MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE SUBJECT Provisioa 0GBP Nuclear Capability to u s Allies PROBLEM 1 To obtain amendments to Che Atomic Energy Act to p$nnlt u s assistance In the progressive developniem of Allied Atomic delivery capabWty to include the transfer of custody of atomic weapons to selectecl Allieo ' DISCUSSION z Existing natlonai security policy cal11 tor- the progressive i-elano tion of atomic ene gy lepalaticm to the exteat aaequired for the progressive ntegration ol at c weapono into NATO defeuooo Full test Io at ANNEX A Milit J' R5 rement 3 The Secretary of Defense baa approved recommendations of the JCS ANNEX B to aeek lepalative amcdm ta granting greater latltude in f r e purpose is to assist oelected Allies ID the achievement of operational ' l 0 ' j' elivery capabUitiea with appropriate weapons yatems compatible with U 1 1 s ttockpile atomic weapons To complete esiatillg weapono eyateme and to 1 o i j dealings with ou Allies in tb e atomic field than is currently posai'ble able theoe Allies to achieve an atomic state of readineooo the transfer of uetody of atomic weapons to certain Allies ls envisaged Legislative a utho rity la therefore needed to pern it actiono of aitch the following are contemplated - - ----- - - r o 2 I 7 M lsllb - u'1-'t onwi pf Po ies _ 0 - Q P t t t c '1-M-02-S- -Al o Euly transfer to Canada of selected air defenae W1 apona tG complete the Cana4tan capability to implement agreed u s -Canadfan air defense plans Detailo ue at ANNGBP-X c o Transfer to the UK of weapons of vulouo ytel4s and typeo to masimlze the etfectlvenesa ot UK alr defenseo anc1 retalfatory forces Details are at ANNEX D GBPo At oome fmure date proriaion oGBP primarily defensive mic weapono r atema or elements thereof to NATO nations unde r NATO plana The viewo of the Suprem e Allied c mmander Europe are at ANNEX E - 4 Provision to Allied uticmao other tJlaa NATO of defensive atomic weapons 1yatems or elemema thereof Nations which may be conaide1'ed might Snclude Australia New ZealaAd and possibly Japan and the Philippineo While preeent Natlanal Security Policy 61oe1 not permit action outside of NATO the amended lepslation ahO Jld not prec lwie the poseibility of transfers to other than NATO nationo in the event this policy 11 cl umged - e The provision to aelected nationoo or p-oups of nations oI certain atomic lDformatlan and matel'ials GBPor use in indigenous research and development in the field of cleaign and production ol delivery systems and mWtaey applications ol nucleu power 4 In order to pl'O'ricle sufficient latitude to satisfy these requirements the amendmemo ahou14 vest the 11thority for tr Aefer of infannatioa 1n the Secretary of Defense and for the transfer of custody of atomic weapons and nucleaz materials ID the President -2- Politi cat Factors s Aside from s-eaaou ol inil ituy ii-gency particularly iD the cue o1 Canada and the UK legtalatlve a uthorisation of the traalfer of weapono to selected Allies it neceaoary to minimise the adverae political effecto ol the aap between the u s defense posture ancl custody of atomic ' that ol ita non-ato mlc Allies Jncrea1b py the poaaeaslan of defensive atomic weapoaa or direct aceooo thereto ls viewed by OUl' AW ea as an indispensable element of contemporary political aigniflcance We do not foreaee the lnd efinite contlnuatloa of AU1e4 wilHnpeas to accept escluive U s contl'oi and oPffatlOQ of the ee ld defealive atomic capability Thia ts puticululytrue w1tb l'e pect to those u s atomic weapons ayatems which clepend oa forelp bases and Allied cooperaticm Tlaue while o pro- posal to amend the Atomic Ene ay Act rill cause cert disagreeable repero cuasions particularly in the lOl'm ol Soviet and neutralist propaganda lt is our view that in balance the political factors aa well aa the military require- ment clearly counselo your agreement to oeeldna the iamendrnente 6 1n recognition of the diUlcultieo 'Which w111 attesui this pi-opoeal tn Co npeas lt la ouz hope that the proposal can be p-reeented m you State of the Um cm Message to Congress aa an lntepal part of u s national aecurlty policy ancl the admimatrative program It is our thought that o 1peclal Preaidemial meaaage might be aent to the Conareoo subsequent to lnitiation of the proposal tn the State of the Union Message -3- Cost to u s 1 Since the weapons to be consl4ere4 traufe1' are U s ttockpile weapons aheady provided for no appreclable additiow coat would be involved WWle there tM Y be additional coats for asoodate4 equipment these ai-e at least lo put already lncluded m Therefore the-re can be a net savm1 to the U ov MD AP s to the extent that AlUed military GBPore es particularly the U o K an4 Canada will be thus enabled to i-elieve us of some of the defense burden we now carry Atomic Elterir Commio lon View s The Chairman Atomic Energy- ommission has informally espl eete4 hla cto6ts both $ to the - r iedom _of the p1'oposal _ an4 as to the feasibility ot obtaimna Conpeeeional apeement thoi-eto He lo f u1her ccmcernecl over the poaaibllity of serious b1'eachea_ln u s security with respect to atomic hlfonnatl cm Sis vi_e ws 111'9 t a ANNEX F We share his concern over the 4Uflcultiea to be experienced with the Congress but %emain firm bl ou conviction tbat notwithataading the e clifflculties the propeaal merits neyY possible effort to secure favorable CongJ eesional actlcm We also believe that the net advantages militarily and palitlc ally 'Which 'Will accne om this propoeal wurant the calculated rb-k of a poa1ible breadl _G u s atomic information security RECOMMENDATION 9 It lo z ecommended that you a Concur in ooeking amendmento to the Atomic Energy Act I of 1954 to permit Uo s aasistaACe in the p opesslve development of Allied atomic dellvey capabWty to include the traaefer of custody of atomic weapons to elected Allies b Aaeip primuy nepcmsibillty to the Deputment of l e ense acting in close conaultation with State aDd AEC GBPo1' the preparation oGBP the necessary e ocwnentation a ml for the presematloa of the proposed am endments to the Conpeooo SpecUlc ac tiOll8 p ropoaM include introducing this legisla o tion in the Stato of the Vmo Message subaequently delivering a separate detailed message to the Con peas and making an Executive Branch presentation to the loud Committee cm Atomic Energy 6 Incls 1 TAB A o Exlotir S mtioul sec'IU'lty policy 2 T A a B o JCS recommendationo 3 TAB C o Detailo o Canada 4 TAB D o Petaile o UK s TAD E Views o SHAPE Commander 6 TAB F o Views o Cbalrma De AEC ' This document is from the holdings of The 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