Office of the Historian

249. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Tarnoff) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1

Washington, December 31, 1979

SUBJECT

  • U.S. Soviet Relations and Afghanistan

In accordance with the NSC request, I attach the Department’s papers on U.S. Soviet relations and Afghanistan for Wednesday’s2 NSC meeting.

Peter Tarnoff 3

Executive Secretary

Attachments:

Tab 1—Afghanistan: Steps in the Framework of U.S. Soviet Relations.4

Tab 2—Possible U.S. Actions.

Tab 3—Possible Soviet Reactions.

[Page 720]

Tab 2

Paper Prepared in the Department of State5

Washington, December 31, 1979

CONTENTS

[Page 721] [Page 722]
PAGE
I. U.S. Unilateral Actions 1
A. Political 1
1. Withdraw SALT II from Senate Consideration 1
2. Announce Review of other Bilateral Arms Control Negotiations :ad 1
3. Presidential Statement on US-Soviet Relations 1
4. Recall Ambassador Watson 1
5. Restrict Social and Official Contacts with Soviet Officials :ad 1
6. Force Reduction in Soviet Diplomatic Staff in US 2
7. Suspend Preparations for Opening of Consulates General in Kiev and New York :ad3
8. Expel Soviet Intelligence Agents 3
9. Raise Level of Human Rights Criticism 4
10. Step Up RL/RFE, VOA Broadcasts 5
11. Publicize Soviet Role in Afghanistan 5
12. Delay Recognition of Karmal Regime: Suspend/Break Relations :ad 6
13. Other Bilateral Political Measures 6
a. Cancel Consular Review Talks 6
b. Reimpose Travel Ban on Soviet NY Advance Party :ad 7
c. Refuse/Delay Visas for Official Soviet Visitors 7
d. Reduce Soviet Media Representation in US 7
e. Defer Exchange Agreement Negotiations/Cancel or Reduce US Participation :ad 8
f. Cancel/Reduce US Participation in Selected Exchanges :ad 9
g. Olympics 10
h. Harassment 11
B. Military 11
1. US Military Alert 11
2. Increase US Permanent Military Presence in Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf :ad 11
C. Economic 12
1. Abandon Efforts to Secure Soviet MFN 12
2. Grain Sales 12
3. Postpone Joint Commercial Meeting 13
4. Postpone Business Facilitation Talks 13
5. Postpone Civil Aviation Talks 14
6. Tighten US Export Controls 14
7. Limit Soviet Commercial Expansion in US 15
8. Suspend Soviet Fishing in US Zones 15
II. US Multilateral Actions 17
A. Publicity 17
1. Urge UK, FRG, and France to increase broadcasts to Muslim countries and Soviet Central Asia. :ad 17
2. Daily circular to UN and others on status of the occupation. :ad 17
3. Continue world wide demarches, urging others to take actions complementing our unilateral initiatives. :ad 17
1. Seek Security Council Resolution 17
2. Special UNGA 17
C. Economic Actions 18
1. Consultations with others to reinforce U.S. unilateral moves. :ad 18
2. Tighten COCOM restraints on USSR/loosen on China. :ad 18
3. Increased economic assistance to countries in region (FY 80 supplemental and FY 81 incremental) :ad 18
4. Urge IFI’s and countries with assistance programs to Afghanistan to terminate such assistance. :ad 18
D. Arms Control 18
1. CSCE/CDE/CBM’s 18
2. MBFR 19
3. CTB 19
4. CW 19
E. Afghanistan 19
1. Withdraw Embassy and urge others to follow suit. 19
2. Supply insurgents. 19
F. Regional Security 20
1. Accelerate process of increasing US presence and acquisition of base rights. :ad 20
2. Increase US arms supplies to Soviet periphery. 20
G. Other Concerned Countries 20
1. Yugoslavia 20
2. Romania 20
3. Turkey 20
H. China 20
1. Increased political ties 20
2. Increased military ties 20

[Omitted here is the body of the paper.]

  1. Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Special Adviser to the Secretary (S/MS) on Soviet Affairs Marshall Shulman—Jan 21, 77–Jan 19, 81, Lot 81D109, Box 17, Afghan-US Steps. Secret; Nodis. Cleared by Paul Kreisberg (S/P), Jerome Kahan (PM), and McCall.↩
  2. January 2, 1980.↩
  3. Bremer signed for Tarnoff above Tarnoff’s typed signature.↩
  4. Tabs 1 and 3 are attached but not printed.↩
  5. Secret; Sensitive; Nodis.↩