BS |
This
Eble
#4
MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD Afters
SUBJECT:
J
2
3
of
of
CLASSIFICATION CANCELLED
BY AUTHORITY OF DOE/OC
u
tober 24, 1961
tes
gccy0 }
pA
by:
Dick. KOOSLE 10-29-39
NUCLEAR TRSTS‘IN THE TRUST TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS
In response to a cable from Ambassador Stevenson, #1278, dated October
20, 1961, to the Secretary of State on the subject of the importance
of avoiding nuclear tests in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands,
a meeting was held in the office of Mr, Howard Furnas of the State Depart-
ment on October 23, 1961.
were in attendance:
In addition to the undersigned, the following
Captain Join J, Reidy, Office Secretary of Defense (ISA)
Mr. D. H. Nucker, Department of Interior
Mr. Richard Tiatano, Department of Interior
Mr. Austin Acly, Department of State, Office of Dependent Area
Affairs
Mr. Curtis Cutter, Department of State, Office of Dependent
Area Affairs
Mr. Nucker pointed out that the problem at the Eniwetok Proving Ground
lies in the fact that there are approximately 11,000 people within a 600
mile radius of the test site.
The relatively uneducated nature of most
of these people means that it ie practically impossible to get them to
understand in any reasonable way the importance of nuclear weapons testing
to the security of the United States and the free world.
Thies problem
was well recognized before the last test series was completed. About
‘that time the Micronesians were not represented by effective legal counsel,
Mr. Nucker pointed out that they are now well represented legally and he
would expect that they would present an effective legal position Lf we
resumed testing in the Eniwetok Proving Ground.
Be msde a strong plea that we should certainly use either Christmas Island
le Johnston Island if feasible, and if it becomes a metter of choice he
would prefer the Eniwetok Proving Ground over the Bikini Atoll.
Heargued
0200S
that we should only test at Eniwetok Proving Ground if that fe the only
place we can do the type of testing required and that the required test
is in fact vital to our security.
R
tried to argue it before the United Nations.
US D
Rox
He is of the opinion that a
U.N, member would bring the case before the International Court of Justice.
ly ie not sure that we would be able to win the case,
GPSA
gent Stat would prefer not to have it brought up before that
ARCHIVES
could possibly be avoided,
326 U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY.
MSHSSION
Collection
en
4 Mr, Acly discussed the legal situation and expressed some pessimism as to
whetheror not we have a legal position which could stand up under effec| cive attack. He stated that although we may have a legal case we have not
nee.
ony
su
OGM
SSF
General MAWAgeR'S Reading
an Fe ibitod by law,
wae.