277. Editorial Note
The Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons was opened for signature at Washington, London, and Moscow on July 1, 1968. At a White House ceremony on July 1, 56 nations signed the treaty. On July 9 President Johnson transmitted the treaty to the Senate, which gave its consent on March 13, 1969, by a vote of 83–15. The treaty, which required the ratification of the United States, the United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and 40 other states, finally entered into force with the deposit of U.S. ratification at Washington, London, and Moscow on March 5, 1970. For text of the treaty, see 21 UST 483 or the Department of State Bulletin, July 1, 1968, pages 9–11. For documentation on negotiation of the treaty, see Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, volume XI.
In his remarks at the signing ceremony on July 1, President Johnson announced that “agreement has been reached between the Governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States to enter in the nearest future into discussions on the limitation and reduction of both offensive strategic nuclear weapons delivery systems and systems of defense against ballistic missiles.” For text of the President’s statement, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1968–69, Book II, pages 763–765. Earlier, in a June 27 letter to President Johnson, Chairman Kosygin had indicated that the Soviet Government was prepared to publish the same statement in the Soviet press and over the radio on July 1. For text of Kosygin’s letter, see Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, volume XI, Document 249. For text of the memorandum published by the Soviet Government on July 1, see Current Digest of the Soviet Press, July 24, 1968, pages 3–4.