AGREEMENT ON LIMITATION OF STRATEGIC OFFENSIVE WEAPONS TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1972 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D.C. The committee met at 10:20 a.m. in room 2172, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Thomas E. Morgan (chairman of the committee) presiding. Chairman MORGAN. The committee will come to order. This morning the Committee on Foreign Affairs begins consideration of resolutions expressing congressional approval of the Interim Agreement on limitation of strategic offensive arms concluded between the United States and the Soviet Union. Two agreements were signed affecting strategic arms limitation at the time of the President's visit to Moscow last May.1 The agreement on defensive weapons has been submitted in the form of a treaty to the Senate only for its "advice and consent." The Interim Agreement on offensive weapons has been submitted to both Houses of the Congress for approval. This approval is to be given through the passage of a joint resolution. Several such resolutions of approval have been introduced into the House and today's hearing is concerned with them. On June 15, the President addressed members of this and other concerned committees on the subject of these arms limitation agree ments. At the time he said: I think that the hearings that you will conduct must be searching, because only in that way will you be able to be convincing to yourselves and only in that way will the nation also be convinced. Mr. Secretary, this committee intends to give full consideration to this legislation, and to the agreements. For that purpose, hearings will be held during the next 2 weeks. To open this series, we are privileged to have with us this morning Secretary of State William P. Rogers. He is accompanied by Hon. Gerard C. Smith, Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and chief U.S. negotiator at the SALT talks. Do you both have statements or just one of you has a statement? STATEMENT OF HON. WILLIAM P. ROGERS, SECRETARY OF STATE Secretary ROGERS. I have a statement; also Ambassador Smith will be able to answer any questions on specifics of the negotiations themselves. 1 For text of agreements, see p. 117. COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS THOMAS E. MORGAN, Pennsylvania, Chairman CLEMENT J. ZABLOCKI, Wisconsin L. H. FOUNTAIN, North Carolina WILLIAM S. MAILLIARD, California EDWARD J. DERWINSKI, Illinois ROY J. BULLOCK, Staff Administrator |