416. Letter From the President’s Special Assistant for Science and Technology (Wiesner) to the Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (Cleveland)1
Dear Harlan:
I am enclosing a summary of the meeting held in this office on Monday to review planning for the UN Assembly.2 This memorandum was prepared by Dr. Robert F. Bacher in his capacity as Chairman of the ad hoc group and represents conclusions drawn from the day-long review, primarily relating to outer space, which you attended.
These conclusions suggest that at least two significant policy changes are called for in current planned positions, and they are indicated as comments to a marked-up copy of the Draft Resolution on Outer Space.3 The first change would eliminate the attempt to stigmatize carriers of weapons of mass destruction, and thereby develop a legal distinction on orbiting satellites that would be patently favorable to the U. S.; in its comments, the group indicated that such an attempt would be ineffectual and inappropriate in its present context.
A second suggested change involves the procedure for developing a competent UN body to effectuate international cooperation in space: the group would have the Secretary General’s Science Advisory Committee conduct the essential preliminary planning and aid in the process of securing Assembly support.
Behind the group’s dissatisfaction with the reference in the Draft Resolution to weapons of mass destruction was a strong feeling that there is no evidence of adequate political-military planning to prepare for the availability of the U. S. satellite reconnaissance systems, Midas and Samos. Accordingly, the group recommends that “the Department of State and other interested agencies should prepare a thorough analysis of situations in which the Midas-Samos issue is likely to arise and a study of the gains and losses of alternative U.S. responses.” I have raised this proposal in conversation with Arthur Schlesinger.
The comment on other subjects for initiative is limited, although some judgments are made. Most members of the group thought that a [Page 940] more detailed position on meteorology would have been helpful for an adequate review, especially in the case of the proposed Meteorological Commission. If you think it would be helpful, this Office would be prepared to convene an ad hoc working panel within the next few days to consider the nature and functions of a competent UN body.
Perhaps two additional nuances to the current plans are worth consideration. There is a possibility, which we are exploring, that a useful role through the UN could be worked out for U.S. navigational satellites for ships. The Navy is responsible for our program and will be sounded out by this Office.
In addition, it is possible that the marked-up Draft Resolution or another without reference to the weapons question could be acceptable to the Russians. Would there be any value to introducing it with them, as a joint resolution, if they could be brought along?
Sincerely,
- Source: Kennedy Library, Cleveland Papers, Outer Space, 18th GA Initiative, Box 20. Confidential.↩
- Not printed. The discussion centered around a position paper prepared in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs entitled “An Initiative on Outer Space at the 16th Session of the General Assembly.” See Document 417.↩
- The draft resolution was Tab A of the position paper, Document 417.↩