COORDINATING COMMITTEE RECORD OF DISCUSSION ON UNITED KINGDOM PROPOSAL TO EXPORT QUARTZ CRYSTALS TO POLAND MAY 28TH, 1959

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP62-00647A000100180046-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 10, 1998
• Sequence Number: 46
• Publication Date: June 1, 1959
• Content Type: MIN

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A
June 1st, 195 COCOM Document No. 3553
COORDINATING COMMITTEE
RECORD OF DISCUSSION
ON
UNITED KINGDOM PROPOShL TO EXPORT UARTZ CRYSTALS TO POLAND
ny 28th. 1959
Present: Belgium (Luxembourg), Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States.
References: COCOM 3330, 3515.
1. The CHAIRMAN drew the attention of the Committee to the United Kingdom
proposal to export 1129 quartz crystal units to Poland. He invited Delegates
to give the views of their authorities.
2. The UNITED STATES Delegate said that his authorities were concerned, on
the basis of a preliminary study of the United Kingdom request, about the
cumulative effect of quartz crystal exceptions to Poland. This was especially
the case for another large quantity claimed to be for the same end-use as that
given in a previous exception (0000M 3330). The United States authorities
were also sensitive to the fact that the specifications in this case were
equivalent to US JAN specifications for military types. The close tolerances
and temperature ranges demanded of the United Kingdom types were not con-
sidered by the United States authorities to be necessary for the claimed end-
use but were important for military purposes. In view of the strategic
implications both of large scale exports of embargoed crystals to Poland and,
cif the apparent suitability for military purposes of the crystals in question,
the United States could not at this time give its agreement to the exception
requested. However, the United States authorities were still studying the
case and would appreciate any additional amd more specific information on
the end-use of the crystals. It would also be appreciated if figures could
be provided on the actual export of Item 1587 crystals during 1958-59 by
countries of origin.
3. The GERR.IAN Delegate commented that his authorities did not contest
the fact that some of the crystals listed in the United Kingdom Memorandum
could be used for strategic purposes but they had raised no objection because
of the small numbers concerned and because they considered that the stated
end-use was reasonable.
4. There were no objections from other Members of the Committee.
5. The UNITED KINGDOM Delegate expressed his thanks to the Members of the
Committee for the views they had given and pointed out that paragraph 4 of his
Memorandum drew the attention of Delegations to previous exceptions of this
type of material which had been agreed by the Committee. This paragraph was
included only to show that the United Kingdom had carefully considered the
question of the cumulative effect of these exports and that this aspect had
been taken into account before the exceptions request had been submitted.
In the opinion of his authorities the danger point had not yet been reached.
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CONFIDENTIAL - 2
COCOM Document No. 3553
6. The CHAIRMAN pointed out that the only statistics available in the
Secretariat were based on the monthly returns made by Member Countries and
referred largely to licences issued and not to actual exports. The following
table was based on monthly statistical returns concerning Item 1587 during
the period January 1st 1958 ?- March 31st 1959:
1958 : 1959 :
January - March
Total Value
Denmark :10 kgs 4 245 :6 pieces : 100 :
4, 345
France :4,980 kgs :$8,564 : - : - :
$ $,564
Germany :81 pieces : 666 :20 pieces : 246 :
912
Netherlands : - - :8 pieces : 58 :
58
United Kingdom :174 pieces:$,368 :2,665 :$113,677 :
pieces :
w 13,045
410,843 . :$12,081 :
$ 22,924
* No figure available for March.
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