334. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom1
1563. Re London’s telegram 1093,2 please inform FonOffs London, Wellington, Canberra as follows: US in principle willing participate in proposed quadripartite working level talks which could be held Washington in October. Dept’s first reaction to British suggestion is that creation of condominium including USSR would not best serve interests and security free world and would be inconsistent with present US policy. US itself was about to propose talks leading to merging of claims among present claimants and US and gradual development of condominium starting however with only the sector embracing Australian and New Zealand claims and unclaimed Marie Byrd Land. Later, countries presently claiming other parts Antarctic [Page 711] would be urged to accede to condominium. Immediate inclusion of British was not contemplated solely because of political situation Argentina and conflicting British-Argentine-Chilean claims. Our plans call for keeping arrangements secret until after IGY. This condominium could of course offer to make arrangements with USSR as to any continued Soviet activities. Inform Dept of FonOff reaction these observations.
Repeated Santiago and Buenos Aires for information only not for discussion with governments.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 031.1102/8–2357. Secret. Drafted by Robert Wilson and approved for transmission by Snow and Dulles. Concurred in by Murphy, EUR, FE,IO, L, and S/P. Also sent to Wellington and Canberra and repeated to Santiago and Buenos Aires.↩
- Not printed. (Ibid., 031.1102/8–1357)↩