- SE8R f T aocur itanl c a iis s of pages NWL of _ L Coplts Scfies - f _ UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION WASHINGTON ZS O C MAR 4 1961 Mr • James T Ramey Executive Director Joint Committee on Atomic Energy Congress of the United States Dear Mr Ramey In your letter of Februa 1961 you request a report on the safeguards inspection of the Israeli Research Reactor This in• spection was made on June 9 1960 by an inspection team consisting of staff members of the Atomic Energy Commission and was conducted pursuant to the safeguards provisions of our Agreement for Cooperation with the Government of Israel The Israeli Research Reactor located at Rehovoth is a 5 MW t pool• type reactor fueled with 7 304 grams of uranium enriched to 90% in the u-235 isotope Both fuel for the reactor and assistance in its construction were obtained from the United States The inspection consisted of a visual inventory of the fuel elements and certain reactor components containing fissionable material In addition an audit was conducted of the material accountability records associated with the facility From the information obtained with these procedures the inspection team concluded that Israel's usage of the material and reactor was in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement for Cooperation The Atomic Energy Comnission considers the information in the foregoing paragraph unclassified You will find attached a copy of the Israeli inspection report dated July 6 1960 prepared by the inspection team Your attention is invited to the fact that the attachment is designated Official Use Only Limited Distribution As you will appreciate the continued effectiveness of our safeguards efforts requires the cooperation of our bilateral partners which in turn depends heavily on maintaining the confidential nature of such reports 631- Thi rnolerl xl conlc tlns Information afloctlng the nallonal doknso ol he Unl i d S a s iL'tln hi '• n f oning of tl e m JiCn l lv · i TEii 18 U S C s 7Sf and i l4 lh trcr i u bobn CI rove-lu ion ol hie hl a»y nu mner I an unai thorll Cd porson it prchih ltd by law SEBHET Mr Ramey - 2 - f Also attached is the supplemental memorandum Secret refe ed to in the report which contains information discussed by u0 Embassy officials with the AEC safeguards team at an Emb aeting in Tel Aviv Your attention is called to paragraph b of this memo• randum which refers to unconfirmed reports of jo French-Israeli atomic energy activities in or near Beersheba Israel You will recall that Dr Herbert Scoville Assistant Director Office of Scientific Intelligence Central Intelligence Agency in d l acuaa l ns this matter before the Joint Committee during I ta Executive Seaaion of December 9 1960 noted that the CIA over A period of about o Lx months had had a few tit 19 t' -- Y i 3 P Orts relating to larael L Atomic energy activities The Lnformct 1 on-i rEniAttached memorandum fallo in the category of the reports to which Dr Scoville referred Sincerely youro c e General Manager Attachments 1 2 Report - Safeguards Inspection Supplemental Memo dtd 6-16-60 SECRET NW# 38431 Docid 31971043 1 _ _ ·· · - ' · · •• -- · _ -· -- ·· ·•f ·f • i· r _ t lY Umit _-oi • icfn W vtf'l · Uiiir • t lln r' ·- -r - ' ' J • --1 1 - ' • ' - I • t · • • •·· ·- ' 1 f - o f • I • • •i' • • -t - • · · • •' '· ' 1 _ ' _ ' I' -• ' · · · •'· · 1 l • f • t - '- · - • I 1 1 O • A • • • 't • - • • •f• • • 'J I• • - _ ' ul 6 • 1960 '# 1· · • - - • -· • • • • h · · · John Y Vinclguen a · ' ·• · Assistant D1r ector for· Safes11m d • DIA John j • Downing A_cting_ Chi•f Operations Branch · DIA - # r • I - --- ' I · • '• · ·e1FflCiAt-USE ·ow y 1mi e e µ ion·• ' · · ·· _- • · · _ A·Jf · 0·1A · - · · ·· · • - '· ' Mr Vf nclguent 1 r' 1 f Jr ' _ -2 ·• · r ·'· t -• vvr - I 1 - - • '· ·· •· ' • •1 · -_ i ·ju _ · '• · ' ' · · · Mft1ea · future · ·l uri ·this ercmceo ·Hi - lierrtng ··r ori ·c r- v Y o s supplied mnterial and found t em in· a eemeq tli _tljrl_ · · · · · J - · JI At the p1 eseut t IJ la • t Qe only _r_ec or els for· the react are kept at the · · · f Center and ·these are based on piece count only these recordo reflected · · · - 0 - I I • ' · ·' the-receip of t le fuel olemento and sour ee and a so the• · to th ·· -'- · · reactor of the_ same quantity It was ouggest d to Mr • ·aesbers- that·· ·· ' · immediately some records should 'bo established for the reactor proper · • - • • includ lug' burn-up nd · production D' lscusalons ware· hold 118 o ·the ' · · ' -particular typo rec·ord ·anc1 detailo wore furnished by ·Mr Herring • At - -this meetins in addition tottbe USABC •people there ware Dr Dostrovsky · Dr fol ah Mr Regberg and Dr Staiger of the_ echnion -Institute -81 lifa ' ·Dr Steiger the cuetodltlu of oi' G' plutonium beryllium source contaiui ig · · • ·•· ' · about 80 gra of pJ utonium - He is ·respanalbie to Dr Dostrcwsky Peace•· fUGl use ot t reactor was descrlbed··by Dr - Pelab of being entirely for· · research purpoooa and trainltig ·· 'J 'be first work of· the re'1Ctor will be •·· - '·· 'conducted by Dr Pel ah amt atud1ee v111 be conducted ln ·1uelaotic scatter · ·· · _ing _-_ilot' lri oratoriea· under ·construction and_ will be ie to handle· a t 100 curieo of actlvi y At this meetii'ig wa·_diecussed the· frequency· _ of·· reporting· and advis t ·Israelis that we wouid- m Jte a f t ·reques_t· ' ·u _our return to tlia S Ula hnve- e S nce equested quutorl7-report A classified _dlocussion ·_wtth the Anier an Embassy Tel Aviv was s e el reported in a memo 1 owins to l'lnc_igueua June ·11 1960 _·It le avai_lable - upo r quest· in Op ai f ons ·BE' ncb DIA · - is are • _ Conc-luaion • - ' - It · - ta· the conclusion of the oafeg ds inspection team· that the Israel's • ·' age-of·u s mterial and·reactor is in accordsDC e with·saf guarda provisions···and tbiat the c pe of- t'be inspection _and ccess to· reports and inventories warrant· ·ouch a· conclusion - · · ' · ' Xt • cc MV lla' -·· MB ratzer · _ N bon Div _ -of lnap ·· 4 I ' • ' ' Blmebke 1 DIA 1'9 Jones 1 DIA I J V • Vinciguerra AD S - # 38431 - - · · ·- r•• - - - z z 1 - • XX h F » LA c - - • t C • •· ' -i _ • 'l •f • • • • • • s s e 1t B I ----- _· • • • r - ' 1 • - ' _ ' -- ' · Meeting American-Embassy Tel Aviv· - • • • • J I•• • • • • f __ • - -· •· - i ·· ' --• • ·• •I• - · • _ •• ' • _ • _A-meeting_ was ld i n ·t te American aesy 'tel Aviv Sn_tur4ay · tlune 1·1 · 1960 Present· wre•' - •·r · ' · • ' • • ' J - •• I 'I • ·• • • • 'I '- • • • • j I 0 J ' • · Ir • • t Murat e lliam ·• Charge d'Afftiirea ' · j hn - Shaw • Pust_ Sacretary·and Ec cinic Off°icer John L -·Bender • Second Secracary Political Off leer · eo1 Connel USAP'' • Air Attoche James M ·£9lum· 'l'hird Socretary - - • • • I _ · - '1 • - • r '' • • • t_ •• • C · •· ' --· ·- ·• · _ · • _ ·_· · • -'· - · _1 · • •• ••· · • J V • _igue a - - 1otant_ irector · Dl A · ··-· · J • J· ·Domtlng - Chief Operatlons ranch IA Actihg '' J • H Herd ng - Operations Branch DIA ' ' 1 •t ' ' hem the USAEC • S · · ' - · · - - · from the Bnibass z · _- _ 'n _ ti • •• t t' ' • •_ • • _ '•· Mr - Vi iguerra - _t he raeot ing - a· tat emant tha t ·t11 e· safeguard inspection wa c'oinpl te and everything ·was in order · f ment'i9 18d··tba ' the · inspection frequency formula-callecl' -for two inspectio ns per· yea but · that tho actual fre4uepcy 'Wtle· a_s yet ec 1 d d ·· - Mr ail iams and Mr Sha · _ ' spoke strongly tor he applicati oia of the in mimum called £ •··dis• • · · '· ' '· cusstcin- then· binged upon a 'the need Isr·ae1··tor maa um aff t wecipons · · · - · · · and· b que tiona about ·1renc nuc ear assistance · c Israel a capabi-lity · ' • ··to become an_ Ni h posar ··· Br leflf stated· these problema ·are - · · ' ' of I ' • ' · • '- l hose avowod pur'pose -ls _ not only to defeat ·but to a Uiilate her drive into 'the sea was · · Bend' ' l' 1 s phrase • Ttie Ar 'states ' regardless of their·- previous 1 1 • - - · a isra ·1 1a··· urro kied by_ e -' stri'tee of intelligent· direction and will to ·fight · are· 'gettt ng_ at 0113er The Embas5T considare· 'that l ael to· tald ug All otopo to· main iA··«·improvo· · the - atus quo R¥ cl wapons 1 either d veloped by lsrat l or au lied · b · Frauce ·are the most effective· means of self • protection · l ac lt I · ·· FOIA b 3 - 42 USC 2168 f 1 C - FRD DOE · · ·Tha - tnetl 1 · c ii - '13 ir · t1c ' u i natlor uLcitdi ft - t n · $ C •J § · ·· dnd- · #· 38431 ·• • Docid· 3197·1· 043 • • t ' •• · -• p in cnL 'lg c-1 t •n r i- -n z l · n lS · ' - Secs9 SJ 7 -t ·Uta i't C 'l i i' j l c 'r rov 1 t ' ' · ' of vhib 'I '1 any i - mn i l ut cr i t tiz o d pt i -·• Is prcbibllotl by le · · • •• ·• 'I ' ···• - • · · ······· · - '- t ' I •' • ' ' I • 1 • · t f -' - I • • ' • • • L • • • 0 • _ · • 1 reports •• •·• •• '• 9 I • • • ·• I • b There _ 9re of •·a _joint laraeli h team· doing -same• thins in atomic• ciner31 in or -Beersheba The -A$ · ople were as ed f any information hey_ might-ob_ta$ u · 'fhe ABC 1e· had h d oF ing '• • up to their· depart1 JZ'e ·from l rael The ABC people prani ad to take tb a -· _ up with the i vlaion f -Int l lig nc upon· ·cheir return ·· · • _ - matter ·• · · _ _ · ·· ' - • •• ·• · - ' •• · ·· ·' e atf ons··· cech lques lsr f could- in t •· ·' •' • y · ··__ -f _ - · _ •• I_t·' would ' -dfff cul '• h ver ln'sct amall • · secret ·· · ' · - · - • • • • I ' • - _ • l • nuc ear po r_ · - · to keep this 'eff t ··· - £ · 'o be -Jine • c vntp 'As• d _scussed ·under·· • · it was s ted that especially with - · if' c I' j• • • I I ' • • I ' the subject of the cablegram regarding support of t e u s position at Vienna next· September came up · Mr Williams emphasized the Embassy'• lac · of technical ca illty an4 requested sane support • lie ' sa14· t4ey 're · · c41rtainly able to present the u· S • - views as expressed ·in the ·c·ablegram ·-but · · · · · woui c I be unable -to espcmd to any Israeli questions · a technical Ult • - · I - • • • • •• I • ' • o '· - ' · ' • - -- _ • • _ -- - · 'Note • • • • ·- - • -- • · - · - ·' -- ' 1 _ - - • • in • • ' · · · · 'l'he Bmbassy baa no scientific personnel •and the y al1a upon ·t _ _ '' · American Embassu ilew Delhi aupp t· X t is suggested tbat'' Rouleau b · - ·· for t - c t t th - viv_ bass ·and _' he p · ou b ia _ · I _·· • •·• _ l _ I • matt i Hr • Shaw· nti d a· ortlic ii ig · c er qn P l t_a i p •• f 4 • l· · • ir-- · • natlona-1 reaourceil to be held in the near- futvte··ac the Weizmann Institute ··' ' · · · •- ' - eqwu ted #-·- µ p t _f b ·s representati'ffi - ·ucf pe onnel p_rcmied • -· · · · ' • upon receipt oi ita''agenda to obtain qualified ··u - ·si repreaentation ' ' •' a• • • • • • •• • • - _ · • I • _ • •• • • • J • • • • - • td '· 'ancl _ot - - ·- · _ ··· · - - '1 ' • • t _ -s 1 - p ·t 11 • I · _ - • • • • l - _ ' t 11- • ·- - • J • ••• ' I ··t· ·· • I 1 • l· · • ' ' • JI·_ ' ' '• - ' ' l · - - i - j · t