Treaty of Quebec, 1946

[Serenissima]

Preamble

Research and experimentation in the field of nuclear chain reaction have attained the stage at which the release of atomic energy on a large scale is practical. The significance of the atomic bomb for military purposes is evident. The effect of the use of atomic energy for civilian purposes upon the social, economic, and political structures of today cannot now be determined. It is reasonable to anticipate, however, that tapping this new source of energy will cause profound changes in our present way of life.

Accordingly, it is hereby declared to be the policy of the peoples of the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada that, subject at all times to the paramount objective of assuring the common defence and security, the development, and utilization of atomic energy shall, so far as practicable, be directed toward improving the public welfare, increasing the standard of living, and promoting peace on Earth.

Therefore, the governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Dominion of Canada resolve the following:

Article I:
To establish the Atlantic Atomic Energy Commission, henceforth referred to as "the Commission", a civilian intergovernmental organisation between the signatories and comprised of personnel from all of the signatory nations, to serve as the regulatory body and to have oversight over all technical, scientific and practical matters relating to atomic energy in the signatory nations, with an aim towards mutual aid, assistance, and efficiency in achieving the goals set out for the Commission in the preamble. This will include the following programmes:

1. A programme for the Commission's control of scientific and technical information, which will permit the dissemination of such information to encourage scientific progress, and for the sharing outside the signatory nations (on a reciprocal basis) of information concerning the practical peaceful applications of atomic energy as soon as effective and enforceable safeguards against its use for destructive purposes can be devised;
2. A programme of Commission-led research and development to assure the signatories of continued scientific and technical accomplishment, jointly pooling funding and research in these fields, including assisting and fostering private research and development among the signatories to encourage maximum scientific progress;
3. A programme for Commission joint control of the production, ownership, and usage of fissionable materials, to ensure common defence and security, and to guarantee the broadest possible exploitation of these fields of science, with regard to the need for a guarantee of common defence and the requirement for effective and enforceable safeguards against its use for destructive purposes.

Article II:
To maintain the existing avenues between the signatory nations of scientific and technical co-operation in the field of atomic energy, with the activities under the existing tripartite Combined Policy Committee to be merged into and replaced by the functions of the Commission. The signatories are bound to share fully information between the signatories concerning all scientific and technical advancements in the field of atomic energy under the auspices of the Commission. The signatory nations shall strive together to remain the world leaders in atomic science and technology through the joint efforts of the Commission, committing to adequate and proportional funding of the Commission's activities from each signatory party in order to ensure continued mutual advancement and development in this field.

Article III:
To repudiate and nullify all pre-existing agreements and treaties, public or secret, which would be in contravention of the terms of this Treaty. The signatories are furthermore bound to make no agreements or treaties with any third party that would affect this Treaty or come under its provisions, including the sharing of scientific or technical data in the field of atomic energy and/or the provision of fissionable materials - including the sale of equipment for the manufacture of the above - without the agreement of all other signatories to this Treaty.

Article IV:
To always, politically and diplomatically, strive together towards the peaceful use of atomic energy, and the perpetual maintenance after their establishment of effective and enforceable safeguards on atomic energy, in support of the three objectives of improving the public welfare, increasing the standard of living, and promoting peace in the world, not solely among the signatory parties but to the benefit of humanity as a whole.

[Serenissima]

Signed,
Hugh Dalton, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom

[OYID]

Signed

James F Byrnes,

United States Secretary of State.

[Useful Dave]

Signed,

William Lyon Mackenzie King, Prime Minister and Secretary of State for External Affairs of Canada.