COORDINATING COMMITTEE RECORD OF DISCUSSION ON ITEM 1661 - NICKEL 12TH AND 16TH MARCH, 1959

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP62-00647A000100120002-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 2, 1998
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: March 17, 1959
• Content Type: MIN

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17th March, 1959 COCOM Document No. 416.61 3
COORDINATING COMMITTEE
RECORD OF DISCUSSION
ON
ITEM 1661 - NICKEL
19-th and 16th March, 1959
Present: Belgium(tuxembourg), Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.
References: COCOM Documents 3016.00/4, 3016.61/1 and 2, 3416,00/1, 2 and 3,
3416.61/1 and 2; COCOM Sub-C.(58) 6 and 8; Metals and Alloys
Working Paper 29.
1. The UNITED KINGDOM Delegation invited the Committee's attention to their
Memorandum, COCOM Document 3416.61/2, submitting a definition of Item 1661(b) as
a compromise between their earlier position and the United States suggestion sot
out in COCOM Document 3416.61/1 (paragraphs 2 and 4). The United Kingdom
Delegation hoped that this compromise proposal would be acceptable to the
Committee and that it might permit of agrccmont on other outstanding 1,1otals items.
2. The United Kingdom Delegate than introduced some slight amendments in the
wording of the exceptions clauses of the formula proposed by his Delegation in
paragraph 5 of COCOM Document 3416.61/2. It would then road:
"(b) Nickel base alloys (other than alloys covered by Items 1631 or
1635) containing 32% or more nickel, except:
(1) electrical resistance materials, as follows: wire, rod,
tape and strip;
(2) nickel-copper alloys (of the ItMonclit type) containing
not more than 101o of other alloying ulemonts.
(NOTE: It is not the intention to cover those magnetic materials
not covered by Item 1631.)"
3. The UNITED STATES Delegate expressed his appreciation of the extent
to which the United Kingdom Delegation had moved towards views expressed by
the Uhitod States in the past. He felt that discussion on Item 1661(b) might
be facilitated if the Committee could first clarify the situation on Item 1661(c).
4. The CHAIRMAN asked the Canadian Delegate whether he was in a position
to give a final reply on the United States proposal to add to Item 1661 a now
part (c) reading:
"(c) Scrap forms of the alloys covered under (b) above".
(Soo COCOM Sub-C.(58) 8 and page 8 of the Appendix to COCOM 3016.00/4)
5, The CANADIAN Delegate said that his authorities, while not emnvincod as
to the strategic importance of scrap forms especially, appreciated the efforts
made by the United States Delegation to provide relevant information and, since
their acceptance would help to achieve unanimity, they accepted the United
States proposal.
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CONFIDENTIAL - 2 - COCOM Docurncnt No. 3 16.61 3
6. The CHAIRMAN noted that, with this acceptance, the Committee had
reached unanimous agreement to add to Item 1661 a new part (c) reading:
"(c) Scrap forms of the alloys covered under (b) above".
This definition would not,,however, come into force until agreement had
boon reached as to the definition of Item 1661(b).
7. The CHAIRMAN asked for further views on Item 1661(b).
8. The UNITED STATES Delegate, recalling that the acceptance of the now
part (c) had boon the condition for United Status agreement to the deletion
from part (b) of the words "in any form", stated that he could now accept
this deletion. His Delegation could also agree to the second part of the
exceptions clause as sot out in paragraph 5 of COCOM 3416.61/2, but with
respect to the amendment put forward by the United Kingdom Delegation at the
present meeting (see paragraph 2 above), although he could agree to the
phrase "of the 'Money type", he would have to ask for instructions as to
the change from 6% to 10%. As regards the first part of the exceptions
clause he had no authority to accept the exclusion of resistance rod, tape
and strip. He recalled that the matter had once been considered closed
with the exclusion of only resistance wire. He hoped that the additional
exclusions he had now accepted would be sufficient to meet the desires of
the United Kingdom. An expert from Washington had arrived in Paris for a
few days and would be at the disposal of Delegations who wished to raise
technical points.
9. The BELGIAN, CANADIAN, JAPANESE and NETHERLANDS Delegations accepted
the United Kingdom text as amended in paragraph 2. above.
10. The FRENCH, GERMAN and ITALIAN Delegations accepted the original
proposal and agreed to the amended version on an ad referendum basis.
11. The UNITED KINGDOM Dologatc thanked all Delegations for the spirit
in which they had considered these proposals. He welcomed the United States
agreement to the second part of the exceptions clause on the basis of 66:
the United Kingdom Delegation believed that the change to 10% did not make
any motorial difference and hoped that it would prove possible for the
United States authorities to agree to that also. As to the first part, his
Delegation were at a loss to understand why those authorities felt unable
to accept the freeing from embargo of electrical resistance materials of
obvious civilian application. The United Kingdom Delegation had gone to
the extreme limit in an endeavour to reach a solution on this item. If
that solution oould not be accepted, even ad referendum, the United Kingdom
Delegation would have to reserve their position on the item and, indeed, on
other Metals items that had yet to be discussed.
12. In response to a question from the JAPANESE Delegation, the United
Kingdom export stated that, in his Delegation's view, the proposed dofinttion
for Item 1661(b) would embargo Incoloy as specified by the German Dole gate
in paragraph 5 of COCOM Document 3416.61/1,
13. On the 16th March, the ITALIAN Delegate stated that his authorities,
considering that the United Kingdom proposal constituted a clear advance
towards a compromise solution, accepted the wording sot out in paragraph'-2.
above.
14. The FRENCH and GERMAN Delegates confirmed their provisional acceptance.
CONFIDENTIAL
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