Department of State Atomic Energy Files
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. R. Gordon Arneson, Special Assistant to the Under
Secretary of State (Lovett)
top secret
[Washington,] December 31, 1948.
Subject:
- A.
- U.S. Request of the Netherlands to Conduct a Joint Survey for
Thorium in NEI.
- B.
- Parallel Export Controls
| Participants: |
Netherlands Ambassador, Mr. E. N. Van Kleffens |
|
EUR—Mr. Jack Hickerson |
|
U—R. Gordon Arneson |
The Netherlands Ambassador, in presenting the attached note which is in reply
to our note of April 13,1
explained that the reply of his Government had been delayed owing to the
fact that only a very few officials know of the 1945 agreement. He explained
that its existence is known only to himself, the Prime Minister, the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Under Secretary of Foreign
Affairs, the Minister for Overseas Territories, and the Permanent Under
Secretary for Overseas Territories.
The Netherlands note confirms the extension of the agreement until August 4,
1951 by virtue of the option exercised by the U.S. and U.K. on April 13. As
to the proposal of the U.S. to send a survey party to NEI, the Netherlands Government expresses its
willingness to have such a survey conducted but feels that in view of the
information transmitted with the note concerning the occurrences of monazite
in the three islands in question, namely Billiton, Banka, and Singkep, there
would appear to be little basis for such a survey. However, the Netherlands
Ambassador emphasized the fact that should the United States Government
still desire to carry out the survey the Netherlands Government would not
only be willing that it be done, but would assist in every feasible way.
Mr. Hickerson and I thanked the Netherlands Ambassador for his note and told
him a reply would be forthcoming in due course after the matter had been
discussed with the Atomic Energy Commission.
The Netherlands Ambassador also referred to the approach made by our
Ambassador at The Hague on September 2, 1948, on the matter
[Page 797]
of instituting parallel atomic energy export
controls.2 He wished to
know whether there was any connection between these two questions. He was
assured that there was not and that indeed the approach on export controls
was being made to a number of governments in the interests of mutual
security. The Ambassador said he was glad to be reassured on this point and
was confident that an eminently satisfactory reply would be forthcoming from
his Government in due course.
[Annex]
The Netherlands Ambassador (van Kleffens) to the Acting Secretary of
State
top secret
The Ambassador of the Netherlands presents his compliments to the
Honorable the Acting Secretary of State, and has the honor to refer to
Mr. Lovett’s Top Secret memorandum dated April 13, 1948, in which notice
was given that the Government of the United States of America, together
with the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland, desired to exercise their option to extend, for an additional
period of three years, the secret agreement between the Netherlands
Government and the Governments of the United States of America and of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, signed in
London on August 4, 1945.
2. In reply, Mr. van Kleffens has the honor to state that, as a result of
the exercise of the said option, the Netherlands Government considers
the agreement as extended for an additional period of three years, i.e.
until August 4, 1951.
3. Mr. van Kleffens has been instructed to add that, the price of
monazite sand being, according to information received by the
Netherlands Government, in excess of the price agreed upon in the
aforesaid agreement for the initial period of three years, his
Government will avail itself of the final sentence of clause 5 of the
agreement, should any purchases be made under that clause during the
period indicated in para. 2 (above).
4. The memorandum of April 13, 1948, also contained a proposal, presented
for the consideration of the Government of the Netherlands, for a field
investigation of the monazite reserves of the islands of Billiton, Banka
and Singkep by three qualified mineral engineers of the United States
Government. This proposal, the memorandum stated, was made with the full
knowledge and concurrence of the Government of the United Kingdom.
[Page 798]
5. In reply, Mr. van Kleffens has been authorised to state that the
Government of the Netherlands will gladly enable three qualified mining
engineers of the United States Government to carry out the suggested
field investigation. Before deciding whether it is worth while to have
that investigation made, the United States Government may, however, wish
to consider the following facts as borne out by data now in the hands of
the mining companies:
- (a)
- On the island of Banka, no monazite is found with a thorium
content of any significance.
- (b)
- Nor does present mining of tin ore on the island of Billiton
yield monazite as a by-product. In former days, monazite was
found in the south-western part of the island (Dendang
district), which was dumped on the spot and left in the
tailings. For the last thirty years, however, this part of the
island has been unimportant for mining tin. There are no data
extant from that former period with regard to monazite content
in the said district, no attention having been paid to it in
view of the very limited possibilities to dispose of monazite.
If desired, the Billiton-Company could carry out an
investigation in the district.
- (c)
- Data on Singkep are annexed.3
In view of these facts the experts consulted by the Netherlands
Government seriously doubt whether the dispatch of engineers for a field
investigation on these islands would prove to be warranted. Should,
however, the United States Government wish to proceed with the idea, the
Netherlands Government, desirous to be helpful, will gladly lend its
cooperation on the basis suggested in Mr. Lovett’s memorandum of April
13, 1948.
Washington, December 31,
1948.
