CABLE TO BRENT SCOWCROFT FROM U. ALEXIS JOHNSON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-484-15-30-5
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 5, 2012
• Sequence Number: 30
• Publication Date: February 19, 1974
• Content Type: CABLE

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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/05: LOC-HAK-484-15:30-5 717w-
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OP IMMED
0 191(37E. F'tli (4.
Fm GENEVA
TO THE WHITE HOUSE
"T OPSECRET/EYES-ONLY 191640Z FEB 74
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PRIORITY
FM: 1MBASSAp3R U. ALEXIS. JOHNSON, SALDEL, GENEVA Di(
TO: GENERAL SCOWCROFT, THE WHITE HOUSE
EyES ONLY "
DELIVER DURING OFFICE HOURS
1. IN RESPONSE TO HENRY'S REQUEST THERE IS GIVEN BELOW A npAFT
By NITZE AND Mf OF A POSSIBLE FIRST-PERSON MESSAGE TO BREZHYEV.
THE SUBSTANCE OF THIS CORRESPONDS VERY CLOSELY TO OUR PRESETAT oN
HERE TO0AY, EXCEPT THAT THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE PENULTIMATF
PARAGRAPH INFERS THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO ACCEPT AN AGGREGATE
COVERING ROTH THE THROW-WEIGHT.oF ICBM AND sLBM MIRVS. THIS
SENTENCE COULD OF COURSE BE MODIFIED TO MAKE IT EXPLICIT THAT THIS tS
THE CASE OR TO MAKE IT EXPLICIT THAT WE ARE ONLY TALKING ABouT, Ices.
IF IT IS DESIRED TO GO FURTHER.,-FOR EXAMPLE, TO PICK UP THE IDEA
OF COUNTING ALL OF OUR MINUTEMEN SILOS AS MIRVED OR BEING WILLING
TO DESTROY IINmIRYfD MINUTEMEN SIL0S, TRADE HEAVY BOMBERS FOq SOVIET
MLBmS, ETC., THEAAAFT WOULD, OF COURSE, HAVE TO BE MODIFIEn
ACCORDINGLY.
:BEGIN DRAFT
QUOTE
.1 HOPE THAT YOU MAY SHARE MY CONVICTION THAT WHAT WE AE ABLE
To AcComPLISH IN SALT DURING THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WILL DO MUCH TO
DETERMINE THE DIRECTION THAT THE STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP BETYEEN OUR
TWO COUNTRIES WILL TAKE FOR MANY YEARS INTO THE FUTURE. THEREFORE
At NO WRITING TO PASS ON TO YOU SOME OF MY OWN THOUGHTS nr1 THIS
VITAL SUBJECT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION PRIOR TO THE VISIT OF
O, KISSINGER'. MY DELEGATION IN GENEVA WILL IN THE MEANWHILE ALSO
RE EXPANDING ON SOME OF THESE CONCEPTS..
I AM WELL AWARE OF THE VIEWS THAT YOU REPRESENTATIVES HAVE PUT
FORWARD BOTH HERE IN WASHINGTON AND IN GENEvA AND THE DIFFEPENcES:
THAT APPEAR TO EXIST BETWEEN OUR REPRESENTATIVES. HOWEVER. I AM
A;SL7, CONVINCED WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND AN AREA.OF AGREEMFNT ON
P.,7.INCIPLES THAT COULD PROVIDE THE FRAMEWORK FOR THAT PERMANENT AGREE
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *WHSR COMMENT * * * * * * * * * * *
HAK,SCOWCROFT,MCFARLANE,RODMAN
RECALLED
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01Z414 PAGE 01 TOR:050/053Z DTG1917374 FE
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DOS Review Completed.
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
MORI/CDF
C05125624
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/05: LOC-HAK-484-15-30-5
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/05: LOC-HAK-484-15-30-5
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TO wHicH we COMMITTED OURSELVEs BOTH IN MOSCOW IN MAY 197. AM 2 HERE
? ? I AM SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT pOR A PERMANENT AGREEMENT IT IS
WASHINGTON LAST JUNE,
ESSENTIAL THAT I BE ABLE To DEMONSTRATE THAT FOR THE UNITED STATES IT
HAS BOTH THE REALITY AND APPEARANCE OF EQUALITY WITH NO UNILATERAL
ADVANTAGE. 14 OF COURSE, ACCEPT THAT YOU HAVE THE SAME REOUIREENT'
THE PROBLEM IS HOW-THIS IS TO BE ACHIEVED. FROM My STANDP0TNT THIS
? MEANS THAT WITH THE IMPRESSIVE ADVANCES THE SOVIET UNION IS IN THE
COURSE OF MAKING IN THE CAPABILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY OF ITS MISSILES
IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR ME TO ACCEPT FOR THE INDEFINITE FUTURE
OF A PERMANENT AGREEMENT THOSE NUMERICAL ASSYMETRIES OF THE INT5RIM
AGREEmENT, I:THUS VERY MUCH FEEL THAT WE SHOULD ACCEPT THE GOAL OF
ACHIEVING IN THE NEAR FUTURE OF AN EQUAL -OVERALL LIMIT ON THE NUMBER
, OF ICBMS, SLBMS AND HEAVY BOMBERS. I Am PREPARED TO ACCEPT. A NUMBER
THAT COULD BE.REACHED BY BOTH OF US WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES IN
CUR PRESENT DEPLOYMENTS. HOWEVER, I DO NUT THINK THAT WE SkOuLD BE
: CONTENT WITH ?RESERVING NUMBERS AROUND OUR PRESENT LEVELS, pAJT Am
CONVINCED THAT OUR PEOPLES AND THE WORLD WOULD WELCOME OUR AGREEING
ON SPECIFIC REDUCTIONS IN THOSE NUMBERS IN A PHASED WAY OVER A PERIOD
'
BEYOND NUMBERS OF ICBmS, SLBmS AND HEAVY BOMBERS/ IF WE ARE TO
OF TIME.
ACHIEVE REAL EQUALITY WITHOUT UNILATERAL ADVANTAGE WE MUST IlEAL WITH
? THE QUALITATIVE ASPECTS OF MISS1LES?THAT IS, THEIR DESTRUCTIVE
CAPABILITIES. THIS LEADS uS INTO THE QUESTION oF THE THROwwEIGHT TJS
-DE MISSILES/ THAT IS THE USEFUL CAPABILITY OF MISSILE BOOSTERS AND
THEIR DESTRUCTIVE POTENTIAL. ? IT ALSO LEADS US INTO THE QUESTION OF
MULTIPLE REENTRY VEHICLES AND THE ABILITY OF LARGE MISSILES WITH A HIGH
THRow-wEIGHT TO CARRY A NUMBER OF WARHEADS OP LARGE YIELD. THIS IS OF
SPECIAL CONCERN WITH RESPECT TO ICBMS. IT IS OUR VIEW THAT THE MOST
'FEASIBLE WAY TO GET AT THIS QUESTION IS THROUGH EQUALITY IN THE AGGREALT
THROWEIGHT OF MULTIPLE INDEPENDENTLY TARGETABLE REENTRY vFHECLES..
I PULL WELL REALIZE' THAT THESE MATTERS INVOCVE MANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS
AS WELL AS THE QUESTION OF VERIFICATION FOR BOTH SIDES. I AM HAVING
EXPERTS CAREFULLY EXAMINE ALL ASPECTS OF THESE QUESTIONS Awn EXPECT
THAT YOU MAY WANT TO DO THE SAME IN ORDER THAT R. KISSIiiqp:RtS Q,IS-
CUSSIONs IN MOSCOW NEXT MONTH MAY BE AS FRUITFUL AS POSSIBLE. MY HOPE
IS THAT IN THIS WAY yoU-ANn I WILL BE ABLE TO AGREE ON A FRAMEWORK
WHIC WILL ENABLE OUR NEGOTIATORS TO COMPLETE THE TEXT OF A PERMANENT
AGREEMENT THIS YEAR. UNQUoTE ENO DRAFT.
? 3. REGARDS. JOHNSON.
ET
psKi01241A.
RECALLED
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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/05: LOC-HAK-484-15-30-5