COORDINATING COMMITTEE RECORD OF DISCUSSION ON A UNITED KINGDOM PROPOSAL CONCERING REPAIRS AND ALTERATIONS TO SINO-SOVIET BLOC VESSELS MARCH 12TH, 1959

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP62-00647A000100190042-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 9, 1998
• Sequence Number: 42
• Publication Date: March 19, 1959
• Content Type: MIN

Approved For Release : CIA-RDP62-00647A000100190042-6
March 19th, 1959
COORDINATING COMMITTEE
RECORD OF DISCUSSION
ON
COCOM Document No. 60
A UNITED KINGDOM PROPOSAL CONCERNING REPAIRS C,ND ALTERATIONS
TO SING-SOVIET BLOC VESSELS
March 12th, 1959
Prosont: Belgium (Luxembourg), Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.
References: COCOM 549, 1145, 3311, 3363, 3376, 3396, 3426, 3442.
1. The CFUJN recalled that a Drafting Group had prepared a text
embodying the various proposals which had boon adopted concerning ship
repairs and at the same time bringing up to date tho.provisions of COCOM
549. He invited Delegates to give the views of their authorities on the
text as recorded in COCOM 3442.
2. The UNITED STATES Delegate said that in paragraph 2 of the text
prepared by the Drafting Group his authorities would like the phrase or
replaced" inserted after the phrase "the following should not be installed".
This was primarily an editorial change, his authorities wished to be quite
clear that the installation referred to covered both the installation of
now ors .ipment and the replacement of old equipment. In paragraph 2(c) his
authorities vishod to change the word Idomagnotisaticn" to "dogaussing" and
they felt that the same change should also be made in Item 1416(o). The
Delegate wont on to explain that demagnetisation was a one-time operation
to eliminato unwanted magnetic fields which might affect a ship's compasses.
Degaussing was the induction of a controlled enduring field of force in a
ship for protection against magnetic mines and similar weapons.
3. The FMCH Delegate agreed with the United States Delegate's interpretation
of the terms demagnetisation and degaussing. He said that one could not speak
of "arrangements for demagnotisattion" (as in paragraph 2(c)) since demagnetisation
was a special process which was carried out only once whereas one could speak of
"arrangements for degaussing" since in this latter case it was necessary to
install special electric circuits in a vessel. He suggested that the text
should make it clear that both operations were prohibited.
4. The COMMITTEE accepted the United States proposal to include the
phrase "or replaced" after the word "installed" in the heading of paragraph
2, also to substitute the word "degaussing" for "demagnetisation" in
paragraph 2(c) and to amend paragraph 0 to include a reference to demagnetisation.
The Committee further agreed that sub-paragraph (o) of Item 1416 should be
amended to road If ,.. or arrangements for the degaussing of the vessel." The
final text on ships and shipping, which would not come into force until agreement
was reached on the question of adding Item 1510 to Item 11.416(o) and the question
of prohibiting the installation of Item 1510 in the course of ship repairs, was
agreed to he as follows:
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 Approved Foelease : CIA-RDP62-00647A00U00190042-6
0COAI Dq uM _pqs'.~.. 60
Ships and Shipping
1. This document deals with various matters, relating to vessels, which are
not dealt with in the International Lists. It supersedes the Annexes to COCOM 549.
2. Repairs and Alterations to SinnSoviet Bloc vessels in Western shipyards.
The following should not be installed or replaced:
(a) Munitions List items
(b) List I items which may not be installed in a vessol sold
to the Sino-Soviet Bloc
(c) Arrangements for degaussing.
3. Any work which would load to the demagnotisation of a vossol or to
transforming a vessel into one appoarin on List I or the Munitions List
should be prohibited, except that the speed of a vessel may be increased by
up to 10% even if'the increase would confer embargo status on the vessel.
4. In any case where paragraph 2 above conflicts with national law or
with the requirements of classification societies or international troatios,
conventions or usages, it is understood that exceptions to the foregoing will
be necessary. Whore exceptions are made the Committee should be informed.
5. Chartorin of Western vessels to the Sino-Soviet Bloc.
The objectives of the controls on the sale of vessels should not be
frustrated by bare-boat chartering. Bearing in mind that an operation of
this nature might have the same disadvantages from the strategic point of
view as the sale of a vessel, Governments agree to undertake such stops as
may be possible to prevent the chartering of any embargo type vessels under
bare-boat arrangements.
Approved For Release : CIA-RDP62-00647A000100190042-6