COORDINATING COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM FROM THE UNITED STATES DELEGATION CONCERNING THE TEXT OF ATOMIC ENEGRY LIST ITEM 13

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP62-00647A000200020050-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 16, 1999
• Sequence Number: 50
• Publication Date: April 6, 1960
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2000/08/23: CIA-RDP62-00647A000200020050-4
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COCOM Document No. 3949
April 6, 1960
CO~D~IATING CON~IITTEE
MEM~tANDt7M FROM Tim UNITID STATES DELEGATION
CONCERNING
THE T3X_T OF AT0:~1IC ENERGY LIST ITEM 13
RF~'ERENCE: COCOM Document 3927
1. The United Mates Delegation referred to their authorities the
problems raised during the Larch 17 discussion of AE Item 13. Their authorities
have carefully examined both the English and French texts and have instructed
the United States Delegation to inform the Committee that they believe the
present English text (with the aeletior. of the words "magnesium oxide" from
line 3} provides the embargo coverage dictated by strategic considerations.
The United States authorities believe that the Corunittee intended that AE
Item 13 should embargo refractory materials when they contain 97 percent or
more, by weight, of beryllium cxi~.e er zirconium oxide, or containing any
amount of zirconium oxide stabilizd with lime or magnesium oxide.
2. Beryllium oxide and zireoniu~r oxide are specially used for high
purity crucibles in casting plutonium and uranium petal for military applica-
tions. Zirconium oxide i~ stabilized with time or magnesium oxide to improve
its thermal expansion prcperties and to inhibit harmful reactions.
3. To avoid possible misund rstanding, the two texts might be stated
as follows:
"Materials, suitable for use n refractories, containing:
a) 97 percent or more, by weight, of beryllium oxide or zirconium
oxide or
b) zirconium oxide sta ilized with lime and,/or magnesium oxide;
and crucibles, moulds and pouring ods containing any one of the foregoing."
"Nlateriaux, pouvant servir pour les refractaries, contenants:
_ 97~ ou plus, en poids, 'oxyde de beryllium ou d'oxyde de zirconium;
_ 1'oxyde de zirconium st iliac par de la ehaux et/ou de 1'oxyde de
magnesium;
et ereusets, moules et barreaux c ntenants de Tune des substances ci-dessus."
Approved For Release 2000/08/2 : CIA-RDP62-00647A000200020050-4