Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Volume III, National Security Policy; Arms Control and Disarmament, Microfiche Supplement

400. Telegram Nusup 118 to Geneva¹

Washington, December 15, 1958, noon

Nusup 118. USDEL authorized table Annex I as contained December 10 draft with following changes:

Article 1: Replace with following text: “The Nuclear Test Detection and Identification System (hereinafter referred to as the “System”), provided for in Article 10 of this Treaty, shall include the features set forth herein which are based upon the Report of the Conference of Experts to Study the Methods of Detecting Violations of a Possible Agreement on the Suspension of Nuclear Tests of 20 August 1958.”

Article 2: Insert after “shall” in para 1 words “when completely established and unless otherwise decided in accordance with the provision of this treaty”, and replace “a system of satellites” with words “agreed methods for detecting very high altitude nuclear explosions”. Replace present text para 2 subpara (f) with “(appropriate techniques as may be decided for detecting very high altitude explosions should be inserted here.)”

Article 3: Delete first sentence para 1. Delete paras 2 and 3.

Article 4: Delete all after word “from” in first sentence para 1 and substitute “elements of the system”. Replace present language para 1 sub-para (d) with “To examine continuously the work of the elements of the system to insure the maintenance of a high degree of technical proficiency”. Delete paras 2 and 3.

Article 5: Add to first sentence para 1 words “or other elements of the system”. Delete paras 2 and 3.

Article 6: In first sentence para 1 after “staff” add “equipment”, substitute “direct” for “supervise” and replace all after word “events” with “which cannot be identified as natural events and which could be suspected of being nuclear explosions”. Third sentence para 1: after word “responsible” add “at the direction of the Administrator”.

Article 7: Substitute “in accordance with the provisions of Article IX of this treaty” for words “subject to etc.” in para 1, and insert after word “concludes” words “cannot be identified as a natural event and”. Combine para 1 sub-paras (a) and (b) in a new sub-para (a) with last sentence of old (b) changed to read “in addition, any unidentified seismic events with an estimated equivalent yield less than 5 kilotons which the data from the system indicates have an unusually high probability of nuclear origin shall be inspected”. Renumber sub-para (c) as new sub-para (b). Delete para 2.

Article 8: First sentence para 1 should read “The system shall, when completely established, have about ten regional offices each providing logistic support and administrative supervision to elements of the system operating in its region.” Delete paras 2 and 3.

Article 9: Delete all after word “posts” in first sentence para 1 and substitute “uniformly equipped with apparatus satisfying the specifications set forth in the Report of the Geneva Conference of Experts of 20 August 1958.” Second sentence para 1 should end before word “however” and should be followed by new sentence reading “The exact number of control posts within the limits indicated above shall be determined as a result of actually distributing them, etc.” In para 2 substitute “operation” for word “observation”. Delete paras 3 and 4.

Article 10: Delete “and Functions” in title of para 1. Delete paras 2 and 3.

Article 11: Begin first sentence para 1 with word “Daily”. Substitute for present text para 2 sub-para (b) “When geophysical data from the control posts indicate that an event has occurred which cannot be identified as a natural event and which could be suspected of being an uncontained nuclear explosion”. Correct reference to treaty in last sentence para 2. Delete para 4. Insert first three sentences present para 5 as last two sentences para 2. Final sentence para 5 should be inserted as final sentence present para 3.

Article 12: Add words “by the Central Inspection Office” to para 1 sub-para (h). Delete present para 2. Delete title para 3 and incorporate para 3 as part of para 1.

Article 13: Delete present text. Change title to “High Altitude Detection” and substitute following parenthetical text for this Article: “(appropriate techniques as may be decided for detecting very high altitude explosions should be described here.)”

Article 14: Replace all before word “immediately” in first sentence with words “all elements of the system shall”. Third sentence should read: “On request, all elements of the system shall provide additional data to the center.” In final sentence first para, substitute “shall” for “will” and delete last four words. Substitute “examined” for word “observed” in first sentence second para.

PART VI: (Time Schedule) Department confirms views expressed para 3 of NUSUP 112 on method of handling this problem.

Herter
Acting

1. Source: Textual changes to delegation’s proposal. Confidential; Priority. 4 pp. NARA, RG 59, Central Files, 700.5611/12–1558.