12, AEC 781/9 - Request for Release of Information to the U. K.
Mr. Fields and Colonel Starbird reviewed the recommendation es
that the Commission determine that certain information which the
_
y
DOD proposes to transmit to the U, K. is not important information
s\
related to design of the nuclear components of an atomic weapon,
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Mr. Fields added that an AEC working group had carefully reviewed
the documents and the information which they did not believe could
be legally transmitted had been recommended for deletion,
Mr, Murray said that he would like to obtain additional
scientific advice on whether thermonuclear weapon information
might not be more revealing of important design information on
these weapons than comparable information on fission weapons,
Mr. Strauss suggested that the Commission approve the transmittal
of the information which the AEC group had recommended concerning fission weapons and withhold its judgment on any thermonuclear
weapons information, Mr. Fine said that the transmittal of the
thermonuclear weapons information was a policy question rather
than a legal one and that the group had made the judgment required
under the Act, which does not distinguish between fission and
thermonuclear weapons information.
Mr. Strauss observed that the recent Presidential decision
on custody of thermonuclear weapons would partially solve the
problem of transmitting information on these weapons to the U, K.
(See minutes of the Executive Session of Meeting 1118.) He
suggested that Colonel Starbird discuss with General Loper the
problems which the DOD would encounter if the Commission judgment on the thermonuclear weapons information is deferred.
After further discussion, the Commission:
a. Deferred a decision on whether the thermonuclear
weapons information contained in the five Air Force
Special Weapons Center technical memoranda ~ reports,
which the DOD proposes to transmit to the U. K., will
reveal important information concerning the design or
fabrication of the nuclear components of an atomic
weapon;
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