Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, National Security Affairs, Foreign Economic Policy, Volume I

800.014 Antarctic/9–1349

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Northern European Affairs (Hulley)

confidential

[Washington,] September 13, 1949.

Participants:	Mr. C. A. Gerald Meade, Counselor, British Embassy
	Mr. D. C. Tebbit, Second Secretary, British Embassy
	Mr. Benjamin M. Hulley, Chief, NOE
	Mr. Caspar D. Green, NOE

Mr. Meade and Mr. Tebbit came in this afternoon at my request. I handed them copies of the draft for a declaration on Antarctica, embodying the Chilean suggestion for a modus vivendi¹ as modified by us. I said that we thought that this represents the best move which can be made now, and that we were handing it to them for their comment. Mr. Meade said that they would send it in the next air pouch to London and request London’s cable comment.

Mr. Meade asked if we were giving this to anyone else or consulting anyone else now. I replied in the negative, adding that we plan in the near future to consult with the Chileans as to the best manner of bringing the proposal to the attention of the other countries concerned. I said that we thought the Chileans might prefer to take the initiative since the original suggestion was theirs. Otherwise, we would make a reply, enclosing this draft, to the Chilean aide-mémoire of last year, and would circulate the reply to the other interested countries.

In reply to Mr. Mead’s inquiry, I confirmed that in the circumstances we would prefer the British not to consult the Commonwealth countries on the subject at this stage. We did want the British comment, but in view of Chile’s special position in this instance, we felt that Chile should be consulted next.

Mr. Meade said that it would be his guess that the British Foreign Office would welcome any constructive approach to the question.² He asked whether this represented the approved position of the United States Government or if they should regard it as merely preliminary. 1 said that it was an approved position.

Mr. Meade inquired if we had had any official Soviet communication on the subject of Antarctica. I replied in the negative. He asked also about the Belgians, and I said that they had continued to demonstrate an interest in the subject. He wondered if there had been indications of special interest or thought on the subject from the claimant countries other than Chile. I replied in the negative.

Benjamin M. Hulley

[Annex]

Draft Declaration on Antarctica, Prepared by the Department of State³

[Washington, undated.]

Assembled in the city of _______, Messrs. _______, duly authorized representatives of the Governments of Argentina, Australia, Chile, United States of America, France, Norway, New Zealand and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have examined the Antarctic problem and having regard to the following points:

That in the Antarctic continent there still exist vast regions not yet well explored or mapped;

That the scientific data which may be obtained from the Antarctic on meteorology, terrestrial magnetism, cosmic rays, geology, marine biology, et cetera, are or can be of great value for marine and air navigation, in the use of telecommunications, the development of agriculture and many other human activities;

That it is the desire of the respective Governments to maintain close and friendly relations and avoid any cause for international disagreement, and that it is desirable, therefore, to prevent conflicts of sovereignty or of any other kind from disturbing such friendly relations; and

That their Governments are engaged in conversations and exchanges of views looking toward an amicable, mutually satisfactory solution of the territorial problem of Antarctica;

Declare the following on behalf of their Governments:

1. That they are disposed to consider and discuss suggestions for methods of settling the territorial problem of Antarctica.

2. That, for the period of this declaration, the establishment of new stations, the carrying out of expeditions, or the exercise of like activities in territory south of 60° south latitude will not prejudice the rights, as they now exist, of their respective countries within the region, and that the maintenance of present stations, the establishment of new stations, the dispatch of expeditions or the carrying out of other activities during the period of this declaration shall not be invoked against other signatories of this declaration as a basis for claims to sovereignty in the region.

3. That each of the Governments here represented hereby grants authority to the Government and nationals of each of the other countries here represented to conduct exploration and scientific research in the area of its claim.

4. That their Governments will carry out an exchange of scientific information regarding Antarctica, including the regular exchange of books, pamphlets, magazines, maps, navigation charts, photographs, schedules, computations, and in general, scientific data which they may possess or obtain regarding Antarctica.

5. That their Governments will encourage the sending to Antarctica of technical and scientific expeditions and will furnish to expeditions under the flag of any other declarant country facilities for provisioning and other facilities in accordance with international usage.

6. That their Governments will create a committee consisting of one member from each declarant country to which each country will report projected activities in the Antarctic area and the results of scientific investigations and research upon the completion of such activities.

7. That the committee shall not have authority to request changes in the plans of any country, but will provide information concerning prior plans of any other country which may be duplicated by new projects or which may occupy expedition sites which would inconvenience the project.

8. The committee shall have authority, on behalf of the signatory countries, to grant permission to countries other than the signatory countries to conduct exploration and scientific investigation and research in the Antarctic area. However, the signatories will not recognize such expeditions carried out during the life of this agreement as a basis for territorial claims.

9. The signatories of this declaration will act in cooperation for the advancement of their common interests and protection of their rights in the area.

The present Declaration will take effect from this date and will remain in effect for a period of five [ten]⁴ years. Six months before the expiration of this time limit, the signatory Governments will consult one another regarding the advantages of meeting in an Antarctic Polar Conference. If none of the signatory Governments should notify the others that it wishes to terminate this Declaration on the date referred to, it will continue in effect for another like period.

Done in the City of __________, on the ________ day of the month of __________ in the year 19.

1. Regarding the Chilean (Eseudero) proposal of July 1948, see footnote 2 to Hulley’s memorandum of conversation of March 23, p. 795.
2. Regarding the British response to the draft declaration on Antarctica, see footnote 3, below.
3. On October 19 British Embassy Second Secretary Tebbit brought to the Department of State an informal Embassy memorandum which set forth the Foreign Office’s preliminary views on the draft agreement printed here. The memorandum, dated October 18, not printed, indicated that the United Kingdom Government recognized this draft agreement might afford a useful interim policy and would be willing to accept the proposals as a basis of discussion if other interested powers did so too. The memorandum offered suggestions for drafting refinements for articles 2, 3, and 9 which were later reflected in subsequent revisions of the draft agreement. The memorandum also indicated some British objection to the international committee envisaged in article 8. The British preferred a provision limited to providing for consultation among participating governments in the event a non-participating government wished to undertake activities in Antarctica (800.014/10–1949). In a memorandum of November 8 to Hulley, not printed, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Thompson stated that the British objection to article 8 had merit, and he suggested redrafting the article so as to eliminate reference to an international committee (800.014 Antarctic/11–849).
4. Brackets appear in the source text.