Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!microsof!uw-beaver!cornell!vax135!ariel!houti!hogpc!houxm!ihnp4!ixn5c!inuxc!pur-ee!iuvax!isrnix!tim From: tim@isrnix.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Soviet Cheatin Message-ID: <266@isrnix.UUCP> Date: Wed, 6-Jul-83 20:49:22 EDT Article-I.D.: isrnix.266 Posted: Wed Jul 6 20:49:22 1983 Date-Received: Fri, 8-Jul-83 14:35:40 EDT Lines: 36 SOVIET CHEATING In a recent column Evans and Novak repeated charges that the Soviets have cheated on arms agreements. Such charges have been made repeatedly in the past. However a joint statement by the Defense Dept., State Dept., CIA and the Joint Chiefs of Staff states: "Soviet compliance performance under 14 arms control agreements signed since 1959 has been good." The SALT I agreement established the Standing Consultative Commission in which both the US and the USSR can bring questions about arms compliance. In 1981 the US Commissioner of this Commission stated "The SCC has never yet had to deal with a case of real or apparently clear and substantial noncompliance with an existing agreement." Then what about all the allegations that the "Soviets have cheated" on past arms agreements? The State Dept. issued a report dealing with various questions brought by both the US and the USSR to the SCC. In 3 cases of possible Soviet cheating further US intelligence revealed that there were no violations involved, in one case both sides later agreed to precise definition of "heavy" ICBM's, in a final case the USSR ceased the activity the US had considered as violating past treaties. The State Dept. Report also dealt with 14 popular allegations of cheating by the USSR that had never been brought before the SCC and reported in every case that there has been no Soviet cheating. In several instances what was alleged as "cheating" is actually REQUIRED by arms agreements! No wonder then that even Evans and Novak are forced to report "Reagan always has decided that evidence of cheating has fallen short and pulled back at the last moment from charging a violation." For good reason-there have been none! The Soviets, for all their faults , do not want to be incinerated anymore than we do. So why don't we get together with the Soviets NOW to stop the arms race? Tim Sevener decvax!pur-ee!iuvax!isrnix!tim