TNAG-0836-FCO40-1044-Comprehensive-Test-Ban-Treaty-national-seismic-stations-on-U-1979 — Page 15

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US Views

4. In recent weeks the US officials have mentioned to us that

NSS could be useful in the Southern Hemisphere, including the

Falkland Islands. Although the official purpose of NSS would

be to monitor British compliance with the Treaty, and in the

Southern Hemisphere they would not be useful in this regard, the

Americans argue that NSS would be a useful supplement to the

existing capability of the US Atomic Energy Detection System

(described in a paper submitted on 25 January) for monitoring

important NNWS like Argentina or South Africa.

Our own

technical experts believe that this view may exaggerate the

detection capability of NSS. We have therefore asked the

Americans to les us have a more detailed technical assessment

of the potential value of NSS in the Southern Hemisphere.

Conclusions

5. In suggesting 10 sites for a United Kingdom network, the

Russians paid scant attention to technical utility or

political/constitutional acceptability. Indeed several of

the sites were on territories no longer under British

sovereignty. They have made clear that their requirement

for 10 NSS in United Kingdom territory is purely political and

have indicated that they are prepared to be flexible about

locations. If the UK eventually decides to accept NSS on

dependent territories, the Russians thus may not insist on

Belize, the Falkland Islands or other politically sensitive

sites, provided that we can propose substitutes.

MAJD, SAMU ang M & Uu monour.

6.

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