United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1380 (XIV) requested the Ten-Nation Disarmament Committee to study “the possibility of an international agreement, whereby the powers producing nuclear weapons would refrain from handing over the control of such weapons to a nation not possessing them, and whereby the powers not possessing such weapons would refrain from manufacturing them.” Canada voted for this procedural resolution.

The Ten-Nation Disarmament Committee did not make this study. However, the June 2, 1960 U.S.S.R. disarmament plan provides that “States having nuclear weapons at their disposal shall undertake not to transfer such weapons or information necessary for manufacture thereof to states which do not possess such weapons. At the same time states possessing no nuclear weapons shall undertake to refrain from manufacturing such weapons.”

It will be noted that the expression “transfer” is used instead of “handling over the control.” This is significant. The former expression would allow the existing state of affairs, under which, while there are atomic carriers in the United Kingdom, Italy and Turkey, the United States retains the control of the nuclear warheads. It might also allow the extension of such a system. The use of the expression “transfer” would probably be interpreted so as to exclude the presence of nuclear weapons on the territory of any nation which had not manufactured them.

Ireland has proposed the prevention of the dissemination of nuclear weapons for the agenda of the forthcoming General Assembly. It seems likely that it will be very seriously debated. Canada is unlikely to be able to avoid taking a position on the principle of the resolution by voting for a procedural resolution, as we did in 1959. It therefore seems necessary to take a decision as to the policy which should guide our delegation in the discussion of and voting upon the expected resolution.

The policy to be adopted will, of course, affect the policy and commitments of Canada as regards armaments to be acquired in connection with our responsibilities in NATO and for the defence of North America.

Recommendation

1. Canada should support and vote for a resolution calling for the prevention, under effective international control, of the further dissemination of nuclear weapons, as such prevention would facilitate eventual general and complete disarmament and reduce likelihood of the outbreak of nuclear warfare.

2. Should unqualified support of the principle of the prevention of dissemination of nuclear weapons be impossible in view of Canada's present commitments in respect of the provision of nuclear armaments for Canadian forces in NATO and for defence of the North American continent, we should support a resolution in the same terms as the Resolution 1380 (XIV). While this would not necessarily stop the dissemination of nuclear armaments on both sides, it would at least create some restriction.

3. If Canada did not support or vote for a resolution against the dissemination of nuclear armaments, our sincerity in advocating the abolition of nuclear weapons and carriers would be questioned by the Communist bloc and non-committed countries.

E.L.M. B[URNS]