NUCLEAR TEST TALKS

Created: 2/18/1960

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY SUMMARY0

F IMMEDIATE INTEREST

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NUCLEAR TEST TALKS

a move to divide the Western delegations, the Soviet delegate at Genevaormally rejected the recent American proposalnited test ban treaty and offered toet of temporaryfor detecting underground nuclear explosions, provided the West agrees toixed number of on-site inspections of suspected nuclear explosions each year.

Adopting suggestions along the lines put forward by the British delegate onanuary, the Soviet plan calls forcontrol measures during the approximately two to three years needed for setting up the inspection control system, and in effect accepts, within the flxod-quota limitation, the Western contention that almost any unidentified seismic event should be eligible for an on-site inspection. Under theproposal, the controlwould, during the two- to three-year period,and make more precise the number of criteria for sending out inspection teams.

The British delegate had asked Soviet delegate Tsarapkin onanuary whether the Soviet Union could agree to Western criteria for dispatchingtoams if the West were to accept the quota proposal. The Soviet delegate said the British question deserved "carefuland remarked that It could "possibly" provide the way for resolving the technical impasse.

Moscow may have believed that the British suggestion

could leadormula to ban all testing "temporarily"atisfactory system forand Identifying smallexplosions is developed, after which the ban would become permanent. In presenting Its new plan, the USSR probablythat it will divert the negotiations from the American proposalartial treaty and effectively promote theposition favoring an initial ban on all testing.

After the presentation of the American planartial treaty onebruary, tho Soviet delegation at Geneva movodto discredit it byeries of questions designed to portray the American proposalconspiracy" to permit the resumption of nuclear testing. Tsarapkin charged that thenot only sanctioned aof tests butit, and strongly Implied that the United States had plans to resume testing of smallweapons. Hinting that once tests were resumed they could not be limited, be charged that other states might haveweapons development programs, necessitating tests In "other environments which they would be free to carry out."

Before Introducing hisonebruary, Tsarapkin charged that afteronths tho talks had been close to agreementomprehensive treaty untildegree American shift." Calling the USserious and dangerous stepe put forward his now proposal "tohis serious obstacle." He

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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY StJMMARY0

giving the Soviet view of what "specific quota number" should be adopted, stating that the idea should first be agreed to "in principle."

In debate with the British delegate, he attempted to draw the British into an admission that London's position differed significantly from the United States' view as to theof testing during the prosent negotiations. He charged that the difficulties in the negotiations were caused by the inspection issue, "on which the USSR had accepted

the principle proposed by the British prime minister."

Moscow probably believes that its firm rejection of the American plan, coupled with its concession to the Westernposition, will make it increasingly difficult for the United States to continue Its opposition to the Soviet schememall, politicallyannual quota ofparticularly in light of British support of theconcept.

Original document.

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