Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, General: Economic and Social Matters, Volume II

Lot File 55D540, Box 2

Agreement Between the United States and the United Kingdom for the Establishment of the Combined Development Trust

June 13, 1944

This Agreement and Declaration of Trust is made the 13th day of June 1944 by Franklin Delano Roosevelt on behalf of the Government of the United States of America, and by Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill on behalf of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The said Governments are hereinafter referred to as “the Two Governments;”

Whereas an agreement (hereinafter called the Quebec Agreement¹) was entered into on 19 August 1943 by and between the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; and

Whereas it is an object vital to the common interests of those concerned in the successful prosecution of the present war to insure the acquisition at the earliest practicable moment of an adequate supply of uranium and thorium ores; and

Whereas it is the intention of the Two Governments to control to the fullest extent practicable the supplies of uranium and thorium ores within the boundaries of such areas as come under their respective jurisdictions; and

Whereas the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland intends to approach the Governments of the Dominions and the Governments of India and of Burma for the purpose of securing that such Governments shall bring under control deposits of the uranium and thorium ores within their respective territories; and

Whereas it has been decided to establish a joint organization for the purpose of gaining control of the uranium and thorium supplies in certain areas outside the control of the Two Governments and of the Governments of the Dominions and of India and of Burma;

Now It Is Hereby Agreed and Declared as Follows:

1. (1) There shall be established in the City of Washington, District of Columbia, a Trust to be known as “The Combined Development Trust.”

(2) The Trust shall be composed of and administered by six persons who shall be appointed, and be subject to removal, by the Combined Policy Committee established by the Quebec Agreement.

2. The Trust shall use its best endeavors to gain control of and develop the production of the uranium and thorium supplies situate in certain areas other than the areas under the jurisdiction of the Two Governments and of the Governments of the Dominions and of India and of Burma and for that purpose shall take such steps as it may in the common interest think fit to:

a. Explore and survey sources of uranium and thorium supplies.

b. Develop the production of uranium and thorium by the acquisition of mines and ore deposits, mining concessions or otherwise.

c. Provide with equipment any mines or mining works for the production of uranium and thorium.

d. Survey and improve the methods of production of uranium and thorium.

e. Acquire and undertake the treatment and disposal of uranium and thorium and uranium and thorium materials.

f. Provide storage and other facilities.

g. Undertake any functions or operations which conduce to the effective carrying out of the purpose of the Trust in the common interest.

3. (1) The Trust shall carry out its functions under the direction and guidance of the Combined Policy Committee, and as its agent, and all uranium and thorium and all uranium and thorium ores and supplies and other property acquired by the Trust shall be held by it in trust for the Two Governments jointly, and disposed of or otherwise dealt with in accordance with the direction of the Combined Policy Committee.

(2) The Trust shall submit such reports of its activities as may be required from time to time by the Combined Policy Committee.

4. For the purpose of carrying out its functions, the Trust shall utilize whenever and wherever practicable the established agencies of any of the Two Governments, and may employ and pay such other agents and employees as it considers expedient, and may delegate to any agents or employees all or any of its functions.

5. The Trust may acquire and hold any property in the name of nominees.

6. All funds properly required by the Trust for the performance of its functions shall be provided as to one-half by the Government of the United States of America and the other half by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

7. In the event of the Combined Policy Committee ceasing to exist, the function of the Committee under the Trust shall be performed by such other body or person as may be designated by the President for the time being of the United States of America and the Prime Minister for the time being of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

8. The signatories of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust will, as soon as practicable after the conclusion of hostilities, recommend to their respective Governments the extension and revision of this wartime emergency agreement to cover post war conditions and its formalization by treaty or other proper method. This Agreement and Declaration of Trust shall continue in full force and effect until such extension or revision.

Franklin D. Roosevelt
Winston Churchill

1. Documentation on the Conference at Quebec between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill, with their advisers, August 17–24, 1943, is scheduled for publication in a subsequent volume of Foreign Relations.