The Honorable Wallace ©. Green
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary
Territorial & International Affairs
August 8, 1980
Page Eleven
of medical care to the northern Marshall Islands.
The Government of the Marshall Islands firmly believes that every atoll
in the Marshall Islands was "exposed to radiation from the
nuclear weapons testing program” within the meaning of the
Statute.
However, in order to accommodate the President's
focus on the northern Marshall
Islands,
we
suggest the
following possible cocperative approach which follows the
historical Marshallese definition of the “northern Marshall
Islands."
With regard to the people of the northern atolls,
those from Aur north in the eastern Ratak chain and from
Kwajalein north in the western Ralik chain, the Government of
the United States would provide comprehensive primary, secondary
and tertiary medical care, including associated transportation
and communication, as required by Section 102 of Public Law
96-205.
With regard to the people of the remainder of the
Marshall
Islancs,
the
southern atolls,
the Government of
Marshall Islands would assume the responsibility of the
the
United States under Section 102 of Public Law 96-205 to
provide primary medical care.
The United States would make
avallable to the people of these atolls secondary and tertiary
care, and associated transportation and communication, on the
same basis as that provided to the people of the northern atolls.
We look forward to the opportunity to consult with
you on these matters.
Sincerely,
Charles T. Domnick
‘Deputy Secretary of
Foreign Affairs
Enclosures
CTD/cpf
cc:
The Honorable Phillip Burton
The Honorable Henry M. Jackson
Ambassador Peter R. Rosenblatt
Mr. Jeffrey Farrow
Richare D.
Copaken,
‘
Esq.