COMMENTS ON DRAFT PROJECT PAPERS FOR THE US-USSR ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENT

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP79-00798A000700060043-8
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
C
Document Page Count: 
3
Document Creation Date: 
December 9, 2016
Document Release Date: 
July 28, 2000
Sequence Number: 
43
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
March 1, 1973
Content Type: 
MF
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PDF icon CIA-RDP79-00798A000700060043-8.pdf143.58 KB
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IAL Approved Fotelea'~b7t : CIA-RDPT4M0798A000700060043-8 1 March 1973 MEMORANDUM FOR: 25X1A SUBJECT Comments on Draft Project Papers for the US-USSR Environmental Agreement 1. The Geography Division of OBGI has a strong interest in all aspects of environmental agreements with the Soviets and we want to continue to receive as much information on all the exchanges as possible. Specific comments on several of the draft project papers are as follows: A. Paper No. 3 -- Water Pollution. Much overlap exists between this working group and that of Dr. Butcher and his Water Resources Working Group which is a part of the Cooperative Agreement in the Fields of Science and Technology. We hope that these two groups will coordinate their activities. The choice of Lake Baikal for the visit of the expert group to the USSR is in some respects a poor one. Although it has received much publicity, Baikal is one of the less polluted large lakes in the USSR. Opportunity to observe research conducted on the Volga River would be very valuable. We also think inclusion of the Aral and Caspian Seas, and marginal seas such as the Baltic Sea, would be beneficial, rather than restricting the program to rivers and estuaries. On balance, the proposal would appear to offer the USSR more opportunities for gain than the US. We agree with many of the comments in Annex A, Mr. Pisano's criticisms of the program. Classified by 019641 sif i.cati?n Exempt from gon"3. ^' e !I.u 7 schedule c.- eategor ?5B (1), (2), , or (Wj. ( 1.0 one OrI1ore) Automat call; on Approved For Release 2000/09/06 : C - DP79-unl~biAbc66~W0t6QOOl)4Q3-8 'no F1c N Approved For.Release F0 f II9 AkDP7WO798AO00700060043-8 B. Paper No. 5 -- Urban Environment. On page 8 of the draft paper it is noted that the Soviets may not accept the areas dealing with permafrost construction technology and waste management. If these two areas are not part of the agreement, the US would have little opportunity to gain from the program. C. Paper No. 6 -- Wildlife Conservation. This section of the proposal would be of mutual benefit to both countries. It also could be an opportunity to have US'personnel visit some areas of the Soviet Arctic which are off the beaten track. D. Paper No. 9 -- Marine Organisms. The Soviets do an appreciable amount of marine research related to environmental pollution, but tend to publish in a rather restrictive, technical form. Since we have little knowledge of Soviet analytical abilities in this field, this may enlighten us and hence be a productive exchange. This Office has an interest in how the Soviets will treat these topics at the several international forums -- UN Environmental Secretariat, Law of the Sea Conference, Marine Pollution Conference, and the UN Water Conference -- and these exchanges may well give us some insights on their views and positions. Reference item II. B. 3. a. We believe that Baku is a must for a visit by US personnel because of the marine pollution research conducted in Baku and environs. Also, the scientists could visit the off-shore oil drilling facilities in the Caspian Sea at Neftyanyye Kamni and the research ship Bakuvi which is engaged in marine biological research for the Azerbaydzhan Academy of Sciences. Reference item III. A. 1. Available information, if fully exploited, would probably be sufficient to accomplish the objectives of the preliminary visit. Reference item III. B. 2. a. The International Activities Staff of the National Marine Fisheries Service, Department of Commerce already does mush of what is proposed in this section. Approved For Release l TI tDP79-00798A000700060043-8 Approved For Releas t E I LRDP7lmD0798A000700060043-8 Reference item III. C. 1. The objective of seeking to establish standardized water quality controls is important and should be more clearly stated here. B. Paper No. 14 -- Legal and Administrative. At this point there seems to be little that the US could learn from the Soviets in the way of an environ- mental policy framework in government or mechanisms and strategies for pollution control and enforcement. They have a history which abounds with environmental legislation, but with few results. The exchange would, however, help us evaluate the efficacy of the environ- mental protection measures they are taking now. 2. Any questions about these comments, or any additional information on the exchanges should be directed to x2706. 25X1A 25X1A Chief, USSR-Europe Branch Geography Division, OBGI Approved For Relea J RDP79-00798A000700060043-8