Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume IV, Soviet Union, January 1983–March 1985

279. Personal Note Prepared by the Deputy Secretary of State (Dam)¹

Washington, September 19, 1984

The weekly Defense/State/NSC breakfast was held today. Either because the Secretary was having difficulty getting started this morning (which is quite atypical for him) or because he decided not to have substantive discussions with Cap Weinberger this morning in view of the tension in yesterday’s NSPG meeting on the Gromyko visit and arms control,² there was almost no substantive discussion. In fact, we didn’t get around to the agenda until three-quarters of the hour was gone but rather spent the first three-quarters of the hour on pleasantries and the discussion of mutual friends, such as Frank Carlucci’s new job at Sears and so forth.³

[Omitted here is material unrelated to the Soviet Union]

The people in the State Department concerned with arms control met with the Secretary this morning to review where we stand in light of yesterday’s NSPG meeting. The Secretary is now convinced that it is unrealistic to expect us to present a great deal on arms control to Gromyko when he is here, because no President is going to be willing to overrule his Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff on a major issue involving national security just before an election.⁴ Therefore, the tack we are now on is to pull out of previously cleared guidance the most forthcoming positions that the President has taken, such as in the talking points that Shultz never used at the meeting with Gromyko in Stockholm⁵ and the exchange of communications with the Soviets as we were negotiating about having a Vienna ASAT negotiation, and then using those as a basis for the Presidential talking points and what Shultz will say to Gromyko in New York.

[Omitted here is material unrelated to the Soviet Union.]

1. Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S–I Records, Deputy Secretary Dam’s Official Files: Lot 85D308, Personal Notes of Deputy Secretary—Kenneth W. Dam—Oct. 1983–Sept. 1984, No classification marking. Dictated by Dam on September 19 and September 22.
2. See Documents 277 and 278.
3. Frank Carlucci, who served as Deputy Secretary of Defense from February 4, 1981, until December 31, 1982, joined Sears World Trade as Chairman and CEO in 1983.
4. The U.S. presidential election took place on Tuesday, November 6.
5. Shultz’s talking points titled “New START Framework” were found in his preparation packet for a different meeting, his September 21 meeting with the President. (Reagan Library, George Shultz Papers, Box 18, 1984 Sept. 21 Mtg w/ the Pres)