308. Statement Prepared in the Office of British Commonwealth and Northern European Affairs1
We can well understand the interest caused by our activities in the Antarctic. Any and all U.S. activities are considered by us, in addition to their immediate practical objectives, which in the scientific field particularly are of benefit to other friendly countries as well as to ourselves, as measures to support the overall U.S. position.
This position is one in which, as the Australian Government well knows, the U.S. does not recognize any of the claims so far advanced and reserves all rights arising out of U.S. activities. We recognize that this is a position which may occasionally be construed as competition with the claims of other nations but, under present circumstances, we see no way which that situation can be avoided.
The immediate practical objectives sought in our Antarctic activities are in conjunction with and in support of the International Geophysical Year, exploration, geography, and the earth sciences. The flights in question will contribute to this knowledge. In addition, they will permit, we hope, the determination of ice conditions immediately before the movement of ships into the area, current [Page 629] weather data and a more precise analysis of the origins of weather in the Antarctic. The scientific data which can be obtained on upper air conditions will be of use to the over-all scientific endeavor planned for the International Geophysical Year. Such aerial photography as may be produced as a result of these flights will contribute to the geographic knowledge of the Antarctic continent. It is, of course, our intention to make all of these data and materials available to interested friendly countries including Australia who desire them.
It is, of course, also true that the interest of the Soviet Union in the Antarctic presents a problem in which we are all concerned. It will be recalled that initially under the program for the International Geophysical Year the United States planned only three or four stations, none of which would have been located within the Australian claimed sector. When it was learned in July that the Soviets would be placing a station on the Knox Coast, the United States agreed at the International Conference in Brussels to establish a similar station to help offset any possible political consequences of Soviet action by insuring the presence of other countries (including the United States) which have a history of past activity in the general area. In view of the fact that we could not establish a station before the arrival of the Russians, the Department of Defense proposed the flights in question, in addition to the more important reasons which I have just mentioned, as a partial substitute. The State Department could see no objection to the project and considered it a routine operation fully consistent with our previous policies and actions. Because the flights were not the result of any new national policy decision, we did not take the initiative for consultation on the survey flight through diplomatic channels. However, because of the concern over the project, and the regrettable lapse over the initial press release, we are now sorry that we did not explain the entire project fully at the outset through diplomatic channels.
It is, incidentally, not yet certain that, following the report of the survey party, we shall actually be able to undertake the proposed flights. It is expected that it will be possible to make a decision on this point within the next few days and we shall be in touch with the Australian Embassy in due course.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 702.022/10–2155. Confidential.↩