trilateral agreement was pending. The agreement is silent on what would happen if the trilateral agreement which is in effect were to be terminated in the future. V. PRINCIPLE FEATURES OF AGREEMENTS FOR COOPERATION The agreements for cooperation, as noted earlier, provide a framework for cooperation in civil use of nuclear energy between the United States and other countries and international organizations. This framework initially supported a great unilateral outflow of nuclear science and technology from the United States in the late 1950s and now supports a web of commercial nuclear transactions and exports of the U.S. nuclear industry in the world market. The agreements are notable in that although not treaties, they deal with matters of substantial international importance, particularly with respect to the further spread of national manufacture of nuclear weapons. They contain unusual assurances of the agreement nations, assurances intended to bar the possibility that nuclear materials and facilities supplied by the United States will be used to make nuclear weapons or for other military purposes. Additionally, they are unique in the rights obtained for the United States or the International Atomic Energy Agency to send inspectors into the agreement nations to verify compliance with the agreements. Types of agreements The U.S. agreements for cooperation with individual countries can be conveniently divided into three categories. Twenty agreements are for cooperation in nuclear research and power, eight for nuclear research only, and two for power only. The United States also has three agreements for cooperation with international organizations: one with the International Table II. (cont.). List of Agreement Nations and their NPT Status ** Superseding, research and power agreement in abeyance; U.S. material by IAEA (NPT) safeguards and Greek "peaceful uses" guarantees. *** In abeyance. Atomic Energy Agency and two with EURATOM.* Table II lists these agreements by type and expiration date, and the adherence of agreement nations to the Non Proliferation Treaty. Note that France is not on the list of nations with agreements with the United States. The French were party to an agreement for research and development which was terminated in 1966, the same year that France withdrew from NATO. Comparative contents of agreements The provisions of the agreements for cooperation can be divided into two categories: (1) measures to permit the transfer and use of nuclear information, materials, parts and facilities; and (2) measures to prevent the improper or illicit use of items supplied by the United States. In some agreements the United States is also committed to similar measures to prevent misuse of items transferred from the agreement nation to the United States. Concerning transfer of nuclear science and technology, the agreements typically specify the intention of the parties to cooperate in civil use of nuclear energy and include provisions for: --exchange of information, --transfer of materials, --access to facilities, --cooperation between commercial organizations and persons, * EURATOM is a regional, multinational nuclear organization that is part of the European Economic Community. 64-626 0-76-5 |