Vegas, times stronger than view to using it in the Pentagon's weapons system. This is part of its Star Wars programme.
There was nothing exceptional about this núclear test. It was one of seris Washington underground tests Nevada site as part of its development billion : anti-satellite weapon.
But what is noteworthy is that on une very day. as the 28 December Con was pried in the calling on the US government to olm a moratorium on nuclear tests. The statement, which originally appeared in the 19 December ravda, the principal Soviet daily, was published in the Post was a paid advertisment by the Soviet government.
statemen noted that on 6 August 1985, the unilateral moratorium on nuclear tests until January 1986. be extended beyond that firmed, 'if the United moratorium as well.' Joint The statement noted that joint Soviet-US moratorium on any MAOSOIS Would become a major landmark way toward eliminating the nuclear danger The Donlical significance of such a joint step by the USSR and the United States would be great. It would also give a signal to other nuclear powers, the statement said.
France, for example, is currently engaged massive gramme in the Pacific prat testing has provoked widespread opposition Pacific islanders US-Soviet moratorium would give a big boost to the struggle to halt French tests in the The proposed moratorium. would apply underground tests. In a latest nuclear test about 100 miles northwest of Las Nevada. The explosion produced a blast 10 the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. The objective was to try out an X-ray laser powered by a nuclear explosion, with a anti-satellite 1963 treaty, the US, Soviet, and British governagreed halt ments nuclear testsing in the atmosphere, underwater, and in outer space. The Gorbachev Freńch government continued carry out almospheric tests the Pacific until 1974, when a strong canMitterrand responded to Gorbachev's offer on verification with a letter proposing that experts both together to discuss it. But this is simply a stalling tactic, as Washington pushes ahead with nuciear testing programme.
The real reason for Reagan's obstinate refusal to agree to a moratorium • a move that would have widespread support both in the United States and internationally was reffered to in an article in the 25 December Ivew lork that Us officials pointed out last summer: 'that they rejected even if it could be verified because it would interfere with the development of new weapons for the proposed space-based missile defense programme The Pentagon is driving full speed ahead with Star Wars MUSSIC has already SVSLCHI spent sl.z billion on the programme and has fired weapons into When Codess voted 18 December to bar funds lites in space projected for departcelense we'll find a ay to de official declared: ahead.' Another Pentagon spokesperson said continuing the programme 'will the Soviets' feet to fire A CURLO talks.
The Reagan administration has been barrelling ahead with its Star Wars programme despite the Soviet government's 1983 halt anti-satellite weapons tests.
Moscow's statement in the Washington Post said that if Reagan continues to reject moratorium on underground 'this Ounce the whate a morator De 31900neCI valid after the announced deadline, which is only a short time away. For obvious reasons, Lue lace military preparations overseas, USSR cannot sacrifice the interests of its security and the security of its allies and friends. Expand As has generally been the case with nuclear arms, Moscow forced develop and expand its weapons systems in order defend itself threatening imperialist armaments.
Washington's determination to push ahead with nuclear testing and Star Wars is part of its ongoing military build-up. It continues to reinforce its arsenal of nuclear-tipped missiles, which it is deploy. ing in an ever tighter ring on land and sea around the Soviet Eastern Europe, Cuba, Vietnam, and other countries wher avilaus ll las uccll auv ished.
The publication of the Soviet statement in ine Washington Post was part ot a series of initiatives by Washington the moratorium Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev reiterated this proposal in his stalcilicil at the conclusion of the November summit meeting with president Ronald and again in a 5 December letter to the US oresident.
At every juncture the White House nas turne down the Soviet offer When it isn't simply call'ing the proposal 'propaganda move, the contends that it would be lo very soviel compliance.
The Soviet government has reponded by pointing out that immediate verification could be achieved by agreeing to a proposal governments Argentina, Greece, India, Mexico. Sweden. and lan zania to SCL up special stations in mentorie their countries. Moreover, the Kremlin has stated that it is agreeable to on-site monitoring of nuclear weapons in the Soviet In August the Soviet government permitted the first inspection of its nuclear reactors.
Moreover, Washing IOn stepping up assistance revolutionaries who are atLODDIC the governments of Nicaraand Afganistan. And it beeting up military forces, which are being readied for bigger interventions, including the massive use of US combat troops, in Central America other areas of the • This article is reproduced from Intercontinental 24, No 1, 13 January 1986. ment minister, Hubert de Ronceray. US warship: are stationed off Haiti's coast.
The Catholic radio station, began broadcasting antigovercal Last Sunday they were joined in the protests by the normally conservative Protestant church leaders Duvalier has survived so far because the rising disorder has not yet reachcapital. By Monday, however, discipline Tontons Macoute was reported as beginning to break down in the capital where antiDuvalier literature was openly distributed.
Haiti looks set to because antother hot spot on Reagan's Central American doorstes. Phillipines:
New People's Army, the main guerilla by the Filipino student association.
eighty four people died during the 1984 Benigno Aquino who was Marcos' last Star Wars:
defence research association.
minutes. Not nuclear destruction but Armageddon all the same.' the scale of a nuclear winter. racist activity.
December demonstration. is Angola:
African government.
aid to UNITA. forces.
that. He isn't. beginning of December.
Shultz noted that, confrontation. recent report.
Open civil war looms in the Philippines as the 7 February elections draw near. The organisation, is reckoned to have at least a millions supporters. The KMU (the First of May Labour Centre), with a membership of half of million workers, has called for a 'broad, militant and sustained boycott' of the elections, backed On 29 November last, 60 prominent political figures published a list of demands for free democratice, fair and meaningful elections'. They are unlikely to be met. Three hundred and elections, because of government terror. After 27 months of trial the Marcos regime has just acquitted General Fabian Ver, the murderer of challenger. Aquino's widow may well be the only candidate in the election apart from Marcos.
Laser space weapons being developed for Wars could more easily be used to incinerate cities, says a report just issued by a Los Angeles "A laser system powerful enought to cope with ballistic missiles can also destroy major cities by fire,' it reports. The attack would proceed city by city, the attack time for each city being only a matter of Government physicist Caroline Herzenburg adds that the smoke and dust generated in such a war could also bring about climatic changes on "This is not a problem we are addressing at this time,' said a Star Wars spokesperson when questioned.
Thousands demonstrated against racism in Paris on 7 December. The demonstration was the culmination of three months of anti'Alas, since 1983, nothing has really changed. Racist crimes are growing. That's why we're still here together in the streets,' said Kaissa Titous, a veteran of the first French anti-racist march of 1983, opening the rally in Paris at the end of the Early in December the New York Times reported that the Reagan administration is to supply $11 million in covert aid to the UNITA forces fighting against the Angolan government. UNITA has the active support of the South Earlier in 1985 the US congress repealed a law barring US aid to anti-government forces in Angola. Since then bills have been introduced into the congress to provide $27 million in military aid and $27 million in 'humanitarian' On 22 November last year Reagan openly stated for the first time that the US government will be supplying aid to UNITA. Reagan's remarks came in response to a question asking why his secretary of state George Shultz was opposing aid to the South African backed Reagan responded, 'I'm glad you asked me He added. 'We all believe that a covert operation would be more useful to us and have more chance of success right now than the overt proposal than has been made in the Shultz himself made his views made known during his trip to Western Europe at the .. Speaking to the Pilgrim's Society in London on 11 December covert action has been part of the arsenal of states since time immemoria. providing a means of influence short of outright Did you know? The country with the highest number of sponsored visits from British MPs is South Africa according to a