Statement by Mr. Mason Sears, United States Representative in the Trusteeship Council The fact that anyone was injured by the recent nuclear tests in the Pacific has caused the American people genuine and deep regret. The United States Government considers the resulting petition of the Marshall Islanders to be both reasonable and helpful. Why -- it may be asked -- should the homes of these people, 80 far removed fram international politics and the cold war become the site for such experiments. The answer is that the Marshall Islands were selected only after the most careful examination of every possible alternative site. The United States Government found that there is no other place in.the world, over which the United States has jurisdiction, where experiments of this nature could be successfully conducted with less danger. ; The question may also be asked whether the United States has the right to conduct such experiments: in this area. The Trusteeship Agreement of 1947 which covers the Marshall Islands was predicated upon the fact that the United Nations clearly approved these islands as a strategic area in which atomic tests had already been held. Hence, from the very outset, it was clear that the right to close areas for security reasons anticipated closing them for atomic tests, and the United Nations was so notified; such tests were conducted in 1945, 1951, 1952, as well as in 1954. As to the question of continuing these experiments, which is also raised in the petition, the facts are unhappily clear. \ ‘y No one could reasonably contend that the Soviets should be the only nation to conduct muclear experiments. At issue therefore is not the right to conduct these experiments. The question is wiether the United States authorities in charge have exercised due precaution in looking after the.safety and welfare of the Islanders involved. That is tne essence of their petition and it is entirely justified. In reply, it can be categorically stated that no stone will be left unturned to safeguard the present and future well-veing of the Islanders. The United States Government is confident that future tests can he conducted without any untoward incident, And, finally, the United States Delegation is glad to report that all Marshall Islanders and the American military personnel who were exposed have now recovered. rere e eH 2001022