148. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Poindexter) to President Reagan1
SUBJECT
- Preparations for Next Nuclear and Space Talks (NST) Negotiating Round
Issue
To provide guidance for preparing for the next round of the Nuclear and Space Talks (NST) in Geneva.
Facts
NST negotiations resume on 18 September. The United States will be expected to amplify on the proposals outlined in your recent letter to Gorbachev.2 To preserve confidentiality, we have not distributed the letter to the agencies. In order to ensure adequate preparations for the NST talks, therefore, separate guidance from you is needed.
Discussion
The attached draft guidance NSDD draws on your letter to General Secretary Gorbachev and on the guidance for further development of nuclear testing alternatives contained in NSDD–2333 (which was never [Page 607] distributed since it essentially contains the letter’s text). To ensure a coordinated approach, the NSDD also provides guidance to ensure you are informed in advance before any actual breach of SALT II limits occurs.
Recommendation
| OK | No | |
| That you sign the NSDD providing guidance for preparing for the next NST negotiating session.4 |
- Source: National Security Council, National Security Council Institutional Files, Box SR 093, NSDD 232. Secret. Sent for action. Prepared by Brooks and Linhard. Copied to Bush and Regan. Reagan wrote his initials in the upper right-hand corner.↩
- Reference is to Document 138.↩
- NSDD 233, “Consultations on a Response to General Secretary Gorbachev,” which Reagan signed on July 31, was mainly comprised of the draft text for the arms control portion of Reagan’s July 25 letter to Gorbachev (see Document 138). The NSDD also called for two studies on testing to be completed by August 15. (Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat: National Security Council, National Security Directive Decisions, NSDD 233)↩
- Reagan initialed his approval. The NSDD is printed as Document 149.↩