Soviet Union, January 1981–January 1983


1. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D800532–1105. Confidential; Immediate. Sent for information to Leningrad, Beijing, Belgrade, Berlin, Bonn, Bucharest, Budapest, London, Munich, New Delhi, Paris, Prague, Sofia, Tokyo, Warsaw, and the U.S. Mission to NATO.


2. Action Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Vest) to Secretary of State Haig

Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, P810013–0964. Confidential. Drafted by German on January 21; cleared by Holmes. Barry wrote in the upper right-hand corner: “Request w/drawn by Soviet Embassy on 1/22, RB.” An unknown hand initialed below it: “ALA.”


3. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D810033–0452. Secret; Immediate; Exdis.


4. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union

Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by Parris; cleared by Newsom, Vest, Ridgway, Wolfowitz, and Burt; approved by Bremer. On the same day, Haig informed Reagan that he had sent a letter to Gromyko “stating that I would work for development of US-Soviet relations on the basis of restraint and reciprocity,” and focusing “on the irresponsible Soviet treatment of the hostage situation and our concern over the Polish situation.” Haig also reported that “Gromyko is on vacation, but in receiving the letter Acting Foreign Minister Korniyenko expressed his ‛personal’ view to our Charge that it was unfortunate that the initial communication from the new Administration dealt with such issues.” (Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S–I Records, The Executive Secretariat’s Special Caption Documents, Lot 92D630, Evening Reading: Jan–June 1981)


5. Memorandum From Secretary of State Haig to President Reagan

Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S–I Records: Haig’s Correspondence and Meetings with Weinberger, Casey, and the President, Lot 83D288, Haig/Weinberger Meetings Jan–March 1981. Secret; Nodis.


6. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Allen) to President Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, Nance Files, Nance Chron January 1981 (2 of 3). Secret. A copy was sent to the Vice President. Printed from an unsigned copy.


8. Briefing Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Political and Military Affairs (Burt) and the Director-Designate of Policy Planning (Wolfowitz) to Secretary of State Haig

Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat, Lot 89D149, S/SP Records: Memoranda and Correspondence From the Director of the Policy Planning Staff to the Secretary, PW Jan. 21–31, ’81. Confidential; Sensitive. Drafted by Haass.


9. Memorandum From Secretary of State Haig to President Reagan

Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S–I Records, The Executive Secretariat’s Special Caption Documents, Lot 92D630, Evening Reading: Jan–June 1981. Secret.


10. Issues Paper Prepared in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Haig Papers, Day File, Box CL 25, Jan. 30, 1981. Confidential. Drafted by Kulski (INR/SEE) on December 19, 1980; approved by Stoddard (INR/CA); cleared by Misback (INR/IAA) and Williams (INR/PMA). Spiers sent the paper to Haig under cover of a January 30 memorandum, in which he wrote: “Earlier I forwarded you a list of 37 issues papers prepared for you by INR. Attached are those dealing with Central America and the Caribbean, which you asked to see first. I will send you papers on other areas/issues in small batches in coming weeks.” (Ibid.)


11. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union

Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by German; cleared by Vest; approved by Bremer. The Soviet Embassy made public Gromyko’s letter on February 11. (“Text of Gromyko’s Response to a Letter From Haig,” New York Times, February 11, 1982, p. A12)


12. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union

Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by German; cleared by Vest and in S; approved by Bremer.


13. Memorandum From the Counselor-Designate of the Department of State (McFarlane) to the Director-Designate of Policy Planning (Wolfowitz)

Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S–I Records: Official Papers of Counselor McFarlane, Lot 82D128, McFarlane’s Chron—January/February 1981. Secret.


14. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S–I Records: Haig and Shultz Memcons, Lot 87D327, SEC/Memcons, February 1981. Secret; Nodis. A handwritten note at the top of the memorandum reads: “Weinberger breakfast file.”


15. Minutes of a National Security Council Meeting

Source: Reagan Library, Deal Files, Chron February 1981. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the Cabinet Room at the White House.


16. Memorandum From Secretary of State Haig to President Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, Meese Files, Box CFOA 28, Secretary of State February 1981–July 1981 (1). Secret.


17. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State-Designate for Political Affairs (Stoessel) to Secretary of State Haig

Source: Department of State, Executive Secretary, S/S–I Records: Walter Stoessel Files, Lot 82D307, P—Stoessel Classified Chron 1981 Jan–June. Confidential. A stamped notation indicates Haig saw the memorandum. Haig wrote in the upper right-hand corner: “Item to discuss w/Pres,” and initialed the memorandum.


18. Memorandum From Richard Pipes of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Allen)

Source: Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC: Weekly Reports, 02/06/1981–02/21/1981. Secret.


19. Memorandum From Richard Pipes of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Allen)

Source: Reagan Library, Pipes Files, CHRON 02/06/1981–02/18/1981. Confidential. Sent for information.


20. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, INR/IL Files, Vol. 17, Box 5 [Moscow, 1980–83]. Secret; Roger Channel.


21. Memorandum From Richard Pipes of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Allen)

Source: Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC: Weekly Reports, 02/24/1981–02/27/1981. Secret.


22. Memorandum From Secretary of State Haig to President Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, European and Soviet Affairs Directorate, NSC: Records, 1983–89, Haig, Secretary of State (1). Confidential. Vest and Burt forwarded an earlier draft of this memorandum to Haig for signature under cover of a February 23 memorandum. (Department of State, S/S–I Records: Exdis Memoranda of the Secretariat, Lot 88D99, Exdis February 1981)


23. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Allen) to President Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, European and Soviet Affairs Directorate, NSC: Records, 1983–89, Haig, Secretary of State (1). Confidential. Sent for information. Printed from an unsigned copy.


24. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Allen) to President Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC: Country File: USSR (01/28/1983–02/02/1983). No classification marking. Copied to Bush, Meese, and Baker. A stamped notation indicates that Reagan saw the memorandum. At the top of the memorandum Reagan wrote: “OK, RR.” An unknown hand wrote “(3/9/81)” beneath Reagan’s comment.


25. Memorandum From Secretary of State Haig to All Agency Heads

Source: Reagan Library, European and Soviet Affairs Directorate, NSC: Records, 1983–1989, Haig, Secretary of State (1). Limited Official Use.


26. Letter From Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev to President Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, Blair Files, Brezhnev Correspondence 1981, 03/11/1981–03/24/1981. Secret. Printed from an unofficial translation. In a covering memorandum to Allen, March 7, Bremer wrote that Bessmertnykh handed the letter to Acting Secretary Stoessel on the afternoon of March 6, and that the Department of State translated it “during the night.” He went on to say: “The Secretary believes we should conduct a thorough analysis and consult with key allies prior to transmission of a response. We further recommend against publicly acknowledging receipt of the letter, unless the Soviets make the fact public.”


27. Memorandum From Secretary of State Haig to President Reagan

Source: Reagan Library, Matlock Files, Head of State Correspondence (US–USSR) (1 of 2) Jan.–June 1981. Secret.


28. Action Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State-Designate for European Affairs (Eagleburger) and the Director of the Bureau of Political and Military Affairs (Burt) to Secretary of State Haig

Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S–I Records: Lawrence Eagleburger Files, Lot 84D204, USSR 1981. Secret; Sensitive. Drafted by Palmer and Parris on March 12; cleared by Stoessel, Enders, and Jane Coon (NEA). Copied to Barry, Gompert, and Palmer on March 22.


29. Minutes of an Interagency Coordinating Committee for U.S.-Soviet Affairs Meeting

Source: Reagan Library, Pipes Files, CHRON 04/03/1981–04/05/1981. Confidential. Eagleburger chaired the meeting. Bremer forwarded the minutes to Allen on March 28. (Ibid.)


30. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Weinberger to the Counselor to the President (Meese)

Source: Reagan Library, Meese Files, Department of Defense—Sec. Caspar Weinberger (2). Secret. Copied to Haig, Allen, and Carlucci.