COORDINATING COMMITTEE RECORD OF DISCUSSION ON PROPOSED GERMAN EXPORT TO POLAND OF SILICON FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SILICON RECTIFIER CELLS 7TH MARCH, 1960

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP62-00647A000200020087-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 16, 1999
• Sequence Number: 87
• Publication Date: March 10, 1960
• Content Type: MIN

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CONFIDENTIAL
10th March. 1960
COCEDINATING C0 Mrrr
54
COCQd Document No. 3911
RECORD OF DISCUSSION
ON
PROPOSED GERMAN EXPORT TO POLAND OF SILICON
iw
FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SILICON RECTIFIER CELLS
7th March. 1960
Present: Belgium (Luxembourg), Denmark, Prance, Germany, Italy,
Japan, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States.
Beference: COCOM Document No. 3880
1. The CHAIRMAN referred to the German Memorandum (CDCOM Document No. 3880)
in which the Committee was asked to give views as to whether exports of the
purified silicon described therein, and needed for the production of silicon
rectifier cells, would fall under the special policy adopted towards Poland.
He invited delegations to make known their preliminary views.
2. The GERMAN Delegate first wished to make a couple of slight
amendments to his Delegation's Memorandum and to give further particulars.
He explained that the silicon cells in question were "rectifier" oella only
and not "detector" cells as twice stated, and that the purity of the
silicon involved should road as "more thanit 99.9%. He made it quite
clear that this request concerned Poland alone and that there was no
question of supplying silicon to the U.S.S.R. He further explained
that plant for the production of silicon rectifier cells were free from
embargo but that such equipment would only be of interest to the Polish
economy if the German exporter could promise to supply the necessary raw
material, i.e. silicon of a purity of more than 99.9%. The German
authorities had refused to supply equipment and technical know-how for
the processing and purification of silicon, but had indicated that they
might provide equipment for the production of silicon rectifier cells.
The German Delegation were therefore now aakMg,-the Committee for views
as to the principle of supplying silicon to Poland in order to be able
to continue negotiations. They would of course consult the Committee
as and when individual quantities were required.
3. The UNITED KINGDQd1 Delegate thanked his German colleague for
this Additional, information, which already answered some of his questions.
His authorities were especially concerned with the purity of the silicon,
and wished to have some indication as to how much it would exceed 99.9%,
i.e. to know the second decimal place at least, since those were the
figures which indicated the degree of purity required for the making
of transistors.
4. The UNITED STATES Delegate likewi*e stated that most of the
questions which he had been prepared to ask had already been answered.
He wbhed to know, however, *hat would be the stated or expected
end-use of the silicon rectifier cells and, like his United Kingdom
colleague, he would like to have more precise information concerning
the purity of the silicon to be exported; specifically, his authorities
were interested in ascertaining the maximum purity intended for the
silicon involved. The Delegate assumed that the practice adopted by
the Committee in this instance would be to examine each individual
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COCCM Document No. 3911
request on its own merits when submitted. With the additional information
already provided by the German Delegate and answers to the questions
raised above, he hoped to be able to indicate his Government's probab],p
attitude toward such future requests, it bein understood, of course,
that no commitment could be given in advance 4f full consideration
of particular cases as and when submitted to Iha Committee by the
German Delegation.
5. The ITALIAN, NETTERLANDS and BELGIAN Delegates stated that, in
their view, exports of the purified silicon in question would be
covered by the special Polish policy, on the understanding that cases
would be examined individually.
6. The FRENCH Delegate undertook to give final views on the matter,
after study of the additional information supplied.
7. The D NISH Delegate had no objection in principle, and undertook
to give favourable consideration to such exception requests if the
normal guarantees were provided.
8. The GERMAN Delegate thanked delegations for the views expressed
and noted that two delegations only had reserved their position. In
reply to his United Staten colleague, he explained that the silicon
rectifier cells were required for electric locomotives. He would,
however, make further enquiries on this point and also as to the
maximum purity of the silicon concerned. Upon receipt of such
information, he would again bring the case before the Committee.
9. The CHAIRMAN noted that outstanding views would be given once
the German Delegation had supplied the additional information required.
CONFIDENTIAL
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