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Briefing Paper for President's Press Conference
February 3, 1960
GENEVA TEST BAN NEGOTIATIONS AND DISARMAITENT
QUESTION
Mr. President, there have been reports recently which imicate
that the United States will put forward at the Geneva test ban
negotiations some new proposal to break the present deadlock. Will
we be tabling a new position soon at Geneva?
ANSWER
As you know, last November we entered into joint technical talks
in order to determine whether a sound, technical basis could be worked
out for detecting underground explosions which would allow us to proceed
toward concluding a comprehensive agreement. These talks unfortunately
ended in a minimum of agreement, leaving some major technical difficulties in detecting underground explosions unresolved, and leaving
unresolved the whole question of the basis for conducting on-site inspection. This means that for the time being at least, no effective system
of control and inspection can be agreed in this area. In the light of
this, there seems to be no alternative but to turn to some type of a
phased or limited treaty as a first step, while we seek to resolve in
joint research and experimentation the remaining technical difficulties
and disacreements. At present we are considering what testing areas
should be included in an approach of this type so that those testing
environs that can now be adequately controlled, will be controlled.
QUESTION
If, President, the
report, stated that our
a standby basis. Could
plans to resume nuclear
atomic energy commission, in its recent annual
nuclear testing areas are being maintained on
you tell us whether the United States has any
tests in the immediate future?
REPRODUCED AT THE DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER LIBRARY
ANSWER,
We have no immediate intention of resuming nuclear weapons tests.
To a large extent, our future course of action in this regard will depend
upon developments at the Geneva test ban conference.
ebary or
REPOSITORY. Liscgnfaw
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BOX No.
7
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