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to whether this would be joint or coordinate |, that is, this tetting in conjunction
with the Soviet Union. Could you tell us what the argument there is, and what
your own view is ?
THE PRESIDENT:
Well, I'll tell you, Mr. Roberts, having heard of this,
somewhat of this misunderstanding, I had a discuusion with M.-. Kistiakowsky
only this morning. These things are not nuclear weapons testing, they are,
for one simple and as a matter of fact in inany cases I don't think we are
involved in any nuclear explosions except under the coordinated directions
of a body made up of the U. K., USSR, and curselves. That's the way I
understood the agreement, and I believe that you will find that they are not
expected to have anything to do either with weapons development or the
Plowshare Project, anything else except just the tinding out how good this
testing of the weapons below 4.75 are.
Q
(Roberts)
Well, sir, is it your vnderstanding that we woull show
everything involved, mechanism and so on, to the Soviets under this
program ?
THE PRESIDENT: Well now, Mr. Roberts, there are some details I just
can't get downto. You know that. But I would suspect or I would think that
everything that they found it necessary to see in order to determine whether
this thing is effective, they would see and shoulsce.
NowI think that to get a little further on the thing, you might go and get that
statement of Dr. Kistiakowsky's and show it to hirn --- (Conferring with
|
Mr. Hagerty.) Well, Mr. Haserty just reminds me of what Dr. Kistiakowsky
told me, another point. Our people are leaving tomorrow, they will meet
together with the USSR and the U. K. and the U. S. in determining exactly
how we will do this.
@ Charles Roberts, Newsweek.
you mentioned ---
REPRODUCED AT THE DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER LIBRARY
THE PRIOSDENT:
Sir, in connection with the Able trial which
Yes.
Q {Roberts) --- the Soviet goveruinent in that case made no effort to defen
Colonel Able. I wonder if an American citizen were arrested by a foreign
government and brought to trial as a spy, what the policy of this government
‘vould be so far as his defense was concerned ?
ME PRESIDENT: Well, we would certainly offer the guod offices of our
“rnbassy, and see whether there was anything we could do. Of course, we
vould have to do it, it would be an internal matter there and we would have
« do it with the permission of the other country. C©o far as I think that if
“ere is anything wrong diplomatically with my answer, you had better ask
“e State Department, but I think that would be the result.