7 DECEMBER 1962, Page 14

NEED FOR INSPECTION ?

,SIR,--Mr. Bull's analysis of mixed motives behind the insistence on international inspection as an essential ingredient of any test-ban treaty leads one to wonder if verification could not be better left to the agents of the States concerned. Who can doubt that whatever transpires, States will continue to operate their covert intelligence systems? The United States have long used photographic recon- naissance flights for pinpointing Russian missile sites and it seems to have paid dividends. What about starting at the other end with regularisation of espionage activities by mutual arrangement? C. BASIN kr4