513. Memorandum From McCone to the AEC General Manager1
On Monday, December 23, Secretaries Herter, Gates, Dillon, General Twining, General Cabell (representing Mr. Dulles) and the writer met with Dr. Fisk for the purpose of reviewing the results of the technical conference at Geneva and also determining recommendations to be made to the President concerning (a) the handling of the test moratorium after December 31, and (b) guidelines to be followed by Ambassador Wadsworth when the Geneva conference resumes on January 12.
On Tuesday, December 23, the some group met with the President at Augusta to discuss the above subjects and to receive the President’s directive concerning the policies to be followed.
It was decided:
1. The United States policy with respect to test moratorium which expires December 31, should be as outlined in the attached press release made by the President at Augusta this morning.
2. It is our desire to genuinely seek agreement on test suspension under satisfactory conditions of inspection and control.
3. Since it appears impractical to arrange proper safeguards for small underground explosions, Dr. Fisk’s scientific group are to [Typeset Page 1847] immediately explore and report the feasibility of establishing a threshold (which might be relatively high) and possibly would be expressed in terms of seismograph readings.
4. If it is possible to deal with the question of the threshold in this way or otherwise then the delegation will be instructed to seek a treaty which would ban atmospheric testing and underground testing above the agreed threshold with no prohibition on testing below the agreed threshold level. It is recognized that there is the risk of “cheating” by [Facsimile Page 2] decoupling, but it was felt that this might be an acceptable risk if all conditions would be satisfactorily met which would include, among other things, the installation of adequate number of properly instrumented detection stations and an agreement on a reasonable number of unrestricted on-site inspections.
Note: Further discussion of the risks inherent is decoupling are not necessarily foreclosed.
5. If the Fisk scientific group report that the establishment of a threshold is not feasible then Ambassador Wadsworth will be instructed to seek an atmospheric treaty with no prohibition whatsoever on underground testing.
6. Under both 4 and 5 above it would be agreed that when and as technological improvements permit extending the area of suspension then the treaty will be amended to include such expanded areas. Special emphasis will be placed on the intention of the United States to continue research and to perfect detection methods for the purpose of expending the agreed areas of suspension.
7. Throughout both meetings indignation was expressed by all parties over the intemperance of the Soviet scientists comments at the conclusion of the Geneva technical conference. These statements are to be refuted by Dr. Fisk through public release of the verbatim transcripts of pertinent parts of the conference. Furthermore, the intemperate conduct of the Soviet scientists will be forcefully brought to the attention of the Soviet government through appropriate channels.
cc: Commissioner Graham
Commissioner Flobarg
Commissioner Williams
Attachment
Press Release
- Source: Details decision made by the President on U.S. position in nuclear testing ban talks. Secret; Personal. 2 pp. Eisenhower Library, McCone Papers, Test File, March 1960.↩