70. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon1
SUBJECT
- SALT Consultation in the North Atlantic Council (NAC)
Given your deep personal interest in and emphasis on consultation with our allies, I thought you would be interested to know that Gerry Smith’s presentation in NAC in Brussels on April 14 was extremely well received. Ambassador Ellsworth reports that the atmosphere “was one of extreme appreciation for (the) comprehensive U.S. presentation, Boon (Netherlands) for example stating that in his nine years in Council he did not recall any presentation so complete on a position to be taken in negotiations, nor one which had shown such trust in alliance. Allies welcomed U.S. comprehensive approach to negotiations, one characterized as balancing caution and initiative, idealism and realism. Allies welcomed fact U.S. approach reflected previous comments in Council and some recalled their earlier statements of preference for alternative III which had now been selected. Canada, Italy, UK, Denmark, Norway and Netherlands made specific point of welcoming U.S. approach, and this was clearly view of Council as a whole with no dissent.”
The full text of Ambassador Ellsworth’s cable is attached.2
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 877, SALT, SALT talks (Vienna), Vol. VIII, April 9–May 10, 1970. Secret. A copy was sent to Haig. Handwritten notations in an unknown hand read: “HAK: FYI” and “Action: S’feldt.”↩
- Attached but not printed is telegram USNATO 1376, April 14.↩