Evening star., 1960-03-21
Tsarapkin Sets
HisA-Test Ban
At4to5Years

RusSia's Semyon K. Tsarapkin
said today his proposed mora
torium on small underground
nuclear tests should remain in
force for an initial research
period Of four or five years.
Mr.. Tsarapkin said the
United States, Britain and Rus
sia should consult at the end
Of this period If a joint re-
search program by then had
failed to produce a method for
policing underground tests,
But he stressed that he was
very optimistic" the scientists
would produce results within
four or five years.
Mr.. Tsarapkin gave this es-
innate in Qualification Of the
dramatic two-point proposal he
introduced into the l6-month-
old three-nation talks Satur-
day.
Parts Inter-ReIated
The two inter-related parts
Of his proposal were:
/. The Soviet Union would
accept President Eisenhower's
plan for a treaty banning only
those nuclear tests which can
be policed with existing scien-
tiflc methods.
2. In return, the United
States and Britain would join
Russia in a moratorium a
promise to refrain from con-
ducting the small underground
tests not explicitly banned by
the treaty-while conducting
scientific research to extend
detection methods in the un-
derground environment.
president Eisenhower and
Secretary Of State Herter
discussed the latest Russian
proposal in an hour-long
conference at the White
House today. White House
Press Secretary James c.
Hagerty later said the pro-
posal is under serious con-
sideration.")
First Proposed for President
The partial ban was first
proposed by President Eisen-
hover on February IL. Western
sources said that If the Rus
slams actually favor safety pro-
visions acceptable to the United
States and British govern
ments. the l7-month-old nu-
clear test ban conference may
be on the threshold of achiev-
ing a treaty.
After introducing the Soviet
proposal, Tsarapkin told the
Western delegates that his
| government would allow some
on-site inspections to guard
against the small underground
explosions.
The Russians said their plan
also included acceptance Of a
Western proposal for Joint
East-West scientific studies Of
ways to detect the small under
ground blasts, which the West
says give seismic readings that
cannot be distinguished from
those given by the numerous
small earthquakes the earth ex-
psriences constantly.
Old Problem Faced
Mr.. Tsarapkin's move shifted
the whole emphasis of the con-
ference back to an old and diffi-
cult problem-the fixing Of
quotas for the number of Veto
free. on-site inspections the
three powers would allow on
their territories.
Both the Russian proposal
and President Eisenhower's
call for banning all test explo-
sions in the atmosphere, on the
surface OF the earth and in
the oceans to remove any
health danger from fallout.
The ban also would apply to
all underground tests having
a seismic reading of AIS or
more.
The factor added by the
Russians is the moratorium on
underground tests below that
ATS threshold. Without such
an agreement by the three
powers, Mr.. Tsarapkin said. a
partial treaty would be an in
vitation to conduct small un-
derground tests. If any tests
at all were allowed. he claimed,
the treaty itself ultimately
would break down.
Additional Quota Desired
The Western powers un-
doubtedly will want an addi-
tional quota figure to cover in
spections below the threshold.
particularly since the smaller
disturbances are the hardest to
check on.
Until this quota problem is
hammered out, it is difficult to
determine whether the Geneva
conference actually will pro-
duce a treaty. informants said.
This now represents the big
hurdle to get over.
Mr.. Tsarapkin said a partial
treaty could be concluded in
a couple of weeks or a month
If the Western powers accepted
the Russian proposal. But
Western sources said privately