BOP EIN
Briefing Paper for the President's Press Conference
April 27, 1960
QUESTION
Mir. President, there have been reports to the effect that you
will establish within the Department of State a new disarmament
agency. Could you tell us something about this?
ANSWER
One outgrowth of this study is reflected in the Department of
State's fiscal 1961 request, now pending before Congress, for funds
for disarmament studies, the hiring of consultants and additional
staff within the Department's disarmament office.
Neus
The matter of meeting the requirements of current and possible
future negotiations in the disarmament field has been a subject of
continuing study within the Executive Branch. The ever-accelerating
technological developments in modern weapons have made such a study
..—.
imperative in order to assure that United States disarmament policy i
does not lag behind these developments.
i Be
While I do not wish to comment specifically at this time on the
reports you have mentioned, I can assure you that active consideration
is being glven to additional ways and means of meeting the increasing
demands, both short and long range, in this field.
QUESTION
Nr. President, General de Gaulle has emphasized, on a number of
occasions, the importance of halting nuclear weapons production,
eliminating nuclear weapons in all forms, and controlling nuclear
weapons carriers. Is this view at variance with our policy?
REPRODUCED AT THE DWIGHTD.
EISENHOWER LIBRARY
ANSWER
As you know, the Allied plan submitted at Geneva sets forth
as one of its ultimate goals the elimination of all nuclear weapons
from national arsenals. While this is the desired goal, I believe
all of tne western nations currently participating in the Geneva
disarmanent negotiations recognize that elimination of nuclear weapons
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