1.
GV BUILDING
0.09

2.
SV CANADIAN DELEGATE ARRIVES
0.16

3.
SV BULGARIAN DELEGATE DITTO
0.27

4.
SV SWEDISH DELEGATE DITTO
0.40

5.
SV POLISH DELEGATE DITTO
0.52

6.
SV RUSSIAN DELEGATE DITTO
1.05

7.
SV AMERICAN DELEGATE INSIDE
1.12

8.
CU LATIN AMERICAN DELEGATE TALKING
1.18

9.
SV PRESS
1.24

10.
SV ENGLISH DELEGATE
1.31

11.
CU FISCHER
1.39

12.
GV DELEGATES SEATED INCLUDING AMERICAN DELEGATE
1.50

13.
BIG GV CONFERENCE
1.55



Initials GHB/VS/RM/EEH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AN INTERNATIONAL TREATY TO ??? ??? OF NUCLEAR WEAPON CAME WITHIN REACH WHEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOVIET UNION FINALLY PRESENTED A COMPLETE DRAFT PACT TO THE GENEVA DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE TODAY (THURSDAY).

THE TWO POWERS BROKE A MONTHS-LONG DEADLOCK OVER ARRANGEMENTS FOR ENSURING THAT THE TREATY IS NOT BROKEN, AND SOUGHT THE APPROVAL OF THE OTHER WESTERN, COMMUNIST AND NON-ALIGNED NATIONS TAKING PART IN THE CONFERENCE.

THE SOVIET - UNITED STATES AGREEMENT OVERCAME THE MAIN STUMBLING BLOCK IN THE PROGRESS OF THE NEGOTIATIONS. BRITAIN, THE THIRD NUCLEAR POWER REPRESENTED AT THE GENEVA TALKS, SUPPORTS THE DRAFT TREATY.

FRANCE AND CHINA, HOWEVER, HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN THE PROJECTED TREATY.

TODAY'S SOVIET-UNITED STATES AGREEMENT, HAMMERED OUT AFTER TWO YEARS OF TOUGH BARGAINING, WAS THE FIRST BREAKTHROUGH IN THE NEGOTIATIONS SINCE LAST AUGUST. IT WAS THEN THAT THE TWO SUPER POWERS TABLED AN INCOMPLETE DRAFT TREATY AFTER FAILING TO AGREE ON A KEY ARTICLE ON INTERNATIONAL SAFEGUARDS.

THE COMPLETED DRAFT, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES ADDITIONAL ARTICLES AND AMENDMENTS, GOES A LONG WAY TOWARDS SATISFYING THE DEMANDS OF NON-NUCLEAR COUNTRIES. BUT THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE INDICATION WHETHER THE NEGOTIATORS WOULD BE ABLE TO REACH FULL AGREEMENT BEFORE THE DEADLINE OF MARCH 15 SET FOR THEM TO REPORT TO THE UNITED NATIONS.

IN HIS OPENING STATEMENT THE CHAIRMAN FOR THE DAY - AMERICA'S MR. ADRIAN FISCHER - SAID THE TIME HAD ARRIVED FOR DECISIVE ACTION TO STOP THE SPREAD OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS, AND THE WORLD WAS LOOKING TO THE CONFERENCE TO RESPOND ACCORDINGLY.

THE SOVIET DELEGATION, MR. ALEXEI ROSCHIN, TOLD DELEGATES THAT THE AGREEMENT ON THE INSPECTION ARTICLE WAS AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD WHICH OPENED THAT WAY TOWARDS A SPEEDY CONCLUSION OF THE TREATY.