‘Some Hope’ For Test Ban Advance

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29878, 19 July 1962, Page 13

‘Some Hope’ For Test Ban Advance

(N ,Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

GENEVA, July 18.

The West said last night there was “some hope” for a “move forward” at the meeting of the three-power nuclear test ban sub-com-mittee today.

The sub-committee —the United States, Britain and Russia—is meeting after a month’s recess. A plenary session of the 17-nation conference will also be held today. The British delegate, Mr Joseph Godber, said “there is some hope that we may be able to move forward” at the sub-committee meeting. Mr Godber told reporters that British and American scientists had got a “fairly flrm and agreed position” on the technical possibilities for nuclear test detection.

They were evaluating the findings from the recent American tests and it was necessary to examine the political Implications of the scientific discussions, he said This would be done in the light of the plan proposed by the eight neutral nations at the disarmament conference.

The problem of inspection has been the major stumbling block in efforts to get an East-West test ban treaty.

“It may be that we shall be able to propose some steps but it is too early to say because we are awaiting final evaluation," Mr Godber said.

“At least there is some hope that we may be able to move forward.”

Answering questions, Mr Godber made it clear that the West would not drop its demand for some mandatory international on-site inspection of suspicious seismic events.

He also stressed that any acceptance by the West of a target date for a ban would not mean agreeing to another uncontrolled moratorium.

Yesterday, Mr Godber called on the Deputy Soviet Foreign Minister (Mr Valerian Zorin) to tell Russia to modify her draft disarmament treaty . . . “modifications which are so clearly required."

Mr Godber then produced an 11-point plan for "discussion in depth,” Reuter reported. The topics were listed: (1) Reduction of conventional armament and related measures of verification for the first stage, and further measures for the subsequent stages of a three-stage disarmament plan. (2) Reduction or elimination of nuclear delivery vehicles and related measures of verification in the first stage, and further measures for subsequent stages. (3) Zonal verification or other measures to overcome difficulty about verification of remainders. (4) Cut-off of production—and transfer—of fissile material and related measures of verification, including past production. (5) Nuclear and other massdestruction weapons and related measures of verification. (6) Bases. (7) Verification of permitted production of weapons. (8) Peace-keeping machinery and a United Nations peace force. (9) Force levels and related measures of verification. (10) Outer space and related measures of verification. (11) International disarmament organisation. Mr Godber said some of Russia’s new moves were to be welcomed, but he criticised the Soviet plan on three counts: It went against th e principle that no side should gain military advantage over another during disarmament. It called for the total elimination of nuclear delivery vehicles, and the complete dismantling of foreign military bases in the first stage of disarmament. It demanded the total elimination of nuclear weapons in the second stage.