USSR AGREES TO NUCLEAR TEST SUSPENSION TALKS

Created: 9/4/1958

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

USSR AGREES TO NUCLEAR TEST SUSPENSION TALKS

Premier Khrushchev, In agreeing to talks on ctober on suspension ofweapons tests, warned that continued American and testing may force the USSR to resume tests. This threat may have been designed to strengthen the Sovietposition at the talks. His statement, contained in theugust Pravda interview, was timed to coincide withof the Geneva technical talks report.

The Soviet premier the Anglo-Americanfor renewing the on a yearly basis. He called instead for an "for all time," with to be completed two or three weeks."

Khrushchev recalled the Supreme Soviet decision of8 which stated that the USSR would be free to resume tests if the Western nuclear powers failed to the Soviet lead in them. Althoughdeclared that the of American and British tests "relieves theUnion of the obligation it had assumedesumption of tests at this time would seriously weaken Moscow's propaganda position in view of the repeated charges of American and British regarding a test suspension. In the Soviet however, theimplications of US-UK nuclear progress could outweigh the negative aspects of test resumption prior to tbe 31 October meeting.

Theugust Pravdaregarding possible resump-tion of Soviet testing wasto notes 3ent by Moscow to the United States andthe next day. This unusual procedure and the pessimistic tone of Khrushchev's remarks are calculated to demonstrate growing Soviet impatience and indignation over the West's "delaying tactics."

At the same time, Moscow has been promoting itsapproach" to nuclear energy problems at the secondConference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy at Geneva. Khrushchev's message to the conference claimed that, had agreement to prohibitweapons been achieved,on the utilization of nuclear materials for peaceful purposes would have been much further advanced.

.Id ha iiflftd fnr war

H

Onugust the Soviet Union also followed the American and British action ofdetails of research on the controlled release of nuclear energy from the fusion process. According to press statements, Western scientists attending the meeting are considerably Impressed with the Soviet research made public thus far. An attempt to take advantage of the discussions on peaceful uses to further the Soviet campaignermanent ban on nuclear tests came duringeptember conferencewhen the head of the Soviet delegation attacked, as adevice designed to conceal American desire to continueweapons tests, thesuggestion that nuclearcould.he used for ful purposes.

FDR RELEASE1

II

AND COMMENTS

2 of 14

Original document.

---

---