99. Memorandum From Acting Secretary of State Christopher to President Carter1
India. Recent press stories reporting that the CIA placed two nuclear-powered monitoring devices in the Himalayas in the 1960’s to monitor Chinese nuclear activity are correct in major respects.2 One of these devices was lost in an avalanche and never functioned; the second did function for several years and was later removed. Assertions in some stories that the Indian Government was not informed of the placement of the devices are incorrect, although the present Indian Government evidently was not aware that the operation had occurred until the stories appeared. We have asked Ambassador Goheen to suggest to the Indian Foreign Secretary that he obtain the history of the project from his intelligence service.
The Desai Government will be particularly concerned with the possible environmental impact of the remaining device. We are reviewing a 1967 AEC study to ensure that we can confirm to the Indian Government that we see no environmental danger. We are taking the standard public position that we do not comment on allegations relating to intelligence activities and that this should not be taken as a confirmation or denial of the story.
[Omitted here is material unrelated to India.]
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 20, Evening Reports (State): 4/78. Secret. Carter initialed at the top of the memorandum.↩
- Telegram 93545 to New Delhi, April 12, reported that the story appeared in the April 1978 edition of Outside magazine and on the April 12 broadcast of the Today show. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780157–1085)↩