Washington, 1 September 1997 (RFE/RL) - The United States says it does not have conclusive proof that Russia conducted an underground nuclear test, but the State Department says it is still troubled by what it calls the seismic event that occurred in Russia two weeks ago.
Spokesman James Rubin said Friday that the incident is under intensive review. He says the United States is discussing the occurrence with Russia, as well as with other countries. Rubin says the U.S. is doing what it is supposed to do in cases such as this, and that is investigate.
Russia denies that a nuclear-type explosion took place near an Arctic test site, and that what registered was an ordinary earth tremor in the Kara Sea, about 100 kilometers from Novaya Zemlya.