POLICIES OF THE U.S. AND SOVIET GOVERNMENTS ON THE RELEASE OF HYDROGRAPHIC CHAR

Created: 2/29/1972

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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Mr. Nathaniel Samuels Deputy Under Secretary

for Economic Affairs Department of State

Dear Mr. Sanucls:

Tho attached nc-oianuia was proparod

for Mr. Edward A. Mainland, EoH/SOV,

Dopartxent of stato. At Mr. Mainland's

suggestion, we oraopy to you.

Sincerely,

Director Scononic Research

Attachment:

ebruary

Edward A. Mainland

EUR/SOV

Department of State

Background Material and Proposal on

a US/Soviet Exchange of Ilydrographic Charto

The attached memorandum is in response to your request ofebruary for background materialS/Soviet exchange of hydrographic charts for use in briefing Deputy Under Secretary of State NathanielSamuels.

ocrir'n ofesearch

ichnent:

Policies of. and Sovietn tliGydrographic Charts and

Associated Publications

In the USSR, responsibility for publishing hydrographic charts and related navigational materials is concentrated in the Hydrographic Administration of the Ministry of Defensehis organization produces charts covering all of the world's oceans and the coastal waters and ports of all countries including the USSR. he^IiAMD and. Navy's Oceanographic Office have exchanged Notices to Mariners on each country's coastal waters and ports, including data to be used in updating hydrographic charts. This exchange is apparently based on an agreement entered during World War II. The exchange process lapsed temporarily from some time in thes until its resumption in thes. Unfortunately forhere is no equivalent arrangement for the exchange of charts and the USSR adheresery rigid policy that in most cases precludes the release of even its unclassified charts and navigational data to non-Communist governments and individuals.

Despite persisting efforts through diplomatic and commercial channels to obtain unclassified HAMD charts of Sovietwafers and

In rare cases,

cnarts had been made available by Soviet authorities to Free World masters for visits to specific Soviet ports. Such charts are not available on the open market in the USSR, however, as they are in most countries and, in addition, the USSR, unliko its Communist neighbors in Eastern Europe and most non-Communist countries, isember of tho Monaco-based International Hydrographic Office and docs not make itii hydrographic publications available to the Office as all member countrios do.

Responsibility for dissemination of government hydrographic publications in. is divided between the Navy's Oceanographic Office (formerly Hydrographic office) ond the Notional Ocean Survey (formerly Coast and Geodetic Survey) which is subordinate to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tsoAA) of the Department of Commerce. The coverage of Oceanographic Office charts and publications is worldwide while the focus of the National Ocean Survey is. ports and coastal waters.

Doth of the US organizations publishof their unclassified publications; the catalogues and the items listed in them are readily available to tho general public and to Soviet diplomatic personnel both through government and commercial outlets. As.ull participant in the activities of the International Hydrographic Office, all of its unclassified hydrographic publications are also available in Monaco to the USSR's Warsaw Pact allies who belong to the Union. .

Possible US Proposal

means for correcting the existingthe exchange by the Soviet Ministry ofAdministration on one hand and tho Naval

-Oceanographic Office and the National Ocean Survey of. on the other of all currentf unclassified hydrographic and navigational publication on thoir country's ports and coastal waters andomplete set of all such publications currently in print within sixty days of the conclusion of ashipping agreement. For theontinuing exchange of such catalogues, charts, and related publications on the lines of the existing exchange of Notices to Mariners, as new editions become available, would also have to be negotiated. The following arguments may be used in "justifying this proposal:

prusent arrangements,accrue to the Soviet side. exchange would restore reciprocity.

an exchange such asis implemented theto exchange Notices toremain almost meaningless.

o. . ships are to begin trading in the ports of the USSR it Is important that the. ships obtain for this purpose froro the Navy's Oceanographic Office be as current as possible.

ER

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Original document.

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