TNAG-0836-FCO40-1044-Comprehensive-Test-Ban-Treaty-national-seismic-stations-on-U-1979 — Page 28

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

CONFIDEN MAL

4.

IF WE AGREED TO AN OSI REQUESTED BY THE SOVIET UNION ON U K TERRITORY IT COULD INVOLVE A VISIT BY A TEAM OF ABOUT 30 SOVIET PERSONNEL FOR UP TO 30 DAYS TO INSPECT AN AREA OF UP TO 20 SQUARE KILOMETRES. THE TEAM WOULD BE ACCOMPANIED THROUGHOUT BY UK

ANY PERSONNEL, SO THAT ITS ACTIVITIES COULD BE CLOSELY MONITORED. INSTALLATIONS WHICH ARE PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE FOR SECURITY REASONS COULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THE INSPECTION, BUT PROVISION FOR ACCESS TO PRIVATE PROPERTY WOULD PROBABLY BE NEEDED. THE SOVIET TEAM WOULD BE GRANTED IMMUNITY, SIMILAR TO DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY, AND COULD IMPORT SPECIFIED INSPECTION EQUIPMENT SUCH AS CAMERAS AND METAL DETECTORS. THERE COULD BE AN OBLIGATION ON US TO PROVIDE DETAILED MAPS AND EARTH

SAMPLES.

5. IN PRACTICE, IT IS VERY UNLIKELY THAT THERE WILL EVER BE AN OSI ON BRITISH TERRITORY: THE UK WILL NOT CONDUCT NUCLEAR TEST WHILE A CTB TREATY IS IN FORCE : EARTHQUAKES (WHICH COULD BE MISTAKEN FOR NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS) ARE EXTREMELY RARE ON UK TERRITORY : AND IN THE CASE OF SMALL TERRITORIES IN PARTICULAR, IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONCEIVE HOW A REQUEST FOR OSI COULD BE PROPERLY SUBSTANTIATED. NEVERTHELESS WE NEED TO BE IN A POSITION TO ACCEPT REQUESTS FOR OS!

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CTB TREATY.

ACTION.

6.

WE SHOULD WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS ON THE FOLLOWING POINTS, IF

POSSIBLE BY 16 MARCH

A) DO YOU FORESEE ANY PARTICULAR DIFFICULTY IN PROVIDING FOR THE THEORETICAL POSSIBILITY OF OS; IN YOUR TERRITORY?

B) WOULD ANY LOCAL LEGISLATION BE NECESSARY OR DESIRABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS? (WE WOULD OF COURSE PROVIDE YOU WITH THE NECESSARY GUIDANCE).

C) IF SO, HOW LONG WOULD ANY SUCH LEGISLATION TAKE?

D) WE WOULD TAKE THE NECESSARY LEGISLATIVE POWERS IN RESPECT OF THE

UK ITSELF. WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE TO EXTEND THIS LEGISLATION

TO YOUR TERRITORY?

2

CONFIDENTAL

/7, THE DETAILS

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