WASHINGTON, July 7—The United States said today that Soviet authorities in recent months had sharply reduced the level of microwave radiation beamed at the American Embassy in Moscow.

But in its first detailed public account of the situation the State Department nonetheless rebuked the Russians for continuing the radiation even at the current insignificant level. It said this showed “a lack of concern for living and working conditions of our people in Moscow.”

Robert L. Funseth, the department spokesman, said at his regular news conference that as a result of official discussions “the strength of the signal beamed to the embassy in Moscow has been greatly reduced from previous recordings, which were themselves well below established United States safety standards.”

According to: Mr. Funseth, the level of radiation aimed at the embassy was now less than two microwatts per square centimeter. The installation of aluminum screens outside the embassy earlier this year has further cut the level to less than one microwatt, he said.

The New York Times reported on May 2 that the level late last year had gone as high as IS microwatts.

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American industrial safety standards, Mr. Funseth said. permit as much as 10,000 microwatts per square centimeter. The Soviet Union's stricter industrial standards permit, only 10 microwatts.

Mr. Funseth, while providing technical details, refused to comment on why the Soviet Union was beaming the rays, a practice that officials have said began about 16 years ago.

Soviet officials have justified the beams as necessary to curtail American electronic listening devices on the roof of upper floors of the embassy building, situated on Tchaikovsky Street in downtown Moscow.

American officials have privately conceded that these devices exist to monitor Soviet radio and telephone transmissions. They have also said that the monitoring effort was being impaired by the jamming waves.

What has irritated American officials was that the Soviet Embassy on 16th Street in downtown Washington also carries out similar interceptions of radio and phone conversations but has not been subject to the countermeasures because of concern for Americans working in the area.

The beaming of radiation against the embassy in Moscow was known only to a few American officials until last February when Ambassador Walter J. Stoessel Jr. briefed his staff on the situation. News of the briefing was leaked to the press.

The briefing was held because State Department medical officers feared that the radiation might pose a health hazard over the long run, either to the eyes or to the genetic or nervous system.

I Officials have stressed that there was as yet no evidence that the microwaves had been responsible for any illnesses, (past or present.

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Microwaves are unlike X‐rays and are not ionized. X‐rays in excessive amounts can cause cancer, but no connection has been made between microwaves and cancer.

The decision to release information on the embassy situation came after news reports that two young children of em bassy employees had been sent to the United States for examination of unusual blood samples; one has since returned to Moscow.

Mr. Funsten said the discussions with the Russians were aimed at ending the microwave signals.

“Frankly, we regret that the Soviets have failed to turn off the transmissions completely, and thereby, in our judgment, demonstrating a lack of concern for the living and working conditions of our people in Moscow,” he said.

The spokesman was asked why the Russians were being rebuked if in fact they had cut the level below the risk level and he said the continued beams caused a psychological problem.

He also said no concessions were made to the Russians in return for their reduction in beams. The microwaves are said to come from across the street from the embassy. There are said to be two such beams aimed at the embassy.

Mr. Funseth said the discusDepartment had signed a contract with Johns Hopkins University to conduct a survey to see whether there has ever been any correlation between the microwaves and the health of past and present’ embassy employees.