February 17, 1987

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. Chairman:)

I am pleased to transmit the enclosed report on the adherence of the United States to obligations undertaken in arms control agreements and on problems related to compliance by other nations with the provisions of bilateral and multilateral arms control agreements to which the United States is a party.

This report, updating last year's report, meets the requirements of Section 52 of the Arms Control and Disarmament Act, as amended in the FY 1986 ACDA Authorization Bill. It was prepared by the Director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Energy, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Director of Central Intelligence.

In previous reports to the Congress, the United States has made clear its concerns about Soviet noncompliance. These concerns remain. The United States Government takes equally seriously its own commitments to arms control agreements and sets rigid standards and procedures for assuring that it meets its obligations. The United States has been and remains in compliance with all current treaty obligations and political commitments.

In view of the continued pattern of uncorrected Soviet violations and the increasing magnitude and threat of Soviet strategic forces, I decided on May 27, 1986, to end the U.S. policy of observing the SALT I Interim Agreement (which had expired, and which the Soviets were violating) and the SALT II Treaty (which was never ratified; which, had it been ratified, would have expired on December 31, 1985; and which the Soviets were violating). These agreements are now behind us, and Soviet allegations and the facts of Soviet compliance with regard to these agreements are therefore not discussed in this year's report. For our part, we will continue to exercise utmost restraint in our strategic force programs as we press for equitable and effectively verifiable agreements on deep reductions in U.S. and Soviet nuclear arsenals.

This report is unclassified and suitable for general release. However, a classified attachment, providing information on noncompliance by other nations with provisions of multilateral arms control agreements, is being provided under separate cover.

Sincerely,

Ronald Reagan

Note: Identical letters were sent to Jim Wright, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Claiborne Pell, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Date
02/17/1987