Kennedy Wants Semi-Annual
Visits to Dimona
(May 10, 1963)
This is a telegram from the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel
expressing President Kennedy's desire for prompt Israeli agreement for
semi-annual visits to Dimona.
800. Eyes only Ambassador. Embtel 833. Re your May 5 discussion with
Ben-Gurion, your statement to PriMin correctly reflects intensity of
Presidential concern for promptest affirmative GOI reply to our proposal
for semi-annual Dimona visits, with first visit this month. This is
a matter USG views as vital to peace and stability in Near East which
PriMin has written must be matter of critical concern for both Israel
and USG. It appears here he may now be attempting throw question of
Dimona inspections into arena of bargaining for things Israel wants
from us, such as security guarantee. As President made clear to Mrs.
Meir in December, this is matter of global responsibility for USG transcending
what we expect to be reciprocal give and take in our day-to-day bilateral
relations. You should, therefore, press this with PriMin and Mrs. Meir
with great urgency, particularly with former in event you sense his
reference in May 5 conversation to her leaving hospital shortly is tactic
to delay early affirmative reply. In further conversations, you may
refer to foregoing as you deem useful as indication of USG concern and
also to:
1. In his May 1961 conversation with Ben-Gurion, President did not
suggest substitution of neutrals for Americans to observe Dimona. President
asked whether it would not be helpful to let neutrals also observe reactor.
(Ben-Gurion said he would have no objection and President expressed
satisfaction at PriMin's reply.)
2. On December 27, 1962, in context of discussion on our need to be
fully informed of developments re Israel's reactor development, Mrs.
Meir told President there would not be any difficulty between us.
3. On April 2, President also spoke to Israel DepMinDef Peres re our
concern. Peres gave unequivocal assurance re Israel's present actions
in that field.
4. In conversation with you April 2 Ben-Gurion "did not demur"
when you broached proposal for semi-annual visits.
5. USG is Israel's friend and there is close identification of interest
between us, but we do not think any nation regards Israel as USG satellite.
Nor, as GOI aware, has our handling of Dimona visits been source of
public or private embarrassment to Israel. On contrary, it has been
most helpful in giving quiet international support to Israel's statements
of peaceful intention and thus damping down dangers of precipitate,
ill-conceived reactions by Israel's neighbors. Our intention would be
handle info from future visits in same, quietly useful manner.
6. In answer to the Israeli charge that we are not insisting on inspection
in the Arab countries, you should say that we have a good line on any
Arab nuclear efforts and that these do not amount to a serious program.
Therefore, we consider this argument not to be a valid one from the
standpoint of the advanced Israeli program.
Rusk
Sources: Foreign
Relations of the United States, 1961-1963: Near East, 1962-1963, V.
XVIII. |