More U.S. Uranium For Peace Uses

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28321, 5 July 1957, Page 11

More U.S. Uranium For Peace Uses

(Rec. 11 p.m.) WASHINGTON, July 3.

President Eisenhower today made available about 131,5601 b of uranium-235 for peaceful atomic uses at home and abroad. The allocation brought the total amount of such atomic material earmarked for that programme to about 220,0001 b.

In a statement Mr Eisenhower said: “The distribution of special nuclear material will be subject to prudent safeguards against diversion of the materials to nonpeaceful purposes.” The President also expressed gratification “that the advance toward power and knowledge from the atom is proceeding at a pace which requires provisions of additional supplies of the basic atomic fuel.”

He estimated that at current prices fixed by the Atomic Energy Commission last November the value of the 220.0001 b of Uranium--235 to be sold or leased under the

programme was about 1700 million dollars. Mr Eisenhower said the additional supply being made for distribution “over a period of years” would be distributed this way: In the United States slightly more than 60,0001 b would be available through lease for all licensed civilian purposes, but principally for use in atomic power reactors. Outside the United States about 60.0001 b would be available through sale or lease, to the governments of individual nations or groups of nations with which the United States; concludes agreements for co-, operation. The chairman of the American' Atomic Energy Commission (Mr Lewis Strauss) simultaneously disclosed that the United States today signed agreements with Germany and Italy under which the United States can provide fuel for power reactors in those countries. Previously the United States provided Germany and | t *

Italy with uranium for experimental reactors, rather than for fully-fledged power plants. Mr Strauss also told a White House news conference that a similar agreement with France had been signed. The French agreement liberalised one already in effect. With Mr Strauss standing by, the United States Under-Secretary of State (Mr Christian. Herter) signed the agreements-today with -•’rance, Germany, and Italy. Mr Herter said the United States sees in these agreements “a further expression of the interests of this country in European economic development.” Mr Strauss termed President Eisenhower's action “another important step in furthering both the domestic and foreign applications of atomic energy for peaceful purposes.” He said that most of the Uranfum-235 previously allocated to peaceful uses had been chmr itted to various projects round the globe. President Eisenhower only twice before made allocations to the stockpile. He provided about 44001 b initially and an additional 88,0001 b in February, 1956.