103 AEC/5–2352
The United States Atomic Energy Commission to the Secretary of State
Dear Mr. Acheson : We have received a copy of the letter of May 13, 1952, from the Secretary of Defense to you,1 and have noted [Page 946] the views of the Department of Defense expressed in that letter with respect to the principle of agreement on the international control of atomic energy as embodied in the United Nations plan, or an equally effective plan before the completion of the stages of disclosure and verification.
You will recall that the Atomic Energy Commission’s views on this subject were expressed in my letter to Assistant Secretary Hickerson, dated March 3, 1952.2 In paragraph 6 of that letter we stated that:
“We feel very strongly that there should be consideration given to the compelling need to achieve complete agreement on an effective plan for the international control of atomic energy prior to entering into Stages III, IV and V of [Disclosure and Verification].”3
We note further the suggestion of the Secretary of Defense that there be undertaken the establishment of this Government’s position on the relationship between the proposed system of disclosure and verification, the plan for international control of atomic energy and an international program for the regulation, limitation, and balanced reduction of armed forces and armaments.
The Commission representative, Dr. Smyth and staff, will be prepared to associate themselves with representatives of the Department of State and the Department of Defense in any discussions on this subject.4
Sincerely yours,
Chairman
- Ante, p. 926.↩
- Ante, p. 872.↩
- Brackets in the source text.↩
- In his reply of June 18, Hickerson first briefly reviewed the contents of Dean’s letter, then added: “As you are doubtless aware, this matter is being studied and a paper is being prepared through the Executive Committee on Regulation of Armaments (RAC). Members of the staff of the Atomic Energy Commission are participating actively in this study.” (103 AEC/5–2352)↩