TEST BAN TALKS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29515, 17 May 1961, Page 15

TEST BAN TALKS

Threat By Russia

(N Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) GENEVA. May 15 The Soviet Union todav threatened to walk out of the three-Power nuclear test ban conference and resume testing if France or any other Western Power carried out further nuclear tests. The Soviet delegate (Mr Tsarapkin» declared that Britain and America encouraged France to carry out nuclear tests in the Sahara, and benefited from the resulting information. If France or any other N.A.T.O. power continued nuclear weapon tests the West would be wholly responsible for the collapse of the conference. Mr Tsarapkin said Both Western delegates denied they provided advice or help to the French, or received information on the French tests. The Soviet delegate said he had been authorised by his Government to say that France, with her military allies, the United States and Britain, had “flouted United Nations resolutions in systematically carrying out tests of hydrogen and atomic weapons.” The continuation of such tests would place the Soviet Union under conditions which might oblige it to resume testing of these weapons, he said.