Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Austrian State Treaty; Summit and Foreign Ministers Meetings, 1955, Volume V

252. Proposal of the Soviet Delegation¹

CF/DOC/11

Geneva, July 21, 1955.

DECISION OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE HEADS OF GOVERNMENT OF THE FOUR POWERS ON THE REDUCTION OF ARMAMENTS AND THE PROHIBITION OF ATOMIC WEAPONS

I

To lessen tension in the relations between States, to consolidate mutual confidence between them and to remove the threat of a new war, the Heads of Government of the Soviet Union, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and France recognise the need to strive to achieve the earliest possible conclusion of an International Convention on the reduction of armaments and the prohibition of atomic weapons.

As a result of the exchange of opinions on the reduction of armaments and the prohibition of atomic weapons they have agreed on the following:

1. The level of the armed forces of the USA, the USSR, and China shall be established at from 1 to 1.5 million men for each; that of the United Kingdom and France, at 650,000 men for each, while the level provided for China as well as other questions bearing on the armed forces of China shall be the subject of consideration in which the Government of the People’s Republic of China is to participate.

The level of the armed forces of all other States shall not exceed 150,000 to 200,000 men and shall be agreed upon at an appropriate international conference.

2. After the armed forces and conventional armaments have been reduced to the extent of 75 per cent of the agreed reductions, a complete prohibition of atomic and hydrogen weapons shall come into effect. The elimination of such weapons from the armaments of States and their destruction shall be completed in the course of the reduction of armaments, covering the final 25 per cent of the agreed reductions. All atomic materials shall thereafter be used exclusively for peaceful purposes.

3. Simultaneously with the initiation of measures to effect the reduction of armaments and armed forces, and before the entry into force of the agreement on the complete prohibition of atomic and hydrogen weapons, the Four Powers shall solemnly pledge themselves not to use nuclear weapons which they shall regard as prohibited to them. Exceptions to this rule may be permitted for purposes of defence against aggression, when a decision to that effect is taken by the Security Council.

4. As one of the first measures for the execution of the programme for the reduction of armaments and the prohibition of atomic weapons, States possessing atomic and hydrogen weapons pledge themselves to discontinue tests of these weapons.

5. Effective international control shall be established over the implementation of measures for the reduction of armaments and the prohibition of atomic weapons.

6. The Heads of Government of the Four Powers have instructed the Foreign Ministers to endeavour to reach necessary agreement on the still unsettled aspects of the above-mentioned Convention, which is to be considered in the United Nations.

II

At the same time, the Heads of Government of the Soviet Union, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and France, fully determined not to permit the use of atomic and hydrogen weapons, which are weapons of mass destruction of people, and to deliver nations from the threat of a destructive atomic war, solemnly declare, that:

Pending the conclusion of the International Convention on the reduction of armaments and the prohibition of atomic weapons, the Soviet Union, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and France undertake not to be the first to use atomic and hydrogen weapons against any country and they call upon all other states to join this Declaration.

1. Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 63 D 123, CF 614. Translation. This proposal was made at the Fifth Plenary Session of the Heads of Government, July 21; see Document 221.