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Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
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1, Appointment of Congressman Aspinall to the JCAE A&. Fields reported that Mr. ~auss had met and congratulated Congressman Wayne N, Aspinall (D- Colosado) on his appointment to the JCAE as a successor to Congressman Dempsey. 2. Stanford Accelerator Project Mr. Fields reported oniMr, Straussl recent conversation with Mr. Donald Quarles, Deputy Secretary of Defense, and said Mr. Quarles had expressed agreement with the Chairman~s position that one agency rather th~ three should be responsible for the S~anford accelerator project and that that agency should be the Atomic Energy Commissio~ He added that the Chairman had also discussed this and that Dr. Xillian had now reversed his support of tlmee agencies and agreed that the AEC should be solely responsible for the projecL Mr. Libby suggested that in proceeding with this project, the Commission should. prior to review of any proposed construction plan% request an engineering design study for the accelerator. Mr. Graham referred to his remarks at the recent GAC meeting about the Stanfoxd project and said he agreed with Mr, Libby$s suggestion that design studies be submitted pxior to a request for construction funds. Mr. Fields said recommendations would be submitted to the Commission within two weeks on measures for proceeding with the Stanford accelerator project with AEC solely responsible for the project. 3. AEC 952/35 - Official Observer Program for HARDTACK General Starbird reviewed AEC 952/35 which contained a recommended official observer program for Operation HARDTACK and commented on the number of proposed observer spaces for the Department of Defense and the Atomic Energy Commission. vl~iti respect to the DOD wish to invite U% Canadian, Austra&an$ and NATO mil~~ary obeerverse General Starbird said the AEC should not comment on this matter but that it would be discussed by the DOD with the Department of State. Mr. Libby questioned whether the list of invitees included alX those government officials invited to Operation REDWING, General Starbird explained why certain oiXiciais were not included but said he would review the list with respect to omissions to avoid any possible embarrassment to
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ma-- ;...Mr. Libby then inquired about the open shot to which U. N. observexs would be izwite& General Starbird replied that this question would be considered by the operations ~oordinating Board On March 19, 1958, and that he would circulate to the Commissioners the memorandum being prepared on the open observer shot for submission to the 0C33 by the chairm~ He then reviewed briefly the detailed plans for the U. N. observers who might attend the shot. He alSO commented on the impact of these observers on the AEC space allotment, In response to a question by Mr. Libby, General Starbird said it might be necessary to exclude press observers also if the U. N. observer progzam weze not approved. Mr. Libby expressed concern about this question of possible exclusion of press observers from the test and the public zelations aspect involved in such action. Mr. Salisbury commented that reco~ea&@ons on alternative press attendance at the test had not been subrni~ed to the Commission pending a decision on the U. N. Mr. Libby then expressed satisfaction with the program for the press in connection with the RAINIER shot and said such a program is - ,:.,~- needed in Operation HARDTACK Mr. Graham then referred to the list of invitees discussed earlier in the meeting and suggested that Mr. James Wadsworth, Disarmament Advisor to #e Secretary of State$ be included in the lis% He also suggested that in view of the impor&@ role in foreign policy formulation of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the House Foreign ~aim Committee, consideration should be given to in~ting these groups.. : In aespoxxse to a question by Mr. Gr~~ General Starbird explained the policy foIIowed in imvit$ngproject managers instead of the high officials of companies having contracts with the AEC. After further discussion the Commissioti % Approved sending, after review by the Director of Military Applicatio~ an invitation genexally similar to Appendix llB1lto AEC 952/35, to the individuals listed in Appendix “A” t~ AEC 952/35, as revised;
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b. Noted that dispatch of an invitation similar to Appendix “B” to AEC 952/35 to the Joint Committee will serve as notification of the program and an invitation to its Chairman and the Committee as a whole, but that similar but somewhat abbreviated letters wUX be sent to the imlividual members of the Joint Committee; and AEC 952 35) to the Secsetav of Defense concurring in part in the Secxetar~s proposals and suggesting certain The Commissioners said that if the OCB does not approve a clean weapon test for UN observers, &2C 952/35 should be resubmitted to the Commission for further consideration 4. AEC ?81/87 - Proposed Transrnit@,l of Weapons Safety Information Unde~ consideration was AEC 781/87 which contained a recommendation that the Commission approve the transmittal of weapons safety information to the UK as proposed by the Department of Defens+ General Statbird referred to the draft letter to the DOD on this matter and suggested revised language in paragraph 1 regarding the special nuclear materials in the weapons in questiow The Commissioners had no objection to the revised language. Mr. Diamond said he questioned whether important weapons design information would be disclosed under the proposed transmittal. Lhfr. Libby said he believed the revised language suggested by General Starbi.rd would preclude this possibility Mr. Graham commented on the close US relationship with the UK and questioned whether it was possible to be more candid in informing the UK of the type of we-~ons involve& General Starbird replied that until the proposed amendments to the &omic Energy Act now being considered are accepted, he believed the proposed transmittal would satisfactorily s ewe the UK need for information. He said the trans. tittal would cor~ect the present impression of high UK oticials regarding the presence of special nuclear materials in weapons in the UK. In xesponse to a question by Mr. Fields, General Starbird commented btiefly on the procedure8 followed in transporting nuclear weapons to the UK, lMr. Fields observed that undex these conditions, an accidental explosion was not possible,