ATOMIC ENERGY 933

“Fourth, [ am aware that you are faced personally. with.a difficult
problem i in view of the forthcoming interpellation in Parliament, which
I understand is scheduled for March 7. The draft communiqué which
follows has been drafted with this problem very much in mind. You
will note that.the communiqué makes reference to the establishment
of continuous consultation through scientific attachés and to future
talks. I wish to assure you that the United States looks forward to
closer liaison i in this matter and will welcome further discussions at
a later date in order to examine means whereby a closer association
may be brought about as soon as future developments may warrant.

“Fifth, in the light of the foregoing comments I recommend for
your consideration the following joint communiqué:

_ ‘Preliminary talks have now been concluded which commenced
on January 30th among American, Belgian, and British repre-
sentatives on matters connected with the Anglo- American- Belgian
understanding governing the sale of Congo uranium ores to the

- United States and the United Kingdom. It is expected that fur-
-- ther talks will be held from time to time.
‘The recent discussions were chiefly directed toward the deter-
mination of measures by which the United States and the United
Kingdom can assist in placing Belgium in a position to participate
on fair and equitable terms in the commercial utilization of Congo
uranium ores when the Governments of the United States and
“the United Kingdom decide to use these ores for commercial
- purposes.
“The remote prospects for atomic power appear to preclude such
a decision for a considerable number of years to come. Never-
_ theless, the three Governments concerned have examined means
- whereby Belgium can be placed in a position to take advantage
of the benefits it is hoped will eventually accrue to the Belgian
‘Government from the understanding referred to above. |
_ *This understanding came into being at a time when the three
sig gnatory | countries. were engaged to the extent of their available
resources in a war of self- defense against the forces of aggression
and totalitarianism aimed at the extinction of Western civiliza-
tion. As a signatory, Belgium contributed in large measure to this
~ common defense. The understanding, which sprang from wartime
necessity as a ‘military arrangement, runs until early 1956. It is
incorporated in a Memorandum of Agreement dated Septem-
ber 26, 1944, the substance of which is given below:

‘The Belgian Government agreed with the Governments of the
United States and the United Kingdom as to the desirability
during the war against Germany and Japan, as well as in the
future, that all uranium ores wherever located should be subject

to effective control for the protection of civilization. To this end,
the Government of Belgium undertook to insure effective control
of such ores located in all territory subject to the authority of
Beloium. |
‘The Belgian Government also agreed that Congo uranium ores
_ should be made available to the United States and the United
Kingdom through commercial contracts. The Belgian Govern-
ment further undertook to use tts best endeavors to supply such

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