biological weapons. Furthermore, the process of searching for 
further limitations continues, including serious current efforts 
in the CCD. 
The United States attaches great importance to the existing 
agreements and negotiations applicable to nuclear, chemical and 
biological weapons. We are strongly of the view that discussions 
of the very broad proposal of the Soviet Union should not in any 
way, directly or indirectly, suggest dilution of the integrity 
or scope of application of existing treaties or negotiations 
concerned with specific kinds of weapons of mass destruction. 
Any international agreement on arms limitation or 
disarmament should be subject to appropriate modernization in 
light of new scientific findings and other new facts. However, 
my Government would find it difficult to accept statements 
that appear to call into question the scope of already existing 
agreements. These statements could be very harmful to the 
general cause of arms control and disarmament, by casting 
unwarranted doubt on the effectiveness of such agreements. 
As to current negotiations, I point to intensive efforts 
in the CCD at this time on a prospective convention concerning 
environmental modification. 
VII-5 
[ 490 ] 
