Test ban signing and comments
Test ban signing and comments
Speeches of Lyndon Baines Johnson; Remarks at the Signing of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty July 1, 1968
Test ban signing and comments
MS people sitting, rise as Hail to the Chief plays. VO, 'Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States and Mrs. Johnson." MS U.S. President LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON (LBJ, Lyndon B. Johnson, Lyndon Johnson) & CLAUDIA JOHNSON (Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson, "Lady Bird" Lady Bird Johnson) enters. MS crowd applause. MS Johnson seated. VO Mr. President, Mr. Secretary, your excellencies, the treaty on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons is now ready to be signed." MS Secretary of State DEAN RUSK, British Ambassador Sir PATRICK DEAN, & Soviet Ambassador ANATOLY F. DOBRYIN. signing. CUs of pen signing.
Test ban signing and comments
MS crowd seated. MS/pan signers seated. MCU/zoom on U.S. President LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON (LBJ, Lyndon B. Johnson, Lyndon Johnson) seated. MS crowd, top of their heads. MS man walks all the papers over, stands behind Johnson shuffling them.
Test ban signing and comments
MS crowd. MS signers. MS/pan the crowd seated. MS man gathers papers into a folder on table. MS/MCU Secretary of State DEAN RUSK approaches the podium, "Mr. President, your excellencies, honored senators & members of congress and distinguished guests. The treaty we are signing today is the result of efforts extending back to the dawn of the atomic age. At that time when the United States was the sole possessor of nuclear weapons we felt that even one nuclear power was one too many. Beginning with the Baruch plan in 1946 we have persisted in our efforts to curb the spread of nuclear weapons."
Test ban signing and comments
MCU Secretary of State DEAN RUSK continues, "This treaty is not the work of any one country, but is in fact a product of all nations, which share our concerns over the danger of nuclear proliferation. Agreement has not been easy. Where basic security, the technological and economic interests of so many nations are deeply involved. Yet our collective and persistent determination has today been crowned with success. If I might say a personal word to you Mr. President I know that you must take genuine personal satisfaction in the important step we are taking today, no one knows better than I, your own personal determination to insure that the atom be used for the enrichment of man rather than for his destruction. Your closest colleagues know of the many long hours, which you personally have devoted to the achievement of this nonproliferation treaty. If this treaty succeeds, as we think it can and will future generations will be grateful to you and what you have done in your presidency to make it possible." CU U.S. President LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON (LBJ, Lyndon B. Johnson, Lyndon Johnson). MCU Rusk continues, "I wish to express my appreciation to your excellencies, the ambassadors, for the prompt action, which your governments have taken in being among the first to sing the treaty on this nonproliferation of nuclear weapons. In compliance with the resolution adopted by the General Assembly on June 12th with recommendation, which recommended that the treaty be signed at the earliest possible date, the depository governments agree that no time should be lost in moving to the last stage of this historic effort.
Test ban signing and comments
MCU Secretary of State DEAN RUSK continues, " We know that their are many other countries that share the conviction that your governments are expressing today in signing this treaty but have not yet been able to complete the procedures that they must follow to authorizing signature. Bearing in mind that 95 delegations voted for the assembly resolution we fully anticipate that this treaty will be signed by an overwhelming number of nations. And that we hope this treaty will be ratified and entered in force promptly. We're convinced that this nonproliferation like the other nuclear arms control agreements, which have been concluded in recent years is not an end in itself but a major step toward a more secure and rational world of peace and stability." MS Rusk goes to his seat. MS/MCU British Ambassador Sir PATRICK DEAN approaches the podium and begins speaking, "Mr. President, Mr. Secretary, your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen it very nearly 5 years since the last major advance in the field of arms control and disarmament, the conclusion of partial nuclear test ban treaty, today we are hear to add another stone to the edifice which one day we all pray will insure lasting peace for mankind through complete and general disarmament. This nonproliferation treaty is yet another measure like the test ban treaty and the agreements on outer space for the control of the weapons of mass destruction that it is now in the power of men to make news. The treaty has been long in the making and it is a great achievement.
Test ban signing and comments
MCU British Ambassador Sir PATRICK DEAN continues, "the British government have labored from the beginning in the 18 nations disarmament committee and later in the General assembly to produce a result that all countries can accept. They pay tribute to the collaboration between the United States and the Soviet Union, which has done so much to make this possible. They welcome to the spirit of understanding amongst so many of the non nuclear weapons countries. They are confident that this treaty will receive the widest acceptance and so help to create an atmosphere in which further measures for the control and reduction of armaments, especially nuclear weapons can be fruitfully pursued. The 18 nation disarmament committee is meeting again in Geneva at the middle of this month, there is a great deal still for us to do. You, Mr. President and Mr. Dobrynin on the Soviet side have pointed the way. Let us not waste the spirit of cooperation, which has grown from the negotiation of this treaty, but put it to use in the solution of other problems of arms control and disarmament that still affect the world." MS Soviet ambassador ANATOLY F. DOBRYNIN approaches the podium.
Test ban signing and comments
MCU Soviet ambassador ANATOLY F. DOBRYNIN begins to speak, "Mr., President, Secretary Rusk, your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the treaty on nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, the signing of which commences today is an important international agreement, the conclusion of the treaty marks significance progress towards delivery of mankind from the nuclear threat and thus it is a major success for the cause of peace. The fact that the treaty has been commended by the overwhelming majority of United Nations members, and is going to signed by a great number of states is a convincing proof of their capability of finding mutually acceptable solutions for most vital and most complicated international problems. The bringing about of the treaty is the result of persistent and prolonged efforts of a number of states with the Soviet Union and the United States playing a prominent role. So the treaty which actually meets the views and visions of the whole international community rests on a durable and reliable base. The treaty follows the positive pattern of the Moscow treaty, banning nuclear tests, and the treaty prohibiting the use of outer space for military purposes. And to possess one more practical step to limit the arms race, creates more favorable conditions for progress in....under the provisions of the treaty on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons each party undertakes to pursue negotiations in good faith, on effective measures relating to the cessation of the arms race and to nuclear disarmament. To obtain this great goal, my government, as his prime minister ... has emphasized on his signing in Moscow on the occasion of signing this treaty he is ready to make new efforts, nuclear decisions, thank you very much." MS returns to his seat.
Test ban signing and comments
MCU U.S. President LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON (LBJ, Lyndon B. Johnson, Lyndon Johnson) begins speaking, "Secretary Rusk, Your Excellencies, honored Members of Congress, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen: This is a very reassuring and hopeful moment in the relations among nations. We have come here today to the East Room of the White House to sign a treaty which limits the spread of nuclear weapons. More than 55 nations are here in Washington this morning to commit their governments to this treaty. Their representatives are also signing today in Moscow and in London. We hope and expect that virtually all the nations will move in the weeks and months ahead to accept this treaty which was commended to the world by the overwhelming majority of the members of the United Nations General Assembly. The treaty's purposes are very simple: --to commit the nations of the world which do not now have nuclear weapons not to produce or receive them in the future; --to assure equally that such nations have the full peaceful benefits of the atom; and --to commit the nuclear powers to move forward toward effective measures of arms control and disarmament. It was just a year ago that Chairman Kosygin and I agreed at Glassboro that we would work intensively in the time ahead to try to achieve this result."
Test ban signing and comments
MCU U.S. President LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON (LBJ, Lyndon B. Johnson, Lyndon Johnson) continues, "After nearly a quarter century of danger and fear--reason and sanity have prevailed to reduce the danger and to greatly lessen the fear. Thus, all mankind is reassured. As the moment is reassuring, so it is, even more, hopeful and heartening. For this treaty is evidence that amid the tensions, the strife, the struggle, and the sorrow of these years, men of many nations have not lost the way-or have not lost the will--toward peace. The conclusion of this treaty encourages the hope that other steps may be taken toward a peaceful world. It is for these reasons--and in this perspective-that I have described this treaty as the most important international agreement since the beginning of the nuclear age. It enhances the security of all nations by significantly reducing the danger of nuclear war among nations. It encourages the peaceful use of nuclear energy by assuring safeguards against its destructive use. But, perhaps most significantly, the signing of this treaty keeps alive and keeps active the impulse toward a safer world. We are inclined to neglect and to overlook what that impulse has brought about in recent years. These have been fruitful times for the quiet works of diplomacy.
Test ban signing and comments
MCU U.S. President LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON (LBJ, Lyndon B. Johnson, Lyndon Johnson) continues, "After long seasons of patient and painstaking negotiation, we have concluded, just within the past 5 years: --the Limited Test Ban Treaty, --the Outer Space Treaty, and --the treaty creating a nuclear-free zone in Latin America. The march of mankind is toward the summit--not the chasm. We must not, we shall not, allow that march to be interrupted. This treaty, like the treaties it follows, is not the work, as Secretary Rusk said, of any one particular nation. It is the accomplishment of nations which seek to exercise their responsibilities for maintaining peace and maintaining a stable world order. It is my hope--and the common will of mankind-that all nations will agree that this treaty affords them some added protection. We hope they will accept the treaty and thereby contribute further to international peace and security. As one of the nations having nuclear weapons, the United States--all through these years--has borne an awesome responsibility. This treaty increases that rest for we have pledged that we shall use our weapons only in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations.
Test ban signing and comments
MCU U.S. President LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON (LBJ, Lyndon B. Johnson, Lyndon Johnson) continues, "Furthermore, we have made clear to United Nations Security Council what would like to repeat today: If a state has accepted this treaty does not have weapons and is a victim of aggression, or is subject to a threat of aggression, involving nuclear weapons, the United States shall prepared to ask immediate Security Council action to provide assistance in accordance with the Charter. In welcoming the treaty that prevents the spread of nuclear weapons, I should like to repeat the United States commitment to honor all our obligations under existing treaties of mutual security. Such agreements have added greatly, we think, to the security of our Nation and the nations with which such agreements exist. They have created a degree of stability in a sometimes unstable world. This treaty is a very important security measure. But it also lays an indispensable foundation: --for expanded cooperation in the peaceful application of nuclear energy; --for additional measures to halt the nuclear arms race. We will cooperate fully to bring the treaty safeguards into being. We shall thus help provide the basis of confidence that is necessary for increased cooperation in the peaceful nuclear field.
Test ban signing and comments
MCU U.S. President LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON (LBJ, Lyndon B. Johnson, Lyndon Johnson) continues, "After the treaty has come into force we will permit the International Atomic Energy Agency to apply its safeguards to all nuclear activities in the United States--excluding only those with direct national security significance. Thus, the United States is not asking any country to accept any safeguards that we are not willing to accept ourselves. As the treaty requires, we shall also engage in the fullest possible exchange of equipment, materials, and scientific and technological information for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The needs of the developing nations will be given especially particular attention. We shall make readily available to the nonnuclear treaty partners the benefits of nuclear explosions for peaceful purposes. And we shall do so without delay and under the treaty's provisions. Now at this moment of achievement and great hope, I am gratified to be able to report and announce to the world a significant agreement--an agreement that we have actively sought and worked for since January 1964: Agreement has been reached between the Governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States to enter in the nearest future into discussions on the limitation and the reduction of both offensive strategic nuclear weapons delivery systems and systems of defense against ballistic missiles."
Test ban signing and comments
MCU U.S. President LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON (LBJ, Lyndon B. Johnson, Lyndon Johnson) continues, "Discussion of this most complex subject will not be easy. We have no illusions that it will be. I know the stubborn, patient persistence that it has required to come this far. We do not underestimate the difficulties that may lie ahead. I know the fears, the suspicions, and the anxieties that we shall have to overcome. But we do believe that the same spirit of accommodation that is reflected in the negotiation of the present treaty can bring us to a good and fruitful result. Man can still shape his destiny in the nuclear age--and learn to live as brothers. Toward that goal--the day when the world moves out of the night of war into the light of sanity and security--I solemnly pledge the resources, the resolve, and the unrelenting efforts of the people of the United States and their Government." MCU Johnson removes glasses, steps away from the podium. MS crowd applause as he sits.
Test ban signing and comments
MS CLAUDIA JOHNSON (Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson, Lady Bird, Lady Bird Johnson) approaches the podium, begins speaking, "I hope that all of you will come into the blue room so that we may have the pleasure of greeting you." MS people begin leaving the room. NOTE: The President spoke at 11:45 a.m. in the East Room at the White House. Remarks by Secretary of State Dean Rusk, British Ambassador Sir Patrick Dean, and Soviet Ambassador Anatoly F. Dobrynin, preceding those of the President, are printed in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (vol. 4, p. 1045). A list of plenipotentiaries, representing most of the 56 nations who presented their authorizations to sign the treaty in Washington, was released by the White House on the same day. On July 9 the President transmitted the treaty to the Senate (see Item 378). It was favorably considered by the Senate on March 13, 1969. The text is printed in Senate Executive H (90th Cong, 2d sess.) and in the Department of State Bulletin (vol. 59, p. 85). 7-1-68 Non-proliferation treaty signing 12 min.