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-5-
One is the importance of exposing and challenging the more dangerous
elements in the recent Gorbachev proposals. I am particularly
concerned about the proposed restrictions which would affect the
United Kingdom and France : a freeze on third country nuclear systems
and a ban on transfer of strategic and medium range missiles. These
would be seriously damaging to our national and to Alliance security
and must be rejected. I was very glad to hear from Paul Nitze that
you had identified these points as major objections to the Gorbachev
proposals. But I also have considerable misgivings about giving him
any encouragement now to believe that our forces could later be
brought into the process on any but the conditions we have specified
ourselves. I trust that you will be able in your reply to avoid
raising his expectations on that score.
A second point is the need to persuade Gorbachev to negotiate
seriously in other arms control fields. As you know I am particularly
concerned about chemical weapons where it seems to me that the Alliance
is at the great disadvantage of having no credible response to a
chemical attach other than nuclear retaliation. I hope that we can'
work closely together to overcome remaining differences on verification
in the draft Treaty tabled by George Bush in 1984, so that we can have
a strong and united Alliance negotiating position. The recent Western
initiative also opens the prospect of making some progress on MBFR.
Thirdly there is the question of Treaty compliance. As you know I
regarded your decision last June to continue to adhere to SAL
restraints as an important act of statesmanship. I hope that you
will feel able to maintain that position, which earned the United
States enormous respect. Continued restraint will also be important
in building public support for the US negotiating position in Geneva.
It was good of you to send Paul Nitze to brief me on your latest
thinking. While I fully support the general approach of your
proposed reply to Gorbachev's proposals, I have - as Paul Nitze
will have told you - anxieties about your ideas on INF. The zero-
/zero
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"ocrText": "-5-\nOne is the importance of exposing and challenging the more dangerous\nelements in the recent Gorbachev proposals. I am particularly\nconcerned about the proposed restrictions which would affect the\nUnited Kingdom and France : a freeze on third country nuclear systems\nand a ban on transfer of strategic and medium range missiles. These\nwould be seriously damaging to our national and to Alliance security\nand must be rejected. I was very glad to hear from Paul Nitze that\nyou had identified these points as major objections to the Gorbachev\nproposals. But I also have considerable misgivings about giving him\nany encouragement now to believe that our forces could later be\nbrought into the process on any but the conditions we have specified\nourselves. I trust that you will be able in your reply to avoid\nraising his expectations on that score.\nA second point is the need to persuade Gorbachev to negotiate\nseriously in other arms control fields. As you know I am particularly\nconcerned about chemical weapons where it seems to me that the Alliance\nis at the great disadvantage of having no credible response to a\nchemical attach other than nuclear retaliation. I hope that we can'\nwork closely together to overcome remaining differences on verification\nin the draft Treaty tabled by George Bush in 1984, so that we can have\na strong and united Alliance negotiating position. The recent Western\ninitiative also opens the prospect of making some progress on MBFR.\nThirdly there is the question of Treaty compliance. As you know I\nregarded your decision last June to continue to adhere to SAL\nrestraints as an important act of statesmanship. I hope that you\nwill feel able to maintain that position, which earned the United\nStates enormous respect. Continued restraint will also be important\nin building public support for the US negotiating position in Geneva.\nIt was good of you to send Paul Nitze to brief me on your latest\nthinking. While I fully support the general approach of your\nproposed reply to Gorbachev's proposals, I have - as Paul Nitze\nwill have told you - anxieties about your ideas on INF. The zero-\n/zero"
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