Office of the Historian

Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation, lot 64 D 199

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (Key)

confidential
[Washington,] August 31, 1954.
  • Subject:
  • Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy
  • Participants:
  • The Secretary
  • IO—Mr. Key
  • S/P—Mr. Bowie
  • P—Mr. McIlvaine
  • S/AE—Mr. Gerard Smith
  • IO—Mr. Wainhouse

With respect to the memorandum of August 30 which the Secretary sent to me regarding the item of peaceful uses of atomic energy,1 the Secretary stated that what he had in mind is an agenda item in the United Nations General Assembly which would be introduced following his speech in the General Debate. He stated that he could not devote more than perhaps seven minutes [Page 1507] of what might be a twenty minute speech on the peaceful uses of atomic energy and that what he wants therefore is an agenda item along the following lines: “Report by the United States on the Program of Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy.” This item, the Secretary said, could be discussed in greater detail in Committee by Ambassador Lodge. The Secretary preferred no resolution, just simply a report. If, however, some friendly delegation should introduce a resolution which would give approval to or commend the U.S. initiative so much to the good. However, we ourselves should not introduce a resolution seeking approval.

In reply to the Secretary’s query, Mr. Wainhouse indicated that we are, of course, taking the risk that the USSR will seek to come in on this program. The Secretary replied that this is exactly what we want since from the outset we have been seeking USSR participation in this program.

With respect to the possibility that the report might be placed under the existing disarmament item instead of submitting a separate item, the Secretary stated that he would be opposed to any such move since the concept of the President’s proposal could not truly be regarded as a disarmament proposal. It was primarily humanitarian in character.

The Secretary also went on to say that we ought to continue to exploit in the United Nations the propaganda advantages inherent in this program.

  1. Supra.↩