tes vecrease in the radionuclide body burden. taterior decided, oi Energy, The Department of the in the light of the evidence presented by the Department that the people living on Bikini should be moved at the earliesc seas ude. an wetial/radiolngice! sulvey currently underway and other radiological tests or Bikini being concucte:! by the Deparement of Enerry will determine whether Bikini #¢o11 can, in tne soreseeable future, be considered as a home forthe Bikini’ pédple. Among the requests of the people of both Bikini and Kili was a 10. request for a statement in writing of the understandings that the repre- 1l. sentatives of the United States conveyed during those meetings and of the 12. commitinents 13. ing are intended to respond to the principal concerns then and there 14. expressed.* that those representatives were willing to make. The follow- 15. 16. Mr. Joseph and Mrs. Van Cleve, on behalf of the Government of the 17. United Staces, and Mr. Winkel, on behalf of the Government of the Trust 18. Territory, offerea the following assurances: ‘ . -19. 20. I. The Government of the United States considers itself generally 21. responsible for the well being of the Bikini people and their descendents 22. and, following consultation with them, the Governmene of the United States will seek to arrange their relocation, permanently, in the most satisfactory 24. manner possible. 25. such authority and such resources aS may be required in order to meet and eUn AUGUSL T4, Ihe Department of the Interior will undertake to obtain 19S. sean ter che Bikini and Kali moctoues. the fonr officers telerred bu abuve were involved in a major airplane accident off the coast of Guam. Although they were among the survivors, their notes taken at the meetings sunk with the airplane. This statement. drafted by Mrs. Van Cleve on August 15 at the Cuam Naval Hospital is intended to be as full as recollections permit, but in the circumstances it may not be complete.