The memo notes the earlier meeting to discuss the JIC report and that “the Prime Minister said that officials should urgently consider how to approach the Americans on the question of possible Soviet misapprehensions about a surprise NATO attack”. Preliminary discussions had been held on “the unusual Soviet reactions to Able Archer 83”. The discussion now needed to be put on a more political level. “Whatever the reliability of the specific JIC assessment, its paper has served as a catalyst for consideration of the inherent advantages of agreeing some confidence building measures relating to nuclear command post exercises”. FCO and MoD had therefore agreed a paper setting out a number of themes as a basis for more detailed discussion with the Americans. The memo requests the Secretary of State’s agreement for the paper to go forward to the Americans for detailed discussion in mid-May before a Ministerial meeting at the end of the month.