Restrictions On Atomic Secrets Eased By Allies

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28679, 1 September 1958, Page 9

Restrictions On Atomic Secrets Eased By Allies

(Rec. 7 p.m.) GENEVA, Aqgust 30. Britain and the United States today - arjiounced measures to enable a freei* flow of informafon on thermonuclear research between their scientists and those of other natiqns. In a joint announcement, Mi Lewis L. Strauss and (Sir John Cockroft, the chairme# of the United States and British delegations to the "Atoms ft*r Peace Conference opening in on Monday, announced that their countries had declassified their programmes for research on the control of thermonuclear reactions. I When the necessary Ipdmmistrattve arrangements IM be ® n completed this move wo ad make

it possible for scientists from other countries to pursue studies at some of the research centres at which work on controlled thermonuclear energy was being performed. The United States and Britain have shared information in the field of controlled thermonuclear energy since 1956. Now they will be able to share more atomic secrets with other countries, particularly in the vital field of harnessing hydrogen energy for peaceful purposes Scientists are now. giving highest priority to this branch of research.

Many of the techniques and devices used for experimentation in this field are already being shown or demonstrated at the conference.

The statement said the practical goal of the research pro-

gramme was the generation of useful amounts of electrical energy through the fusion of nuclei of the lighter elements. Declassification of the programme is expected to facilitate the attainment of this goal. Lifting of the embargo on information may . lead to further disclosures by American and British scientists during the twoweek conference, it is believed, in Geneva. The announcement said: “Considerable brogress has been made but the attainment of useful power from controlled fusion reactions may still require many years’ sustained effort.**