MEMQRAN DEM THE WHITE HOUSE was i June '15 1977 MEMORANDUM FOR ins PRESIDENT FROM ZBICNIEW BRZEZINSKI SUBJECT PosSible Conversation with Giscard In response to Giscard's cable you may wish to telephone him on Friday June 17 in addition to a cabled response The rationale for the date is that you will be leaving for Camp David later that day and Brezhnev is arriving in Paris on Sunday the 20th In that conversation you may wish to mention to Giscard that you are anxious to continue on a personal basis with Brezhnev your strong determination to reduce the dependence of both the U and the Soviet Union on nuclear weaponry thereby taking a step towards the eventual elimination of such weaponry You might stress to Giscard that it is premature at this stage to make formal proposals but that you would be grateful to him for making the following points to Brezhnev in addition to your cabled response -- which you hope Giscard will convey orally attached 1 That you would like to explore with Brezhnev the possibility of a joint US Soviet statement to the effect that neither power would ever use nuclear weapons first unless its territory or its forces or its allies were attacked This w0uld highlight the notion that nuclear weapons are designed only for defensive purposes and it would throw the burden of nuclear responsibility on the party initiating military hostilities Joint agreement would furnish a commendable example of US-Soviet willingness to move on a step by-step basis towards increased restraint on nuclear weaponry 2 That you might consider also a bilateral commitment of no- first-use against non-nuclear states preferably in conjunction with the above You might wish to be most careful on this one because at this stage it could make South Korea feel more vulnerable to a North Korean attack and at this stage the North Koreans do not have the certainty even if they do have the probability -- that we would not use nuclear osomss IF so WAC Iowa 26 TE xx M56 457m 3v ML - - 2 weapons A modified variant could involve a declaration that neither power would use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states unless such states were militarily supported in conflict by a nuclear power For example if North Korea were to launch an attack under this formula it would be liable to a U S nuclear response only if it were aided in such an attack either by the Soviet Union or by 3 That your concern for nuclear reductions and the freeze is not tactical in nature nor is it designed to gain a short nterm advantage over the Soviet Union but that it is related to your general desire to decrease global dependence on nuclear weaponry of which the above two propositions are an indication Brezhnev should understand that you are anXiOus to set in motion a process of decreasing both U S and Soviet dependence on nuclear weaponry 4 That irrespective of progress incurrent SALT negotiations you w0uld be glad to discuss theSe thoughts with Brezhnev on a personal basis in the U S perhaps along the lines of the Vladivostok meeting The above is sensitive and could be misinterpreted Hence you might want to use notes in speaking to Giscard so that he does not misinterpret your message to Brezhnev rm                     National Security Archive    Suite 701  Gelman Library  The George Washington University    2130 H Street  NW  Washington  D C  20037    Phone  202 994‐7000  Fax  202 994‐7005  nsarchiv@gwu edu