1772 



"Space" diplomacy was very extensive, in both geographic and 

 technological scope. It involved, by 1970, 250 project agreements with 

 some 74 nations. In addition to the exploration of the solar system, 

 the applications of space technology had been extended to global 

 telecommunications and television, weather observation, navigation 

 aids, and earth resources surveys.^^^ The diplomatic impact of the 

 high technology of space is summed up as follows: 



... It afforded a new and relatively non-controversial area of opportunity for 

 joint US-USSR action. It was inherently global. It offered economic advantages 

 and opportunities to all countries. It demonstrated U.S. leadership in practical 

 application of a dramatic new technology. As a communications link it brought 

 the entire world closer together. It offered promise of solving such grave global 

 problems as arms inspections, pollution detection, and resource inventory. At the 

 same time, it raised a host of legal and diplomatic questions as to sovereignty of 

 near space, content of global television programs, the equities of developing 

 countries in an activity beyond their limited means, and the rights of nations and 

 individuals to use information secured by satellite.'"^ 



In the discussion of agriculture, essentially a "low technology" 

 field, the study identified four aspects as important for diplomacy: 

 (1) the problem of feeding a growing world population, and the ques- 

 tion of agricultural technology transfer' for this purpose; (2) the 

 policy of overseas disposal of U.S. agricultural surpluses ; (3) achieve- 

 ment of balanced economic growth in developing countries; and (4) 

 the potentially adverse effects on the global environment of tech- 

 nologies to increase agricultural production. 



In the broad area subsumed under the term "technological infra- 

 structure" the study briefly touched on education and training, health, 

 power, transportation, and communications. All of these have some 

 high-technology elements but in the main they are based on well- 

 established or low technology. Diplomacy becomes involved with the 

 low technology of infrastructure through such concerns as aid to 

 developing countries, the international transfer of technology, inter- 

 national aspects of education and health, and the inherently interna- 

 tional character of air and sea transportation and many media of 

 communications. 



Much of the technology cited in support of the 1970 issue of the 

 "technology gap" between Europe and the United States was of the 

 high technology category. For example, one student cited, among 12 

 special advantages possessed by the United States (vis-a-vis Europe), 

 the folloAving — 



U.S. lead in computer technology 

 U.S. lead in atomic energy, aircraft, and space 

 U.S. lead in comprehensive communications systems 

 while most of the other nine items bore a particular relationship to 

 high technology.*'^ 



The United States also had its "defenders" during that period of 

 alleged technological gap. These called attention to the ability of 

 industry in Western Europe and Japan to sell goods, including mass- 

 produced items, competitively in the United States. Moreover, said 



^'' A more complete listing of possible functions of surveillance satellites appears in ibid., p. 638. 



<'s Ihid., p. 640. 



*" Ibid., p. 662. Tiie other nine items were: Greater U.S. effort in research and development; greater size 

 of American firms, with superior profit picture; superior U.S. mnnacerial slnlls; the flow of European scien- 

 tists to tho United States; higher U.S. expenditures on education (especially technical); mobility of move- 

 ment e'eosrraphically and institutionally; superior conimunications amons and within institutions; absence 

 of trade barriers within a large market area; and flexibility and adaptability of social and economic insti- 

 tutions. 



