189. Telegram 92577 From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union1
92577. Subject: Soviet Note on Nuclear Venting.
1. Soviet Chargé Vorontsov called on Deputy Assistant Secretary Armitage, April 13, and presented note on venting of nuclear tests. Soviet note was reply to démarche by Hartman to Vorontsov on December 23, 1975 (State 301860). Informal translation of Soviet note follows:
[Page 610]2. Begin text: The Embassy of the USSR in the USA has been instructed to inform the U.S. Department of State of the following:
—With regard to note of the Department of State of December 23, 1975, the competent Soviet organs conducted a careful analysis of the data connected with the execution of underground nuclear tests in the Soviet Union on August 23, October 18, and October 21, 1975. The examination showed that in the conduct of these explosions all the conditions necessary to exclude the possibility of a fallout of radioactive particles (chastitsy) outside the territory of the USSR were created and observed;
—The Soviet side cannot agree with the statement contained in the note of the State Department that a violation of the provisions of the Moscow Treaty of 1963 supposedly took place.
—The Soviet Union, as has been declared many times, attaches great significance to the observance of the conditions of the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water, in accordance with which explosions are prohibited that cause radioactive fallout (osadki) beyond the bounds of national territory. The appropriate Soviet organs have taken and will continue to take necessary measures directed toward strict fulfillment of the demands of this treaty.
—At the same time, the Soviet side cannot but direct the attention of the American side to the fact that the appropriate Soviet monitoring services have more than once registered outside the national borders of the USA the appearance of radioactive products (produkty) from nuclear tests conducted by the USA. Such radioactive products were detected, in particular, from explosions conducted by the USA on January 3 and February 4, 1976. The Soviet side expects that the American side will take appropriate measures to exclude such occurrences in the future. End text.
3. Vorontsov added “oral statement:” Moscow attaches serious significance to observation of the Limited Test Ban Treaty (LTBT). Moscow hopes that the U.S. side begin quote more strictly evaluates the factual situation in the future so that unfounded facts do not interfere with new agreements curbing the arms race end quote.
4. Armitage pointed out that the United States maintains strict standards on its collection of data and scrupulously complies with the provisions of the LTBT. He noted that in light of the PNE treaty and the desirability of future arms control progress, it was absolutely essential that the LTBT be strictly observed. Vorontsov responded that both sides should be more careful of their explosions and their allegations of venting. Armitage indicated that the United States was careful in both regards.
[Page 611]5. FYI December 23 U.S. démarche stated that venting of Soviet explosions had been “inconsistent with the provisions” of the LTBT and did not directly accuse Soviets of violation of LTBT. End FYI.
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Summary: The Department indicated that Soviet Minister-Counselor Vorontsov had met with Armitage on April 13 and provided him with the text of a note on venting of nuclear tests, in response to Hartman’s démarche to Vorontsov on December 23, 1975. The Department also transmitted the informal translation of the Soviet note.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760145–0563. Confidential; Immediate. Drafted by Glassman; cleared by McNeill, Davies, Montgomery, Baker, and Ortiz; approved by Armitage. Repeated for information to the Mission to the IAEA at Vienna, the Mission in Geneva, USUN, and the Embassies in London and Paris. Telegram 301860, which transmitted the text of the December 23, 1975, U.S. note, is Document 168.
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