‘ATOM PEACE’ PROGRAMME

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27426, 12 August 1954, Page 11

‘ATOM PEACE’ PROGRAMME

Report On Talks With Soviet (Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Aug. 10. The United States Secretary of State (Mr Dulles) said that the United States hoped to' proceed with President . Eisenhower’s international “atoms-for-peace” plan with Soviet participation. He said that the Soviet Union’s latest Note on the Eisenhower Plan had been 99 per cent, negative. The United States had asked Moscow whether the reply should be considered a complete rejection. In the meantime Washington was assuming The President set out his proposal in an address before the United Nations* last December. He called for the setting up of a world bank of fissionable materials, which would be available to all countries for peaceful purposes. Mr Dulles said at his press conference today that negotiations with the Russians on the scheme had been kept secret because some persons felt better progress might be made with them in that way. But he was sorry to have to report that private talks did not work out better.than open talks might have. At present, Mr Dulles said, the United States Government was actively considering the prospect of beginning talks at an early stage with other countries which might join the plan, both to contribute materials and share the benefits. He did not name the countries. •