Office of the Historian

65. Memorandum by the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1

Washington, July 21, 1969.

MEMORANDUM FOR

  • The Attorney General
  • Under Secretary of State
  • Deputy Secretary of Defense
  • Director, United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
  • Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • Director of Central Intelligence

SUBJECT

  • Review of U.S. Verification Capabilities

The President has directed that a review of U.S. capabilities to monitor arms control agreements be undertaken on a priority basis.

He has asked me to convene a committee consisting of the addresses to carry out this review. Accordingly, I would like to have a [Page 142] meeting of the committee at 10:00 a.m., July 22, 1969 in the White House Situation Room to:

  • —review the issues that give rise to the need for a review of U.S. verification capability,
  • —approve general terms of reference for the preparation of the committee report,
  • —agree to procedures for establishing a working group to conduct the review,
  • —establish a deadline for completion of the report.2

Henry A. Kissinger
  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–004, Verification Panel Meeting—Review of Capabilities 7/22/69. Top Secret; Nodis.↩
  2. According to the minutes, Kissinger opened the meeting by stating: “[Gerard] Smith suggested panel. Need systematic review, statement of disagreements, statement of capabilities and limitations. This group would review MIRV Panel report, but charter would be broader.” (Ibid., Box H–107, Verification Panel Minutes, Originals—1969–3/8/72) Minutes for Verification Panel meetings from July 22, 1969, through June 4, 1974, are ibid. Folders containing briefing and background material for each meeting from July 22, 1969, through June 4, 1974, are ibid., Boxes H–004-H–018. For Smith’s recollections of the Verification Panel and the NSC system, see his memoirs, Doubletalk: The Story of SALT I, especially pp. 108–113; and Disarming Diplomat: The Memoirs of Ambassador Gerard C. Smith, Arms Control Negotiator, especially p. 158. Source documentation on the proposal for the Verification Panel and the revivification of the Committee of Principals (see Document 61) is in the Washington National Records Center, RG 383, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, ACDA/D Files: FRC 383 98 89, Notes for the Files.↩