5 OUIGOING IELEGRAM Department of State INDICATE couect Danae 10 Classification 0 4 4 7 SENT TO Amembassy TEL AVIV PRIORI Amembas PARTS a 5 we Amembasgg LONDON 3 3 REVIEW EYES ONLY I Massif I Eviuxgirc 33 2 fr FOR AMBASSADORS gig 13% Wm 4am Secretary called in Harman Dec 9 stated matter has come up about which we are very disturbed and wish to speak frankly in the manner in which Israeli and we EMBTEL accustomed deal with each other Secretary read h86 _ This was first US heard of such large research reactor Description this research reactor not not consistent with information concerning large nuclear installation which ISraeli have never mentioned to us but concerning which mcretasinglz r amount of information including photographs has recently been received Secretary showed Harman photographs of installation south of Beersheba Pointed out over-all scope of installation diameter containment building and capacity power lines far in excess research reactor requirements and could serve reactor of 10 times size that mentioned l 86 Such reactor would produce sufficient plutonium annually make several atomic bombs Obvious inconsistentcy' between that above information and projected Israeliannouncement gives us great concern Installation this apparent size would cost on order $80 million and has not been mentioned in recent discussions Israeli economic development plans and possible US financial eclassified Case NEW C 4 gm by 02 6321 Date 10 12 2018 The Secizetary J ley 12 9 60 awn-mica mom MW MW My ex I Clement - 4 I s S - MJI Seip% NEA GLJonesW REPRODUCTION FROM THIS COPY IS PROHIBITED UNLESS Classification 3632f Dom975 a telegram to Amembassy TEL AVIV Classification I assistance Knowledge of potential nu %ea sweapons capacity would have Very I see a disturbing impact on Middle East andze anx US interests as well as those Israeli themselves we would be much relieved learn account inf 33 EL 86 is accurate and program announcement reflects extent Israeli atomic program vainaccurate or only partially account we fear will stimulate interst and comment Pointed out US scientists and in- dustrial representatives have recently noted scale and of Israeli atomic program as well as French involvement in large scale reactor construction Thus speculations real obJectives and scope of Israeli program are increasingly widespread and may bring question into open Secretary reiterated US hopes information communicated can be explained in open and satisfactory way which will remove bases for concern and that our desire is to explore matter directly and frankly in order avoid misunderstanding Harman disclaimed knowledge of facts and stated he would report US concern and questions to his Government and request urgent advice Secretary subsequently informed UK and French Embassies of general tenor je i ichr's ai' Win Would relay Secretary's his conversation with Harman concern and seek information from Paris Classification 'Nw# 36321 DocId 612975 - I -- EYES ONLY 0R1 PRESIDENTIAL HANDLING No Copies Received Cl ssification Master File - Copy No 8 POST INCOMING OUTGOINE M In NUMBER 441 3 5 - n v W DATE was IF I 1 7 0 CONTROL 9 4-47 7 3% SUBJECT i i I WHITE HOUSE I i ex A E050x2 CIA INR SEC DEFENSE IO ISA JCS a cak ICA A USIA SP AF 57% 79m g ARA 1 CONFERENCE OF SPECIAL FIL EUR g Sr'A $332 anon Copies Destroyed Eate By l l ONLY OR PRESIDENTIAL HANDLING DocId 612975 DEPARTMENT OF STATE 3 EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT December 15 1960 Cop r #11 to INR - Mr for CIA Action taken in MN response to Mr Cumming's initiative with the concurrence of - Mr Courtney tit-f m E050x2 CIA ECS DocId 612975 stem EPARTMENT OF EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT ember 15 1960 s_ Memorandum of the Secretary's Conversation ofNEecember 9 with the Israeli Ambassador re the Palestine Conciliation Commission Mi The subject memorandum Tab A is submitted for approval prior to distribution This memorandum is not deemed suitable for distribution to CIA - Mr Farley believes that no t formal memorandum of conversation is required on the question of the Israeli reactor which was also discussed at this meeting in light of the reporting telegrwm Q to Tel Aviv Tab B Approve Disapprove Emory Swank EYES 36321 DocId 612975 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