TNAG-0836-FCO40-1044-Comprehensive-Test-Ban-Treaty-national-seismic-stations-on-U-1979 — Page 5

CONFIDENTIAL

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.

6.

HKGD, SAMD and M & CD concur.

20 April 1979

CC:

PS/PUS

Sir A Parsons

Mr Edmonds

HKG D

I & CD

SAMD

Challats

C LG Mallaby

Arms Control and Disarmament

Department

CONFIDENTIAL

I