MEETING WITH NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JOSEPH LUNS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-280-4-4-2
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: November 24, 2009
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: May 21, 1974
• Content Type: MISC

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/11/24: LOC-HAK-280-4-4-2 EN
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
MEETING WITH NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JOSEPH LUNS
SECRET
State Dept. review completed pages
1-7
I. PURPOSE
Tuesday, May 21, 1974
3:30 p.m. (30 minutes)
The Oval Office
From: Henry A. Kissinger
This meeting will permit you to reaffirm to Luns the importance
the United States attaches to the North Atlantic Alliance as the
cornerstone of Western strength and U. S. foreign policy.
Since your last meeting with the NATO Secretary General at San
Clemente in June 1973, US-European relations have been influenced
by the difficulties encountered in the drafting of the US-EC and
NATO Declarations. Luns (biography at Tab A) is a forceful
proponent of Atlantic cooperation and in two and one-half years
as Secretary General has chaired Allied councils with a firm
hand. Nevertheless, he is concerned lest our bilateral relations
with the Soviets, MBFR, problems in US-EC Nine relations,
economic and other pressures on Europe's new generation of
leaders, and sentiment in the US favoring troop reductions erode
the NATO partnership.
Your purpose in this meeting will be to:
-- emphasize that the Alliance remains of paramount importance to
the United States;
-- stress the need for meaningful and continuing consultations as part
of the Alliance process;
-- commend Luns on the excellent leadership he continues to bring to
NATO councils;
- encourage the Secretary General to provide the leadership required
to produce a NATO Declaration containing a strong statement.of the.
principles of. Atlantic partnership.
SECRET
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 with me and Secretary Schlesinger. He attaches the
importance to his meeting with you for the review it
permit of Alliance and East-West issues of current i
on May 24. While in Washington, he has discussions
an honorary degree from)iope Colle.tre in Holland
A. Background Luns has come to the United States to r
BACKGROUND, PARTICIPANTS & PRESS PLAN
ceive
Our effort to reinvigorate Atlantic ties remains centered on
completing a NATO Declaration. The new text which the
British circulated in NATO May 15, after general dis ussions
with us, is a good statement of the principles of Atla tic
partnership. It will be important to encourage Luns' leader -
ship in achieving a declaration reflecting the need fo enhanced
consultations among the Allies. French sensitivities should not
stand in the way of efforts by other Allies to improve the useful-
ness of the Alliance consultation process. Luns agr es with
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this viewpoint.
Luns ma ask your views -on the possibility of Navin a Western
summit in Brussels perhaps immediately prior to ur Moscow
visit and it will be important to note the need first t produce
a declaration with meaningful substance in time for te June
18-19 Ministerial Meeting in Ottawa.
Luns is well aware of your position on maintaining the US
troop commitment to Europe and of the domestic pr )ems
involved. He has been a staunch supporter of burde sharing
and our effort to prevent force reductions pursuant t the
Jackson-Nunn amendment. The latter problem is cl se to
resolution, at least for fiscal year 1974, thanks to t e US-FRG
offset agreement and to anticipated military purchases in the
US by the other Allies. Improvements in European forces are
the most important aspect of burdensharing; we exp ct the
Allies to do more in this area.
On East-West negotiations, Luna' prime concern is that the
Alliance play an active coordinat rht T+articula._ ly-with
respect to_both_CSCE_..and MBFR. European partici Lion in
force reductions remains a prime Soviet goal in MBFR, and
some means of assuring Moscow that such reductio s will
take place will be a key factor in persuading the So iets to
accept US-Soviet reductions in a first stage. Our pril 30
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proposal that the Allies consult in NATO on the elements
of an acceptable outcome of stage II of CSCE after which
decisions could be made on the timing and level of the
Helsinki finale is an earnest expression of the desire
of the US to keep the Alliance at the center of detente efforts.
Luns will, of course, welcome your views on your forth-
coming summit talks in Moscow.
Participants:. Secretary General Luns, and General Scowcroft.
C. Press Plan: The meeting will have been announced, and there
will be a press photo opportunity. (At mid-day on May 21,
Luns will have a press conference with the Overseas Writers
Club. On Thursday, May 23, he will have a press conference
at the Council on Foreign Relations in Chicago. On these
occasions, he can be expected to refer to his meeting with
you. )
III. TALKING POINTS
NATO and the NATO Declaration
. The Atlantic Alliance remains the cornerstone of U.S. foreign
policy.
2. At the same time, I strongly support European unity in which
Europe works confidently and cooperatively with the US directly
and within the framework of the Atlantic Alliance.
I have, as you know, been disappointed at the response of
European Allies over the past year to our proposal for
redefining the basis of Atlantic cooperation.
I favor moving ahead to complete a NATO Declaration for con-
sideration by ministers at the Ottawa meeting rune 18-19.
However, it is essential that the declaration contain a clear
reaffirmation of the need for full and-timely consultation.
SECRET
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we have welcomed your support for our proposals to broaden
and strengthen the process of NATO consultations.
I recognize that the obligation to consult is reciprocal, and
We do not rule out eventual completion of a US-EC Declaration,
if the Nine so desire, but for now a NATO text offers more
prospects of early agreement. The last text of the US-EC
draft conveyed to us by the EC members would need considerable
redrafting, particularly on the issue of prior consultation, to
make it acceptable to us.
1. I fully intend to maintain U. S. troop strength in Europe, in the
absence of reciprocal reductions. Domestic U. S. support for
our troop commitment will continue to be affected by the Allied
willingness to more equitably share the burden.
U. S. Troops in Europe
The US-FRG offset agreement, together with likely military
purchases in the U. S. by the other Allies, should enable us to
meet the immediate requirements of the Jackson-Nunn amendment.
3. Continuing European efforts to improve conventional forces will
be necessary to sustain the American commitment over the
longer term.
CSCE and MBFR
I am pleased with the high degree of Allied cohesion to date in
negotiations on MBFR and CSCE and recognize the importance
of close consultation between the Allies to harmonize approaches
to both issues.
On CSCE, given the many issues yet to be resolved, we do not
believe the Geneva stage II negotiations can conclude before the
end of June, at the earliest.
We believe the Allies should reserve final judgment on the level
of a third stage CSCE meeting pending a clear indication of the
Geneva results, but believe the Allies should consider what
results would warrant a summit gathering. This should not be
the subject of discussion, however.
SECRET
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Soviet reductions in a first phase as a step toward a common
ceiling on ground force manpower.
continuing to seek Soviet agreement to the principle of US-
position along lines at present under discussion in NATO,
On MBFR, we favor a steady development of the Allies'
Soviet Summit
1. Plans for my meetings with General Secretary Brezhnev in
Moscow toward the end of June are proceeding.
2. 1 view the talks as an important opportunity for political con-
sultations on US-USSR relations -- this reduces the chances of
miscalculations and strengthens the chances for greater stability.
Clearly, SALT poses the most difficult question to be dealt
with -- we are considering an extension of the interim agree-
ment plus an agreement on MIRVs. NATO will be fully
consulted throughout.
As in the past we will continue close consultations with the
Alliance on the prospects we see in the negotiations.
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May 16, 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR MAJ. GEN. BRENT SCOWCROFT
THE WHITE HOUSE
Subject: The President's Meeting with
Washington. O.C. 20520
NATO Secretary General Luns
The President has agreed to receive Secretary
General Luns May 21 at 3:30 p.m. for a half-hour
call. He will be greeted at the White House and
escorted to the President by the Department's Deputy
Chief of Protocol, Ambassador Stuart Rockwell. A
complete schedule for Luns' visit to the US,
May 17-25, is attached.
Luns will wish to discuss the Alliance against
the background of uncertainty which has characterized
US-European relations over the last several months
and will welcome assurances that NATO remains the
cornerstone of our policy. The President last saw
Luns in April 1973, the month in which the Secretary
gave his Year of Europe speech proposing a redefinition
of Alliance goals. Attached for the President's use
is a background paper and talking points.
George S. 5pringsteen
Executive Secretary
Attachments:
1. Background paper.
2. Talking points.
3. Schedule for Luns' Visit to the US.
4. Biographic sketch: Luns.
7409472
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
SECRET
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The president will most with NATO Secretary General Joseph Luns on
May 21. at 3:3() p.rn. Mr. Luns is in the United States to receive an
honorary degree from Hope College in loilaand.Michigan later in the
week. The President and the Secretary general welcome the opportunity
afforded by this meeting for an exchange otviews an the broad range of
issues ol curriut important. to the Atlantic Alliance.
Lit"?a' E
Can you be more specific an what they will talk about?
There is no set agenda for the meeting. However, as I have
said. the President and the NATO Secretary General will in all probability
be cooking at a number of s+abje is of interest to the NATO member countries.
While I can't go any further than this at present. we will hope to have a
readout for you on the meeting.
Q g, Sfl ; What are the chances that they will be exploring the possibilities
of a Western summit -- i aaybe before the President goes to Moscow -- to
belaacs the Moocow talks and to prepare the way for a European Security
Summit?
BNSW:ER:
There are no plans at present for a Western Summit. (FYI:
The President last addressed this in his Houston remarks on March 19.) On
the subject of the European Security conference, the U.S. position. as you
know, is that procedural considerations will have to await the results of the
substantive negotiations. Those negotiations are stilt underway.
QU TIQ4
-rheen did the President last meet with .tuna?
A,k(_: I believe they last met in June 1973 at San Clemente.
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