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than were tested in 1984.
The Atomic Energy Commis-
sion at any rate has informed me that it has no such plans.
If there is ever to be a test of larger weapons, this would
have to be submitted to me, evaluated, and cleared by ms,
Chairman Strauss is opposed to any larger shot than we
have had.
Someform of limitation either in numbers, explosive
yield, fission product output, or even a temporary test
suspension might well be the reault of the current disarmament negotiations in London.
To announce the
concession unilaterally would deprive our negotiators of
whatever trading advantage it might embody and that
could be substantial.
You have recommendedregistra-
tlon with the United Nations in advance of tests and, in
effect, we do this because we announce our tests in
advance to the whole world.
it was with this end in
view, viz., to re-emphasize this fact that in the Bermuda
Declaration in March we stated that we would register our
intention to conduct teste with the United Nations in advance.
I do want to assure you that my position ls far from being
inflexible -- has indeed been a constant effort to find a way
out of what has for so many years seemed an impasse.
Meanwhile, our tests continue to develop very valuable
information, not so much in the enhancement of the destructive power of atomic weapons as in civil effects tests to
improve our protective measures in event of attack -- in
the development of warheads for missiles to be employed
in defense against an airborne attack -- and in the further
development of the feature of cleanliness which, as of now
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