of Defense)
A 26 March 59 memo from Quarles (acting Sec.
to the acting Sec.
Tener
pals of the Interdepartmental
of State referes to a 26 Feb. meeting of the princi
Coordinating Group on Disarmegment.
This group agtreed that the various staffs
US delegation and makes several
should developg a fall back position for the
Geneiva and in the test moratorium
interesting points about where we have come at
US was released
Due to the Soviets tests after that time,the
:
:
feel
continue to abide by the
from their voluntary suspension but the pop/ should
ound
a
.
.
exception of some undergroun
suspension until 31 Oct. 59"with the posssible
since 31 Oct. 58.
detection and identifications
tests to gain data for improving the proposed
system.
After 31 Oct.
1959,
we deem
the US should reserve the right to test as
necessary, until such time as there is an agreement to discontinue specific type
of tests under effective control.
The US should take no further unilaterial action
to deny to ourselves the right to test."
Other details and suggestions are made
and it is felt that the fall out position should be resolved to the delegation
before 13 April when the talks will recess “in view of possible termgnation of
the Genefva conference soon thereafter."
Interestingly, the issue ofwhether the detection system had to really police
aRE eehe
?
the test ban or just act as a detusent\was raised openly in the principals discussions and in letters back and forth as to the Geneiva del@gation stands and
the various agencies providing inputs and in early April, McCone wrote to Herter
.
pe
:
4
.
:
(then acting Sec. of State) of the commissions concern that the Geneiva delegation
might look at such a system mainly on the basis of deturance and forget about the
fact that the AEC felt that the important matter was that it truly police a test
ban.