128. Editorial Note
The first meeting of the Inter-American Committee of Presidential Representatives was held in Washington September 17–19. After attending a luncheon given by the President at the White House on September 17, the representatives of 21 countries were welcomed by Milton Eisenhower, Chairman of the Committee, and Secretary General Mora at the opening session. Milton Eisenhower outlined the plans of the United States Government for joint exploration and development with the American Republics of the beneficial uses of nuclear energy in the hemisphere. His speech is printed in Department of State Bulletin, October 1, 1956, pages 511–513.
The meeting, which involved four working sessions in 2 days, was devoted to the identification of specific problems in the economic, social, financial, technical, organizational and administrative, and nuclear energy fields which the representatives believed merited study by the Committee. The problems proposed for study were summarized in a “catalog of proposals” and presented at the September 19 meeting. This document, dated September 19, is designated Doc. 5 (Rev. 2). It is also listed as the Inter-American Committee of Presidential Representatives (CPR) Memorandum 58 and is in Department of State, OAS Files: Lot 60 D 665, CPR Memos, 1–63. A list of the principal Latin American proposals is Ibid., President’s Committee (to review Activities of the OAS in Economic Fields) October 1956, hereafter cited as President’s Committee October 1956.
Chairman Eisenhower made it clear that the catalog of proposals was simply a listing of the suggestions presented and that their incorporation in the document did not imply endorsement of any kind. While the representatives did not feel in a position to express themselves definitely on any of the proposals advanced, the Committee decided to proceed with the study of several problems in the [Page 468] six fields. These problems are listed in the September 19 draft communiqué approved by the Committee for the press, printed in Department of State Bulletin, October 1, 1956, pages 513–514.
The Committee also agreed that, rather than entrust the assignment of priorities and the consolidation of similar proposals to either a secretariat or subcommittee, the representatives themselves would meet again before the meeting in February 1957 and draft the recommendations. They also agreed that the Pan American Union would prepare factual studies, either at its own initiative or at the request of any representative, while Milton Eisenhower would arrange for the establishment of a small secretariat to assist him and all the representatives. This agreement is recorded in the “Summary Record of Fifth Session, Wednesday, September 19, 1956, 3:00 p.m.” and contained in CPR Memo 58, Department of State, OAS Files: Lot 60 D 665, CPR Memos, 1–63. A summary of the 2-day meeting of the Committee is in circular instruction CA–2700, September 25. (Ibid., Central Files, 361/9–2556)