Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume IV, Foreign Assistance, International Development, Trade Policies, 1969–1972

324. Memorandum From Curtis W. Kamman of the Planning and Coordination Staff to the Under Secretary of State (Irwin)¹

Washington, February 26, 1971.

SUBJECT

• USC Paper on China Trade and Travel

We have received word from Mr. Packard’s staff at Defense that Mr. Packard has looked at the language of the Committee’s recommendation on exports,² and feels that he did not agree to identify parity with the Soviet Union even as a goal.

All of the State representatives present believe Mr. Packard stated no objection to the goal, but merely to the idea that we should seek approval at this time to move all the way to the goal. The NSC Staff representatives have informally confirmed our understanding of the sense of the meeting on this point.

I recommend that you call Mr. Packard to urge that the present language be left intact. The main advantage of the present formulation is that it permits steady progress toward the goal of parity without a series of new decisions by the President. The next decision by the President would not be required until the Committee reaches an impasse over whether the political gain of parity with the Soviets outweighs strategic considerations with respect to the small number of general license items still treated differently for the two countries.

If Mr. Packard cannot be persuaded on this point, which we have not been able to resolve with staff-level officials at Defense, you may wish to suggest either that he register his dissent directly with the White House, or that his view be noted in a follow-on memorandum from you as chairman of the Committee. I would be glad to give you any additional oral briefing you may wish before calling Mr. Packard.

The language to which Defense objects is underlined on page 4 of the attached copy of the USC study.³

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 73 D 288, NSC Under Secretaries Miscellaneous Memoranda 1971-1972. Secret; Sensitive. Drafted by Kamman on February 26. At the top of the first page is a handwritten note: “Laird lunch 3/1/71.” On March 1 Kissinger attended “Laird’s lunch on FY 73 fiscal guidance.” (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 438, Miscellany, 1968-76, Record of Schedule) No other record of the lunch has been found.
2. Document 322.
3. In the attached copy of Document 322, the language in the section on Exports beginning with “The Committee’s objective” and ending with “Specifically, therefore” is underlined by hand and set off in brackets.