West Rejects Offer Of Temporary Test Ban

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29798, 14 April 1962, Page 11

West Rejects Offer Of Temporary Test Ban

(N Z.P. A.- Reuter —Copyright) WASHINGTON, April 13. The United States would not place its security and that of its allies “at the mercy of Soviet on-again-off-again tactics” on the nuclear test ban issue, the U.S. State Department said yesterday.

In a statement commenting on a new Soviet proposal for an unpoliced test ban moratorium during the Geneva disarmament negotiations, the State Department said the Russian move was “another unfortunate effort to substitute paper pledges for guaranteed results." Yesterday, Russia offered not to test nuclear weapons while the disarmament talks continued, if the West would give the same undertaking. The United States and Britain both replied that they could not trust Russia’s word. Washington Hopes The State Department said in Washington that the United States hoped that the Soviet statement at Geneva was not Moscow's final answer to the joint BritishAmerican appeal last Tuesday for a treaty providing for international inspection to guarantee against cheating.

“The United States does not intend to place its security and the security of its allies at the mercy of Soviet on-again-off-again tactics,” the Department said. “We are ready to conclude an effective test ban agreement now. But we cannot be led into another paper pledge which, far from guaranteeing a halt to nuclear testing, would only give rise to a false sense of security and provide yet another opportunity for the Soviet Union to prepare in secret for its own nuclear testing..” The State Department said the United States was “deeply sensitive to the apprehensions” which had been expressed by the eight neutral nations participating at the Geneva conference. But, it said, it did not believe that the solution to this vital issue could result from paper pledges. “Rattier, it is essential that the conference direct its energies to reaching an agreement on adequate verifica-

lion arrangements which will result in a safeguarded agreement.” the statement said. “This is where an answer to the world’s desire for an end to all nuclear testing will be found.” The State Department said the latest Soviet proposal must be judged in the light of Moscow’s actions last year during the nuclear test ban conference, when iit resumed tests and thus ended the unpoliced moratorium which the Soviet Union how proposed to reinstate.

Allegations Denied The Soviet proposal was put forward by Mr Valerian Zorin at yesterday's meeting in Geneva. He said Russia was not preparing to resume tests, and Western newspaper aUegaitions that she was were false. Mr Zorin said that the climate had become especially alarming since the KennedyMacmillan statement appealing to Russia to accept international inspection as the price of a test. He described the statement as a challenge to the wihole world, confirming the direction of their policies. They had started a new wave in international tension, Mr Zorin was reported as saying. The statement was a pretext to justify the West’s actions in the face of public opinion. The British Minister of

State for Foreign Affairs (Mr Joseph Godber) said the West was profoundly distrustful of such promises from Russia, which had broken a test moratorium last September. Talk could not erase the pages of history. Britain was willing to continue negotiations for a test ban treaty with international verification. "No Confidence”

The United States delegate (Mr Arthur Dean) said: “With regret we do not have any confidence in a Soviet pledge.” Past experience of relying on the Soviet Union had not been happy. He saw no reason why the negotiations should not go on

at the same time as nuclear tests, The United States had continued to talk while the Soviet Union was testing last September. Mr Zorin asked the United States and British delegates to reply directly whether their Governments were ready to halt tests while negotiations were in progress. Mr Go'lbe.r said Britain could not accept the type of moratorium proposed and the answer was a direct “No.” Mr Godtier said he was not there to make debating points but to make progress.

All the eight neutral nations at the conference yesterday spoke against the resumption of nuclear tests 'by any side.