Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XXV, Organization of Foreign Policy; Information Policy; United Nations; Scientific Matters

462. Paper Prepared in the Department of State¹

Washington, July 12, 1962.

STATEMENT OF U.S OBJECTIVES REGARDING ANTARCTICA AND COURSES OF ACTION DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS

The basic objective of the United States with respect to Antarctica may be stated as follows: To take advantage of present and possible future uses of Antarctica (political, scientific, economic, and other) that benefit the security and welfare of the United States and to prevent any use of Antarctica which would be detrimental thereto.

This basic objective is the underlying reason for our having undertaken a program of Antarctic activities at the time of the IGY, and of having proposed and concluded an international treaty providing for freedom of scientific research and for the peaceful use of Antarctica.

At the present time, the principal and clearly identifiable profitable use or “resource” of Antarctica is the scientific information which can be gathered there. The benefit derived from this information is increased knowledge in the United States a) of the physical characteristics of Antarctica and b) in those branches of science to which observations conducted in the unique location of Antarctica are especially useful.

Consequently, United States activities in and concerning Antarctica should, first of all, be those of carrying out, providing logistic support for, and promoting international relations which facilitate, a long-term program of scientific observations and studies in Antarctica. However, the operations of United States agencies conducted for this purpose in Antarctica, as well as activities in diplomacy and scientific exchange concerning Antarctica, should, wherever practicable, serve the broader scope of the basic objective.

The nature of future activities which United States agencies may be required to perform in Antarctica to meet this broad objective will be determined in the light of scientific and technological progress, particularly in fields where utilization of the Polar areas is significant, of unpredictable political developments, and of the significance of the area in relation to economic and population growth. As in the case of unknown or unoccupied areas in the past, it is reasonable to assume that the ability to “have things our own way” is more likely to be enhanced by a position of leadership in Antarctic affairs than by letting others overtake us in the scope of what they do regarding Antarctica.

In this connection, the present objectives of Soviet activities in Antarctica apparently are: (1) to increase their scientific knowledge through data obtainable in Antarctica (including that of military value) as a part of their systematic investigations of the earth as a whole from its core to outer space, and (2) to demonstrate superior Communist capabilities by their achievements in Antarctica. In pursuit of these objectives Soviet activities are expected to include as they do now: (a) gradually expanding scientific research and exploration, with long-range planning, and permanent occupation of sites; (b) participation in international scientific cooperation to obtain as much scientific data as possible; (c) increasing participation by bloc countries; (d) expansion of whaling and interest in potential mineral resources; (e) possible use of Antarctica for satellite monitoring; (f) propaganda exploitation of their activities in discovery, scientific findings and in production of reports and maps.

United States activities of exploration, discovery, mapping, the permanent occupation of a certain number of sites, the movement of personnel and equipment to, from and within the Antarctic area, cooperative scientific efforts with other countries, and instances of assistance to other expeditions, besides being a necessary element of a long-term scientific program, are of the kind that maintain the leadership and increase the experience of the United States in Antarctica. We should continue to engage in them, even when the return is not immediately apparent in terms of specific scientific data, so long as they do not disproportionately detract from the carrying out of the scientific research programs and provided the cost of any such particular undertaking is not out of proportion to the reasonably foreseeable benefits to be derived therefrom.

In the light of the foregoing, the following policies concerning Antarctica shall be pursued:

Statement of Policy

(1) To conduct, with adequate logistic support, a long-term program of scientific observations and studies in Antarctica.

(2) In combination with the effort of supplying logistic support for the foregoing, to engage in and encourage other activities that contribute to maintaining United States leadership in Antarctic affairs in view of the basic objective concerning the use of Antarctica.

(3) To observe the provisions of the Antarctic Treaty, make certain their observance by governments and persons of all countries that engage in activities in Antarctica, and conduct our relations with other nations, in particular the consultations under the Antarctic Treaty, with a view to securing the basic U.S. objective concerning present and possible future uses of Antarctica.

(4) To continue the policy of not recognizing any of the claims of territorial sovereignty in Antarctica which have been or may be asserted by other countries, and reserving our rights throughout Antarctica.

(5) To continue the tradition of scientific cooperation in Antarctica and maintain and develop the kind of contacts with foreign governments and their nationals which are advantageous to the United States whether in Antarctic scientific work, or otherwise.

(6) To plan for and conduct all activities in and concerning Antarctica in a manner which assures effective coordination among the agencies having responsibility for funding or executing them, or of formulating policy with respect to Antarctica.

It is assumed that in the absence of developments of overriding importance, the foregoing objectives can be adequately pursued during the next few years without any major change in the level of activities conducted at the present time. The following courses of action should be undertaken or continued during the next several years:

Statement of Courses of Action concerning Antarctica to be Pursued by the United States
during the Next Several Years

1. Continue permanent occupation of McMurdo Sound Station, so long as it can profitably be used as:

(a) a supply base for activities in other locations in Antarctica (administrative services, transportation, communications, storage, quarters, and utilities including nuclear power supply),

(b) a site for year-round scientific studies, such as meteorology, marine biology, and a number of upper atmospheric physics programs,

(c) a site from which to carry out scientific summer studies, such as programs in biology, geology, limnology, pedology, etc., in the surrounding area.

2. Continue permanent occupation of Pole Station, so long as it can profitably be used:

(a) as a site for scientific studies, such as upper atmospheric physics, meteorology, and geophysics, and as a site to carry out specialized programs in the surrounding area,

(b) for its value, because of its unique location, to United States prestige in Antarctic affairs.

3. Continue permanent occupation of Byrd Station, so long as it can profitably be used as:

(a) a site for scientific studies, such as upper atmospheric physics, meteorology, geophysics, and other sciences,

(b) an advance supply base for activities at other locations which can be supplied from Byrd Station.

4. Establish a small, preferably relocatable, year-round site (Eights Station) in the Ellsworth Land area south of the Bellingshausen Sea for use primarily for upper atmospheric physics and meteorological studies to take advantage of a favorable location with respect to the auroral zone, and magnetic conjugateness to accessible land areas of the northern Hemisphere.

5. Investigate the feasibility of establishing a station in the Palmer Peninsula area, possibly in cooperation with one or more of the countries already operating in the area, to be used as:

(a) a site for scientific observations in marine and land biology, meteorology and upper atmospheric physics, the installations to include a biological laboratory facility,

(b) to serve as a supply base for inland geological and biological operations in that area.

6. Continue to maintain advance headquarters in New Zealand with facilities for the conduct of supply operations there and conduct relations with New Zealand in a manner conducive to securing the continued cooperation of that country for this purpose.

7. Secure observance of the agreements with Argentina and Australia concerning operations at Ellsworth and Wilkes Stations, continue arrangements for joint operations at Hallett Station with New Zealand, and participate in activities at these stations to the extent that is useful in the light of the policy directives stated above.

8. Continuation of a coordinated program of aerial photography, geodetic control and cartography.

9. Undertake, as practicable, geographic exploration in Antarctica, by ship, air, and on the surface of the continent, in combination with suitable scientific or supply operations and in cooperation with other countries when desirable, and visits to stations of other countries.

10. Be prepared to exercise rights of inspection under the Antarctic Treaty, exercise these rights at appropriate times and places, and make apparent, as a deterrent, our capability to exercise these rights.

11. Encourage the participation in Antarctic programs of countries friendly to the United States.

12. Engage in programs for the exchange of scientific or other appropriate personnel to participate in the activities of other nations concerning Antarctica and, in particular, assure continuation of the exchange of scientists with the USSR. Within the transportation facilities to and from Antarctica that are available for the purpose of conducting U.S. activities there, maintain the capability of transporting a number of scientists, representatives or invitees of other countries which it is desirable to accommodate to carry out personnel exchange programs, or in view of any other objectives stated herein, including a small number of foreign journalists for the purposes of paragraph 14 below.

13. Continue to participate in international cooperative arrangements furthering the collection, dissemination and analysis of scientific information, both concerning Antarctica and that related to the Antarctic aspects of global scientific studies and programs.

14. Promote publicity concerning U.S. activities in Antarctica which enhances the prestige of the United States.

15. Promote the systematized study of the scientific data gathered through Antarctic operations.

16. Assign responsibilities among appropriate United States agencies for the planning, funding, management, execution and coordination of all activities undertaken in fulfillment of the foregoing courses of action in conformity with the statement of policies set forth above.

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1960–63, 702.022/4–262. Confidential. Attached to an August 22 letter from Special Assistant George H. Owen to Leonard H. Dykes of the CIA, requesting CIA’s concurrence. An earlier version of this paper, dated February 14, was sent on March 2 by Assistant Secretary Cleveland to Under Secretary McGhee for transmittal to the Defense Department, the National Science Foundation, the CIA, the Commerce Department, and the Bureau of the Budget. (Ibid., 702.022/3–262) This version was approved by the CIA on April 2 and by the Defense Department on April 13. The revised statement of policy was approved by all interested agencies at the beginning of March 1963.