Scientists Urge Ban On A-Bomb Transfers

Press, Volume C, Issue 29508, 9 May 1961, Page 15

Scientists Urge Ban On A-Bomb Transfers

(N.ZS’.A -Reuter—Copyright)

OSLO, May 7.

A conference of 60 scientists and scholars from 15 countries, including the United States, Russia and Britain, today recommended that the present nuclear powers should immediately conclude a treaty not to transfer nuclear weapons to other countries or groups of nations.

They also urged that al! nations not now possessing these weapons should commit themselves not to obtain or develop them. The scientists and scholars were taking part in a fiveday "conference against the widespread use of nuclear weapons.” which ended today The conference in a statement today also made three further "principal recommendations”:

(1) Negotiations should be started on the complex problem of extending the principle of demilitarisation to "the areas of greatest tension, beginning with Central Europe.” (2) The drafting of a nuclear test ban treaty should be "swiftly completed by reasonable compromise on the few questions re-

maining unsettled” at the protracted Geneva conference of Britain, the United States and Russia. “We oppose the carrying out of any further tests of nuclear weapons by any nation." the statement said. (3) Disarmament would provide a great opportunity to raise the standard of living throughout the world but would also pose major problems of reorganisation. “We urge that detailed studies of these problems are undertaken now both on a national and international scale.” it said.

The statement said no dispute could justify nuclear war The only sane policy for the world was to achieve general and complete world disarmament with suitable international control and inspection.