Office of the Historian

331. Memorandum for the Files, by Earl H. Luboeansky of the Office of Inter-American Regional Political Affairs1

Washington, May 31, 1957.

PARTICIPANTS

  • Mr. Murphy, G
  • Mr. Haynes, IO
  • Mr. Bane, IO
  • Mr. Snow, ARA
  • Mr. Luboeansky, ARA
  • Mr. Meeker, L
  • Mr. Mayer, L
  • Mr. Crowley, EUR
  • Mr. Kavanaugh, FE
  • Miss Bacon, FE
  • Mr. McClintock, S/P
  • Mr. Leonhart, S/P

SUBJECT

  • Antarctic Policy

A meeting in Mr. Murphy’s office was called at Mr. Snow’s request preparatory to the meeting of the Planning Board of the National Security Council on June 3. The purpose of the meeting was to assure that the Department of State was in agreement with the NSC Planning Board’s draft statement of policy providing for the making of claims in the Antarctic. Mr. Murphy indicated that it was the Secretary’s desire that the United States policy in regard to the Antarctic be reviewed and that provision be made for making claims at an appropriate time in the Antarctic. This appeared to be the general consensus of the group although Mr. Mayer indicated that in the case of EUR a Bureau level policy had not been established. This he said would be done at an early date. In discussing the method of control over the area, Mr. Mayer, EUR,2 and Mr. Meeker,L, expressed opposition to the paragraph in the draft NSC statement of policy regarding possible establishment of the trusteeship. This paragraph, basically drafted in IO, stated, in effect, that a UN trusteeship arrangement over the Antarctic would not provide adequate protection for U.S. and free world interests. Messrs. Meeker and Mayer were of the opinion a trusteeship might be the most feasible method of solving the territorial or other problems relating to Antarctica.

Mr. Murphy in closing stated that the primary consideration was that the National Security Council should go forward to establish a policy providing for the making of claims in the Antarctic. [Page 691] The other matters were not of immediate concern and would have to be worked out in the best possible manner.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 702.022/5–3157. Confidential.↩
  2. The source text is not clear as to Mayer’s identity. He is listed with the Office of the Legal Adviser in the list of participants and with the Bureau of European Affairs in the text. Presumably the reference is to Ernest de Wael Mayer, Officer in Charge of Northern European Affairs in the Office of British Commonwealth and Northern European Affairs, Bureau of European Affairs.↩