Prelude to Negotiations, June 1972–November 1972


99. Minutes of a Joint Senior Review Group and Verification Panel Meeting

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Institutional Files (H–Files), Box H–113, SRG Meetings Minutes, Originals, 1972–73. Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.


100. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 262, Agency Files, NATO, Vol. 12. Secret. Sent for information. Kissinger initialed the memorandum.


101. Memorandum for the Record

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 678, Country Files, Europe, France, Vol. IX. Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Sent for information. Drafted by Sonnenfeldt on July 11.


102. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–064, Verification P/SRG Group Meeting MBFR 8/3/72. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Linebaugh and approved by the Deputy Secretary. Cleared by Springsteen, Eagleburger, Smith, McGuire, Garthoff, Crittenberger, McManaway, Hyland and Miller. Repeated to all European diplomatic posts, Athens, Ankara, USNMR SHAPE, USCINCEUR, USDOCOSOUTH, USLOSACLANT.


103. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box TS 62, Memcons, Chronological Files, 1972. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The first part of the conversation (10:20 a.m.–2:30 p.m.) took place in the British Embassy Residence, and the second part (2:30–4:50 p.m.) took place at Kissinger’s office at the White House.


104. Minutes of a Joint Verification Panel and Senior Review Group Meeting

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–113, SRG Minutes, Originals, 1972–73. Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.


106. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL 214, Geopolitical Files, Soviet Union, Dobrynin, Anatoliy, Background Papers (Talkers), Jan. 1972 –Feb. 1973. Confidential; Immediate. Repeated to Belgrade, Berlin, Bern, Bonn, Brussels, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, EC Brussels, Geneva, the Hague, Helsinki, IAEA Vienna, Lisbon, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, USNATO, OECD Paris, Oslo, Ottawa, Paris, Prague, Reykjavik, Rome, Sofia, Stockholm, Valletta, Vienna, Warsaw, Ankara, Athens, USNMR SHAPE, and USCINCEUR.


107. Transcript of Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and the Soviet Ambassador (Dobrynin)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Box 27, Anatoli Dobrynin File. No classification marking.


109. Transcript of Telephone Conversation Between Secretary of State Rogers and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Henry A. Kissinger Telephone Transcripts (Telcons), Box 15, Chronological File. No classification marking.


110. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Office Files, Box 73, Country Files, Europe, USSR. Secret; Sensitive.


112. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 74, Country Files, Europe, USSR, HAK Trip to Moscow, Sept. 1972, Memcons. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. The meeting took place in the Council of Ministers Building in the Kremlin.


113. Paper Prepared in the Department of State

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 247, Agency Files, MBFR and CSCE, 1972. Secret; Limdis. Eliot forwarded the paper to Kissinger on September 19 under a covering memorandum.


114. Minutes of a Joint Verification Panel and Senior Review Group Meeting

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–113, SRG Meeting Minutes, Originals, 1972–73. Secret; Nodis. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.


115. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 679, Country Files, Europe, France, Vol. X. Secret; Nodis; Exclusively Eyes Only. The meeting took place at the French Ambassador’s Residence.


116. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Eliot) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 247, Agency Files, MBFR and CSCE, 1972. Secret. On October 26, Sonnenfeldt forwarded Eliot’s memorandum to Kissinger. In the covering memorandum, Sonnenfeldt wrote: “Having at long last solved the flank participation issue, we plan to answer the Soviet note given to you in Moscow.” Sonnenfeldt predicted: “Delivery of our note and its content will undoubtedly leak. Since virtually the entire scenario will then have appeared in the press, a joint Soviet-American announcement strikes me as an anti-climax.” Sonnenfeldt recommended that Kissinger concur in the Department of State scenario and “approve a unilateral U.S. announcement” that it was “accepting the Finnish invitation for November 22” and was planning “to attend the first MBFR talks in January.” Kissinger initialed his approval of both recommendations.


117. Telegram From the Department of State to all North Atlantic Treaty Organization Capitals

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, DEF 1 EUR. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Matlock, cleared by Springsteen, and approved by Eliot. Also sent to Moscow. Repeated to USNMR SHAPE, USCINCEUR, USCOSACLANT, and USDOCOSOUTH.


118. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Laird to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 247, Agency Files, MBFR and CSCE, 1972. Secret. Sonnenfeldt forwarded Laird’s memorandum to Kissinger under a covering memorandum of November 10. Sonnenfeldt wrote: “Certainly the Secretary is reflecting some of the disquiet in Europe that undoubtedly exists and has indeed grown since the Moscow summit. It is also true that we are encountering more and more tactical problems with MBFR. There is a certain needling to this memorandum, and it is also part of the Secretary’s protracted campaign to force the US to take a clear stand on MBFR, presumably along the line he has proposed for well over a year.”