Not Scrapping A-Arms

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31005, 10 March 1966, Page 17

Not Scrapping A-Arms

s (N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) , GENEVA, Mar. 9. 1 a The Soviet Union t dismissed yesterday '■ as having “nothing in □ common with disr armament” a United g States proposal that i- the two Powers dee stroy “thousands” of e their nuclear weapons, B the “New York - Times” reported. 1 The Soviet rebuff at the 17-

nation disarmament conference was the first direct reply to the proposal that the United States presented during the last United Nations General Assembly. President Johnson reaffirmed the offer in a message that he addressed to the conference when it reconvened in Geneva on January 27 for its current session.

The Soviet delegate, Mr Semyon K. Tsarapkin, said the plan was “not new in principle” and would not “reduce the nuclear danger.” He likened the plan to an earlier United States proposal for a “bomber bonfire” that Moscow also rejected on the same ground. Washington’s aim, he said, is to make room in its arsenals for the latest-type weapons by destroying outdated models under the guise of disarmament.

“Demonstration Scrapping” It was to counter the Soviet argument that the United States plan for the transfer of nuclear materials from weapons stockpiles to peaceful uses did not constitute a physical destruction of arms that Washington proposed a “demonstration” scrapping of bombs.

The United States delegate. Mr Adrian Fisher, rejected the Soviet assertion that the destruction of the bombs and the transfer of their nuclear contents to peaceful purposes would not constitute disarmament.

Mr Fisher recalled that under the United States programme for curbing the nuclear arms race there would first be a cut-off in the production of nuclear materials for weapons. Therefore, he emphasised, there would be no replenishing of weapons stockpiles depleted under the destruction proposal. Although Mr Tsarapkin had dismissed this proposal before Mr Fisher spoke, the United States delegates nevertheless made the first detailed presentation of how Washington envisaged the projected destruction. Each side would destroy enough bombs to be able to extract a quota of Uranium--235 which would be trans-

ferred to peaceful uses, Mr Fisher explained. The United States had offered to transfer 60,000 kilograms if the Soviet Union would do the same with 40,000 kilograms. The destruction by each country of its weapons “would be demonstrated to nationals of both parties and to neutral observers” at the depots it designated on its territory, Mr Fisher said.