Kissinger described the initial draft as "a dangerous, Soviet maneuverer to lure us into renouncing the use of nuclear weapons, on which the free world's defence after all depended ...
Given the Soviet superiority in conventional weapons, such a move would demoralise our allies and deeply disquiet China, who would see it as a sign of the much dreaded U.S.-Soviet collusion ...
"[2] With the help of British diplomat Thomas Brimelow, Kissinger presented a counterproposal which he described as "180 degrees removed from his (Brezhnev's) original design.
In short, in over a year of negotiation we had transformed the original Soviet proposal of an unconditional renunciation of the use of nuclear weapons against each other into a somewhat banal statement that our objective was peace, applying as well to allies and third countries and premised on restrained international conduct, especially the avoidance of the use or the threat of force".
[2] Unlike the original Soviet proposal, which Kissinger considered entirely unacceptable, the agreed text provided "marginally useful"[3] accommodations to the United States, not specifically in the realm of preventing nuclear war but in Kissinger's specialist subject of geopolitical realpolitik: in his estimation it would make "it impossible for the Soviets to turn on either NATO or the Middle East without violating the agreement.
Signed at Washington June 22, 1973 Entered into force June 22, 1973 The United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, hereinafter referred to as the Parties, Guided by the objectives of strengthening world peace and international security, Conscious that nuclear war would have devastating consequences for mankind, Proceeding from the desire to bring about conditions in which the danger of an outbreak of nuclear war anywhere in the world would be reduced and ultimately eliminated, Proceeding from their obligations under the Charter of the United Nations regarding the maintenance of peace, refraining from the threat or use of force, and the avoidance of war, and in conformity with the agreements to which either Party has subscribed, Proceeding from the Basic Principles of Relations between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics signed in Moscow on May 29, 1972, Reaffirming that the development of relations between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is not directed against other countries and their interests, Have agreed as follows: Article I The United States and the Soviet Union agree that an objective of their policies is to remove the danger of nuclear war and of the use of nuclear weapons.
General Secretary of the Central Committee, CPSU ____________ It was viewed as a preliminary step toward preventing the outbreak of nuclear war or military conflict by adopting an attitude of international cooperation.
Together with the Basic Principles Agreement and the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), it represented an attempt to establish 'rules' for superpower competition during the Cold War.