United Nations: Back in Business

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In his opening Assembly address, U.S. Ambassador Arthur Goldberg touched on most of these problems routinely. The Assembly, he noted, could hardly even consider seating Peking—the regime that "hurls insults upon the peaceful efforts" of the U.N. But in the area of disarmament, Goldberg unveiled some new policy proposals. The U.S., he said, is now ready "to transfer 60,000 kilograms of weapons-grade U-235 to non-weapon uses if the Soviet Union would be willing to transfer 40,000 kilograms." The energy in 60,000 kilograms of uranium 235 is roughly equal to two-thirds of the total electricity consumption of the U.S. for a whole year—and the suggestion represents the first time that the U.S. has ever proposed to Russia the actual destruction of the warhead containers as well as the transfer of megatons of fissionable material to peaceful uses.