One of the founding purposes of the International Atomic Energy Agency is "to foster the exchange of scientific and technical information on the peaceful uses of atomic energy." Concurrently, the publication Nuclear Science Abstracts was produced by the United States Atomic Energy Commission at Oak Ridge, Tennessee beginning in 1948. Nuclear Science Abstracts sought to fully cover the world's nuclear science literature. By 1968, it had partnerships with 316 institutions in 44 countries The director of NSA, Edward J. Brunenkant, realized that the further development and expansion of NSA would not be possible without the backing of an international organization. At the third U.N. Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in 1964, Bunenkant proposed that the effort be undertaken by the IAEA. In 1966, consultants from the Soviet Union and United States (Lev. L. Issaev, and Raymond K. Wakerling, respectively) met in Vienna to explore the possibilities, and to develop parameters of the programme that would be acceptable to both countries. The consultants produced a set of recommendations, and in December of that year, the IAEA convened a working group of 16 countries and 3 international organization to agree on the final parameters of the programme.