URANIUM OUTPUT OF BELGIAN CONGO

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26026, 1 February 1950, Page 5

URANIUM OUTPUT OF BELGIAN CONGO

Britain, U.S., And Belgium Begin Talks SEQUEL TO CONFERENCES ON ATOMIC WEAPONS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 1! P-m.) WASHINGTON, January 30. Secret talks among the United States, Britain and Belgium on the distribution of uranium produced in the Belgian Congo opened at the State Department in Washington to-dav. Officials said they expected the talks to last for one or two‘weeks. Reuter says that the talks will clear the wav for a new agreement by the three Powers to succeed a still secret agreement signed during the Second World War. That agreement divided Belgian Congo uranium between Britain and the United States, but it is understood that Britain has not taken all the uranium to which she was entitled under the agreement. The present talks follow a series of British, Canadian and American conferences extending over several months. The conferences discussed terms of partnership in the producnon of atomic weapons.

„ , i .° u ne „ of most im Portant subjects discussed during the British, Canadian and American talks was whether Britain should build the very expensive plant necessary to make atomic bombs herself, or whether she should rely on the United States to make facilities available to her. A British official several weeks ago suggested to American officials that Britain might agree not to produce bombs, provided the United States supplied a certain number of bombs for storage in Britain

. ®? ut « r “ys that the opening of the talks to-day appears to indicate that some sort of understanding has been reached on British atomic bomb production.