New Russian Test Biggest Yet

Press, Volume C, Issue 29638, 7 October 1961, Page 11

New Russian Test Biggest Yet

(N .Z.P^.-Renier—Copy ng’it) PARIS, October 6. The most powerful atomic explosion yet detected took place in the Soviet Union this morning, according to the French Atomic Energy Commisariat. ,

Usually reliable sources said that the device, the eighteenth in the current Soviet series, was one and a half to two timer more powerful than the seventeenth, which was of the order of several megatons—equivalent to several million tons of T.N.T. Soviet Claim

Moscow Radio claimed today that the United States had • collected nuclear information during the EastWest moratorium on nuclear tests —from France.

The radio, according to the Associated Press, said: “Durthe moratorium on nuclear testing by the Soviet Union, the United States and Britain, France conducted nuclear experiments in the Sahara Many experts then supposed that France was sharing its results with its N.A.T.O. allies. “The new French-Ameri-can agreement for nuclear co-operation reveals that this was so.

"The United States is hand, ing France certain secrets. Is it not clear that in such conditions France will not keep its box of secrets closed either?"

Moscow said the agreement on the exchange of nuclear information between France and the United States and the return of American atom bombers to French' bases “are links in preparations for nuclear war ” Pretest tn Agency

In Vienna, the Soviet delegation is expected to walk out of today’s session of the conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency before Dr. Sigvard Eklund of Sweden is sworn in as the agency’s DirectorGeneral. This move was announced last night by the chief Soviet delegate. Professor Vasili Emelyanov, whc said Russia may withdraw from the axeney altogether because of the “lack of co-operation from the major Western Powers." Professor Emelyanov said Dr Eklund’s election had been “rammed through by the West" He would deflnitelv be resigning as head of the Soviet delegation, but a decision on withdrawal was up to the Soviet Government. Dr. Eklund, he said, “does not understand about nuclear

science” and he would have nothing to do with him. i Most Western delegates, however, believe the Soviet Union is not seriously considering leaving the agency because the organisation had brought the Soviet Union many advantages she could not easily renounce.

Professor Emelyanov yesterday also called for a reconstruction of the agency “from top to bottom” and said the three main groups of states should be represented equally instead of by a single administration.