Office of the Historian

43. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter1

Washington, December 11, 1978

SUBJECT

  • MIG’s in Cuba

On Friday, the Soviets replied to our note2 concerning the MIG’s in Cuba. Their reply is attached at Tab A.3

It is fair to say that the response is unhelpful. It rejects the idea that the MIG–23 aircraft should not be increased; it rejects any relationship between the aircraft and the Understanding of 1962; and it fails to give any assurance that the non-nuclear status of the MIG-23’s includes the MIG 23–D/F which the Soviets refer to as MIG-27’s. (We have questioned them specifically on this point, and their refusal to clarify it is disturbing.)

The State Department is preparing a further note to be given to the Soviets. Warren Christopher, Stan Resor and David met today and agreed that to leave the exchange of correspondence as is would create great difficulties in regard to SALT.4 At the same time, as you have indicated, we do not want to blow this out of proportion. The new note should be available for your review tomorrow.

It is worth noting that Soviet rejection of our concern about MIG-23’s in Cuba is inconsistent with the Soviet concerns about the much less capable carrier aircraft which the British have been considering selling to China. Similarly, our effort to discourage the British from this sale has not been matched by Soviet sensitivity about transfers of MIG-23’s to Cuba.

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 13, Cuba, 12/78–4/79. Secret; Sensitive. Carter initialed the memorandum indicating that he saw it.↩
  2. In a meeting with Ambassador Dobrynin on November 29, Secretary Vance delivered an oral message regarding the MiGs in Cuba. (Telegram 302435 to Moscow, November 30; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840139–2032)↩
  3. Undated; attached but not printed. Carter initialed the Soviet note and wrote at the top of the page, “unsatisfactory.”↩
  4. In the margin to the left of this paragraph, Carter wrote “ok.”↩