East-West Trade, 1969-1972


288. National Security Study Memorandum 35

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 80 D 212, NSSM 35. Confidential.


289. Letter From the Ambassador to Austria (MacArthur) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (Samuels)

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 80 D 212, NSSM 16. Confidential.


290. Memorandum From Secretary of Commerce Stans to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Agency Files, Box 213, Commerce, Volume I 1970. For Official Use Only. Attached to an April 17 memorandum from Bergsten to Kissinger that called Kissinger’s attention to the June 30 expiration of the Export Control Act, which governed sales of strategic goods to Communist countries, and noted that Congressional hearings would begin the following week on a bill to dramatically liberalize controls.


291. Action Memorandum From the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (Greenwald) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (Samuels)

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 80 D 212, NSSM 16. Confidential. Drafted by R.B. Wright (E/ITP/EWT) on April 14 and cleared by Shaw (EUR/RPE).


292. Paper Prepared in the National Security Council Staff

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 71 D 175, 5/2969 NSC Meeting. Confidential. Distributed under cover of a May 12 memorandum from Davis reporting that the paper was a revision of one circulated on May 9, pursuant to an informal meeting of the Review Group that day, and requesting agency comments. The NSC Review Group had met on May 7 to discuss a 35-page NSSM 35 Response paper and a draft of the paper printed here. Briefing materials for Kissinger’s use at that meeting are in National Security Council, Secretariat, Box 90, 5/7/69 Review Group Meeting. NSSM 35 is Document 288.


293. Action Memorandum From the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (Greenwald) to Acting Secretary of State Richardson

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 80 D 212, NSSM 35. Confidential. The date is handwritten. Drafted by R. B. Wright (E/ITP/EWT) on May 13 and cleared by Springsteen (EUR), McHenry (C), Schnee (H), and Neubert (S/P).


294. Memorandum From Acting Secretary of State Richardson to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 80 D 212, NSSM 35. Confidential. Drafted by R. B. Wright (E/ITP/EWT) on May 13 and cleared by Springsteen (EUR), McHenry (C), Greenwald (E), Schnee (H), Neubert (S/P), and Frank (L). Attached as Tab A to Document 293.


295. Memorandum From Secretary of the Treasury Kennedy to President Nixon

Source: Washington National Records Center, Department of the Treasury, Secretary’s Memos/Correspondence: FRC 56 74 A 7, Memo to the President 5-8/69. Confidential.


296. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Laird to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 71 D 175, 5/21/69 NSC Meeting. Confidential.


297. Information Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Hillenbrand) to Acting Secretary of State Richardson

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 71 D 175, 5/21/69 NSC Meeting. Confidential.


298. Action Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Security Council, Secretariat, Box 84, 5/21/69 NSC Meeting-U.S. Trade Policy Toward Communist Countries. Confidential. This memorandum is the covering memorandum on a package of briefing materials for the President’s use at the May 21 NSC meeting.


299. National Security Decision Memorandum 15

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 80 D 305, NSDM 15. Secret.


300. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State (Richardson) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 83 D 305, NSDM 17. Secret. Attached to a typewritten note, dated June 21, which reads: “Henry: If we are serious about moving quickly we would need something like an NSDM from the President indicating his approval in principle on foreign policy grounds of measures along these lines. Such a directive would also call upon State, Treasury, and Commerce to work out the specific details within a certain time period and for the Department to prepare a scenario for press, congressional, and diplomatic handling. I would see that all this would be prepared immediately if the basic go-ahead could be given. ELR” Another copy of the memorandum with Richardson’s note is attached to Document 301.


301. Action Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Agency Files, Box 280, State, Volume III. Secret. Attached to a June 26 memorandum from Haig to Kissinger suggesting items for Kissinger to discuss with Richardson. Item 1 pertained to Richardson’s “proposals leading toward an opening with Communist China.” Haig attached Richardson’s June 21 memorandum and note to Kissinger (Document 300) and a draft NSDM reflecting the President’s decisions, and suggested that Kissinger discuss the NSDM “with Eliot to be sure that he is in agreement with it and that it is completely responsive to your combined judgment on how to proceed from here.” Kissinger wrote at the top of Haig’s memorandum: “NSSM—[two illegible words] NSSM—a Sino Soviet split”; presumably a reference to NSSM 63, “US Policy on Current Sino-Soviet Differences,” July 3.


302. National Security Decision Memorandum 17

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 83 D 305, NSDM 17. Secret; Sensitive; Exdis. Copies were sent to the Secretary of Defense, the Director of Central Intelligence, and the Chairman of the JCS. A draft of NSDM 17 was attached to Document 301.


303. Action Memorandum From C. Fred Bergsten of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Subject Files, Box 401, Trade General, Volume I. Secret; Sensitive. Drafted by Bergsten and cleared by Sonnenfeldt, Halperin, and L. Grant. A handwritten notation at the top of the page reads: “Orig not returned from HAK’s ofc, action unknown. Houdek’s ofc.”


306. Action Memorandum From C. Fred Bergsten of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Subject Files, Box 401, Trade General, Volume I. Confidential.


307. Action Memorandum From C. Fred Bergsten of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Subject Files, Box 401, Trade General, Volume I. Limited Official Use. At the top of the page Kissinger wrote: “Let me raise tomorrow morning with Harlow. Nov 12—Also with President.” The President was in Key Biscayne and the Bahamas November 7-9, but talked with Kissinger by phone each day, and the two met daily at the White House November 10-12. (Ibid., White House Central Files, President’s Daily Diary) Another handwritten notation at the top of the page indicates that action was completed on December 4.


308. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 83 D 305, NSDM 17. Secret; Sensitive; Nodis.


309. Action Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Subject Files, Box 337, HAK/ELR Meetings. Secret; Sensitive. Attached to a December 18 memorandum from Haig to Kissinger with items for him to discuss with Richardson on December 18. Haig’s first item was to discuss how the State Department intended to implement the President’s approval of the three steps on China trade. Kissinger indicated he did discuss this item with Richardson.


310. Information Memorandum From C. Fred Bergsten of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Agency Files, Box 213, Commerce, Volume I 1970. Limited Official Use. A stamped notation, dated January 12, 1970, reads: “HAK has seen.”


311. Information Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (Trezise) to Secretary of State Rogers

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 83 D 305, NSDM 15. Confidential. Drafted by W.B. Dozier (E/EWT) on December 31, 1969, and cleared by Massey (L/E), Cronk (E/ITP), and Schnee (H). Attached but not printed are excerpts from Sections 3 and 4 of the Export Administration Act of 1969, including the following language from Section 3 (1) and (2): “(1) It is the policy of the United States both (A) to encourage trade with all countries with which we have diplomatic or trading relations … and (B) to restrict the export of goods and technology which would make a significant contribution to the military potential of any other nation or nations which would prove detrimental to the national security of the United States. (2) It is the policy of the United States to use export controls (A) to the extent necessary to protect the domestic economy from the excessive drain of scarce materials and to reduce the serious inflationary impact of abnormal foreign demand, (B) to the extent necessary to further significantly the foreign policy of the United States … and (C) [to protect] the national security of the United States.”


312. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, RG 59, S/S Files: Lot 83 D 305, NSDM 15. Secret. Drafted by R. B Wright (E/ITP/EWT) on January 12 and cleared by Dubs and Colbert (EUR/SOV), Lisle (EUR/EE), Hillenbrand (EUR), and Ambassador Beam. Attached but not printed is a January 6 memorandum from Trezise and Hillenbrand to Secretary Rogers informing him of the substance of this memorandum and recommending he find an early opportunity to discuss with the President relaxing the interpretation of NSDM 15.


314. Memorandum From the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Ware) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Agency Files, Box 224, DOD, Volume VI 2/l/70-4/20/70. Confidential.


316. Memorandum From Secretary of Commerce Stans to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Agency Files, Box 213, Commerce Volume I 1970. Secret.


317. Action Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Subject Files, Box 401, Trade General, Volume II 4/70-12/70. Secret. Attached to an April 7 memorandum from Bergsten to Kissinger, on which Kissinger indicated his approval on April 9 of the Commerce Department’s recommendations on decontrolling additional items for export to Romania only, and approved the disapproval of Commerce’s recommendation for elimination of the special discriminatory category against East Germany.