U.S. A-TEST BAN

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29060, 24 November 1959, Page 15

U.S. A-TEST BAN

‘Week-to-week Extension’

(Rec. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, November 22.

The chairman of the United States Atomic Energy Commission (Mr John McCone) said today that he would favour a short extension of the United States nuclear test ban into 1960 if the Geneva talks on an international test ban continued after the end of this year. But, speaking on a television panel programme, Mr McCone said the extension should be on a “week-to-week basis” and it should not be indefinite. The United States has said it will maintain its voluntary renunciation of nuclear tests until December 31.

Mr McCone said that any resumption of United States testing would have to depend upon the current Geneva negotiations among the United States. Britain and the Soviet Union, aimed at agreement on a nuclear test ban under effective inspection and control.

He said the Geneva talks, including technical discussions of the latest scientific data, might well continue into next January. In that case, he said, in answer to questions, a short extension of the United States nuclear test ban “on a week-to-week basis would be in order.”

Mr McCone was asked: “Just week to week—you would not say another. year?” .♦ He replied: “No, I would not,” Replying to further questions, Mr McCone said that neither would he favour a month-to-month extension.

But he said there had been no specific decision by the United States Administration as yet that it would favour only a week-to-week extension.

Mr McCone said there would be dangers involved to national security, particularly in the development of small nuclear weapons, if testing were to be suspended indefinitely without international agreement.