THE UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301-2000

 

POLICY

Dr. Joshua Lederberg, President
The Rockefeller University

1230 York Avenue

New York, NY 10021

Dear Joshua:

your letter of 8 February proposed holding one of the meetings
of the U.S. and U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences subgroup on biological
weapons arms control at USAMDRIID laboratories at Fort Detrick.
As you know, the U.S. has been a leader in shaping international
consensus on achieving greater transparency in the conduct of
permitted biological defense work. I therefore approve your
request, subject to normal security and logistical requirements.

Although not a requirement for approval, I would urge you
and your group to seek as a condition for the visit to Fort
Detrick a commitment from the Soviets that they open up one of
their recently declared facilities for a similar visit by your
party during the next round of discussions. We invariably insist
on reciprocity when arranging visits by Soviets to our installations.

AS you are probably aware, in a recent submission to the
United Nations, the Soviets declared a large number of facilities,
including Ministry of Defense sites at Sverdlovsk and Zagorsk,
as facilities with P4 containment laboratories or engaged in
"permitted research." I would urge you to seek a reciprocal
visit at one of the facilities listed in the Soviet submission
that most closely corresponds to Fort Dietrick and to insist that
the scope and extent of the two visits be identical.

As you are also aware, despite our interest in greater trans-
parency, we are convinced that such efforts do not constitute a
basis for amending or "fixing" a patently unverifiable treaty.

We see such exchanges of visits and information as improving, but
not fundamentally altering, the situation. Soviet actions and the
march of technology have made the Biological and Toxin Weapons
Convention little more than the embodiment of a norm of behavior
we wish all civilized nations would observe.

To facilitate arrangements for the May meeting, I have asked
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Jim Hinds (697-2247) and
his staff to work with you.

Sincerely,

he

Fre¢ c. Ikle

cc: Mr. Hinds
COL Huxsoll, USAMRIID