Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, National Security Affairs, Volume II, Part 2

Atomic Energy files, lot 57 D 688, “IAEA Status 1954–1955”

The Department of State to the Embassy of the Soviet Union¹

secret

November 3, 1954

The Government of the United States has considered the aide-mémoire of September 22 delivered by the Soviet Government and wishes to make the following comments:

1. The Government of the United States notes with satisfaction that the Soviet Government is now willing to continue the negotiations concerning the peaceful uses of atomic energy which followed upon President Eisenhower’s proposal of last December 8.

2. The Government of the United States has taken note of the “important principles” which the Soviet Government states must not be over-looked in considering this question of international cooperation in the field of peaceful uses of atomic energy. The Government of the United States is prepared to discuss these principles and their application to an agreement between nations to establish an agency to foster the peaceful uses of atomic energy as well as their application to the operations of such an agency.

3. In its aide-mémoire of September 22, the Soviet Government states that it wishes not only to continue the negotiations on the President’s plan for the peaceful uses of atomic energy, but also to continue examination of its proposal of a preliminary ban on the use of atomic weapons. However, since the delivery of this aide-mémoire of September 22, the Soviet Government has appeared to recede from its former position in the United Nations disarmament negotiations that such a ban must precede any useful planning for an international weapons control system. Under these circumstances the Government of the United States assumes that the Soviet Government has modified its earlier position that agreement on a ban on the use of atomic weapons is a necessary condition precedent to useful discussion and agreement in the matter of international cooperation on the peaceful uses of atomic energy.

4. As the Government of the United States has stressed throughout these negotiations, the President’s proposal of last December 8 was not a disarmament plan. It was a definite step in international cooperation to bring the benefits of atomic energy to the peoples of the world. It was also an expression of America’s sincere desire for a new international climate in which the problems of disarmament might find a readier solution. It is hoped that participation by the Soviet Government in implementing the President’s proposal will, by the same token, be a demonstration of its real interest in changing the present atmosphere of mutual distrust.

The Government of the United States believes that the cause of international harmony can be substantially advanced by cooperative efforts to foster the peaceful uses of atomic energy, such efforts to parallel the continuing negotiations looking to the establishment of a general and safeguarded disarmament program. The cause of humanity can only be prejudiced by deferring the international development of the peaceful uses of atomic energy until the immensely difficult problems of disarmament are solved.

5. The Government of the United States notes that the Soviet Government’s aide-mémoire refers to the question of the possibility of diversion of fissionable material from power-producing atomic installations. The Government of the United States suggests that a good starting point at this stage of the United States-Soviet negotiations would be a mutual study of this problem and suggests that it be examined by experts from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States. It would be agreeable to the Government of the United States for such discussions to take place at an early date either in the United States or in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or in some third country. If this is acceptable to the Soviet Government, the time and place of such a meeting could be arranged at short notice.

6. It is noted that the Soviet Government is ready to examine with the Government of the United States the opinion of the Government of the United States that there are forms of peaceful utilization of atomic energy in which there is no need for weapons-grade material. Such applications of atomic energy will be considered by the international conference which the Government of the United States has proposed that the United Nations convene next year. It is suggested that participation by leading Soviet atomic scientists and engineers in the work of this conference will make clear the basis for the belief of the Government of the United States that applications of atomic energy which do not require weapons-grade material can be of great benefit to mankind.

7. The Soviet Government refers to proposals by it regarding the peaceful uses of atomic energy. The Government of the United States will be glad to learn the details of the proposals of the Soviet Government and the extent to which it is prepared to cooperate with other nations in fostering the development of the peaceful uses of atomic energy.

8. The Government of the United States proposes that this note and further negotiations between the Government of the United States and the Soviet Government on this matter of implementing the President’s proposal should proceed in private since confidential negotiations offer the best prospect of a fruitful exchange of views at this time.

Washington, November 3, 1954.

1. President Eisenhower opened his news conference on Nov. 3 by reading a statement indicating that “Today the Secretary of State, Mr. Dulles, is delivering to Mr. Zarubin, the Soviet Ambassador, our reply to the Soviet aide-mémoire of September 22.” The President declined to stipulate the specifics of the U.S. reply, stating in response to a subsequent question that “obviously, I wouldn’t give anything out until the Soviets have had it and studied it. So I think it will have to be confidential for a moment.” (Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1954, PP. 1009–1010, 1013) The Soviet Aide-mémoire of Sept. 22 is summarized in telegram 418 from Moscow of the same date, p. 1518.