MEMORANDUM ~- Disarmament Negotiations
In response to a request by the President, the following chronology
of principal actions and events relating to international negotiations concerned
with disarmament, control of atomic energy and atomic weapons, and
limitation of atomic weapons tests has been provided by the Executive Branch
officials chiefly concerned.
1. The foreign ministers of the US, UK and USSR on December 26, 1945
agreed at Moscow to sponsor, in the UN General Assembly, a resolution
recommending the creation of a UN Commission on Atomic Energy (UNAEC)}).
2.
On January 24, 1946 the General Assembly approved a resolution settingOy
u
up an Atomic Energy Commission,
a
tal
% Cn a “% a
3, The U S representative to the UN Atomic Energy Commission, Bernard
Baruch, presented on June 14, 1946 U 5 proposals for international control
of atomic energy. He called for establishment of an International Atomic
Development Authority which would own or manage all potentially dangerous
activities in atomic energy. The US declared its willingness, under effective
control, to give up its atomic weapons monopoly, destroy or dispose of
its atomic stocks, and turn over atomic secrets to an international atomic
agency in which no nation would wield a veto, The agency would own or
manage all potentially dangerous activities in atomic energy and control and
license all atomic activities in that field. The US proposal specifically
provided that the Authority should be given the exclusive right to conduct
research in the field of atomic explosives, and should foster beneficial uses
of atomic energy.
4, On July 19, 1946 the USSR proposed an alternative plan for a convention
which would forbid "use of atornic weapons in any circumstances," prohibit
production of atomic weapons, and provide for destruction of all atomic
stocks within three months after ratification of the treaty, The USSR
insisted on retention of Security Council veto power over any control system.
This proposal, in essence, remained the Soviet position through the
succeeding years.
REPRODUCED AT THE DWIGHT D.
BISENHOWER LIBRARY
5. On December 30, 1946 the UN Atomic Energy Commission approved by
j. vote of 10 to 0 (with the USSR abstaining) essential principles of the US
-*an for control of atomic energy.
K
E
A
i t
p
m
+. On June 11, 1947 the Sovie
ts ade roposals n he tomic nergy
and use of
produ
outla
for a conve
again calli
‘emmi
ng
wing
nt
ct
ss
They calle ifoonr a separ
of mass destrion
tomic anidonother weapo
uctio
d
ate
ns
n.
C
Contr
a “
f
p
w
w
“nven
tion hich ould rovide or n Internati
ol ommissio
o
n
n"
al Council veto.
ith limited inspection rights, but subject to Security
'. September 11, 1947 the UN Atomic Energy Commission reaffirmed its
-oproval of the US plan by a vote of 10 to 1 (the USSR opposed).
A, On May 17, 1948 the UN Atomic Energy Commission voted 9 to 2 to
adjourn indefinitely on grounds that the Soviet position provided no useful
rasie for further commission discussions.
more
/é