Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, United Nations and General International Matters, Volume XI

301. Memorandum for the Files, by the Director of the Office of British Commonwealth and Northern European Affairs (Raynor)¹

Washington, May 25, 1955.

SUBJECT

• Department’s Position on OCB Paper: “Location or U.S. Antarctic Interests”

Following receipt of my memorandum of today’s date,² Mr. Bishop (U/OP)³ phoned to tell me that he had received the concurrence of Mr. Barbour (EUR) and Mr. Sparks (ARA)⁴ in a Defense proposal to defer for one year consideration of the OCB paper⁵ on location of U.S. Antarctic interests. Mr. Barbour later confirmed his concurrence in the Defense proposal in a meeting⁶ also attended by Messrs. Parsons and Hilliker.⁷

In the course of the meeting Mr. Barbour said that he was not convinced of the need for the proposed bilateral negotiations in which the U.S. would “trade” its rights in certain areas for those of other countries in other parts of the Antarctic. Unless the need was overriding for a move in the direction of a U.S. claim, he would prefer to acquiesce in the Department of Defense request, particularly since it was providing the money for U.S. activities in the Antarctic.

I replied that no overwhelming case could be made for starting the negotiations now. Events in Antarctica, due to the nature of the region, could never be predicted with complete certainty. We could say, however, that we had already delayed too long in making a claim and that our bargaining position relative to those of other countries would continue to deteriorate in the coming year. The international situation, particularly with Argentina, was now favorable where it had not been in the past and might not be next year. We foresaw that next year there probably would be other reasons for not starting negotiations, e.g., avoiding interference with the IGY. The proposed postponement therefore probably would be for three or four years rather than only one. Mr. Hilliker added that the result of continuing our present policy of reserving rights everywhere would be the eventual limitation of any U.S. claim to the presently unclaimed sector between 90° and 150° w. longitude.

Mr. Barbour reiterated his earlier position.

HR

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 702.022/5–2555. Secret.
2. Not further identified.
3. Max Bishop, Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of State.
4. Edward J. Sparks, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs until June 1955.
5. Document 299.
6. Not further identified.
7. Marselis G. Parsons of the Office of British Commonwealth and Northern European Affairs and Grant G. Hilliker of the Office of British Commonwealth and Northern European Affairs.