5. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Poindexter) to Secretary of State Shultz1

SUBJECT

  • Your Meetings with Foreign Minister Shevardnadze

Based upon our earlier discussions, the President has reviewed the plans for your upcoming meetings in Vienna with the Soviet Foreign Minister. The President agrees that the U.S. objectives for these meetings are as follows:

1. consolidate the accomplishments made at Reykjavik by confirming Soviet agreement on those issues which we feel were resolved to our satisfaction;

2. clarify the U.S. and Soviet positions in the Defense and Space area;

3. pocket the positive aspects of General Secretary Gorbachev’s remarks on verification;

4. press for making progress in START, INF and in other areas where common ground exists and resist Soviet attempts to link such progress to the Defense and Space area; and

5. confirm Soviet intent to press forward with planned activities in the non-arms control areas as agreed in Reykjavik. (S)

The President also agrees with our objectives in each of the individual areas discussed at Reykjavik. (U)

—With respect to the areas of human rights, regional and bilateral issues, we should confirm the work plan developed in Iceland. (U)

—In START, we should confirm the language agreed at Reykjavik, as well as the supporting understanding reached during the U.S./Soviet experts discussions concerning the implementation of the agreed language. (S)

—In the INF and nuclear testing areas, we should seek Soviet agreement on the language that we have previously proposed. (S)

—In the area of Defense and Space, we should:

a. note for the record the last U.S. proposal made in Reykjavik;

b. note for the record the last Soviet proposal made in Reykjavik;

c. identify the key differences between these positions to include:

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1. that the Soviet position is more restrictive than the existing ABM Treaty;

2. that we differ on what further reductions should occur during the second five years of the ten-year period; and

3. that we require a clear statement that either side would be free to deploy advanced defenses against ballistic missiles after the ten-year period, unless mutually agreed otherwise. (S)

The most recent instructions to the U.S. Delegation to the Nuclear and Space Talks (documented in NSDD 249)2 provide the authoritative guidance needed in the START, INF and Defense and Space areas. NSDD 2473 provides corresponding guidance in the area of nuclear testing. Also attached are other items of guidance recently approved by the President which will also be helpful to you.4 With these documents to draw upon as needed, we should be in an excellent position to pursue the objectives outlined above. (S)

The President agrees that, if we are successful in achieving our objectives in Vienna, there could be a statement issued as a result of the meeting. He also agrees that if we are not successful, we should make a concerted effort to present and explain the positions we have recently tabled in Geneva to the public in the U.S. and overseas. (S)

FOR THE PRESIDENT:

John5
  1. Source: Reagan Library, Linhard Files, Shultz-Shevardnadze, Vienna, 11/05/1986–11/06/1986 (3). Secret. Poindexter crossed out Shultz’s full name in the addressee line, handwrote “George,” and sent the memorandum to Reagan under cover of a handwritten memorandum on November 4. Reagan initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum to Shultz.
  2. Dated October 29. (Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, National Security Council: National Security Decision Directives (NSDDs), NSDD 249)
  3. Dated October 10. (Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, National Security Council: National Security Decision Directives (NSDDs), NSDD 247)
  4. Attached but not printed are two undated papers entitled “Proposed Next Steps on Conventional Arms Control” and “Treatment of Third Country Nuclear Ballistic Systems in U.S. Arms Control Proposals.”
  5. Printed from a copy that bears this handwritten signature.