Document text
Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
Page 1
is a cow of a rwtion of the Demrtmentof State’s willmeet in New Yorkbeginningon June8, 1973. The Department of Statehas askedif we wouldreviewthe enclosedmaterialand up-dateit. I wouldappreciateit if you couldarrangefor this to be doneandhavethe qxiatedmaterialreturnedto me at an
Page 2
Should the Soviet or PRC delegations criticize our use of the Trust Territory for military purposes} the Delegation may reply: “1. The United States makes no apology for maintaining in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands military installations necessary for international peace and security. The need to place the TT.P1under special . security arrangements and specifically under the jurisdiction of the Security Council was accepted by all members of the Security Council in approving the Trust Territory Agreement, ‘which makes the Trust Territory a strategic arch under Articles 82 and 83 of the Charter. Moreover, Article 5 of the Trusteeship Agreement specifically states that, in discharging its obligations under Article 76 (a) and Article W of the Charter of the United Nations, the Administering Authority (in ‘ this case the United States) shall ensure that the TTPI shall play its part in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, in the maintenance of international peace and security. Thus Article 5 of the Trusteeship Agreement specifically authorizes the Administering (a) TO establish naval, military, aid air bases and to erect fortifications in the Trust Territory; (b) To station and employ armed forces in the and assistance from the Trust Territory in carrying out the obligatf.ons toward the Security Council undertaken in this reg:.rdby the Administering Authority as well as for the local defense and the maintenance of law and order within the Trust Territory. .
Page 3
Should the locati~n or components of U.S. military installations be re~uested, the Delegations may reply that these data are essentially security matters and thus.exempt from the reporting obligation under Article 13 of the Trusteeship Agreement. There has been speculation that the United “ States is intending in the near future to”establish a number of new installations on the Territor”y.- Specific reference could be made to the Marianas with the charge that we are separating the Marianas from the rest of the TTP1 for the purpose of establishing bases. The delegation may then want to refer to the Annex Part C, which deals with the.Marianas and especially the latter part of that section. The delegation should respond by saying that any decision to establish additional facilities in the Territory will have to be made in the overall context for U.S. policy aridconditions in the pacific. The delegation should point out that Ambassador Williams said, after his Palau talks, that “the Micronesia Government would be fully and regularly consulted on defense and other security matters also wish to note that certain modest U.S. requirements for land for military purposes were specifically identified at the Hana talks, U.S. representatives stated that under any new relationship between Micronesia and the United States all public lands held \ in the Trust will revert to the new government of Micronesia. The military needs of the U.S. will be - outlined prior to the change in status and will be recognized in the Compact. Land presently in military use in the Trust Territory comprises only 3.8% of the total area of the TTP1. Over the years 21,140 acres of retention
Page 4
lands have been returned to the Trust “Territory Government and the “United States no longer holds any retention land in Ponape, Yap, Truk, or Palau Districts. (The military requirements are further detailed in pages 3 - 4 of the Hana transcript included in Tab D-1 of the Annex Briefing Book.) .. The Delegation should emphasize that we cannot accept the contention that any bases that have been or which mightrbe established in the Trust TerriJory would be against the interests of either the Micronesians or world peace and security.
Page 5
The question of the return of the people of Bikini to their home island has been a matter of on-going concern of the Council for a number of years. .. On August 12, 1968, the President announced that Bikini Atoll could again be inhabited by the people of the Narshall Islands who had been removed in 1946 to permit nu~lear testing in the area. The announcement followed extensive studies by the Atomic Energy Commission, which concluded that the main islands of the Atoll [Bikini and Eneu) are now safe for habitation, and by the Defense Department which concluded that security require- “ ments no longer precluded the return of the inhabitants. A Bikini resettlement program, announced by the Secretary of the Interior in January 1969, will cost approximately !$3million over The initial phase of the program --the cleanup of test-related debris, unusable structures and scrub vegetation over a period of about six months-- was the responsibility of the Defense Department. This was accomplished during the period February - September 1969, with funding to the extent of $600,000 shared by the Department of Defense and the Atomic Energy Commission. Funds to complete the cleanup, to begin replanting and to construct housing and village facilities, are being provided the Department of Interior by the U.S. Congress through the regular budgetary processes. /“ The Ato;~ic,Energy Commissions responsible for radiological safety, including the medical surveillance ofu<~theBikini people after they return to their home atoll. ~ The Interior Department is responsible for replanting coconut trees, construction of housing and community facilities, and the actual resettlement of the Bikinians. Approximately 3S0 Bikinians currently live on Kili and an estimated 200 more
Page 6
“-’In March 1970 the islands of the Bi: i Atoll were officially returned to the Trust Territory Government. The formal agreement between the United States and the Trust Territory Government is the first step in the eyentual transfer cf the land to the people. (FYI: The only remaining Department of Defense interest in military retention areas on two small islets in the Bikini Atoll. These areas may in the future be used to accommodate radar reflecto~ to permit precise navigation in the area. The Department of Defense also retains the right to use the pier, air field, and boat landing area on Eneu Island.] The situatititiregarding the people of Eniwetok District now residing on the Island of Ujelang has been raised in previous years. In 1969 this situation was the subject of a petition. The Delegation may wish to note for the Trusteeship Council that Eniwetc will be returned to the Trust Territory at the end of 1973. (See copy of Article from Pacific Daily News at the end of Section on Military Items.) Ne are additionally mindful of the i?elfare of these people and have taken active steps to insure that current conditions on Ujelang are improved. An ex gratia agreement between the administering authority and i%presentatives of the people was executed in August 1969 which provides for $1,020,000 payment to the people administered through a trust fund. AS trustee, the High Commissioner shall pay to or apply for the benefit of the people all net income from the trust. In addition, principal may also be paid out. situation and ~n conditions in Ebeye in general. If asked about the desire of the former inhabitants {originally 1S8 people) of the Mid-Corridor of Kwajalein Atollto return to their homes, the Delegation may wish to state that the possibility of returning the people has been examined in some detail. For reasons involving the safety of the people themselves, the United States is now “and certainly has been concerned about the welfare of these people. ~ In December 1970 the Defense Department (Army) negotiated a new agreement for compensating the disl]lacedpeople of the Mid-Corridor. It provides that the traditional leaders will receive an annual payment of $420,000 to be distributed as appropriate to people having property rights in the Mid-Corridor
Page 7
(the previous agreement provided $120,000 annually). “ It also provides, upon eventual resettlement the Mid-Corridor, for land clearance and construction of dwellings at Army expense. In addition, those displaced from the Mid-CGrridor currently are giveil rent-free use of quarters on Ebeye Island. The agreement is to be reviewed every five years for possible “changed conditions.” The Delegation, if the Mid-Corridor subject is raised, should point out that this arrangement is generous in view of the relativel small number of people evacuated from the Mid-Corridor area... “ .The United States will continue to review the possibility of returning the people of the Nid-Corridor Islands to their homes. As soon as it is safe to do so, this will Fe done. As for the situation in Ebeye, the Delegation may draw on Ebeye is a small island of about 76 acres three miles to the northof Kwajalein Island in Kwajalein Atoll. Virtually the entire Narshallese population of Kwajalein Atoll lives on Ebeye, as well as substantial number of !4arshallesewho have been attractei to Kwajalein by hopes of employment or through the excitement of livin~ near the facility. The result has been that the population of,Eb=ye has increased drastically and the island is now highly 4,560) is in ex~ess ~f-available housing under normal occupancy conditions. Efforts by the Trust Territory Administration to encourage voluntary resettlement have not been successful. As a result cf an Interior-Army agreement reached several years ago, the A~my has constructed on Ebeye .a total of 308 housing units, a salt water sewer system, an “electricalpower plant, public wo~ks hrarehouses and a water distribution system. Current plans call for improved health, education, recreational and other services for the Ebeye people. \ . If this subject is raised, the Dele~ationmay point out that this Island is not part of the Trust Ter:.itory. Regarding the chemical munition of this Island, the De~.egation should note the remoteness of the Island and state categorically that there is no hazard of any sort to the people of.l!icronesia or for that matter, to the people of Hawaii which is much closer to Johnston
Page 8
Congressman Ataji Bales (Congressman for the Rongelap people] will probably appeax before the Council’withhis complaint that the U.S. “knowingly and consciously” allowed the people of Rongelap and Utirik to be exposed to nuclear fall out in 1954 and that they have not been properly compensated nor have they received proper medical care. The people of these Islands are regularly examined by doctors from the AEC for further evidence of radiation related illnesses. Evidence occurred in the Marshall Islands this part year that herald possible trouble ahead for the 1972 examinations. Marshallese Congressman Bales in talks and statements to the press stated that he believed the AEC medical team was withholding information about radiation effects in the exposed people. He believeclthat the team was onl,yinterested in scientific aspects of the examination and not treatment of the people; that the people were being used as guinea pigs; “that the compensation given the Rongelap people was much lower “ than that given to Japanese fishermen who were exposed on the Lucky Dragon (L.D. eposide dealt with later). In October 1971 an exchange of letters was published in t e dioml press between Congressman Bales and Dr. R+ Conard of EC/ in which a number of questions of Mr. Bales were answered by Dr. Conard;regarding the examination of the people. Congressman .Balos visited Japan and spoke to anti-bomb groups both in person and on radio discussing the “plight” of the Rongelap and Utirik people. He received a sympathetic response and invited a “medical team” to come to the Marshall Islands to check the health status and compensation aspect of the exposed pecple. The team consisted of one thyroid specialist, Dr. H. Ezaki, and a Japanese Iroman doctor active in bomb groups in Japan, plus some 8-10 Japanese ‘reporters representing various newspapers in Japan. The team arrived in early December without prior consultation with the Trust Territory and was refused permission tc’tgoto Rongelap because of inadequate visas. The team had to return to Japan without accomplishing their mission. This angered the Micronesia Congressman and the Trust Territory was condemned for ousting the Japanese medical team and the charges concerning the AEC medical examinations were again voiced. Senator A. Kabua of the ?4arshalls stated that he would no longer cooperate with the AEC medical team. During the-AEC’s examination on March 6 at Ebeye Islands all the people were reluctant to report. They had apparently signed statements for Congressman Bales stating that they would not submit to the examinations. The AEC, however, ~ obtained a radio dispatch from Congressmm Bales urging the peep:.e to be examined by the AECand stating thi~t the results of the examination would be evaluzted by the Congressman of Micronesia. After that statement the A C’s doctors..examined about 50-70 peopl.ea
Page 9
Health SErvices of the Trust Territory and Dr. C. Hayakara arrived to join the group as ~irellas ~lr.~~ike~f~lone,~~NSreporter fronl Guam, both of whom had been invited by the Trust Territory to go along. Dr. Exaki failed to arrive, apparently due to pressure from a Mr. Uladong from Palau who had been there as Congressman meeting. The medical team departed for Rongelap on March 11 accompanied by Congressman C. Domnick of the Marshalls and the group was warmly received by Rongelap people. Congressman Domnick, however, advised the people that he had been in contact with Congressman Bales who now advised the people not to be examined. He used the explanation that Dr. Ezaki had not come along on the It appeared to the AEC medical team that many of the Rongelap people were willing to be examined but were afraid to go against the advice of their Congressman. The SEC was, therefore, not able to carry out the examinations and headed back The Luckv Drazon Issue The exposure of the Japanese fishermen on the Lucky Dragon was previously referred to as being an issue of Congressman Bales. These Japanese fishermen were exposed to radiation and subsequently the USG paid the Japanese Government money for their . Misconceptions about the Lucky Dragon The Marshal:.ese and others seem to have a.flrnistakenunderstanding about the compensation given the 23 Japanese fishermen aboard the Lucky Dragon that was in an area about 35 miles east of Bikini when the bomb test detonated. The rnen.an?l.the-...:;. :=-- surface of the boat received a covering of the fallout material. Although the men began to suspect what the material might be, they knes{nothing of decontamination procedures and were-exposed for 14 days during the voyage back to Japan. Within two days ~ after docking, news of their exposure became an international concern. The men were soon diagnosed as suffering from radiation sickness and hovsitalized. One man died six months later of a complicating infectious hepatitis while the remainder were discharged. The radiation doses to the men could not be computed.
Page 10
‘* ~~On January 4, 1955, the United States tendered ex gratia the sum of $2 million to Lhe Government of Japan fo~purposes of compensation for injuries and damages sustained as a result of nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands in 1954. The Japanese Cabinet decided to earmark 75 per cent as compensation to all the components of the tuna industry; $108,000 was allocated to the port city and …
The text continues in the original scan (12 pages).