133. Circular Instruction From the Acting Secretary of State to All Diplomatic Missions in the American Republics 1
CA–8519
SUBJECT
- Activities of the Interim Committee of the Inter-American Committee of Presidential Representatives (CPR)
REFERENCE
- CA–6419, February 11, 19572
The Interim Committee of the Inter-American Committee of Presidential Representatives (CPR) at its Second Meeting on April 4, 1957, received the reports of the four Subcommittees formed at the meeting on January 29, 1957. These reports, 25 in all, cover those proposals submitted under the first three items of the approved CPR agenda and group together those proposals of related nature.3
A total of 62 proposals were presented by the representatives on the CPR, many shortly before the deadline of March 15th.4 Among these were some on matters on which the United States from the start endeavored to discourage discussion in the CPR as being inappropriate and not within the terms of reference of the CPR. Proposals basically unacceptable to the United States were presented, for instance, on an inter-American institution to finance economic development, on a system to eliminate double taxation, and on an inter-American housing finance corporation.5
The reports, in general, reflect the unanimous approval of those representatives serving on the Subcommittees. In a few instances, however, reservations were made. Principally because of U.S. persistence in the negotiations, no concrete recommendations for action by the OAS were approved on those proposals to which the United [Page 481] States could not agree, but in view of the insistence of other Representatives, the United States agreed to a discussion of the problems and to their referral to the OAS, or an organ thereof, for further study. A list of all Subcommittee reports and summary of recommendations is attached as an enclosure to this Instruction.
Perhaps the most significant of the Subcommittee reports was the one on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. It recommends that an Inter-American Commission on Nuclear Energy should be established to develop a coordinated plan for research and training; that the Pan American Sanitary Organization should carry on activities involving the application of nuclear energy in the field of health and safety; that the Inter-American Institute of Agricultural Sciences should utilize nuclear energy applications in the field of agriculture; and that the Pan American Union should prepare appropriate studies concerning nuclear energy legislation. This report suggests that the proposals (of Argentina and Brazil) for the establishment of an inter-American regional center for nuclear research and training be referred to the proposed Inter-American Commission on Nuclear Energy for consideration by it when in its judgment it is deemed desirable. This latter provision satisfies current U.S. policy considerations which favor bilateral arrangement for U.S. participation in the establishment in Latin American countries of nuclear energy research and training centers.
Other important recommendations contained in the Subcommittee reports submitted to the Interim Committee are one calling for the eradication of malaria in the Americas within five years, another for the strengthening of Organization of American States activities in the field of agriculture (on which Brazil made basic reservations), and a third for a program of 500 scholarships yearly as a regular activity of the OAS. Cuba, Honduras and Mexico made reservations, based principally on the cost involved, on the report covering the proposals of the United States and Chile for an increased public relations program for the OAS.
At the April 4th meeting of the Interim Committee two working groups were formed, one to consider those proposals on administrative, organizational, and financial matters falling under Item 4 of the approved agenda, and a second to consolidate all reports on the proposals into a draft report of the CPR to the Presidents. Consideration will be given by the latter group to the form in which the various proposals and the Subcommittee reports thereon will be presented in the final report of the CPR. Though substantive discussion on the report may be undertaken at the April 22nd meeting of the Interim Committee, no final decisions will be made until the meeting of the Committee itself starting April 29th.
[Page 482]At that time a final report to the Presidents will be approved and it is expected some attempt will be made to resolve the objections expressed in the several reservations to the Subcommittee reports. In the interim before the April 29 meeting, the representatives will have the opportunity to present the reports to the Governments for study and it is conceivable that recommendations for changes in the substance of the draft report may be made.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 361/4–1557. Confidential. Drafted by Luboeansky and approved by Krieg.↩
- Supra .↩
- Not printed. (Department of State, OAS Files: Lot 60 D 665, CPR Memos 64–144 and CPR Memos 145–223)↩
- Not printed. (Ibid., List of Proposals)↩
- In a March 29 memorandum to Rubottom, Randall discussed the difficulties that the economic questions posed for the United States. He reported that in the deliberations of Subcommittee I, the United States remained firmly opposed to the Latin American proposals to create inter-American bank or credit institution, a system to eliminate double taxation, and an inter-American housing finance corporation. Consequently, the Latin Americans decided to write their own recommendations and present them while acknowledging the opposition of the United States (Attachment to March 29 memorandum from Rubottom to Milton Eisenhower; Department of State, Rubottom Files: Lot 59 D 573, CPR Committee on Presidential Representatives)↩
- These and following brackets are in the source text.↩