Kennedy Letter to Eshkol
Regarding Dimona
(July 4, 1963)
This is a telegram from the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel
transmitting the text of a letter from President Kennedy to Prime
Minister Eshkol regarding visits to Dimona.
"Dear Mr. Prime Minister:
"It gives me great personal pleasure to extend congratulations
as you assume your responsibilities as Prime Minister of Israel. You
have our friendship and best wishes in your new tasks. It is on one
of these that I am writing you at this time.
"You are aware, I am sure, of the exchanges which I had with Prime
Minister Ben-Gurion concerning American visits to Israel's nuclear facility
at Dimona. Most recently, the Prime Minister wrote to me on May 27.
His words reflected a most intense personal consideration of a problem
that I know is not easy for your Government, as it is not for mine.
We welcomed the former Prime Minister's strong reaffirmation that Dimona
will be devoted exclusively to peaceful purposes and the reaffirmation
also of Israel's willingness to permit periodic visits to Dimona.
"I regret having to add to your burdens so soon after your assumption
of office, but I feel the crucial importance of this problem necessitates
my taking up with you at this early date certain further considerations,
arising out of Mr. Ben-Gurion's May 27 letter, as to the nature and
scheduling of such visits.
"I am sure you will agree that these visits should be as nearly
as possible in accord with international standards, thereby resolving
all doubts as to the peaceful intent of the Dimona project. [3-1/2 lines
of source text not declassified]
"Therefore, I asked our scientists to review the alternative schedules
of visits we and you had proposed. If Israel's purposes are to be clear
beyond reasonable doubt, I believe that the schedule which would best
serve our common purposes would be a visit early this summer, another
visit in June 1964, and thereafter at intervals of six months. I am
sure that such a schedule should not cause you any more difficulty than
that which Mr. Ben-Gurion proposed in his May 27 letter. It would be
essential, and I understand that Mr. Ben-Gurion's letter was in accord
with this, that our scientists have access to all areas of the Dimona
site and to any related part of the complex, such as fuel fabrication
facilities or plutonium separation plant, and that sufficient time be
allotted for a thorough examination.
"Knowing that you fully appreciate the truly vital significance
of this matter to the future well-being of Israel, to the United States,
and internationally, I am sure our carefully considered request will
have your most sympathetic attention.
"Sincerely,
"John F. Kennedy"
In conveying foregoing, you should stress that exhaustive examination
by the most competent USG authorities has established scheduling embodied
in President's letter as minimum to achieve a purpose we see as vital
to Israel and to our mutual interests. Scientific reasons for this are
that (a) only a visit before criticality can fully establish features
of a reactor--this is reason for requested early summer visit which
we hope could be this month or next at latest; (b) it is widely known
and accepted by knowledgeable international scientific community that,
if intended for ultimate production of weapons grade plutonium, a reactor
of this size would be operated to burn a single fuel load approximately
every six months, whereas for peaceful purposes optimum burn-up time
would be about two years--this is what makes it essential that after
mid-1964 visits be scheduled semi-annually.
Rusk
Sources: Foreign
Relations of the United States, 1961-1963: Near East, 1962-1963, V.
XVIII. |