Authority DECLASSIFIED Fe DEPARTMENT OF STATE ASSISTANT SECRETARY SECRET This document consists of d3 pages No of Cepies Series A T0 The Secretary THROUGH 4 a 4 9 no 21961 NBA - G Lewis Jones SUBJECT President's Suggestions re Israeli Reactor We share the President's concern over the visit of Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister Semenov to Cairo and the possibility that he might exploit Egyptian concern over Israel's nuclear activities we note in this connection that Molotov at the IAEA in Vienna Tab A professes not to be preoccupied with the Israeli reactor situation but of course this does not mean that the Soviets will not exploit the matter to curry favor with the Arabs - to UAR representatives he atomic planer arrests that this question was discussed in Ambassador Reinhardt s conversation with Nasser on B We doubt that it is necessary to call in the UAR 3 iassador urgently to reiterate our views particularly since it appears that Semenov has already left Cairo However We believe y - vie This item will be included l'e oriefing memorandum being prepared for you M qt 5 5 in In anticipation of your press conference we are preparing apprOpri- ate comment concerning Israelts atomic program ile a public reiteration of our confidence in Israel's assurances concerning the peaceful purposes of its atomic energy program might be useful in some respects on balance it would appearwpgeierable togavoidwf - essences a a a world-Wide publicity with respect t3 Tsrae 's atomic energy activities has happily subsided b Prime Minister Ben-Gurion states that in accordance with our request he will permit a qualified American scientist to visit the new reactor installation but only after public attention in Israel and outside Israel has died down and c voluntary comment on this subject might stimulate from correSpondents friendly to Israel a series of questions concerning Arab Israel matters from whose publicity Israel would appear in a more favorable light Until we have determined what steps we wish to take concerning Arab-Israel matters public inguiries and answers would not be helpful DECLASSIFIED Annhor y IX rCharge d'Affaires gd u - in ayvisiia_ You then may wish to mention i a JJEA NEgg%Meyer av 2 2 61 gears SECREE 2 w 4 mbassador Reid is no longer in Tel Aviv and our ot really well positioned to press further for the early visit of one of our representatives to the Israeli reactor installation Moreover Ben Gurion and his cabinet have resigned While they are Continuing on a caretaker basis they are thoroughly pre- occupied with local politics dender these in a me as a courtesy call on you which he has_requested for some time after February 12 Recommendations That with reference to the President's suggestions you respond 1 In view of current domestic political preoccupations in Israel we are re emphasizing to Ambassador Harman here the importance of an early visit by a representative of a friendly power to inepect the Israeli reactor installation 2 That you are prepared if ahgpegtion is asked to comment publicly at your press conference the peaceful character of the Israeli reactor On balance for the reasons cited above we would prefer to avoid a new round of publicity 3 That Israel s atomic deveIOpment was discussed by Ambassador Reinhardt on January 21 with Nasser and that you will speak to UAR Ambassador Kamel about it in reassuring terms when he calls next Tuesday Attachments Tab A Despatch No 707 from Vienna Tab - Telegram 1292 from Cairo 119% Clearance Farley SECRET - Page k7 3 1137175 again when the Ambassador 31 - eases-