Intensive research has been undertaken to examine the modalities of a possible agreement without the need for access to the territory of the other party. Both the ABM Treaty and the interim agreement stipulate that compliance must be ensured by “national technical verification means”. In addition, the agreements contain provisions that are important measures to enhance the security of offences: both parties agree not to interfere in national technical control. In addition, both countries agree not to take deliberate cover-up measures to impede the review. The agreement is not subject to Senate approval for ratification and came into force on October 3, 1972 with the exchange of written notifications of acceptance by the contracting parties. On September 30, 1972, both chambers of the United States Senate passed a joint resolution of Congress asking the President to seek a future treaty that does not limit the United States to strategic intercontinental forces below the USSR`s borders. The agreement was called “interim” because the parties intended to continue negotiations. In Article VII of the agreement, the parties committed to continue active negotiations on the continuation of restrictions on strategic offensive armaments. That is why, in November 1972, the contracting parties began negotiations on SALT II. The agreement was due to expire on 3 October 1977.
However, on 23 September 1977, the United States unilaterally announced that it would continue to abide by the agreement, while SALT II is still being negotiated, provided the USSR does the same. On September 25, 1977, the USSR made a similar announcement. This agreement paved the way for further discussions on international cooperation and the limitation of nuclear weapons, as seen by both the SALT II Treaty and the 1973 Washington Summit. On June 18, 1979, an agreement to limit strategic launchers was reached in Vienna, signed by Leonid Brezhnev and Carter at a ceremony in the Redouten Hall of the Imperial Hofburg. [11] Official text: media.nti.org/documents/salt_1.pdf A major breakthrough for this agreement was achieved at the Vladivostok Summit in November 1974, when President Gerald Ford and Secretary General Leonid Brezhnev agreed on the basic framework of the SALT II agreement.