6 September 1967: Memorandum for D.M. Cornett- Soviet-U.S. Arms Control Talks

In addition to following developments regarding Washington's ABM deployment vis à vis China, the Canadian government also kept a close eye on U.S. relations with the Soviet Union with respect to arms control.

In this memorandum, J.R. Fowell provides D.M. Cornett (both of External Affairs) with a good summary of recent U.S.-Soviet efforts to engage in arms control talks. Fowell noted that as of July, the U.S. was “still interested in discussing offensive and defensive missiles whenever the USSR would like the talks to begin.” But Fowell suggested that the Kremlin had delayed starting these talks as officials in Moscow were engaged in a “strategic debate regarding the future deployment of ABM” themselves.

Yet Fowell remained optimistic, as he wrote that an American deployment decision would not come until “all avenues of agreement with the Soviets have been exhausted,” and confirmed that Canada had not committed to participation in the eventual deployment of an ABM system through NORAD.