TNAG-0836-FCO40-1044-Comprehensive-Test-Ban-Treaty-national-seismic-stations-on-U-1979 — Page 51

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5.

These considerations also apply to the tiny islands which are dependencies of Pitcairn.

6.

Signals from Mururoa could also be picked up by an NSS in the Gilbert Islands to the north-west. But this could provide less information than we already get by other means of monitoring French tests. Moreover the Islands will become independent in July.

SOUTH AFRICA

7.

We have considered whether nuclear tests in South Africa could be monitored from a British dependent territory, for instance Ascension Island, St Helena or Tristan da Cunha to the west or British Indian Ocean Territory to the north-east. The conclusion

of the seismologists is that any signals picked up by an NSS on these territories would not provide as much information as we could obtain from existing means of detection if South Africa detonated a nuclear explosion.

RECOMMENDATION

8.

I recommend that the combination of technical and political objections to Hong Kong makes that colony unsuitable for an NSS; that the technical arguments and the remoteness of Pitcairn mean that the expense of an NSS on that territory would hot be justified; and that the technical arguments about South Africa do not justify our seeking a location for NSS specifically in order to monitor any South African nuclear tests.

9.

If Ministers eventually decide that we should accept as many as 5-10 NSS in UK dependent territories, Ascension Island, St Helena and Tristan da Cunha will be among the locations we shall have to consider, as noted in the Annex to the brief for our talks this week in Washington.

Сключена

alla by

C LG Mallaby

Arms Control and Disarmament Department

15 January 1979

copied to:

Mr Moberly

HKG D

CSAD

WED

Defence Department

DTA

CONFT DENTIAL