Soviets End Nuclear Testing Moratorium

MOSCOW--The Soviet Union announced yesterday it is ending its eight-month moratorium on nuclear testing because of continued U.S. tests. It accused America of putting military interests ahead of mankind's desire to end "nuclear madness."

A statement from the Soviet government published by the official Tass news agency said Moscow "declares itself free from the unilateral commitment made by it to refrain from conducting any nuclear explosions." The self-imposed ban began in August and was extended twice since.

The announcement came a day after the United States exploded a nuclear device 1,300 feet underground in Rainier Mesa, 93 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nev. The test followed one in Nevada on March 22.

After the Moscow announcement, the White House said that the United States will continue nuclear testing because national security requires it. Washington has rejected a moratorium, arguing that testing is needed as long as the West relies on a nuclear defense.

The Soviet statement said the Kremlin still is ready to start talks on a comprehensive nuclear test ban.

"The U.S.S.R. is prepared for any form of talks, any type of agreement on that score, provided things advance toward reaching agreement," it said.

The statement did not say when the Soviets would resume underground nuclear tests, which are never announced here, but noted that "the Soviet state cannot forgo its own security and that of its allies" if Washington is testing.

Nor did the statement mention the summit between Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev and President Reagan scheduled for this year in the United States, or how it might be affected by the test ban developments.

Yesterday's announcement was widely expected.

Gorbachev said on March 29 that the moratorium would go beyond March 31, but only until the United States carried out its next nuclear test blast.

The moratorium started last August 6, the 40th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and was originally to expire December 31.

In mid-January, as part of a comprehensive arms control statement, Gorbachev said it would run until March 31.

Soviet news media increasingly attacked the U.S. testing program prior to Thursday's blast, which Tass said "cast doubt" on the Reagan administration's reliability as a partner in talks.

Yesterday's statement said that "once again Washington has placed the egoistic, imperial ambitions of the United States military-industrial complex above the interests of mankind" and had rejected "the alternative to nuclear madness."

"The American government's irresponsible actions are an open challenge not only to the Soviet Union but...to the world as a whole."

White House spokesman Edward Djerejian said yesterday that, in response to earlier statements by Gorbachev, Moscow would resume testing if the United States tested. "We made it abundantly clear that we require nuclear testing for our security. Accordingly, we intend to pursue the current testing program."

"I think we have to note that the Soviets have been making preparations for some time now to resume nuclear testing," Djerejian added.