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.