Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume III, Soviet Union, January 1981–January 1983

207. Memorandum From Paula Dobriansky of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Clark)¹

Washington, August 30, 1982

SUBJECT

• NSSD 11–82: U.S. Policy Toward the Soviet Union

On Friday, August 27, I attended a State-chaired interagency meeting convened to task drafting responsibilities of NSSD 11–82, a U.S. policy toward the Soviet Union. At the meeting, State distributed an outline which differs in part from the Terms of Reference signed by the President. Specifically, their outline omits an introduction, a section detailing the objectives of the directive² and recommended policies for the U.S. These sections are crucial in providing the appropriate background, overview and focus that the directive needs. During the meeting, State also recommended that only CIA and State should draft the directive, thus excluding NSC and all other agencies. Hence, I proposed that NSC should draft the introduction and the section on the objectives of the review and should work jointly with State on recommended U.S. policies. My suggestions were met with resistance by State. I, therefore, propose that you authorize Richard Pipes to secure State’s approval of NSC’s drafting role and direct him to write the omitted sections.

RECOMMENDATION

That you authorize Richard Pipes to secure State approval of NSC drafting role and to write the omitted sections.³

1. Source: Reagan Library, Pipes Files, Soviet NSSD (3 of 3) [NSSD 11–82]. Secret. Sent for action. Copied to Stearman.
2. An unknown hand underlined “introduction, a section detailing the objectives of the directive.”
3. Clark checked his approval of the recommendation.