453. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for
International Organization Affairs (Cleveland) to the Under Secretary of State
(Bowles)1
Washington,
April 12,
1961.
SUBJECT
- Antarctica: Inter-Agency Coordination of Activities and Policy
Guidance
Pursuant to the abolition of the OCB and
the Department’s responsibility to “provide policy guidance and ensure
coordination for all activities in Antarctica,” IO has been holding regular weekly meetings (Wednesdays,
2:00 p.m.) with representatives of the agencies concerned (list
attached, Tab A).2 This
function is carried out by George H.
Owen, Antarctica Staff, IO. There have been five such meetings to date.
You may be interested in the manner in which this non-crisis function of
the Department is being carried out, and I have enumerated, by way of
illustration, matters of both long-term and short-term import which have
been dealt with at the meetings referred to above (Tab B).
The main reasons why coordination is necessary, are:
- (1)
- Our scientific programs in Antarctica are conducted by the
National Science Foundation through grants to other agencies or
universities. The Navy furnishes logistic support therefor. The
two agencies budget separately for their respective functions.
Scientists have said that the scientific program sometimes
receives secondary consideration in the use of logistic
facilities. The weekly meetings provide a forum in which these
problems, big and small, can be aired.
- (2)
- In countless ways our Antarctic programs affect U.S. foreign
relations. There is international cooperation in science, joint
programs with certain other countries, and the scope, nature and
“image” of the U.S. presence in Antarctica must conform to U.S.
policy and the Antarctic Treaty.
[Page 1032]
Tab B
MATTERS DEALT WITH AT THE INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION
MEETINGS
- 1.
- Future usefulness of Byrd Station for the scientific program.
The question has been raised as to whether scientific programs
in the future require the elaborate logistic facilities which
the Navy is setting up there.
- 2.
- The suggestion of NSF that
consideration be given to establishing a new base to provide
airlift support to a planned mobile station in a particular area
for a particular project in ionospheric physics.
- 3.
- The question of whether we should make arrangements, bilateral
or otherwise, to ensure continuation of scientific work at the
Belgian and Japanese stations which are about to be abandoned.
The Soviets maintain aviation gas depots at both of these
locations.
- 4.
- Ensuring that no foreign scientists, VIP’s or correspondents
are invited by either NSF or
Navy without knowledge and concurrence of the Department of
State. In the past this has not been properly
coordinated.
- 5.
- Coordinating the manner in which foreign correspondents are
selected to accompany our operation. USIA is suggesting a planned program of selecting
those who will produce the most from a USIA standpoint.
- 6.
- Ensuring that publications of the U.S. Antarctic Projects
Office of DOD are cleared with
State as regards references affecting our position toward
foreign countries.
- 7.
- Obtaining preliminary but official views from the agencies
concerned on the matters we are discussing with representatives
of other Antarctic Treaty signatory Governments at the “Interim
Meetings,” which have been held regularly since the Antarctic
Conference, pending entry into force of the Treaty; in
particular, with reference to the agenda of the meeting which is
to take place in Canberra after the Treaty enters into force.
(Of the 12 signatories, only two have not yet ratified,
Argentina and Chile. As of now, they are expected to do so
before the middle of the year.)
- 8.
- Ensuring that NSF distributes
to other agencies concerned matters referred to it by the
scientists designated by the National Academy of Sciences, who
participate for the United States in SCAR (Special Committee on Antarctic Research, a
sub-body of the non-governmental International Council of
Scientific Unions), in order that a coordinated U.S. Government
view can be worked out.
- 9.
- A Navy initiative to organize a symposium in the United States
of logistic support experts with representatives of other
countries under the aegis of SCAR.
- 10.
- A further effort of coordination will have to be made
regarding the separate funding of NSF requirements and Navy support activities,
season by season. By working closely with the Bureau of the
Budget in this connection, it may be desirable to establish
procedures where the Department could assist in coordinating
these budgetary operations in the light of a long-term plan
which reflects the real objectives of our presence in
Antarctica.
- 11.
- A variety of other problems are also dealt with, such as the
recent illness of the Soviet exchange scientist at Byrd Station
which required his evacuation on an emergency basis; problems
related to transmission through Navy communications facilities
of scientific reports between stations, et cetera.
