115. Telegram From the Embassy in India to the Department of State1
17392. Vienna for USIAEA. Subject: Indo-US Nuclear Relations: Decisions Taken at New Delhi Meetings November 10–11.
1. Deputy to the Under Secretary Nye, Assistant Secretary Pickering, and ACDA Assistant Director Van Doren met with GOI reps in New Delhi November 10–11 for further discussions of Indo-US nuclear relations. The Indian side was headed by V. Shankar, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary Jagat Mehta, and IAEC Chairman Homi Sethna, and included other representatives of MEA and the Indian atomic establishment. Ambassador Goheen, Bombay Consul General Courtney, and Pol Counselor Schaffer also participated on the US side. This message deals with agreements reached at the [Page 316] November 11 meeting on the earlier Indian proposal for the establishment of an experts committee on safeguards. These agreements were made on an ad referendum basis, and the Indian side will now submit them to Prime Minister Desai for his approval. Given the range of representation on the Indian side and the acceptance without demur by all of them of the action taken we would expect prompt approval by Desai. A septel covers other aspects of the sessions.2
2. The two sides agreed to the establishment of a committee to be called the “Ad Hoc Scientific Advisory Committee on Safeguards Questions”. It would have the following terms of reference:
1. To examine the options available within the concept of safeguards on all nuclear activities.
2. To survey the types of safeguards being applied in various countries and their impact on the nuclear R&D and energy programmes of those countries in terms of national priorities, needs and interests.
3. To seek to determine whether there is an appropriate IAEA safeguards programme consistent with paragraphs (1) and (2) and without hindrance to the progress of nuclear energy programmes.
4. Composition of the Committee. The two sides agreed that the Committee will comprise five experts. There will be one Indian expert. (We told the Indians that we assumed that this would be Sethna and they seemed to agree.) The Indians will choose a second expert of different nationality. Similarly, the US will have one expert and will select another. We told the Indians that our expert would probably be Gerald Tape. Both sides agreed on IAEA Director General Eklund as Chairman of the Committee, to serve in his personal capacity. The Indians could not agree that the selections that they and we would make would be subject to the concurrence of the other side, as we had suggested. It was decided instead that we and the Indians would consult about each other’s choices. (The impliction of this was that each side would be satisfied with the other’s choice.) In our discussions with the Indians we stressed the advantages of a balanced membership. We reiterated to them that we would have difficulties with the selection of certain nationals, mentioning specifically the Argentines and Brazilians. They appeared to appreciate this, though Shankar stated several times that the Committee’s composition should be on a scientific and not a political basis.
[Page 317]4. The decisions reached at the November 11 meeting have been included in an aide memoire prepared by the Embassy for submission to the GOI. The aide memoire reads as follows:
Begin text:
At meetings held at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi November 10–11, 1978, the United States and Indian sides agreed to the following in connection with the establishment at Indian initiative of an Ad Hoc Scientific Advisory Committee on Safeguards Questions:
1. The two sides will refer the proposals developed at the meetings to their two govts for approval. These include terms of reference for the Committee as follows: (see para 2 above for text of terms of reference)
2. When these proposals are approved by the Indian Govt, Prime Minister Desai will write to President Carter indicating that fact; the United States will then respond.
3. Following approval, the Ambassadors of the two countries accredited to the IAEA at Vienna will be authorized to approach Director General Eklund to request him to serve as Chairman of the Committee in his personal capacity.
4. If sufficient progress has been made by that time, the US and Indian representatives to the INFCE Plenary Session in Vienna in late November 1978 will consult further about implementation of the proposals agreed to in connection with the Committee. Among the subjects of such consultations will be the selection, one by each side, of the additional two experts. Additionally, the Embassy of the United States in New Delhi will consult with the Govt of India on these subjects.
5. Arrangements regarding the establishment of the Committee will be completed by Christmas 1978.
6. The Committee will submit its report to the two govts on an advisory basis by August 1979.
7. Unless there are overriding considerations, the financing of the operation of the Committee will be through each govt bearing the cost of its own representative and of its nominee while the other costs will be shared equally by the two govts.
8. The Govt of India will handle press briefings in New Delhi about the November 10–11 meetings. For that purpose, the following statement was developed:
Availing of the opportunity of the presence of American officials in connection with the Indo-U.S. Sub-Commission on Science & Technology, a meeting of officials of the two govts was held as part of the ongoing dialogue between the two countries on questions relating to their continuing nuclear cooperation. They considered a proposal for the appointment of an ad hoc committee of scientists with a view [Page 318] to examining certain general questions regarding safeguards and related matters.3
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- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780467–0026. Confidential; Immediate; Exdis. Also sent Immediate to Vienna and to Bombay and Islamabad.↩
- Telegram 17390 from New Delhi, November 13, provided further details about the discussions at the November 10–11 meetings. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780466–1170)↩
- In a November 14 memorandum to Brzezinski, Thornton commented on the establishment of the Committee: “The results of Joe Nye’s trip to India are a very pleasant surprise; evidently Desai is doing (by his standards) his best to find a way out. It is still much too early to count chickens however. Mrs. Gandhi will be sure to make a major issue out of any Indian concessions. In talking to State today I urged them to make sure that all relevant US agencies were on board on our accepting the idea. The India Desk, at least, hadn’t seen any reason to consult with DOE—whose equipment, after all, will be subject to inspection by the proposed group.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Thornton Subject File, Box 100, Evening Reports: 11/78–1/79)↩