INF TREATY SAFEGUARDS UNPRECEDENTED - NITZE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90M00005R000300060005-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 7, 2012
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: January 29, 1988
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/05/07: CIA-RDP90M00005R000300060005-3
Office of Current Production and Analytic Support
CIA Operations Center
News Bulletin
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FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, I988 I ,
NF treaty safeguards
unprecedented - Nitze
BBy Mary Belcher
YWSNINGTON TIMES
I The US. -Soviet treaty banning
intermediate-range nuclear weap-
ons contains "the most comprehen-
isive and intrusive" safeguards
i against cheating in arms control his-
tory, President Reagan's top arms
adviser told Congress yesterday.
"This does not, of course, guaran-
tee that some INF missiles cannot be
hidden away somewhere within the
great expanses of the Soviet Union;'
Paul Nitze told the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee. "No verifica-
tion regime could provide such as-
surance.
"It does, however, ensure that the
Soviets could maintain a clandes-
I tine, militarily significant force only
k at great cost and risk, and with
,steadily decreasing reliability," he
1 said.
"Without the ability to flight-test
I the missiles, the Soviets would ques-
tion the effectiveness of these forces
and their military value, especially
over time."
The treaty would allow U.S. and
Soviet experts to inspect one an-
other's medium-range missile sites
on short notice, provide continuous
exchanges of information, and end
all activities related to medium-
range missile production and de-
ployment.
Sen. Jesse Helms, North Carolina
Republican, however, said the treaty
is full of "loopholes" that the Soviets
could easily slip through.
Mr. Helms, resuming his fight
against the pact, has charged the So-
viet Union is already violating the
'treaty by providing the United
States with bad information about
the number of medium-range mis-
siles in Soviet arsenals.
Mr. Helms said classified Defense
Information Agency data indicate
the Soviets could have up to 300
more medium-range missiles than
the 650 they say they have.
"Why is the DIA sticking by its
estimates when the State Depart-
ment and CIA are sticking by Soviet
declarations?" Mr. Helms asked,
suggesting that the "books have
been cooked"
"We don't need any book-cooking
around here;' he said. We need the
facts"
Mr. Nitze agreed that intelligence
agency estimates vary. But, he said,
the data the Soviets gave the United
States three months ago are, "on the
whole, within the bounds of our in-
telligence estimates.'
Mr. Helms also has argued that
the treaty would allow the Soviets to
take the warheads, or nuclear de-
vices, from the medium-range mis-
siles they destroy and attach them to
long-range strategic missiles.
"Practically, I don't know whether
it would be feasible for them to do
so" said Mr. Nitze, explaining that
medium-range and long-range So-
viet missiles are very different sys-
tems.
He said the treaty would not pro-
hibit the Soviets from pointing
long-range missiles at the same
Western European targets their
medium-range weapons now cover.
But "it generally is a waste of as-
sets" to use more expensive long-
range systems to do the work of
medium-range missiles, he said.
"It's not an intelligent thing to do"
Sen. Alan Cranston, California
Democrat, said of Mr. Helms: "I
don't think he has picked up any fol-
Arms control adviser Paul Nitze
testifies before the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee yesterday.
lowers, and each of his points have
been handily knocked down;'
Mr. Cranston is intent on keeping
the INF treaty free of "killer"
amendments that would force its re-
negotiation. The Senate majority
whip has said he believes the treaty
will be approved by the 67 vptes re-
quired, but amendments could be
added by a simple majority of 51
senators:
"I have some very serious ques-
tions about this treaty," said Sen.'
Larry Pressler, South Dakota Repub-
lican and the only other committee
member likely to seek major
changes in the treaty.
"I get a feeling people are saying
we should. just roll over and play
dead, and if you offer an amendment
you're not on the team;' Mr. Pressler
said.
Mr. Pressler wants the Soviets to
agree to reduce the Warsaw Pact's
conventional-force advantage over
NATO before the INF treaty takes
effect.
"I believe that would be very
unwise;' Mr. Nitze said. "It would be
a mistake not to ratify this treaty
because some other desirable end is
not accomplished."
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/05/07: CIA-RDP90M00005R000300060005-3