ATOMIC ENERGY


    'Although it was agreed that the time for the implementation
  of proviso (a) above was still remote, and therefore no assistance
  ,at this time was required by its terms, certain areas were suggested
  in which the United States and the United Kingdom could be
  of help to Belgium in keeping with the spirit of the 1944 under-
  takings. The field of radioisotopes, student training, and export
  licensing of atomic energy equipment purchased by Belgium in
  the United States were mentioned as examples.
    'In the past year land a half the United States and the United
 Kingdom have cooperated with Belgium in her development of
 the use of radioisotopes. The Atomic Energy Commission has
 given special consideration to Belgian applicants wishing to at-
 tend the Oak Ridge training courses in radioisotope techniques.
 As a result, Belglium ranks first in the number of its nationals
 to attend. Arrangements were also agreed upon in October 1949
 whereby the United States is making available to Belgium valu-
 able assistance in the radioisotope field through the Atomic
 Energy   Commission working with Union Miniere as the
 executive agent of the Belgian Foundation     for Scientific
 Research,
   'The Atomic Energy Commission has also facilitated the visits
 of a number of Belgian scientists to unclassified areas of its in-
 stallations. Funds avallable under the Fulbright Act have been
 used to defray the transportation expenses of a group of Belgians
 who came to the United States to attend the Oak Ridge courses
 and subsequently to pursue their studies at American universities.
   'During his visit to the United States last September, the Bel-
 gian Foreign Minister stated that it seemed advisable, in view
 of the swiftly-moving-course of events, to review the provisions
 of the uranium understanding of 1944, especially with regard
 to matters concerning commercial applications of atomic energy.
 The Governments of the United States and the United Kingdom
 subsequently -informed the Belgian Government that they :would
 welcome .  resumption of the talks initiated in the late summer
 of 1948, since they regarded the problems involved as continuing
 ones which could profitably be subject to periodic review.
   'It was against this background that the recently concluded
 preliminary talks took place. In these discussions, it was made
 clear that the prospects :for the commercial use of atomic energy
 are still a matter of the distant future. Despite this fact, the repre-
 sen tatives of the three countries agreed that Belgium should take
 those steps best calculated to prepare her to make use of the ad-
 vantages it 'is envisaged will stem from the Anglo-American 0bli-
 gations with respect to commercial applications of atomic energy
 when such applications become feasible. The American and British
 representatives expressed'the willingness of their respective Gov-
 ernments to cooperate with the Belgian Government toward the
 formulation and fulfillment of such plans.
 'In discussing measures of assistance which could be taken most
effectively at this time, the representatives of the three countries
were guided, inter alia, by these considerations:


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