168. Telegram 301860 From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union1
301860. Subject: Venting Démarche to Soviets.
1. On December 23 Assistant Secretary Hartman called in Soviet Minister Counselor Vorontsov and gave him the following note verbale:
Begin quote. The Secretary of State presents his compliments to His Excellency the Ambassador of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and has the honor to remind him of the continuing importance attached by the Government of the United States to the full compliance by the [Page 548] Government of the Soviet Union with the provisions of the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water, signed at Moscow on August 5, 1963.
In this connection, the Government of the United States wishes to call to the attention of the Government of the Soviet Union the collection by the Government of the United States outside the borders of the Soviet Union of radioactive debris directly associated with the Soviet nuclear explosions of August 23, October 18 and October 21, 1975. The Government of the United States is deeply concerned by these occurrences, which are inconsistent with the terms of the 1963 Treaty of Moscow.
The United States Government has on a number of occasions since 1963 communicated to the Government of the Soviet Union its views concerning 19 previous nuclear explosions by the Soviet Union which have similarly caused radioactive debris to be present in the atmosphere outside the territory of the Soviet Union. As recently as March 12, 1975, the Soviet Union orally replied to the latest United States communication on this subject, the note verbale of January 16, 1975 and stated, “appropriate Soviet authorities were and are taking the measures directed at the fulfillment of the requirements of the stated treaty.” On June 6, 1975, the United States Government informed the Government of the Soviet Union that this oral Soviet response did not offer sufficient reassurance. To this, the Government of the Soviet Union replied on July 7, 1975 that nothing would be added to the Soviet reply of March 12, 1975.
The United States Government expects that the Government of the Soviet Union, as an original party to the Moscow Treaty, will succeed in fulfilling these treaty requirements. The United States Government is of the view that full compliance with the terms of the 1963 Treaty of Moscow by all parties is of vital importance, not only for preserving the integrity and effectiveness of this treaty but also for the development between the Governments of the United States and of the Soviet Union of the mutual confidence necessary to ensure the success of future efforts to regulate nuclear explosions. The Government of the United States assumes that the Government of the Soviet Union fully shares this view. End quote. Hartman emphasized that démarche accomplished at request of Secretary Kissinger.
2. Vorontsov said that he would transmit the note verbale to his authorities in Moscow and that a reply would be provided in due course.
3. In accordance with established practice, British EmbOff notified in advance of USG démarche.
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Summary: The Department transmitted the text of the note verbale Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Hartman delivered to Soviet Minister Counselor Vorontsov on December 23 regarding recent Soviet nuclear testing.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750445–1084. Confidential; Immediate. Drafted by McNeill; cleared by Davies; approved by Zook. Repeated for information to London, Helsinki, Stockholm, Paris, the Mission in Geneva, the Mission to the IAEA at Vienna, and USUN. For the previous exchanges on venting, see Documents 148 and 155.
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