THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL STRUCTURE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP97M00248R000400900016-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 18, 2010
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: February 5, 1981
• Content Type: MEMO

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THE SECRETARY OF STATE
CONFIDENTIAL
uary .5,. 1981
MEMORANDUM FOR: THE PRESIDENT
From The Secretary of State
The National Security Council. Structure
outset' of your Administration, it is important
At the'
;
, that an orderly framework be established for the formulation
of ,foreign, and defense policy. Toward this end, we have..
prepare4' for your.- a draft directive which
uou1d;'es,tabl,ish' such a system-
'.Reduced to,its essentials, the system would provide for
the study and development of policy alternatives by inter-
departmental groups comprising representatives from your
staff at the White House and all Departments/Agencies with
relevant expertise and interests. These groups would be
chaired by Assistant Secretaries of State or Defense depend-
ing upon the. issue to be addressed. Once the analysis of the'
alternatives has been developed, the range of options would
be forwarded for higher-.level consideration and-decision-
first at the Deputy. Secretary level--and, in the event of
.disagreement, to the National Security Council and you
personally.
It is clear that many issues elude precise definition
as pertaining exclusively to -Defense or Foreign policy... Con-
sequently to make this process effective we two must be alert
to matters which fall within this grey area and when they arise,
coordinate closely to reach agreement. on how to proceed. ..Both
of us are pledged to this. end and are confident that the pro-
cedures we recommend will fulfill your mandate.
As you know, we are confronted by a -number of compelling
problems--Poland, El Salvador, I:ran..and a number of defense
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initiatives, to name but a few. Consequently, it is vital -
that a system be put in place promptly so that we can get on.
with the business at hand. =
To insure for you full and proper elucidation of the
views and recommendations of your two senior foreign and
defense policy advisors, Cap and I have agreed to the follow-
ing process. Where a foreign policy issue also has to do
with defense policy, the Department of State will prepare and
distribute the agenda and invite appropriate attendees after
having consulted with the Department of Defense. Likewise
in cases of overlapping responsibility the official record of
the meetings of, the interagency groups will reflect the views
of both Departments. To facilitate this,-the Department not
chairing the meeting will be provided an opportunity to review
the minutes of the meeting and make any necessary amendments.
Finally, when findings, recommendations, or decisions of any'-----
of the interagency groups are to be presented to you, both
of us will be represented as, of course,-is allays the case
at meetings of the NSC.
RECO'. 4EN'DATI ON :
That you sign the National Security Decision Directive
at Tab 1.
CONS IDS
TIL
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 NATIONAL SECURITY DECISION DIRECTIVE 2
February 2, 1981
TO: The Vice President
The Secretary of State
The Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of Defense
The Attorney General
The Secretary of Commerce
The Secretary of Energy
The Director of the Office of Management & Budget
The Director of Central Intelligence
The United States Representative to the United Nations
The Counsellor to the President
The Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers
The Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs _
The Director, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
The Chief of Staff to the President
The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
SUBJECT: The National Security Council Structure
I. National Security Cbuncil
The National Security Council shall be the principal
forum for consideration of national se_urity policy issues
requiring Presidential decision.
The functions and responsibilities of the National
Security Council shall be as set forth in the :rational
Security Act of 1947, as amended.
The Council shall meet regularly. Those heads of
Departments and Agencies who are not statutory members
shall participate as appropriate, when matters affecting
their Departments or Agencies are considered.
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The (Counsellor.. to the President). (Assistant to the
President for National Security Affairs) 1/ in contu1tat'ion
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with the Secretaries of State and Defense., shall' be respon-
sible for determining and publishing the agenda and ensuring
that 'the necessary papers are prepared. Decision papers
(NSDDs) will be published over the signature of the (Counsellor
to the President) (President or the Chairman of a Senior
Interagency Group). 2/
II. Responsibilities of the Secretary of State
The Secretary of State is my principal foreign policy
advisor. As such, he is responsible for the formulation of
foreign policy and for the execution of approved policy-
I have assigned to the Secretary of State authority
and responsibility, to the extent permitted by law, for the
within the meaning of this Directive.
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overall direction, coordination, and supervision of the inter-
departmental activities incident to foreign policy formulation,
and all activities of Executive Departments and Agencies of
the United States overseas. Such activities do not include
those of United States military forces operating in the field
under the command of a United States area military commander,
,.::c'_ such other military activities as I elect, as Commander-
in-Chief, to conduct exclusively through military or other
channels. Activities that are internal to the execution and
administration of the approved programs of a single depart-
ment or agency and which are not of such nature as to affect
significantly the overall US overseas program in a country
_.or region are not considered to be interdepartmental matters
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The Secretary o= State is responsible for preparation
of those papers addressing matters affecting the foreign
policy and foreign relations of the United States for con-
sideration by the NSC.
III. Responsibilities of the Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is my principal defense policy
advisor. As such, he is responsible for the formulation of
general defense policy, policy related to all matters of
direct and primary concern to the Department of Defense, and
for the execution of approved policy. The Joint Chiefs of
,taff are the principal military advisors to myself, the
Secretary of Defense, and the National Security Council_
I.have assigned to the Secretary of Defense authority
and responsibility, to the extent permitted by law, for the
overall direction, coordination, and supervision of the inter-
departmental activities relevant to defense policy formulation.
The Secretary of Defense is responsible for preparation
of those papers addressing matters affecting the defense
policy of the United States for consideration by the NSC_
r Interagency Groups
To assist the National Security Council at large and
its individual members in fulfilling their responsibilities,
interagency groups are established as described herein. The
focus of these interagency groups is to establish policy
Oh ect1VC s, T1 e Z! ori to reco L1C :! Gam. i'
CC'. .I):
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and consider the implications of agency programs for foreign
policy or overall national security policy-
A. The Senior Interagency Group -- Foreign Policy (SIG-FP)
To advise and assist the National Security Council
in exercising its authority and discharging its responsibility,
for foreign policy and foreign affairs matters, the SIG-FP is
established. The SIG-FP shall comprise the Deputy Secretary
of State (Chairman), the Deputy Secretary of Defense or Under
Secretary of Defense for Policy, the Director of Central
Intelligence, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and
the (Counsellor to the President) (Assistant to the President
for National Security Affairs). ?/ Representatives of other
requiring interagency attention receive full,
prompt, and systematic consideration;
2. Deal with interdepartmental matters raised by
any member or referred to it by subordinate
interagency groups, or, if such matters
-Departments and Agencies with responsibility for specific
matters ., to be considered will attend on invitation by the
Chairman.
The Senior Interagency Group -- Foreign Policy will:
1. Ensure that important foreign policy issues
require
higher-level consideration, report them to the
Secretary of State for decision or referral to
the National Security Council;
3. Assure a proper selectivity of the foreign'
policy/foreign affairs areas and issues. to
which the United States applies its e:ffort's;
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4. Monitor the execution of approved policies
and decisions; and
5. Evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of
interdepartmental overseas programs and
activities.
A secretariat comprising full-time personnel of the
State Department, and augmented as necessary by temporary
personnel provided in response to the Chairman's request
by the Departments and Agencies represented on the SIG-FP,
shall be established.
B. The Senior Interacencv Group -- Defense Policy (SIG-DP)
To advise and assist the Secretary of Defense in
discharging his authority and responsibility for defense
policy, the SIG-DP is established.-.The SIG-DP shall consist
of the Deputy. Secretary of Defense (Chairman), the Deputy or
an Under Secretary of State, the Director of Central
receive full, prompt, and systematic
Intelligence, the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the
(Counsellor to the President) (Assistant to the President
for National Security Affairs)- (Representatives of other
Departments and Agencies with specific matters to be con-
sidered will attend on invitation by the Chairman.)
The Senior Interdepartmental Group -- Defense
Policy will:
1_ Ensure that important defense policy
issues. requiring interagency attention
cons'_deri tlon.
rr. Tr?=
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.2. Deal with interdepartmental matters
raised by any member or. referred to
it by subordinate interagency groups,
or if such matters require higher-
level consideration, report them to
the Secretary of Defense for decision
or referral to the National Security
Council and the President; and
3. Monitor the execution of approved
policies and decisions.
r secretariat comprising full-time personnel of
the Department of Defense, and augmented as necessary by
t?2nporary personnel provided in response to the Chairman's
request by the Departments and Agencies represented on the
SIG-DP, shall' be established.
Regional and Functional Interagency Groups
To assist the SIG (Foreign Policy) Inter-
departmental Groups (IG) shall be established by the
S?_cretarv of State for each geographic region corr^_spondin;
to the jurisdiction of the geographic bureaus in the Depart-
rent of State, for Political-Military Affairs, and for Inter-
national Economic Affairs. Each IG shall comprise-the
appropriate Assistant Secretary of State (Chairman) and a
designated representative of the Secretary of Defense, the:
Director of CIF,, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
atrid the (Counsel for to the President) (Assistant to' the
-resident for Nation- Se u: i i ir_ ) 1/
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Representatives of other Departments and Agencies with
responsibility for specific matters to be considered will
attend on invitation by the Chairman- The IG for Inter-
national Economic Affairs will, in addition to the above
membership, include representatives of the Secretary of
Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce and the Special Trade
Representative. -
The Assistant Secretaries of State, in their capa-
cities as Chairmen of the IGs, will assure the adequacy of
United States policy in the areas of their responsibility and
of the plans, programs, resources and performance for imple-
menting that policy. They will be responsible for the conduct
of-interagency p'Ji.cy s tudies within the areas of their re-
sponsibility for consideration by the Senior Interdepartmental
Group.
The Regional Interdepartmental Groups also shall pre-
pare contingency plans pertaining to potential crises in their
respective areas of responsibility. Contingency planning will
be conducted under the direction of and in coordination with the
Chairman of the Political-Military Interdepartmental Group-
To deal with specific contingencies, IGs will estab-
lish full-time working groups which will provide support to the
crisis management operations of the National Security Council.
These groups will reflect the institutional membership of the
..parent body, together with such additional members as may be
required to respond to the contingency with the full weight
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To assist the SIG (Defense Policy) an Interdepart-
defense policy- -
mental Group (IG) shall be established by the Secretary of
Defense to consider interdepartmental activities of direct
and primary concern to the Department of Defense and
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a cit}~con, r 1`SDD
The operational responsibility or. authority of a
Secretary or other Agency Head over personnel from the
nt or 7,C}encv conc'ernod serving on 1..tE rd L% .i t* `ntal
Groups including the authority to give necessary guidance
to the representatives in the performance of Interdepart-
mental Group duties -- is not limited by this Directive-
CON IDENTIAL
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2/
The two offices within the White House holding re-
sponsibility for national security are presented as
alternative originators of National Security Council
material- The Department of Defense understands that
the Counsellor will carry out this role; the Depart-
ment of State has no preference.
With respect to the signator of decision directives,
the Department of Defense understands that the
Counsellor is to perform this function. The Depart-
ment-of State points out that decisions reached with-
out disagreement at the interagency level often
involve minor matters of no consequence and need not
require White House attention. Conversely, matters
referred to the National Security Council and decided
by the President should be given the force of his
Si c'.a ture .
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