NUCLEAR TEST TALKS

Created: 3/5/1959

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

CURRENT INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY

lbl(31

5 March

TEST TALKS

regard to the Geneva negotiations, the communique* issuedarch at theof thetalks made only astatement that both countries recognize the "great importance" of achieving

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agreement, toward which they will continue their efforts.peecharch, however, Khrushchev tried to create tbe impression that there had been substantial progress in the discussions with Macmillan, singling out nuclear-testas one of tbe Issues on which "the British guestsroper understanding of our position, and on their parta number of interesting points."

At Geneva the Sovietcontinues toecord of appearing while rejecting Western proposals for an effectivesystem. arch, while callinghesitant step" in the right direction, the Soviet chief delegate rejected the Anglo-American suggestion that the proposed controlbe composed of three Western, two Soviet bloc, and two neutral states. He charged that under this scheme the two neutrals could agree between themselves to divide their votes, thus giving the West anmajority.

Ignoring continuingcriticism ofomprehensive veto in the control commission, the Soviet delegatearchthat Anglo-American agreement to apply therule"umber ofsuggests that the West will ultimately agree to Moscow's position on voting on all issues, lie claimed that disagreement on this question was nouestion of "principle" but was rather one ofoscow probably believes that creating an impression of even partial agreement on this issue will weaken the Anglo-American

charge that continued Soviet insistence on the veto makes development of an effective control system impossible.

arch the Sovietsuggested that thedrop further discussion on such "details" of the control system as permanency ofgroups, time schedules, and phases of inspection, about which, in the absence of actualit is Impossible for one side to convince the other of the value of its viewpoint. The delegates suggested that the conference concentrateon agreeing to "generaleaving the details to the control commission to develop after the organization is established and operating.

At the United Nations,General Hamraarskjold has suggested that one way out of the Impasse on voting procedure is to place the problemarger context in which each side could find balancing He mentioned theof allowing the veto at strictly defined stages of control operation, with the treaty providing an escape clause for the other side.

He pointed out that if one sideey action or finding of the control system, the other side would then be free to take some counteraction such as suspending inspection in its territory, conducting nuclear tests, or even withdrawing from the treaty. He thought there couldrovisionecond vote withinoursetoind of right to demand

Hammarskjold believes all other issues, including

of inspection teams, are susceptible to solution through compromise. ine-nation control commission with three

Original document.

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