Ridge, Tenn. and Richland, Wash. was introduced in the Congress on April 26, by members of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. The Division of Civilian Application (formerly the Division of Licensing) was established in June to administer the Commission's licensing function and related responsibilities pertaining to the civilian use of atomic energy under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954: On March 15 Dr. John von Neumann took office as Commissioner, following his confirmation by the Senate. Appointment of Brigadier General Kenneth E. Fields as General Manager was announced by the Commission, effective May 1. General Fields, former Director of the Division of Military Application, retired from the Army. He succeeded K. D. Nichols who resigned from the AEC on April 30 to become an engineering consultant. In the staff, David F. Shaw was appointed Assistant General Manager for Manufacturing. Mr. Shaw had been manager of the Hanford Operations Office since June 1950. Harold L. Price, Deputy General Counsel, formerly designated Special Assistant to the General Manager for Licensing, was appointed director of the new Division of Civilian Application (formerly the Division of Licensing). W. Kenneth Davis who had been serving since January 1 as Acting Director, Division of Reactor Development, was appointed Director of the Division. Col. Alfred D. Starbird, USA, was appointed Director, Division of Military Application. William C. Wampler was appointed Special Assistant to the General Manager (Congressional). MAIN DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ATOMS-FOR-PEACE • .. PROGRAM the United States pledges. . . to devote its entire heart and mind to find the way by which the miraculous inventiveness of man shall not be dedicated to his death but consecrated to his life." President Eisenhower addressing the Following the President's historic address before the General Assembly of the United Nations, December 8, 1953, the United States Government embarked on a program of international cooperation which has become generally known as the Atoms-for-Peace program. The pace of events was quickened and the scope of the Atoms-forPeace program broadened in late 1954 after passage of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. This revision of the basic atomic energy statute authorized various actions in the international field which had been impossible previously. The acceleration continued into the first half of 1955. Support for the growing number of projects involved took an increasing share of the time and attention of the Commission and staff. This first section of the Eighteenth Semiannual Report of the Commission to the Congress sums up the main developments of the Atoms-for-Peace program in which the AEC played a part during this period. Five major projects were underway including (1) drafting and negotiations looking toward early establishment of an International Atomic Energy Agency; (2) negotiation of bilateral agreements for cooperation between the United States and other nations in the civil uses of atomic energy; (3) preparations for United States participation in the International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, August 8-20, 1955 under the aegis of the United Nations; (4) organization and conduct of United States programs for training and orientation of students and professional men of other countries in the peaceful uses of atomic energy; (5) provision of Atoms-for-Peace libraries of AEC-published reference materials on atomic energy development to other nations which desire such a collection of technical literature in this field. There were several other single actions supporting the Atoms-for Peace idea during the 6 months and these will be noted. Steps Toward an International Atomic Energy Agency The early establishment of an International Atomic Energy Agency of the type proposed in President Eisenhower's address was endorsed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1954. Earlier, the United States, under the leadership of Ambassador Morehead Patterson, appointed especially to negotiate for such an agency, had exchanged views with the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia, Belgium, South Africa, and Portugal on the initial organization and functions of such an agency. The initiative taken by these eight countries was approved in the UNGA resolution. Following the resolution, discussions were extended, and the drafting of a statute for the Agency was set underway. The Atomic Energy Commission has provided technical assistance in the drafting, and has furnished technical information for the use of the United States negotiators carrying on the conversations with other states. While the negotiations looking toward an International Atomic Energy Agency proceeded, the Commission and the Department of State made great progress with the second phase of the Atoms-forPeace program. BILATERAL AGREEMENTS FOR COOPERATION IN THE CIVIL USES OF ATOMIC ENERGY Negotiation of bilateral agreements for cooperation between other nations and the United States in the civil uses of atomic energy was set underway early in 1955. By early July agreements with 27 nations were initialed or signed. After Presidential approval, each agreement was forwarded to the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy in accordance with the requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. By the date of this report, the statutory waiting period had expired on all but 5 of the 27 agreements and they had either been signed or were ready for signature and entrance into force. Standard Agreements for Research Assistance Of the agreements 23 are of similar nature, providing for cooperation in research in the peaceful uses of atomic energy. This group of agreements sets the arrangements for cooperation between the Governments of the United States and Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, Greece, Israel, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Venezuela, and Uruguay. Under each agreement the United States Atomic Energy Commission will provide to the cooperating government unclassified information as to the design, construction and operation of research reactors and their use as research, training, development and engineering tools. It is contemplated that private American citizens and organizations would be authorized to supply to the cooperating government or authorized private persons under its jurisdiction appropriate equipment and services. The proposed agreements further provide that the AEC will lease to each cooperating government up to six kilograms (13.2 pounds) of contained U 235 in uranium enriched up to a maximum of 20 percent U 235. Each recipient government assumes responsibility for using and safeguarding the fissionable material in accordance with the terms of the agreement. Each agreement provides for the exchange of unclassified information in the research reactor field, related health and safety problems and on the use of radioactive isotopes in physical and biological research, medical therapy, agriculture, and industry. Looking to the future, each agreement expresses the hope and expectation of the parties that this initial agreement for cooperation will lead to consideration of further cooperation in the peaceful uses of atomic energy. Switzerland. The agreement with Switzerland covers the sale by the United States and purchase by Switzerland of the research reactor which is to be a central feature of the official United States exhibit at the International Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy at Geneva in August. The price of the reactor, building, associated machinery and exhibits is to be $180,000. The United States will lease to Switzerland sufficient uranium enriched in the isotope U 235 for initial and replacement fuel for the reactor. The quantity of uranium under such lease shall not contain more than 6 kilograms of U 235 (maximum enrichment20 percent), plus such additional quantity as the AEC may determine is necessary to permit the efficient and continuous operation of the reactor while replaced fuel elements are radioactively cooling in Switzerland or while fuel elements are in transit. The relocation of the reactor at another site and the restoration of the Geneva site to its original condition are to be undertaken at the expense of Switzerland. Other provisions of the agreement cover the exchange of information relating to the reactor and its operation, and the sale or lease of materials other than special nuclear materials required in the operation of the reactor and not obtainable on the commercial market. Sale of heavy water. As part of the President's program, the Commission has agreed to sell heavy water for use in research reactors to Italy, India, France and Australia. The agreements with the Governments of Belgium, Canada, and the United Kingdom are of a special and more extensive character. Principal provisions in each, as summarized to the President in the Atomic Energy Commission's recommendation for his approval are as follows: Belgium. There exists a special relationship between the Government of Belgium and the Government of the United States in the field of atomic energy, and beginning with discussions initiated in 1940 the two Governments have closely cooperated with each other in this field. Under an arrangement made in 1944, the Belgian Government agreed with the Governments of the United States and the United Kingdom that all uranium ores wherever located should be subject to effective control for the protection of civilization, and the Government of Belgium undertook to insure the effective control of such ores located in all territories subject to its authority. The Belgian Government also agreed that all uranium ores in the Belgian Congo, including ore from the rich Shinkolobwe Mine, should be made available to the United States and the United Kingdom through commercial contracts, and that it would use its best endeavors to supply such quantities of uranium ores as might be required by the Governments of the United States and the United Kingdom. The Governments of the United States and of the United Kingdom, on their part, agreed that the Belgian Government should participate on equitable terms in the utilization of these ores as a source of energy for commercial power at such time as the two Governments should decide to employ the ores for this purpose. Since the 1944 arrangement, the Government of Belgium, through commercial contracts, has made available to the United States and to the United Kingdom a vitally important quantity of uranium produced in the Belgian Congo. This has constituted a unique contribution to the defense of the western world and to our strength as a nation dedicated to the preservation of peace and freedom. In addition to being the principal foreign supplier of uranium, Belgium's interest in atomic energy is also evident in its strong scientific and technical community. This interest led in 1950 to the establishment of a Nuclear Research Center to coordinate the country's atomic energy programs, and current plans call for work in both the research and power fields. The agreement with Belgium calls for an exchange of classified and unclassified information relating to the development of peaceful uses of atomic energy, and, particularly, the development of atomic power, |