249. Memorandum From the Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State (Timbie) to Secretary of State Shultz1
We have made some progress today on START. A sheet summarizing the differences is attached. The steps forward are:
—Akhromeyev has agreed to put the 50% throw weight cut in the Treaty.
—1540 warheads on 154 heavy missiles is agreed.
—Akhromeyev agrees on a ceiling on ballistic missile warheads, and proposes to negotiate on a number between 4800 and 5100. He suggests dropping all other sublimits.
—He agrees to attribute numbers of warheads to ICBMs and SLBMs, and we agree on the numbers for both sides’ existing ICBMs and on numbers for U.S. SLBMs. (He hasn’t given us Soviet SLBM numbers yet). He wants to base the numbers of warheads, however, on the maximum tested; whereas we want to verify the number by on-site inspection of deployed missiles.
—Soviets agree to ban encryption of telemetry.
We are far apart on SLCMs and on rules attributing numbers of ALCMs to bombers. (He says there will be no START Treaty and no joint statement unless we work something out on SLCMs.) The Soviet paper2 this morning would constrain only nuclear-armed ALCMs, but this appears to have been a mistake, and the Soviets have bracketed the term “nuclear-armed,” so there is no progress to report on this issue.
The drafting group has produced general START language to capture the above situation and refer everything else to Geneva. The text that has been agreed is good. We are negotiating language on SLCMs.
On defense and space, Akhromeyev emphasizes the October joint statement, which he says is the basis of Gorbachev’s visit, and which he says we are walking back. Working out some language in this area is the other major objective for tonight.
- Source: Department of State, Bureau of Arms Control and Disarmament, Lot 01D127, 1969–1990 Subject Records of James P. Timbie, Box 1, START/INF 1987. Secret.↩
- Reference is to footnote 2, Document 247.↩
- No classification marking.↩