March 4, 1959

Hugh Odéshaw
Parkhotel
The Hague

Enclosed herewith coples of some material sent to you at NAS, for safety.

I'm rather apprehensive, as perhaps you are too, about the implications

of USSR non-representation on CETEX: it may mean they are planning some
massive demonstration that would be in conflict ka with CETEX principles--
perhaps somethi ng silly like a battalion of moonshots to take ‘territorial
possession' of the moona, The published pictures of Mechta (né Lunik)
showing embossed plates as figurative pennants might justify thls suspicion.

In any case, it would be desperately important to make contact with

Russian blologists and biochemists. Whatever judgments you can make on
effective channels would be most important! They already have an established
institute of Astroblology at Tashkent, and Oparin's discussions back in

the 30's are the very basis of current thinking on the chemical orlgins

of life-- it's astonishing there hasn't been a detectable peep out of this
wing of Russian sclence,

Good luck--