Proposal from Deputy Minister Nicolae Ecobescu to Minister of Foreign Affairs George Macovescu, 'Control by the International Atomic Energy Agency in Taiwan'

To comrade George Macovescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Proposal

Regarding: Control by the International Atomic Energy Agency in Taiwan

1. Following our country’s initiative, the December 1971 Board of Governors Meeting, decided to reestablish PRC’s legitimate rights within the Vienna Agency and exclude Jiang Jieshi’s representatives.

2. The IAEA Secretariat maintains the safeguards over using nuclear energy in Taiwan, justifying that:

• the safeguards agreements with the Jiang Jieshi administration were signed before excluding them from the organization, and the Agency can inspect states that are not members of the IAEA;
• the IAEA has not taken any clear decision to cease the inspections in Taiwan;
• Taiwan’s equipment supplier, Canada, requires the IAEA to carry out the inspection.

3. Contacts with the Chinese counterpart, both through the Mission in Vienna and the Embassy in Peking, showed that it [China] is in favor of ceasing any contacts between the IAEA and Taiwan.

4. From China’s statements, including the ones at the 27th UN Conference, it is evident that, for the moment, the PRC, even though it gained its rights back, does not intent to participate in the IAEA.

5. Considering all the above and the fact that the People’s Republic of China has, through its office in Vienna, contacts with the IAEA management, we suggest that, the Romanian counterpart not take any action regarding the Agency’s inspection in Taiwan, but it should inform the PRC about the IAEA inspections in Taiwan, and ask them to inform us if they have any suggestions about this matter.

Nicolae Ecobescu, Deputy Minister

December 15, 1972