6. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security
Affairs (Kissinger)
to President Nixon1
2
Washington, January 31, 1969
SUBJECT:
- Actions Resulting from the National Security Council Meeting of
January 29, 1969
Attached is a list of the actions indicated during the NSC meeting on Wednesday, January 29, 1969
dealing with the NPT. The list has been coordinated on an Eyes Only
basis with the principals and has been agreed to by them. With your
approval I will prepare appropriate implementing instructions where
required. Obviously most of the actions are already underway. However,
your views on the future treatment of other non-nuclear countries,
expanded U.S. security guarantees and U.S. PLOWSHARE capabilities should
be formalized by appropriate written follow-up Study or Decision
Memoranda.
Approve [Nixon initialed]
Disapprove
Other
[Page 2]
Attachment
undated
List of Actions Resulting from Meeting of the National
Security Council on January 29, 1969
The President decided to go forward with U.S. ratification of the
Non-Proliferation Treaty. The following scenario of time-phased
actions was approved with the view toward having the Secretary of
State prepare, by Monday, February 3, 1969, a Presidential message
to the Congress confirming his decision:
- 1.
- The Secretary of State and the Assistant for National
Security Affairs will coordinate in informing the Federal
Republic of Germany (FRG) of
our decision to proceed, while clearly assuring them that we
will continue to reject Soviet claims that the UN Charter will permit Soviet
intervention in the FRG. The
FRG is to be informed
prior to February 5, 1969.
- 2.
- The Secretary of State and Assistant for National Security
Affairs will coordinate in informing the Soviet Charge of
our decision to proceed with the NPT. The Soviets are to be informed prior to
February 5, 1969.
- 3.
- The Secretary of State should discuss the proposed course
of action with Senator Russell and other appropriate
Congressional leaders prior to February 5, 1969.
For the present, the U.S. public stance with respect to the NPT should be that it is still being
given consideration by the President and the National Security
Council.
The President wishes it clearly understood that associated with the
U.S. decision to proceed with the NPT there will be no efforts by the U.S. Government to
pressure other nations to follow suit, especially the Federal
Republic of Germany. In this regard, the U.S. Government should
reflect a tone of hopefulness that other nations will sign or ratify
while avoiding any intimation of heavy-handed pressure or arm
twisting.
[Page 3]
While recognizing the concerns of non-nuclear countries for new or
expanded U.S. security guarantees, the President does not wish any
public intimation that existing commitments have been modified. In
this regard, the President wishes this issue to be decided when the
need arises, based on the circumstances extant at the time. U.S.
ratification or support for the Non-Proliferation Treaty should not
be interpreted as a broadening of U.S. commitments abroad.
The President expressed his intention of moving rapidly on the
development of U.S. Plowshare capabilities and directed his
Assistant for National Security Affairs to provide him, at an early
date, with recommendations as to whether or not amendments to the
Test Ban Treaty will be required to achieve this objective.
