Office of the Historian

185. Telegram 5117 From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State1

Moscow, April 3, 1976, 1130Z.

5117. Subject: Pravda on White House TTBT Statement.

1. Pravda April 3 reports the official statement “being distributed by the Department of State” on the Threshold Test Ban Treaty. The article paraphrases the March 31 White House statement, omitting only the sentence explaining that the administration had decided not to submit the treaty for ratification until the peaceful nuclear explosion treaty is signed and the sentence relating possible weapons-related benefits to PNEs.

2. Comment: Though the U.S. statement announcing our intention not to carry out weapons tests over 150 KT was made public a full day before the corresponding statement by the Soviet Government, the two statements were presented to the Soviet public in the reverse order. Pravda April 2 carried the Soviet statement offering to halt such tests if the U.S. does the same; April 3 Pravda carries the U.S. statement in what could be construed, by Soviet readers, as a reply to the Soviet statement.

Stoessel

  1. Summary: The Embassy noted that Pravda, on April 3, reported on the U.S. statement regarding the PNE negotiations.

    Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760126–0505. Limited Official Use; Priority. The March 31 statement on the PNE negotiations is printed in the Department of State Bulletin, April 19, 1976, p. 507; Special Assistant to the Secretary for Press Relations Robert Funseth read the statement to news correspondents that day.

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