Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, National Security Affairs, Volume II, Part 2

600.0012/3–1754

Memorandum by the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Bowie) to the Secretary of State¹

secret

[Washington,] March 17, 1954.

• Subject:
• U.S. Atomic Energy Proposal

1. Attached is a memorandum outlining a U.S. proposal in conformity with the President’s speech to the U.N. of December 8.

2. This is now believed to be suitable for submission to the Soviet Union.² The draft proposal was prepared largely by the AEC after discussions with State and Defense. This was submitted for comment to the British, Canadians and French, and more informally to the Belgians, South Africans and Australians.

3. The British and Canadian comments were considered at a meeting with Messrs. Murphy, Merchant, Bowie, Arneson and Wainhouse.³ The attached version of the proposal has been revised to include the changes suggested by the British and Canadians which were considered acceptable. These are not believed to change the substance of the original proposal.

4. The Department of Defense and the AEC have both indicated their approval of the proposal in the original form. The minor revisions referred to have been informally cleared with Defense and AEC.

[Attachment]

Memorandum Prepared in the United States Atomic Energy Commission

secret

[Washington], March 17, 1954.

Outline of an International Atomic Energy Agency

The United States Government wishes to submit additional tentative views amplifying the proposals for an International Atomic Energy Agency as presented by the President of the United States to the United Nations General Assembly on December 8, 1953:

I. The Objectives of the U.S. Proposals

The U.S. proposes that there should be established under the aegis of the United Nations an International Atomic Energy Agency to receive supplies of nuclear materials from those member nations having stocks of such materials to be used for the following objectives:

a. to encourage world-wide research and development of peaceful uses of atomic energy by assuring that engineers and scientists of the world have sufficient materials to conduct such activities and by fostering the interchange of information.

b. to furnish nuclear materials to meet the needs of agriculture, medicine, and other peaceful activities including the eventual production of power.

II. The International Atomic Energy Agency

A. The Agency would be created by and derive its authority under the terms of a treaty among the participating nations. To the greatest extent practicable, the treaty should define standards and principles which would govern the Agency in the discharge of its functions.

B. Membership—all signatory states would be members of the Agency.

C. Governing Body

1. The highest executive authority in the Agency should be exercised by a Board of Governors, of limited membership representing governments. In determining the composition of the Board of Governors, it might be desirable to take account of geographic distribution and membership by prospective beneficiaries. It is expected that the principal contributors would be on the Board of Governors.

2. It is suggested that decisions of the Board of Governors generally should be taken by some form of majority vote. Arrangements could be worked out to give the principal contributing countries special voting privileges on certain matters, such as allocations of fissionable material.

D. Staff—The Staff of the Agency should be headed by an administrative head or general manager, appointed for a fixed term by the Board of Governors and subject to its control, and, of course, include highly qualified scientific and technical personnel. Under the general supervision of the Board, the administrative head should be responsible for the appointment, organization and functioning of the Staff.

E. Financing

1. Funds for the central facilities and fixed plant of the Agency and its research projects should be provided through appropriation by the participating states in accordance with a scale of contributions to be agreed upon. It is suggested that it might be possible to utilize the general principles governing the scale of contributions by individual members to the UN.

2. Funds for specific projects submitted by member nations to utilize the materials or services of the Agency should be provided by the recipient country concerned through specific arrangements in each case.

F. The administrative headquarters of the Agency could be located at a place mutually agreed upon.

G. Relationship to the United Nations and Other International Bodies—The Agency should submit reports to the UN Security Council and General Assembly when requested by either of these organs. The Agency should also consult and cooperate with other UN bodies whose work may be related to that of the Agency.

H. The facilities of the Agency would include:

1. Plant, equipment, and facilities for the receipt, storage, and issuance of nuclear materials.

2. Physical safegaurds.

3. Control laboratories for analysis and verification of receipts and inventory control of nuclear materials.

4. Necessary housing for administrative and other activities of the Agency not included in the preceding categories.

5. Those facilities, as might in time be necessary, for such purposes as education and training, research and development, fuel fabrication and chemical processing.

III. Functions of the Agency

A. Receipt and Storage of Materials

1. All member nations possessing stocks of normal and enriched uranium, thorium metal, U–233, U–235, U–238, plutonium and alloys of the foregoing would be expected to make contributions of such material to the Agency.

2. The United States would be prepared to make as a donation, a substantial initial contribution of nuclear material towards the needs of the Agency. The USSR would make an equivalent donation towards these needs.

3. The Agency would specify the place, method of delivery, and, when appropriate, the form and composition of materials it will receive. The Agency would also verify stated quantities of materials received and would report to the members these amounts. The Agency would be responsible for storing and protecting materials in a way to minimize the likelihood of surprise seizure.

B. Allocation of Materials by the Agency

1. The Agency would review proposals submitted by participating members desiring to receive allocations of Agency stocks in the light of uniform and equitable criteria, including:

a. The use to which material would be put, including scientific and technical feasibility.

b. The adequacy of plans, funds, technical personnel, etc., to assure effective use of the material.

c. Adequacy of proposed health and safety measures for handling and storing materials and for operating facilities.

d. Equitable distribution of available materials.

2. Title to nuclear materials would initially remain with the Agency, which would determine fair payment to be made for use of materials.

3. In order to insure that adequate health and safety standards were being followed, and in order to assure that allocated fissionable material is being used for the purposes for which it was allocated, the Agency would have the continuing authority to prescribe certain design and operating conditions, health and safety regulations, require accountability and operating records, specify disposition of by-product fissionable materials and wastes, retain the right of monitoring and require progress reports. The Agency would also have authority to verify status of allocated material inventories and to verify compliance with the terms of issuance.

4. Information about all transactions entered into by the Agency would be available to all members.

C. Information and Service Activities of the Agency

1. All member nations possessing information relevant to the activities of the Agency would be expected to make contributions from that information to the Agency.

2. In addition to data developed as a result of its own activities, the Agency would have available:

a. Data developed by participating countries as a result of the utilization of the materials, information, services, and other assistance of the Agency.

b. Data already publicly available in some of the countries.

c. Data developed and previously held by principals or other members and voluntarily contributed to the Agency.

3. The Agency would encourage the exchange of scientific and technical information among nations, and be responsible for making wide dissemination of the data in its possession.

4. The Agency would serve as an intermediary securing the performance of services by one participating country for another. Among the specific activities the Agency might provide would be the following:

a. Training and education.

b. Services concerned with developing codes for public health and safety in connection with the utilization of fissionable materials.

c. Consultative technical services in connection with the establishment and carrying on of programs.

d. Processing of nuclear materials (i.e., chemical separation and purification, fabrication of fuel elements, etc.).

e. Supply of special materials, such as heavy water.

f. Design and supply of specialized equipment.

g. Special laboratory services such as conduct of experiments and tests.

h. Aid in making financial arrangements for the support of appropriate projects.

1. Cleared by Merchant, Wainhouse, and (in draft) by Arneson. Sent through Robert Murphy.
2. A handwritten notation on the source text indicates that the attached memorandum was “handed to Zaroubin on 3/19/54 by the Secy.” See the memorandum of conversation, p. 1376.
3. Supra.