Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Message Text PAGE 01 STATE 166451 60 ORIGIN NODS-00 INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 001 R DRAFTED BY S WEGAN EUR SOV MGARRISON RBARRY LCK APPROVED BY S - THE SECRETARY M - MR EAGLEBURGER S S-O AWOTTO DESIRED DISTRIBUTION S M C AND DG ONLY --------------------- 008673 O 032104Z JUL 76 ZFF4 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 166451 NODIS FOR THE AMBASSADOR FROM EAGLEBURGER E O 11652 GDS TAGS ASEC AMED UR SUBJECT ELEASE OF MOSCOW SIGNAL FACT SHEET 1 FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE REVISED AND UPDATED FACT SHE-T THERE HAVE BEEN A SERIES OF MINOR MODIFICATIONS SINCE MARK POUCHED YOU THE EARLIER VERSION YOU SHOULD TAKE STEPS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO RELEASE THE ENTIRE REVISED FACT SHEET TO THE MISSION STAFF WITH THE COVER SHEET DESCRIBED BELOW YOU SHOULD IMPRESS UPON THEM THAT THIS IS AN ADMINISTRATIVELY CONTROLLED DOCUMENT AND THAT IT IS FOR THEIR EXCLUSIVE USE WITH PRIVATE FAMILY PHYSICIANS AND IN RELATED MEDICAL CONSULTATIONS I WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE YOUR NOTING THAT WE EXPECT THEM TO RESPECT THE CONFIDENCE IN WHICH THIS DOCUMENT IS RELEASED 2 I HAVE ALSO PROVIDED BELOW THE TEXT OF THE PRESS GUIDANCE THE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN WILL USE ON AN IF-ASKED CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 STATE 166451 BASIS 3 YOU MAY ALSO INFORM THE STAFF THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVELY CONTROLLED FACT SHEET WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO ALL Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 EMPLOYEES IN THE DEPARTMENT WITH PRIOR OR ANTICIPATED MOSCOW SERVICE WHO HAVE BEEN BRIEFED IN ADD TION COPIES WILL BE TRANSMITTED BY POUCH TO EMPLOYEES AT OTHER POSTS ABROAD WHO HAVE BEEN SIMILARLY BRIEFED 4 I AM SENDING YOU SEPARATELY THE TEXT OF A SOVIET NOTE DELIVERED BY DOBRYNIN LAST SATURDAY JUNE 26 AS YOU WILL SEE THE SOVIETS HAVE NO INTENTION OF MOVING ANY FURTHER UNLESS AS I READ IT WE ARE WILLING TO DO SOME THINGS OURSELVES 5 WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE YOUR INFORMING THE STAFF THAT THEIR COOPERATION AND PATIENCE IN THIS MATTER HAS BEEN GREATLY APPRECIATED AND THAT THE DEPARTMENT HILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE IN AS FORTHRIGHT A MANNER AS POSSIBLE WITH ALL CONCERNED EMPLOYEES 6 BEGIN TEXT OF COVER SHEET THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED ONLY FOR USE OF U S GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS IN PRIVATE MEDICAL CONSULTATIONS IT IS NOT RELEASABLE TO OTHER U S OR FOREIGN NATIONALS EXCEPT IN THIS CONTEXT AND MUST BE TREATED AS ADMINISTRATIVELY CONTROLLED END TEXT 7 BEGIN TEXT OF FACT SHEET SUMMARY THE HISTORY OF THE INTENSITY AND DURATION OF THE MOSCOW SIGNALS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO FOUR SEPARATE PERIODS PRIOR TO MAY JUNE 1975 TYPICAL MAXIMUM POWER LEVELS IN LIMITED LIVING AND WORKING AREAS WERE UP TO 5 MICROWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER FOR NEVER MORETHAN 8 HOURS PER DAY THESE TYPICALMAXIMUM LEVELS WERE 5 10 000 OF U S SAFETY STANDARD AND 50 PER CENT OF THE SOVIET STANDARD CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 STATE 166451 FROM MAY JUNE 1975 TO FEBRUARY 1976 SIMILAR MAXIMUM LEVELS DID NOT EXCEED 13 MICROWATTS PER CENTIMETER WITH A TYPICAL DURATION OF 18 TO 20 HOURS PER DAY THESE LEVELS WERE 13 10 000 OF THE U S SAFETY STANDARD AND 130 PER CENT OF THE SOVIET STANDARD FROM FEBRUARY 1976 TO APRIL 1976 SIMILAR POWER LEVELS WERE 5 MICROWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER OR LESS AND THE DAILY AVERAGE OF THE TOTAL DURATION OF BOTH SIGNALS HAS RANGED FROM 10 TO 20 HOURS PER DAY FROM FEBRUARY TO THE PRESENT THESE LEVELS WERE 5 10 000 OF THE U S SAFETY STANDAR AND 50 PER CENT OF THE SOVIET STANDARD Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 FROM APRIL 1976 TO THE PRESENT THE TYPICAL MAXIMUM LEVELS HAVE BEEN LESS THAN 2 MICROWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER WITH THE DURATION AS DESCRIBED ABOVE THIS IS 2 10 000 OF THE U S SAFETY STANDARD AND 20 PER CENT OF THE SOVIET STANDARD IN FEBRUARY 1976 PROTECTIVE SCREENING WAS INSTALLED IN ALL EMBASSY WINDOWS THIS SCREENING REDUCES THE POWER LEVELS IN ALL LIVING AND WORKING AREAS IN THE EMBASSY BY 90 PER CENT IN ADDITION AS IS DEMONSTRATED BY THE ABOVE SIGNAL STRENGTH ITSELF HAS BEEN REDUCED CONSIDERABLY SO THAT MAXIMUM POWER LEVELS INSIDE THE EMBASSY ARE NOW A SMALL FRACTION OF A MICROWATT FAR BELOW WHAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS BY U S OR SOVIET STANDARDS OUR MEDICAL EXPERTS HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THERE IS AT PRESENT NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN ABOUT HEALTH HAZARDS AND THAT NO CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THESE MICROWAVE TRANSMISSIONS AND ANY HEALTH PROBLEM EXPERIENCE BY EMBASSY PERSONNEL PAST OR PRESENT 8 BEGIN TEXT OF FACT SHEET THIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN PREPARED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF CONSULTANTS EXPERT IN THE FIELD IT IS AN UP-TO-DATE VERSION OF AN EARLIER CLASSIFIED BRIEFING PAPER PREPARED FOR OUR MOSCOW CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 STATE 166451 EMPLOYEES TO DESCRIBE THE RADIATION PHENOMENON AND ANSWERS QUESTIONS THEY HAD RAISED IT HAS BEEN RECAST TO REFLECT THE SUGGESTIONS MADE BY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BRIEFED HERE IN THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS AND TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IT IS SUBJECT TO FURTHER REVISION AS NEW FACTS BECOME KNOWN HISTORY AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS THE MOSCOW SIGNALS ARE DIRECTIONAL MICROWAVE BEAMS WHICH ARE DIRECTED AT THE UPPER FLOORS OF THE EMBASSY BUILDING FROM TRANSMITTERS LOCATED IN THE VICINITY THEY INCLUDE THAT PORTION OF THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM DESIGNATED AS MICROWAVES WHICH ARE ULTRA- AND SUPERHIGH FREQUENCY RADIO WAVES THE FREQUENCY OF THE MOSCOW SIGNALS ARE IN THE GIGAHERTZ RANGE BILLIONS OF CYCLES PER SECOND SPECIFICALLY THEY ARE IN THE FREQUENCY RANGE OF 0 5-9 0 GIGAHERTZ FOR REFERENCE TO WHAT REGULAR AM RADIO IS IN THE ONE MEGAHERTZ RANGE 1 MILLION CYCLES SECOND FM RADIO AND TV ARE IN THE RANGE OF ONE HUNDRED MEGAHERTZ TO ONE GIGAHERTZ 100 MILLION CYLCES TO ONE BILLION PER SECOND SINCE THESE Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 MICROWAVE RADIATIONS ARE ON THE ORDER OF 10 CENTIMETERS OR SO IN LENGTH SHORTER THAN OTHER RADIOWAVES OF METERS OR MORE THE NAME MICROWAVE MEANING SHORTER WAVELENGTHS HAS BEEN USED TO DESIGNATE THIS FREQUENCY RANGE SOME FAMILIAR USES OF MICROWAVES INCLUDE MEDICAL DIATHERMY MACHINES MICROWAVE OVENS TELEVISION TRANSMISSION RADARS AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS LIKE VISIBLE LIGHT INFRARED AND OTHER RADIO FREQUENCIES MICROWAVES ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS NONIONIZING ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION THE TERM RADIATION SIMPLY REFERS TO ENERGY WHICH CAN TRAVEL THROUGH THE AIR WITHOUT THE USE OF WIRES NONIONIZING RADIATION IS ENERGY WHICH DOES NOT BREAK MOLECULAR BONDS OR PRODUCE IONIZED PARTICLES WHEN ABSORBED THIS RADIATION SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH IONIZING RADIATION SUCH AS X-RAYS OR RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES AND GAMMA RAY NUCLEAR RADIATION WHICH CAN BREAK MOLECULAR BONDS PRODUCE IONIZED PARTICLES CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 05 STATE 166451 AND DO SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE NONIONIZING ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IS PRESENT IN ALL URBAN ENVIRONMENTS AT VERY LOW LEVELS SMALL FRACTIONS OF A MICROWATT GENERALLY THE COMMONEST SOURCE OF SUCH BACKGROUND OR AMBIENT RADIATION TODAY IS TELEVISION AND FM RADIO BROADCASTING BUT THERE ARE OTHER INDUSTRIAL MILITARY AND COMMUNICATIONS SOURCES AS WELL SUCH RADIATION IS PRESENT ALL OVER MOSCOW AS IT IS IN WASHINGTON BUT IN THE EARLY SIXTIES WE FIRST VERIFIED THAT A DIRECTIONAL MICROWAVE SIGNAL OF VERY LOW INTENSITY WAS BEING AIMED AT THE TOP FLOORS OF OUR MOSCOW EMBASSY BUILDING THIS SIGNAL WHICH WE WILL CALL SIGNAL NUMBER 1 WAS ON THE AIR INTERMITTENTLY FOR A FEW HOURS A DAY UNTIL JUNE 1975 IT WAS MONITORED CONTINUOUSLY AND MEASURED PERIODICALLY WHENEVER A CHANGE WAS DETECTED AT ALL TIMES IT WAS FOUND TO BE WELL BELOW ANY LEVEL ASSOCIATED WITH KNOWN BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS NEVERTHELESS A SPECIAL RESEARCH PROJECT WAS CARRIED OUT TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE COULD POSSIBLY BE ADVERSE PHYSIOLOGICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS NO POSITIVE EVIDENCE OF SUCH EFFECTS WAS FOUND AND THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT WAS ENDED A BROADER MORE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM ON THE EFFECTS OF NONIONIZING RADIATION WAS THEN INSTITUTED AND CONTINUES THROUGH THE PRESENT IN THE SPRING OF 1972 A NEW SIGNAL NUMBER 2 WAS DETECTED HOWEVER IT WAS ONLY ON THE AIR INFREQUENTLY AND IT DISAPPEARED AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 IN 1973 A SIGNAL WHICH WE WILL CALL 3-A APPEARED ON THE SCENE FOR A FEW DAYS IT REAPPEARED FOR A FEW MORE DAYS IN 1974 ITS CHARACTERISTICS WERE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT IT HAD A DIFFERENT BAND-WIDTH SPREAD OF FREQUENCIES AND SOMEWHAT HIGHER INTENSITY BECAUSE OF ITS INFREQUENT OCCURRENCE IT DID NOT AROUSE CONCERN IT CAME BACK ON THE AIR IN MAY OF 1975 HOWEVER AND HAS PERSISTED SINCE THAT TIME SOON AFTERWARDS SIGNAL NUMBER 1 SINCE THAT TIME SOON AFTERWARDS SIGNAL NUMBER 1 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 06 STATE 166451 DISAPPEARED ENTIRELY IN OCTOBER 1975 ANOTHER SIGNAL 3B SIMILAR TO 3A BEGAN OPERATING SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD TWO SIGNALS-3A AND 3B BOTH ARE HIGHLY DIRECTIONAL SOMEWHAT LIKE SEARCH-LIGHT BEAMS BUT WIDER AND DIRECTED AT THE TOP FLOORS OF THE CENTRAL WING OF THE EMBASSY THESE TWO BEAMS ARE SOMETIMES ON THE AIR SIMULTANEOUSLY FOR 3 - 4 HOURS A DAY BECAUSE OF THE BEAM-LIKE NATURE OF THE SIGNALS ONLY LIMITED AREAS OF THE CHANCERY ARE AFFECTED AND THE LEVELS OF RADIATION EVEN IN THESE AREAS ARE NOT UNIFORM BUT VARY FROM PLACE TO PLACE AND WITHIN ANY ONE ROOM A NUMBER OF THEORIES HAVE BEEN ADVANCED AS TO THE PURPOSE OF THESE SIGNALS ONLY THE SOVIET AUTHORITIES ARE IN A POSITION TO GIVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER AS TO WHICH OF THEM IS CORRECT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE WHATEVER THAT THE AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE OR STAFF APARTMENTS OFFICES ETC OUTSIDE THE CHANCERY ARE AFFECTED BY SIMILAR SIGNALS RECENT CHECKS HAVE CONFIRMED THIS AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED SIGNAL CHARACTERISTICS THESE RADIO SIGNALS ARE DEFINED BY THE INTENSITY DURATION SPECIFIC FREQUENCIES BANDWIDTH SPREAD OF FREQUENCIES AND MODULATIONS HOW THE WAVEFORMS ARE SHAPED WE MEASURE THE POWER LEVEL BY CARRYING INSTRUMENTS AROUND THE EMBASSY WHICH REGISTER THE INTENSITY OF THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS BECAUSE THE POWER LEVEL IS SO VERY LOW THE UNIT OF MEASURE IS IN MICROWATTS ONE MILLIONTH OF A WATT PER SQUARE CENTIMETER DURATION MOST SIMPLY IS THE NUMBER OF HOURS PER DAY THAT EITHER OR BOTH THE SIGNALS ARE ON IT ALSO REFERS TO THE TOTAL PERIOD OVER WHICH EXPOSURES ARE EXPERIENCED THE INTENSITIES AND OPERATING TIMES OF SIGNALS 1 2 3A Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 07 STATE 166451 AND 3B ARE AS FOLLOWS -- SIGNAL 1 WHICH OPERATED UNTIL JUNE 1975 WAS ORIGINALL ON THE AIR FOR ABOUT EIGHT HOURS A DAY OR LESS AND IN RECENT YEARS FOR FIVE HOURS A DAY OR LESS THE MAXIMUM LEVELS WERE 1 - 5 MICROWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER OR LESS THESE MAXIMUM READINGS WERE FOUND IN THE VICINITY OF WINDOWS IN SOME UPPER FLOORS OFFICES AT THE BACK OF THE BUILDING NOTE EARLIER VERSIONS OF THIS PAPER INDICATED THAT SIGNAL 1 PRODUCED A MAXIMUM INTENSITY OF 3 MICROWATTS RECORDS EXAMINED SINCE THEN HAVE SHOWN THAT IN CERTAIN LIMITED AREAS READINGS AS HIGH AS 5 MICROWATTS WERE REGISTERED AT CERTAIN TIMES -- SIGNAL 2 WHICH CAME ON THE AIR ONLY VERY BRIEFLY WAS VERY SIMILAR TO SIGNAL 1 -- SIGNAL 3A WAS FOUND TO HAVE HIGHER INTENSITIES UP TO AS MUCH AS THIRTEEN MICROWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER IN SOME LOCALIZED AREAS IT OPERATED FOR VARIOUS PERIODS OF TIME UP TO AS LONG AS FOURTEEN HOURS A DAY -- IN OCTOBER 1975 SIGNAL 3B BEGAN OPERATING FROM A DIFFERENT DIRECTION THE SIGNAL CHARACTERISTICS WERE SIMILAR TO THOSE OF 3A EXCEPT THAT ITS MAXIMUM INTENSITY LEVELS WERE LOWER SIGNAL 3B ALSO OPERATED FOR UP TO FOURTEEN HOURS A DAY THE TYPICAL TIME DURING WHICH ONE OR BOTH SIGNALS OPERATED WAS 18-20 HOURS PER DAY WITH BOTH ON AT THE SAME TIME FOR 3 - 4 HOURS BETWEEN OCTOBER 1975 AND JANUARY 1976 THE TYPICAL MAXIMUM LEVELS MEASURED WERE UP TO 13 MICROWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER THE TERM TYPICAL MAXIMUM LEVEL TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT ROOMS ARE NOT ILLUMINATED UNIFORMLY BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF AREAS WHERE RADIATION LEVELS ARE VERY LOW AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF MAXIMUM POINTS MAXIMUM LEVELS ALSO VARY CONSIDERABLY FROM ROOM TO ROOM THE TYPICAL MAXIMUM REFERS TO READINGS WHICH ARE COMMONLY THE HIGHEST RECORDED WHEN THE SIGNAL WAS OPERATING IN A HIGH MODE BOTH LOWER AND CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 08 STATE 166451 HIGHER READINGS HAVE BEEN ATYPICALLY RECORDED AT INDIVIDUAL POINTS FOR LIMITED PERIODS THE HIGHEST MAXIMUM POINT RECORDED IN AN ACCESSIBLE AREA WHEN BOTH SIGNALS WERE ON THE AIR AT ONCE WAS EIGHTEEN MICROWATTS FOR THE MOST PART HOWEVER LEVELS WERE SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 EVEN IN THE TOP FLOOR OFFICES WHERE THESE MAXIMUM POINTS WERE OBSERVED MORE RECENTLY POWER LEVELS HAVE DECREASED GREATLY AND DURATION HAS VARIED THE MAXIMUM LEVELS CURRENTLY BEING MEASURED NEAR WINDOWS WITH SCREENING REMOVED ON THE TOP FLOORS ARE TWO MICROWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER OR LESS THESE LEVELS ARE BELOW BOTH THE U S AND THE SOVIET STANDARDS AND ARE BEING MONITORED CONTINUALLY ANY CHANGE WILL COME TO OUR ATTENTION WITHOUT DELAY WHEN THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SIGNALS CHANGED LAST FALL THE DEPARTMENT BEGAN TO CONSIDER COUNTER-MEASURES INCLUDING VARIOUS KINDS OF WINDOW SCREENING ALUMINUM SCREENING WAS FOUND TO DECREASE THE INTENSITY LEVELS BY A FACTOR OF 10 THAT IS BY 90 PERCENT IT HAS BEEN INSTALLED NOT JUST IN THE AREAS AFFECTED BUT THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING THUS WITH THE SCREENING IN PLACE AND THE LEVEL OF INTENSITY OF THE SIGNALS THEMSELVES CUT BACK TO TWO MICROWATT OR LESS MEASURED WITHOUT SCREENS MAXIMUM RADIATION LEVELS INSIDE THE EMBASSY ARE SMALL FRACTIONS OF A MICROWATT IN THE PROCESS OF CAREFULLY MEASURING THE EFFECT OF THE SOVIET SIGNAL OUR EXPERTS DETECTED ANOTHER PHENOMENON WHICH DOES NOT INVOLVE MICROWAVE RADIATION BUT NEVERTHELESS IS MENTIONED IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS FACT SHEET COMPLETE OUR MOSCOW EMBASSY HAS AN EMERGENCY TRANSMITTER WHICH UP TO THIS YEAR WAS TESTED FOR A SHORT TIME EACH MONTH EXCEPT FOR LIMITED PERIODS OF USE DURING HIGHLEVEL VISITS EARLY THIS YEAR ONE OF THESE TESTS WAS CONDUCTED WHILE MEASUREMENTS OF THE SOVIET SIGNAL WERE IN PROCESS IT WAS LEARNED THAT BECAUSE OF ITS PROXIMITY TO OTHER ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS THE ANTENNA FOR THE EMERGENCY TRANSMITTER PRODUCED HIGH LEVELS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION FOR BRIEF PERIODS OF TIME IN THE AMBASCONFIDENTIAL PAGE 09 STATE 166451 SADOR'S OFFICE HOWEVER THE FREQUENCIES WERE WELL BELOW MICROWAVE FREQUENCIES 15 MEGAHERZ COMPARED TO 1000 TO 10 000 MEGAHERZ WHICH ARE THE MICROWAVE FREQUENCIES MEASUREMENTS OF THE LEVELS IN THAT OFFICE UNDER BRIEF TEST CONDITIONS INDICATED THAT THE HIGHLY LOCALIZED RADIATION FELL WITHIN U S SAFETY STANDARDS EXCEPT THAT AT DISTANCES OF A FEW INCHES FROM CERTAIN ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS IN THE ROOM IT EXCEEDED U S SAFETY STANDARDS WE ARE ALTERING THE INSTALLATION TO PREVENT SUCH EFFECTS IN THE FUTURE AND MEANWHILE THE TRANSMITTER WILL NOT BE USED SAFETY STANDARDS Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 MOST COUNTRIES OF WESTERN AND EASTERN EUROPE INCLUDING THE SOVIET UNION AND OURSELVES HAVE DEVELOPED OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS --THAT IS A LEVEL BELOW WHICH EXPOSURE TO MICROWAVE RADIATION FOR A WORKING DAY FOR A NORMAL ADULT IS CONSIDERED ACCEPTABLE ACTUALLY THE UNITED STATES DOES NOT EXPLICITLY LIMIT THE DURATION OF EXPOSURE THESE STANDARDS ARE INTENDED TO APPLY TO PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH OR NEAR RADIATION OF THIS SORT-INDUSTRIAL WORKERS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS RADAR OPERATORS ELECTRONICS TECHNICIANS MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THE LIKE THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOVIET AND U S OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS BOTH COUNTRIES CONTINUOUSLY REEXAMINE THEIR SCIENTIFIC BASIS THE U S OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY STANDARD IS 10 MILLIWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER 10 000 MICROWATTS IT IS BASED ON MINIMIZING THE HEAT STRESS PLACED ON THE BODY BY EXPOSURE LEVELS ABOVE 10 MILLIWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER THE SOVIET OCCUPATIONAL STANDARD IS 1 000 TIMES LOWER 10 MICROWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER FOR A WORKING DAY IN SETTING STANDARDS THE SOVIETS HAVE TAKEN AN APPROACH WHICH IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THAT WHICH SCIENTISTS OF THE UNITED STATES OR WESTERN EUROPE BELIEVE IS JUSTIFIED BY EITHER SCIENTIFIC DATA OR EXPERIENCE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 10 STATE 166451 IN THE UNITED STATES VARIOUS GROUPS CONTINUOUSLY REVIEW NEW SCIENTIFIC RESULTS ANY SPECIAL SITUATIONS AS WELL AS STANDARDS THESE INCLUDE THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH NIOSH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY EPA BUREAU OF RADIOLOGICAL HEALTH BRH OF THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION FDA AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE ANSI AN INDUSTRY UNIVERSITY GROUP THE ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COUNCIL ERMAC AN ADVISORY GROUP TO THE OFFICE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY IN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AND VARIOUS NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES GROUPS OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS ARE NOT DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO THE SITUATION IN THE EMBASSY THERE SOME PEOPLE CAN BE EXPOSED TO THIS RADIATION FOR MORE THAN 8 HOURS A DAY IF THEY LIVE IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CHANCERY THOSE WHO LIVE AND WORK THERE INCLUDE NOT ONLY HEALTHY ADULTS BUT ALSO CHILDREN SICK PERSONS PREGNANT WOMEN AND OTHER GROUPS TYPICAL OF A GENERAL POPULATION THE APPROACH IN SETTING ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS FOR THE GENERAL POPULATIONS WOULD BE THAT THEY SHOULD BE LOWER THAN OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS HOWEVER THE LACK OF Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 CONFIRMED DATA SHOWING ANY HAZARD AT LEVELS BELOW 10 MILLIWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER 10 000 MICROWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER HAVE NOT MADE THE SETTING OF A GENERAL POPULATION STANDARD APPEAR NECESSARY IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE SOVIET UNION AN ARBITRARY FACTOR OF 10 HAS BEEN APPLIED TO THEIR OCCUPATIONAL STANDARD SO THAT THEIR PUBLISHED GENERAL POPULATION SAFETY LEVEL IS ONE MICROWATT PER SQUARE CENTIMETER FOR INDEFINITE EXPOSURE EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE CONCERN OVER POSSIBLE ADVERSE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS FROM THE SIGNALS AT THE EMBASSY WAS STIMULATED BY THE CHANGES IN THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND OPERATION--I E APPEARANCE OF 2 SIGNALS INCREASES IN INTENSITY LEVELS AND PERIODS OF OPERATION--AS PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED ALTHOUGH THE MAXIMUM LEVELS OBSERVED AND THEIR DURATION RESULTED IN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 11 STATE 166451 ONLY EXTREMELY LOW EXPOSURES WE FELT OUR APPROACH SHOULD TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE POSSIBILITY THAT THESE INCREASES MIGHT CONTINUE AND COULD REACH POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS LEVELS THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE RESEARCH AND MUCH KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN ACCUMULATED ON THE EFFECTS OF MICROWAVE EXPOSURES AT POWER DENSITY LEVELS ABOVE 10 MILLIWATTS OR 10 000 MICROWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER AT SUFFICIENTLY HIGH LEVELS E G AROUND AND ABOVE 100 MILLIWATTS OR 100 000 MICROWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETERS MICROWAVE EXPOSURES CAN CAUSE HARMFUL BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS ASSOCIATED PRIMARILY WITH TISSUE HEATING DUE TO ENERGY ABSORPTION THIS PRINCIPLE IS USED IN SUCH FAMILIAR PROCESSES AS MICROWAVE COOKING MEDICAL DIATHERMY TREATMENT AND VARIOUS INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES THE KINDS OF EFFECTS THAT CAN OCCUR AT HIGH LEVELS INCLUDE CATARACT FORMATION BURNS AND OTHER EFFECTS TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH HEATING CLAIMS THAT CATARACTS HAVE OCCURRED AT LOWER LEVELS HAVE NOT BEEN SUBSTANTIATED AND NO CAUSAL CONNECTION HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BETWEEN MICROWAVE RADIATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF CANCER THERE ARE SOME REPORTS IN THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE ASSOCIATING EFFECTS WITH EXPOSURES TO LEVELS BELOW THOSE KNOWN TO PRODUCE MEASURABLE HEATING FOR EXAMPLE THESE INCLUDE A VARIETY OF NONSPECIFIC COMPLAINTS--SUCH AS INABILITY TO CONCENTRATE FATIGUE HEADACHES--AND OTHER FUNCTIONAL AND REPORTEDLY REVERSIBLE CHANGES INCLUDING SHIFTS IN THE RATIOS OF DIFFERENT BLOOD CELLS EVEN THESE REPORTS WHICH ARE MOSTLY IN THE EAST EUROPEAN LITERATURE ASSOCIATE EFFECTS WITH PROLONGED Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 EXPOSURES AT LEVELS GENERALLY IN THE RANGE OF HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS OF MICROWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER WHICH IS FAR GREATER THAN ANYTHING OBSERVED IN THE EMBASSY THERE IS GENERAL IF NOT TOTAL UNANIMITY AMONG AMERICAN EXPERTS THAT EXPOSURE BELOW THE MILLIWATT 1 000 MICROWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER LEVEL DO NOT PRODUCE HAZARDOUS EFFECTS THERE IS LESS UNANIMITY ABOUT THE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 12 STATE 166451 LOWEST LEVEL AT WHICH EFFECTS ARE OBSERVED EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT HAZARDOUS THIS IS THE SUBJECT OF RESEARCH IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES INCLUDING A RECENTLY SIGNED US-USSR COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AGREEMENT THE EXPERT CONSULTANTS WITH WHOM THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE POSSIBLE MEDICAL ASPECTS OF THIS PROBLEM HAVE CONCLUDED THAT WITH CURRENT LOW INTENSITY LEVEL AND WITH THE SCREENING IN PLACE THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN OVER HEALTH HAZARDS THEY HAVE ALSO CONCLUDED THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT ESTABLISHES A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE RADIATION AND ANY HEALTH PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY THOSE AT THE EMBASSY NOW OR IN THE PAST ALTHOUGH IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO PROVE THE ABSENCE OF A CAUSE AND EFFECT RELATIONSHIP THE VALIDITY OF THIS CONCLUSION WILL BE TESTED BY A DETAILED STATISTICAL EVALUATION AND SURVEY PERFORMED BY OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS WE ARE ALSO KEEPING THE HEALTH OF OUR MOSCOW EMPLOYEES UNDER CLOSE OBSERVATION IN ORDER TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT OVERLOOKING ANY HEALTH PROBLEMS WE ARE LOOKING FOR BROAD GENERAL INDICATORS OF ANY POSSIBLE DIFFERENCES IN BODILY FUNCTIONS ONE VERY EASILY OBSERVABLE HEALTH INDICATOR IS THE EVALUATION OF THE BLOOD THIS CAN DETECT CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH A BROAD SPECTRUM OF HEALTH CONDITIONS AND DEVIATIONS FROM ACCEPTED WHITE CELL COUNTS NOT EXPLAINED BY OTHER PHENOMENA FLU INJECTIONS ALLERGIES PARASITES ETC WOULD BE A WARNING SIGN THUS BLOOD SAMPLES OF THOSE AT POST ARE BEING EXAMINED MORE CAREFULLY THAN BEFORE AND A MEDICAL TECHNICIAN HAS BEEN ASSIGNED THERE FOR THIS PURPOSE ANY PERSISTENT ABNORMALITIES WHATEVER THE CAUSE ARE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED END TEXT 9 BEGIN TEXT OF PRESS GUIDANCE QUESTION ONE HAS THERE BEEN ANY PROGRESS IN DISCUSSIONS WITH SOVIETS REGARDING THE MOSCOW SIGNAL ANSWER ONE THE SECRETARY HAS ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS NOTED THE DELICACY OF OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SOVIETS ON THIS ISSUE AND I DO NOT INTEND TO DISCUSS THOSE TALKS IN DETAIL HOWEVER AS A RESULT OF OUR DISCUSSIONS THE Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 13 STATE 166451 STRENGTH OF THE SIGNAL BEAMED AT OUR EMBASSY IN MOSCOW HAS BEEN GREATLY REDUCED FROM PREVIOUS RECORDINGS WHICH WERE THEMSELVES WELL BELOW ESTABLISHED U S SAFETY STANDARDS -URRENT SIGNAL LEVELS ARE ALSO BELOW THE ESTABLISHED SOVIET STANDARD 10 MICROWATTS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER WHICH IS 1 000 TIMES LOWER THAN OUR OWN STANDARD QUESTION TWO WHAT ABOUT THE HEALTH OF THE EMPLOYEES IN MOSCOW NOW OR OF THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED THERE IN THE PAST AMBASSADOR STOESSEL ANSWER TWO THE HEALTH OF OUR EMPLOYEES IS AN ISSUE OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE FOR THE DEPARTMENT AS I HAVE INDICATED BEFORE HOWEVER WE WILL NOT DISCUSS THE HEALTH OF ANY EMPLOYEE AND THAT INCLUDES AMBASSADOR STOESSEL THIS IS PRIVATE AND MEDICALLY PRIVILEGED INFORMATION HOWEVER AS A RESULT OF THE REDUCTION IN SIGNAL STRENGTH AND UNILATERAL STEPS WE HAVE TAKEN CURRENT RADIATION LEVELS WITHIN THE EMBASSY ARE BELOW CURRENT SOVIET OR U S SAFETY STANDARDS THE EXPERT CONSULTANTS WITH WHOM WE HAVE WORKED ON THIS PROBLEM HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN REGARDING HEALTH HAZARDS QUESTION THREE WHAT UNILATERAL STEPS HAVE WE TAKEN ANSWER THREE ALUMINUM SCREENING HAS BEEN INSTALLED IN WINDOW AREAS THROUGHOUT THE EMBASSY THIS SCREENING EFFECTIVELY CUTS THE SIGNAL STRENGTH BY 90 PERCENT QUESTION FOUR WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO SERVED IN MOSCOW BEFORE THE SIGNAL STRENGTH WAS REDUCED ANSWER FOUR IN VIEW OF QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF RADIATION AT LEVELS EXISTING IN THE PAST CONSULTANTS ARE NOW WORKING ON A DETAILED EVALUATION AND SURVEY TO TEST THEIR PROVISIONAL CONCLUSION THAT THERE IS NO CORRELATION BETWEEN THE MICROWAVE RADIATION LEVELS AT OUR EMBASSY IN MOSCOW AND ANY HEALTH PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED BY EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE SERVED THERE QUESTION FIVE DO THE SOVIETS PLAN TO TURN THE SIGNALS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 14 STATE 166451 OFF ALTOGETHER ANSWER FIVE THE STRENGTH OF THE SIGNALS HAS BEEN REDUCED BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN TURNED OFF THE TERMINATION OF THESE SIGNALS IS OUR OBJECTIVE WE PLAN TO CONTINUE Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 TO MONITOR THE TRANSMISSIONS TO ASSURE THAT WE WILL KNOW IMMEDIATELY IF THEIR STRENGTH IS AGAIN INCREASED THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH AN INCREASE IS OF COURSE A MATTER OF GREAT CONCERN FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND FOR OUR EMPLOYEES WE REGRET THAT THE SOVIETS HAVE FAILED TO TURN THE TRANSMISSIONS OFF COMPLETELY THEREBY DEMONSTRATING A LACK OF CONCERN FOR THE LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS OF OUR PEOPLE IN MOSCOW QUESTION SIX WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RADIATION ITSELF ANSWER SIX OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN BRIEFED FULLY ON THE SITUATION IN MOSCOW AND HAVE BEEN PROVIDED A DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURE OF THE RADIATION I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE RADIATION IN THE EMBASSY WITH SCREENING IN PLACE AT PRESENT IS A FRACTION OF A MICROWATT PER SQUARE CENTIMETER IN ALL LIVING AND WORKING AREAS AS I HAVE ALREADY INDICATED THIS IS BELOW CURRENT SOVIET OR U S SAFETY STANDARDS QUESTION SEVEN IS THIS LIKE X-RAY RADIATION ANSWER SEVEN NO X-RAYS ARE IONIZING RADIATION THE DELETERIOUS EFFECTS OF WHICH IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES ARE WELL KNOW MICROWAVE TRANSMISSIONS ARE NON-IONIZING AND HAVE BEEN PROVED HARMFUL ONLY AT VERY HIGH POWER DENSITIES END TEXT ROBINSON CONFIDENTIAL END OF DOCUMENT Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Message Attributes Automatic Decaptioning Z Capture Date 15 SEP 1999 Channel Indicators n a Current Classification UNCLASSIFIED Concepts TEXT HEALTH BRIEFING MATERIALS NUCLEAR HAZARDS RADIATION SHIELDING EMBASSIES DIPLOMATIC PERSONNEL CAT-A Control Number n a Copy SINGLE Draft Date 03 JUL 1976 Decaption Date 28 MAY 2004 Decaption Note 25 YEAR REVIEW Disposition Action RELEASED Disposition Approved on Date Disposition Authority ShawDG Disposition Case Number n a Disposition Comment 25 YEAR REVIEW Disposition Date 28 MAY 2004 Disposition Event Disposition History n a Disposition Reason Disposition Remarks Document Number 1976STATE166451 Document Source ADS Document Unique ID 00 Drafter S WEGAN EUR SOV MGARRISON RBARRY LCK Enclosure n a Executive Order 11652 GDS Errors n a Film Number P840096-1643 P840105-0079 From STATE Handling Restrictions n a Image Path ISecure 1 Legacy Key link1976 newtext t197607109 baaaepfr tel Line Count 625 Locator TEXT ON-LINE TEXT ON MICROFILM Office ORIGIN NODS Original Classification CONFIDENTIAL Original Handling Restrictions ONLY NODIS Original Previous Classification n a Original Previous Handling Restrictions n a Page Count 12 Previous Channel Indicators Previous Classification CONFIDENTIAL Previous Handling Restrictions ONLY NODIS Reference n a Review Action RELEASED APPROVED Review Authority ShawDG Review Comment n a Review Content Flags Review Date 03 MAY 2004 Review Event Review Exemptions n a Review History RELEASED 03 MAY 2004 by ElyME APPROVED 07 SEP 2004 by ShawDG Review Markings Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Review Media Identifier Review Referrals n a Review Release Date n a Review Release Event n a Review Transfer Date Review Withdrawn Fields n a Secure LOCK1 Status NATIVE Subject ELEASE OF MOSCOW SIGNAL FACT SHEET TAGS ASEC AMED UR US To MOSCOW Type TE Markings Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006