ATOMIC POLICY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 116, 1 March 1950, Page 5

ATOMIC POLICY

TALKS SAID TO BE SUSPENDED UNITED STATES, BRITAIN AND CANADA (N.Z.P. A.—Copyright) WASHINGTON, Feb. 27. The United States, Britain and Canada are said .to have temporarily abandoned their talks aim-’ ed at closer co-operation on atomic matters. The decision is reported to be a direct sequel to the arrest of Klaus Fuchs, a British atomic scientists, who will be tried in London on March 1 on marges of having given atomic secrets to Russia.

Tire State Department believes that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to get the necessary Congressional approval for a new agreement at present. Many Congressmen are concerned over reported leakages of vital atomic secrets. It is understood that the three nations will continue the present working arrangements, under which Britain allows the United States to take almost the entire uranium output of the Belgian Congo. Talks with Belgium, which is seeking a price increase, will continue. The last United States agreement with Britain and Canada on the exchange of atomic information and atomic scientists ended officially on January 1. It was expected that a new agreement would have been completed by this time. An American official said that there would be a review of all atomic security measures in the international field. A preliminary check had already been started and was expected to continue for some weeks.