SMITH'S BACKCHANNEL RE PRESIDENT'S PRESS CONFERENCE AND SLBMS (TAB B)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-451-1-28-9
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 16, 2011
• Sequence Number: 28
• Publication Date: March 31, 1972
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2013/08/07: LOC-HAK-451-1-28-9
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MEMORANDUM
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
CRET ACTION
(outside s tern) March 31, 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR MR. KISSINGER
FROM:
SUBJECT:
Helmut Sonnenfeldt
Smith's Backchannel re President's Press Conference
and SLBMs (Tab B)
Attached for your approval and urgent transmission to Smith is a
(Tab A) telling him that the "Soviet interpretation" of the
resident's press conference statement is wrong.
RECOMMENDATION
That you initial the attached message and have Dick Kennedy arrange for
its urgent transmission.
25X1
25X1
DOS, NSS reviews completed.
T CRET /outside system
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2013/08/07: LOC-HAK-451-1-28-9
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2013/08/07: LOC-HAK-451-1-28-9
?C r- ?
TOP SECRET /SENSITIVE
25X1
25X1
EXCLUSIVELY EYES ONLY TO: Ambassador Gerard Smith, SALT, Helsinki
FROM: Henry A. Kissinger, The White House
REFERENCE: Your Helsinki 0275
There can be absolutely no question that QUOTE Soviet interpretation
UNQUOTE is wrong. We wish SLBM question settled as part of effort
to finalize agreement at Helsinki. Please ensure that there is no mis-
understanding on this score. Warm regards.
TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2013/08/07: LOC-HAK-451-1-28-9
V Ara
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2013/08/07: LOC-HAK-451-1-28-9
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FM SALT HELSINKI
TO THE WHITE HOUSE
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T OPSECRET/SENSITIVE
FM AMB. SIITH SALT HELSINKI
TO THE WHITE HOUSE EXCLUSIVE
311440Z MAR 72
0275
EYES ONLY DR.
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25X1
HENRY A.
KISSINGER
DEAR HENRY:
ON MARCH 30TH KISHILOV TOLD GARTHOFF THAT THE TRANSCRIPT
.OF PRESIDENT NIXON'S MARCH 24TH PRESS CONFERENCE HAD RAISED
QUESTIONS IN.THEIR MINDS AS TO THE US POSITION AND THE PRESIDENT'S
REMARKS LEFT OBSCURE WHETHER THE PRESIDENT WISHED THE SLBM
QUESTION TO BE LEFT FOR A DECISION AT THE SUMMIT. WHEN GARTHOFF
SAID THAT THAT WAS AN INCORRECT INTERPRETATION, KISHILOV SAID
THAT ME COUL D UNDERSTAND GARTHOFF'S EXPLANATION, BUT "THERE
WERE OTHER WHO MIGHT CONTINUE TO INTERPRET THE PRESIDENT'S
OWN VIEWS, ON THE RELATIONSHIP. OF SALT TO THE SUMMIT IN A
SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT WAY."
I THINK THIS SOVIET. INTERPRETATION IS NOT FARFETCHED, BUT :
I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS ONE WHICH THE PRESIDENT WOULD LI KE TO LEAVE
IN THE SOV IET MIND.
I HAVE ASSURED SEMENOV THAT OUR PURPOSE AT HELSINKI
IS TO DO OUR REST TO FINALIZE AGREEMENTS HERE. BUT IT WOULD BE
HELPFUL IF I COULD TELL HIM THAT I HAVE CHECKED WITH THE
PRESIDENT AND THAT THE SOVIET I NTERPRETATION OF HIS REMARKS
ON 24 MARCH IS NOT CORRECT. IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL IF THE
PRESIDENT FOUND AN OCCASION TO SAY TO THE PRESS THAT ALTHOUGH
ONE CANNOT FORESEE THE OUTCOME OF THE HELSINKI PHASE, HE DOES
NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT SALT AGREEMENTS MAY BE
REACHED IN HELSINKI BEFORE THE UPCOMING SUMMIT.
WARM REGARDS.
GP-.1
250
089g
EYES ONLY
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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2013/08/07: LOC-HAK-451-1-28-9