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United States Department ofthe Interior
va
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
20240
This
2 1978
Winkel:
is a follow-up to my dispatch message,
DOTA NO.
075-TT
BOX Wo.
BCOSHALL.
FCLDEA ASX LP
REPOSITORY 2gé - FORRESTAL
COLLECTION Lekey Ful es
of February 27, 1978, on SB 7-109 providing for a Trust
Territory Fallout Survivors Act to provide adequate medical
care and other benefits to the people of Rongelap and Utirik
Atolls.
for a considerable period of time that
DO
We have been aware
Atomic Energy Commission
(now incorporated
into the Department
i”
P.L. 5-52 of 1973 has not been a workable act.
It was
approved in 1973 by the Acting High Commissioner without the
of Energy) having had a chance to express an official opinion
on it.
The Act of 1973 required the High Commissioner to seek
an executive agreement with the Atomic Energy Commission whereby
the Atomic Energy Commission would be responsible for expenses
incurred under the provisions of the Act.
The Act also set out
very Specific demands.
Our files here do not seem to be complete on the sequence of
events which led to the somewhat premature approval of the 1973
Act other than the Acting High Commissioner felt it politically
expedient to approve it.
However, it has not been possible to
carry out the provisions of the Act.
Neyotiations were undertaken with
the Atomic Energy Commission
after approval of the 1973 Act.
That agency was not prepared
to accept certain conditions laid down by the Congress of
Micronesia,
i.e.,
the
inclusion of all descendants of
exposed
persons and all control persons, as well as all of the costs
specified by the Congress of Micronesia.
While an Agreement
between the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and the Trust
Territory of the Pacific Islands eventually was worked out, it
provided for only partial reimbursement and included anly
exposed persons
NGA.
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wey
and
certain designated
control persons.
ec: |Dr.Robert Conard
Brookhaven National Laboratory, N.Y.
co 4
FF 2 Mo. Y 1999. AuDp . 1g7X
Dear Mr.
;
AOE Ad.
MAR
Honorable Adrian P. Winkel
High Commissioner
Trust Territory of the
Pacific Islands
Saipan, Mariana Islands 96950
x
LSKAOS
WASHINGTON, D.C.
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