3 Authority 1 sz This document consists of pages HF - number of Z- copies Series - unaLLU GOVERNMENT I Memorandum mm To Mr Strong PROM SCI - Charles H Thomas 56 summer Inspections of Dimona Reactor After our conversation on January 30 I arranged for a meeting on January 31 with Mr Charles Reichardt of AEC Security and Mr Myron Kratzer of the Division of International Affairs AEC to discuss the problem of continuing inspections of the Dimona Reactor I told them that in our view the best method of assuring that we can have regular inspections of the Dimona Reactor without going through the difficulty of high level negotiations with the Israelis every few months would be to approach them at the present time and get their approval of a system under which the regular AEG safeguards inspectors will visit Dimena in conjunction with their normal visit to the U S reactor in Israel about every six months I went on to say that this not only had the merit of settling the and for all but that it would probably be mere acceptable to the Israelis than any other method because it would make inspections of the Dimona reactor routine rather than special occasions and thus de emphasize them Mr Reichardt considered this and said that from his point of view he thought this solution might be quite satisfactory Mr Kratzer had certain misgirings because of the taint that such inspections might place upon the RED safeguards inspectors He mentioned that AEG regards it as highly important that the AEB safeguards inspectors not be regarded as having any covert mission He recognized that if these peeplc are invited by the Israeli Government and their visits are accepted as routine matters the danger which he fears would probably not materialize He did say that if the routine visits were arranged he would like several things clearly understood 1 That they would have full access to theDimona Reactor site for any reasonable period of time that a full inspection would require during each visit 2 They would like the intelligence community to be aware that their reports on this site would not be fully equivalent to their normal inspections both because they would not be as frequent as would routine visits to a reactor the size of the one at Dimona and because they would not be receiving full interim reports on the materials delivered and the burn up rate 3 The AEC would like the Embassy in Tel Aviv to be fully briefed on the visits and to have these visits handled by the Embassy in precisely the same way as are the visits to the U S reactor in Israel Amnesty END 93930 5- ED FOREIGN 2- It was pointed out that these visits would be somewhat different from others in that the reports would necessarily be classified whereas the other inspection reports are not Mr Reichardt suggested that any reports resulting _from these visits should he made available to the British in the future as have the reports on the two preceding visits While neither Mr Reichardt ner Mr Kratzer could give approval on these visits at this time they both shared our view that it is urgently impartant to make some long term arrangements as soon as possible They have agreed to take this up with their General manager and ultimately with the Commission so as to have an answer in our hands not later than February 8 If they accept this pr0posal it would be hoped that your office could make the necessary arrangements with the Israeli Government so that the next safe- guards visit to Israel which is scheduled for late March 1963 will also include an inspection of Dimona so GN'l'homas em 2 1 63 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu