COORIDINATING COMMITTEE RECORD OF DISCUSSION ON FRENCH PROPOSAL TO FREE MAGNESIUM OXIDE MARCH 10TH, 1960

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP62-00647A000200020084-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 8, 2001
• Sequence Number: 84
• Publication Date: March 21, 1960
• Content Type: MIN

Approved For Release 2001/08/27 : CIA-RDP62-00647A000200020084-7
CONFIDENTIAL
March 21st. 1960
COORDINATING COMMI'!'TES
RECORD OF DISCUSSION
COOOM Document No. 3915 B
FRENCH PROPOSAL TO FREE MAGNESIUM OXIDE
March 10th. 1960
Present: Belgium (Luxembourg), Canada, Denmark, France, Germany,
Italy, japan, Netherlands, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.
Reference: COCOM Document No. 3876.
1. The CHAIRMAN drew the Committee's attention to a French proposal
to free magnesium oxide, at present embargoed under Item 13 on the
Atomic Energy List. He invited delegates to make known their
Governments' views.
2. The NETHERLANDS Delegate stated that his authorities had studied
the French Delegation's proposal submitted in COCOM Document No. 3876,
and that he had been instructed to support this proposal.
3. The JAPANESE Delegate stated that he had been instructed to
support the French Delegations proposal, because of the mainly
civilian uses of magnesium oxide and of its abundance is Soviet Bloc
countries, as indicated in the French Memorandum.
4. The ITALIAN Delegate stated that his authorities had reached the
same conclusion as the French authorities as regards magnesium oxide.
They therefore supported the French proposal to delete this substance
from the Atomic Energy List.
5. The UNITED KINGDOM Delegate, referring to the last paragraph of
the French Memorandum, noted that the French Delegation proposed that
"electro-melted magnesia should be deleted from the International Lists".
He assumed that this meant magnesium oxide, which appeared three times
in the present definition of Item 13 on the Atomic Energy List, i.e. as
a component of refractory materials, as a stabilising agent for zirconium
and as a substance used in the composition of crucibles, moulds and
pouring rods. The Delegate stated that his authorities had no objection
to deleting the magnesium oxide appearing in the third line of the
definition of Item 13. They could also agree to free crucibles, moulds
and pouring rods composed of magnesium oxide. On the other hand, they
believed that the magnesium oxide used with or without lime as a
stabilising agent for zirconium should be retained under embargo.
6. The BELGIAN Delegate stated that his authorities believed that
magnesium oxide no longer warranted retention under embargo. The
Belgian authorities could also therefore the support the French proposal.
7. The UNITED STATES Delegate stated that he had be'n instructed to
agree to the French proposal, on the understanding that it was confined
to the deletion of the words "magnesium oxide" appearing in the third
line of the present definition, and that it did not involve the
deletion of the words "magnesium oxide" appearing again in the fifth
line. If this were not the case, the Delegate would have to seek further
instructions from his Government.
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CONFIDENTIAL - 2 -
Cam! Document No. 3915 B
S. The CANADIAN and DANISH Delegates stated that their Governments had
no objection to to French proposal.
9. The GERMAN Delegate stated that, before giving his reply to the
French Delegation, he wished to hear further from the latter on the
comments made by the United Kingdom and United States Delegates.
10. The FRENCH Delegate confirmed that the United Kingdom Delegate's
comment was quite correct. While there was no difference between the
words "magnesia" and "magnesium oxide", the term "electro-welded magnesia"
could be regarded as more restrictive, in that it designated a special
method for producing magnesium oxide. In actual fact, it was the term
"magnesium oxide" which should be deleted from the third line of Item 13
on the Atomic Energy List. In reply to a second point wised by the
German Delegate, the Delegate stated that his authorities would also be
willing to delete from the present definition of Item 13 the magnesium
oxide mentioned as a stabilising agent for zirconium, since this use
of magnesium was a very special one. If, however, this should
necessitate fresh study on the part of the United States Delegation,
and hold up their acceptance, he would not insist on it.
U. The GERMAN Delegate believed that this suggestion might involve
difficulties of interpretation and complicate the work of the customs
officials. He thought it preferable simply to delete the words "magnesium
oxide" from the third line of the present definition and to leave the rest
of the definition unchanged. In this case, the crucibles, moulds and
pouring rods composed of magnesium oxide would be free, but those
composed of zirconium stabilised with magnesium oxide would remain
under embargo. If it wsre interpreted thus, his Delegation could
agree to the French proposal.
12. The FRENCH Delegate stated that this interpretation was quite
correct. In reply to a q=uestion from the United Kingdom Delegate, he
added that the most common refractory crucibles were of magnesium
oxide and their technical characteristics were the least difficult to
obtain. For very high temperatures, zirconium oxide was preferred, and
this was why it had greater strategic sigrifiance.
13. The COMMITTEE noted that all delegations were in favour of the
French proposal, and agreed to amend Item 13 on the Atomic Energy List
as follows:
"Materials, suitable for use in refractories, composed of
97 per cent or more by weight of beryllium oxide or
zirconium oxide, or composed of zirconium oxide stabilised
with lime and/or magnesium oxide; and crucibles, moulds
and pouring rods composed of any one of the foregoing."
14. The COMMITTEE agreed that the new definition no objection were
would come into force on the let April, 1960,
raised by that date.
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved For Release 2001/08/27 : CIA-RDP62-00647A000200020084-7