions were held to clarify the respective positions while the chiefs of government met separately on Vietnam, the Middle East, etc.” (Ibid., National Security File, Memos to the President, Rostow, Vol. 109, Box 43R)
296. Intelligence Memorandum
Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 12. Secret. At the bottom of the first page of the source text is the following typewritten note: “This memorandum was produced solely by CIA. It was prepared in the Office of Strategic Research and coordinated with the Offices of Current Intelligence and Economic Research.”
Attached to the source text is a covering memorandum from John P. Shaw to Bohlen, December 12, which reads: “I thoroughly commend for your reading the attached CIA analysis of Soviet motives in seeking the opening of strategic missile talks at an early date. In particular, I endorse the argument—which I have advanced on a number of previous occasions—that the consensus within the Soviet Government in favor of holding talks could well fall apart if the talks are not held soon, and that this possibility partly explains the eagerness of apparently committed Soviet leaders such as Kosygin. The recent evidence compiled by CIA reinforces my earlier conviction on this point. The CIA memorandum also contains a cogent analysis of the economic pressures which increase Soviet interest in the negotiations.” Bohlen’s handwritten note on this memorandum reads: “very interesting. CEB”
297. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Memos to the President, Rostow, Vol. 109, Box 43R. Top Secret; Cherokee; Eyes Only.
298. Letter From the Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (Foster) to the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (Seaborg)
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 383, Central Policy File: FRC 85 A 83, Master Book, No. 2 of 3, July-September 1968. Secret.
299. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Rostow Files, Strategic Missile Talks, Box 11. Top Secret; Literally Eyes Only. A handwritten notation on the source text indicates that it was received at 1:40 p.m.
300. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Johnson
Source: Johnson Library, Clifford Papers, Soviet Union, Talks on Reduction of Strategic Nuclear Weapons, Box 17. Top Secret. An attached December 24 memorandum from Adrian Fisher to Clifford notes that Secretary Rusk still believed “that the phrase ‘equally’ should be inserted in the second principle and will doubtless so indicate to the President when the matter is discussed today.”