Dwight D. Eisenhower photo

Statement by the President After Authorizing Inclusion of Nuclear Test Suspension Among Disarmament Proposals.

August 21, 1957

IN OUR EFFORTS with our allies to reach a sound and early agreement with the Soviet Union on a first-step disarmament program, I have authorized the Secretary of State to make a significant change in our proposals in the United Nations Disarmament Sub-Committee now meeting in London.

Pursuant to this authorization the Secretary of State has instructed the Chairman of our delegation in London to inform the Sub-Committee today that we will be willing as part of our proposal for a first-step disarmament agreement to include a suspension of testing of nuclear weapons for a period up to two years under certain conditions and safeguards. These include Soviet acceptance of the United States position that, within that period, there will be initiated a permanent cessation of production of fissionable materials for weapons purposes and installation of inspection systems to insure performance.

The delegations of Canada, France and the United Kingdom join us in presenting this proposal which should be a major step toward reaching a sound and safeguarded first-step arms control agreement.

I sincerely hope that the Soviet Union will now join us and our Western colleagues in agreeing to our disarmament proposals, including the cessation of production of fissionable materials for weapons purposes.

Until such a first-step arms control agreement comes into force, the United States will, of course, conduct such nuclear testing as our security requires.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, Statement by the President After Authorizing Inclusion of Nuclear Test Suspension Among Disarmament Proposals. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/233471

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