r 'l - I IHC 1111s1- · · _ ii Jjepani mt of- State '- l - · 5E6AET 48 Cl -ul 1-c·oUo·n Action S S FROM TEL AVIV Info TO NO · JANUARY 24o8 JANUARY 6 · 1961 1 '51 A M EYES ONLY Secretary_ ot Stat 626 Contrel 'Reo'd 5 ·6 P M SEcTION ONE or FIVE NIACT EYES ON Y StC ETARY REFERENC E ASSY TEL£GRAM 615 EYE$ ONLY SE ElARY 1 AT BEN-GlJUONIS REQUEST I CALLED ON ·-HIM JANUARY 4 IN TEL AVIV AS HE HAO·PRHJ £NGAGE - Nr JANU ¢RY _3 'wi tiCH PRECLUDEE PROV ID l NG OE T t LEO ANSWE RS EXf ECTED • REFfRENCE TELEGRAM B N-61 itiON INDICATED HE WISHED TO ANSWER THE QUESTION · DEPARTMENT TELEGRAM 562 6£ CAN 1S8A L STATE CATEGORICALb Y ' T-HAT' t-r· ·H S l'4b 1-t NS TtiR' PROOUC I NG' NOC LEAR WEAPONS 0 · ' °' • F'I RST · •' ' BEN-G ION SAIQ 11 THE EPLY IS A CATEGORICAL YES I MADE I PERFECTLY ClEAA IN MY STATEMENT IN THE KNESSET ANO OUR • AMBASSADOR MlDE IT CLEAR TO THE SECRETARY Of STATE • · i THEN SAYING HEW IS SORRY OfFICfALLY AND PER ONALLY TO HAVE TO SAY SOM ADDITIONAL THINGS - HE LAUNCHED· INTO THE f Ollo 'ING 4J' 1 1l· KNOW THE GREATNESS or AMERICA THAT ii TH E LAND Fo TENS or MILLION$ or PEOPLE or ELIROPE THAT IT MAY 11• or EFUlE ·I ' B£ THE' -r• PROSPEROUS COllflfTRY THAT YOUR PEOPLE CONDUCT A BITTER WAR TO ABOLISH AFRICAN SLAVERY THAT YOU SAVED - l _ i £ 1 ROPE TWICE fR J 1 THE GERMANS I KNCM YOU ARE THE LEADER I or T HE FREE W0RLDJ THAT ON AMER ICA•S GUIDANCE RESTS THE rUTURE l Of HUMANITY 1 • « - t - MORE c couon NW# 42247 -·--------·---• Docid 612855 EYES 01B11oouct10N •FROM THIS 111Jv - IS PROHIBITED air e u T ·-· -··- 1 UNlESS UNCLASSIFIED'' -- c1us1f1ed Case MN 2247 Dace 02-07-2019 -····- - · · ---- 6E RET -2- 626 JANUARY 5 6 P M SECTION ONE Of FIVE FROM TEL AVIV MORE THAN THIS THE SECOND PRESIDENT OF' THE US JOHN ADAMS IN 1818 WROTE A REMARKABLE LETTER TO MAJOR MORDECHAI NOAH SAYING A 1 1 REALLY WISH THE JEWS WERE ONCE AGAIN IN JUDEA AS AN INDEPENDENT NATION I WISH YO NATION TO BE ADMITTED TO All THE PRIVILEGES Of NATIONS• I I i I I I I KNCM PRES I DENT 1 lSON WAS THE CO-CREATOR Of THE BALFOUR DECLARATION -- WITHOUT HIM IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE THAT THE AMERICAN CONGRESS 100K A PC61TION rAVORING THE 1 JEWISH NATIONAL HOME• TRUMAN WAS THE FIRST TO RECOGNIZE ISRAEL ONE OR TWO HOURS ArTtR THE CREATION or THE STATE ' i I II I i i I i I I i I KNCM YOU AR A GREAT COUNTRY • I HOWEVER WE ARE THE EQUALS Of AMERICA INTER or MORAL RESPECT YOU INHERITED MUCH fROM US YOU SHOIA D LOVE ·· TRUTH AND PEACE -- ONE or THE MOST DEAREST THINGS TO ME AND OUR PEOPLE l I TH N DRAWING HIMSELF UP IN HIS CHAIR BEN-Gt RION SAID WE DIDN T DESERVE IT AND WE WILL NOT ACCEPT SUCH TREATMENT n HERE IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER HE RtfERRED TO AM3ASSAOOR HARMAN 1 S BEING CALLEO IN BY THE SECRETARY ON DECEMBER 9 COINCIDENT MY CABlE ON TALK WITH BERGMANN Et-eASSY TELEGRAM 486 THE STORY APPEARING IN THE DAILY EXPRESS ON DECEMBER 16 IN LONDON WHICH HAO NEWS WE ARE CREATING THE ATOMIC eot-e AND PARTICULARLY TO THE EVENTS OF DECEM3ER 18 ' I I i I RE LATTER HE SAID ttoUR AMBASSADOR APPROACHED ASSISTANT SECRETARY JONES THAT MORNING REFERRING TO PRESS RERORTS STATING MERICAN OFFICIALS HAVE LEARNED ISRAEt IS DEVELOPING A REACTOR SECRETLY HARMAN CALLEO JONES NOTED AEC • CHAIRMAN KCONE WILL SPEAK ON RADIO AT SIX 0 1 CLOCKn AND URGED THAT MCCONE NOT ENCOURAGE SPECULATIONS AND FALSE NEWS BEN-Gt RION SAID THAT JONES HAO REPLIED TO THE EFFECT THAT HE HOPES MCCONE ILL ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LINE AOOPTCD H I ' r - 2 47 Doc Cd 612855 CONTINUING SECRET OF CLASSIFIED Authorit yl lli --- - ·•· -I SECRET -3- 626 JANUARY 5• 6 P M SECTION ONE _OF _flVE FROM TEL AVIV CONT I NU I NG t BEN-G I ON SAID BUT MR lv'CCONE PUBU CLY DECLARED THE US GOVERNMENT APPROACHED ISRAEL FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -- THAT -REACTOR WAS SURPRISE TO THE US BEN-Gt RION ADDED THE DAY AtTER MONDAY THE NEW YORK TIMES PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE ON PARTNERSHIP or SRAEL AND f RANCE IN THIS MATTER BEN-GURION THEN REfERREO TO HIS STATEMENT IN THE KNESSET SAYING 1tWHEN I MAKE A STATEMtNT IN OUR PARLIAMENT THIS STATEMENT AS TRUSTWORTHY AS ANY MADE BY HIGHEST OFFICIALS I N YOUR GOVERNMENT• IT CAN BE TREATED ONLY AS SUCH WHEN I SAY SCJ 1tTHING IT IS JUST AS TRUE -- AS MORAtLY WE ARE EQUAL • I nwt ARE NOT A SATELLITE OF AMER I CA WE ARE AND 'til Ll NEVER BE A SATELLITE • wt ARE AN INDEPENDENT ANO PROUD NATION REID AN SM0 21 · 9EeREf ---·· ·--· 1 2-2 - - · cid 612855 ' •• - • - - - - - - - - - - 1111 - °t • Department of State INCOMING TnEGRAM 48 aE6RE'f Control 2468 Rec'd JANUARY Clu lf lcaflon Action 6 I 961 4 33 A M S S Info FROM TEL AV IV TO Secretary ot State NO 626 J NUARY 5 6 P M SECTION TWO Of FIVE 0 6 • I NIACT EYES ONLY SECRETARY I NEXT HE REFERRED TO DEPARTMENT'S STATEMENT Of OtCEMBE 22 WHICH HE CALLED A NICE STATEMENT AND ONE THAT INDICATED THAT EVERYTHING SO f'AR PUBLISHED NOT A REASON fOR IORRY tt AT THlS POINT BEN-GURION RETURNED TO THE REMAINING QUESTIONS HE SA 10 THEY ARE A LITTLE STRANGE BUT I WILL ANSWER THEM 11 • HE EFERREO _TO MY CALL ON HIM DEC MBER 24 EMBASSY TELEGRAM 577 INDICATING THAT HE SA ID AT THAT TIME THERE WILL BE NO PLUTON llJ 1 f'OR THREE OR f OUR YEARS -- UNTIL REACTOR MADE CT IVE 11 SPEC IF ICALL Y WITH REfERENCE TO THE QUEST ION 6-A WHAT ARE PRESENT ISRAEL PLANS FOR DISPOSING OF PLUTONlUM WHtCH WILL BE BRED IN NEW REACTOR 1' HE SA f j_ THE FOLLOW ING I TOCO YOU fRCN OUR PHOSPHATES WE CAN PRODUCE URANIUM BUT NO COUNTRY IS SELLING URANIUM -- ONLY If IT GETS PLUTONIUM ONLY If IT WILL GET IT BACK BEN-GURION NOTED THAT AS rAR AS WE KNOWu THIS IS A CONDITION WHEN WE COME TO PURCHASE IT AS TO THE PURCHASE DATE or THIS URANIUM BEN-GURION NOTED IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE RATE OF WORK'' AT THE REACTOR HE THEN ADDED AT LEAST fOR THAT REACTOR If I AM NOT MISTAKEN W£' NEED flfTY TIMES AS MUCH AS Wt CAN PROOUCE HE SAID' THIS WAS A L RGE AMOUNT ANO MENTIONED PARTIALLY UNDER HIS BREATH REPRODUCTION FROM THIS Cloul lcoUon ln •22 Docld 612855 r COPY ts PROHIBITED UNLESS UNCLASSIFIED DECLASSIFIED Autbori ffh t 9Y55lll ---a- I •2- ---- ---- - - ' _ 626 JANUARY 5 6 P M SECTION TWO Of FIVE FROM TEL AVIV BREATH A FIGURE or 8o TONS WHICH HE WAS NOT SURE Of IN RESPONSE TO MY FURTHER QUERY HE SAID NO PLUTONIUM NOW IN ISRAEL if TH REFERENCE TO QUEST ION 6-B WILL ISRAEL AGREE TO ADEQUATE SAF EGUAROS WITH RESPECT TO PLUTONIUM PRODUCED BEN-GUR ION SA ID FLATLY I REFUSE WE D0N 1 T WANT TJ-IE RUSSIANS CCJ t ING I_N AS PART OF' A N INTERNAT IONAi BODY I REFERRED TO SECRETARY HERTER 1 S STATING THAT THE QU£STION or DISPOSITION OF PLUTONIUM WAS THE CRUX 9F SAFEGUARDS ANO AGAIN NOTED THAT ISRAEL HAO 'VOTED FOR IAEA SAFEGUARDS AT THE GENERAL CONFERENCE IN SEPTEMBER BEN-GURl0N SAID If YOU MEAN INTERN-ATIONAL SAFEGUARDS SAME LAW SHOULD APPLY FOR EVERYBODY• HE SA ID THAT THERE WERE NO SAFEGUARDS IN INDIA I NOTED IT WAS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE INDIAN REACTOR WAS COMPLETRY IN THE OPEN SECOND I RETURNED TO THE QUESTION OF SAFEGUARDS ASKING WHY IF THE REACTOR AT NAHAL RUBIN UNDER SAFEGUARDS WAS THERE ANY DIFF ERENCE WI TH THE REACTOR AT DIMONA WHICH HE UNEQUIVOCALLY STATED WAS DESIGNED fOR PEACEfll PURPOSES MY INQU IR IES WERE WITHOUT RESULT AS EACH T IME BEN-GUR ION WENT INTO THE O IFFERENCES BETWEEN THE RESEARCH WORK or THE TWO REACTORS TOUCHING AGAIN ON THE HISTORY AND THE PURPOSE OF THE DIMONA REACTOR HIS FINAL COMMENT -- WHICH WAS NOT RELEVANT TO THE QUESTION OF SAFEGUARDS -- WAS THAT A GROUP 0 PEOPLE GAVE MONEY TO HQ P ESTABLISH THE REACTOR'I FOR THE EVENTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF ATOMIC POWER WHICH MAY BE CHEAPER AND BETTER THAN POWER RESULTING FROM CONVENTIONAL FUELS TURNING TO 6-C WJLL ISRAEL PERMIT QUAL lflED SCIENTISTS FROM IAEA OR OTHER f RIENOL Y QUARTERS VIS ll NEW REACTOR ANO IF SO WHAT WILL 6 THE EARLIEST DATE BEN-GURION SAID WE WILL NOT PERMIT INTERNAT10NAl BODIES TO INSPECT REACTOR UNTIL ALL REACTORS ARE ·TREATED AS EQUALS TO THE SECOND PART Of THE QUESTION BEN-GURION ANSWERED f'RCJ f fRIENDL V POWER YES HE THEN PLACED TWO CONDITIONS ON HIS ANSWER A ACCESS TO A FRIENDLY POWER WOULD BE DEPENDENT ON OUR GOl'S SUCCESS IN QUIETING PUBL C OPINION HERE AND B IF' WE HAVE ''REASON TO 'BELIEVE THAT WHAT MCCONE HAS DONE WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DISCUSSION BEN-GURION RETURNED TO-MCCONE NOTING THAT PERHAPS MCCONE • · ' I 1 NW# 4 -Docid HAO ··sccREF 612-8-55------- - --- -r cLASSIFIE---D-- -_l Aulhori YAAt qy -·--· I ij - · -3- 626 JANUARY 5 6 P M SECTION TWO OF FIVE FRCM TEL AVIV HAO NOT MADE STATEMENT PURPOSELY ANO PERHAPS HE DID NOT REALIZE GREAT HARM MIGHT° BE CAUSED BY TH IS STATEMENT HE ALSO ALLUDED TWO MORE TIMES TO HARMAN - JONES CONVERSATION RE MCCONE INDICATING THAT USG IN EFFECT GAVE US A PRCJ 11SE NOT TO TALK THIS WAY BEN-GUR ION NOTED THAT AN ADVANC£ NOT ICE QUEST 10N HAD B EEN ' PRESENTED TO HIM BY KNESSET MEMBER NOT OF HIS PARTY WHICH HE SA 10 A IMEO AT CREATING IMPRESS ION 1'0F AMERICA AS AN ENEMY'' HE SAID HE WOULD DO WHAT HE COULD TO PREVENT·'i QUESTION C 11NG UP BUT THAT HE MIGHT NOT BE SUCCESSFUL tr ASKED HE SAID HE· wou o DO EVERYTHING POSSJBLE TO DISPEL IMPRESSION THAT THE LEAKAGE WAS DONE ON P URPOSE BY THE US TO PREVENT AS SlSTANCE- TO THE REACTOR BEN-GUR ION SA 10 f DON'T WANT ·ouR PEOPLE TO ASSUME ANY BAD INTENTIONS ON THE PART OF AMERICA AND I CAN ASSURE YOU I WILL KEEP THE FAITH or OUR PEOf LE IN YOUR NAT ION I STRESSED THAT THE SECRETARY HAD SOUGHT PRIVACY AND AS rAR AS 1· KNEW THERE WAS ABSCl UTEl Y NO TRUTH IN SUCH A CHARGE BEN-GUR ION WHEN HE WOU D PERMIT A QUAL trlED'' SCIENTIST TO VISIT THE REACTOR AND AFTER SOME DISCUSSION HE FINALLY AGREED TO PERM IT V_IS IT ·AS EARLY AS POSS ISLE SUBJECT TO TWO CONDITIONS ABOVE I THEN ASKED REID SMD I I I I I I I I S CIU T NW# 42247 Docid 612855 --· • - • tHaJIIINS • • - f · l£1 E 8'· Department of State 9EERET L c Action FROM TE l AVIV TO Secretary ot Stat 't NO 626 JANUARY 5 6 P _2ia87 Cantlol ms ONLY S S Info - - Reo'd J NUA Y 5128 6 A t 1961 i 006 •l I i ii SEGTION -T f E Of f'IVF • I i '' NIACT EYES ONLY SECRETARY I HE M t P01NT OF' $ YING Tl f T l IERE Ht WAS t i Y R£e'ER -NQ TO j ONE or 1 tD IF Tt fl'S VIS IT IOUI D B tGMPl ETEl -' -l l f $ It YES • ' · YOUR PEOPLE ''F E AND OPEN w l DUR I NG OI SC USS I QN OF' TH IS G NE 'RJL QUEST I I -R f'ER tt TO NEWSP PER EXPEl tlENCE 'WHICH SUGGESTED THAT tAf ltY e r A D I F'ULL DISClOSURC OF' F' CTS ON Wt tlC THERE ' lt S ANY SPEGU TION WAS THE QUI CKtST AND E I EST WAY TO AlLAY y Cf 1 £ - I - _ _ j GAIN TRIED TO DISTINGUISH BETWE£N' THE REACTOR T NAHAl RUBIN ANO DIMONA WITH NO RESutT OTH R 1 HAN H $ P tYi PQ$1TION RE sov I ETS OR SPECIF I A l Y POSS I ij I I I TY or MB SA R BE ov· __ _ PN ASKING f OR ACCESS -- F'INALLY WITH R fERENCE TO QUESTIO 6th • 1s · t'Hl p REACTO EITHER IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR PLAtiNING STAGE HE SAi NO ANO THAT OUR QVESTION RE THIRD R 'ACTOR fOD Tlu_r- BEING NOT ovERST ATEMENT ' BEN - GUR I ON s 10 W ITH A E woULo T KE AT LEAST 11 TEN YEARS TO BUILD AN ATGMl'C PCMER STATION11 BUT THAT HE DID NOT WISH TO MISLEAD IN ANY W Y • WHH E TR ut- - OW THAT THERE WAS NOT ANY 11 0NSTRUCTION OR r1 ANt ING'' r° A THIRD MT 'i RE CTO IT WAS NOT TOO BIG A Ar• ·A ITTLE OISTANGE - i ' 't • l' · JUMP fROM HOPlt-tQ TO Pl INQit • · ' - • or DU ING B t NC DISCUSSION BEN GURION R fER W TO wWHAT W DONE BY CONElt RESULTING I THE ptT RIOR TI or TH ATMOSPHERE IN THE MIDDLE EA 5TJ N SERJS P • l t_ B11 IZ TION rvra' D l COPY llfPRODUCnOII FROII lHIS Cl IS PROHIBITED 8 GllET · c ie uon UNI ESS -UNClASSIRBr 1 I q I 'i • I• 11i --··- - - -·--·-·---- ---- ----- NW# 42247 Docid 612855 DECLASSIFIED '·Audlori YNNl 9'-l 'ifll1 - -- ' SECRET -2- 626 JANUARY 5 6 P M FROM TEL AVIV SECTION THREE Of FIVE HE OIDN'T 11 KNCM 11 WHETHER NASS WOULD OR NOT THE DI FTERENCE IN OUR DEF ENS PROBLEM ND NY DEFENSE OBLEM IN THE WORLO HE PAUSED FOR EMPHASIS AND SAIDI ' IF NASSER WINS EVERY JEW WILL BE EXTER INATEO IN THIS OUNTRY BEN-GUR I ON ADDEO wt WOULD LI KE YOUR PEOPLE TO UNOERST AND OUR PEOPLE AND wt OONT WANT NASSER TO GET EXCITED Of FOUR Ml LLION MENJ HE THEN ALLUDED TO A CONVERSATION HE HAD HAO WITH AN AMERICAN OFFICIAL TO THE EFFECT THAT If WORST COMES TO WORST AMERICA WI LL HELP YOU 11 TO TH IS BEN-GUR I ON BROUGHT UP HIS OFT REPEATED THEME IT ' 'ILL BE TO L1'TE STRESSING OUR ONLY IM IS TO PREVENT WAR IN MIDDLE EAST HE RETURNED AGAIN TO HIS CONVER$ATION WITH THE SECRETARY RE A CERTAIN DEFENSIVE WEAPON l A 'RO HIS HAVING 11 REA$0N TO BELIEVE AFTER TALKING WITH SECRETARY THlT ISR El MAY GET IT HE ALSO REFERRED TO HIS ADMIRATION FOR THE PRESIDENT As A MAN OF PEACE AND TO SPECIAL ENVOY PRESIDENT HAO SENT TO AREA PRESUMABLY ANDERSON BUT NOTED THAT SITUATION NOW WAS WORSE THAN ecrORE NEXT HE -BROLGHT UP SUBJECT OF SPYING HE SAID HE KNEW ISRAEL BEING SPIED ON BY RUSSIANS RUMANIANS AND HUNGARIANS BUT HE BELi EVEO UNTIL RECENTLY THAT BECAUSE or THE RtlAT IONS BETWEEN ISRAEL ANO THE US IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO BE SP I ED ON BY AMER I CANS 11 HE SAID IF TH IS WAS TRUE Ht HOPED IT WOULD BE STOPPED H VOLUNTEERED YOU CAN GET EVERYTHING fROM US t THEN ADDRESS I NG MYSELF TO BEf'l-GUR I ON• S IN ITl AL COt 1ENTS I NOTED THAT THE SECRETARY HAD MADE POINT AT DECEMBER 9 MEETING THAT WE WISHED ONLY FULL AND FRANK DISCUSSIONS ON THIS MATTER IN ACCORDANCE WITH MANNER IN WHiCH WE ACCUST D TO DEAL I EMPHASIZED BOTH PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY DEEPLY BELIEVED IN WORKING WITH OTHER COUNTRIES AS EQUALS ANO CONSISTENT-WITH CLEAR MOR L PRINCIPLES THAT ONE or PRINCfPALE REASONS PRESIDENT EISENHOWER RAN FOR OFFICE IN 1952 WAS HIS CONCERN FOR PEACE THAT NO MAN WAS RE DEDICATED TO PEACE I SAID THAT WHAT I WAS ABOUT To· SAY IN ADDITION WAS L ty PERSONAL AlTHOl GH I HAD SAID IT PRIVATELY ANO IN SOME CASES Pll3LIClY I NW# 4224 7 Docid 612855 j i DECLAS 1IFIED aA • -·- · • ----------------------------- -· SECRET -3- 626 JANUARY 5 6 P M tROM TEL AVIV SECTION THREE Of FIVE PUBLICLY NAMELY THAT BOTH OUR COUNTRIES SHARED COMMON BELIEFS IN HUMAN DIGNITY ANO THE PRINCIPLES Of DEMOCRACY F°URTHER I HAO BEEN °1 IMPRESSED BY THE GREAT PROGRESS IN ISRAEL THAT RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES WERE IMPORTANT IT WAS NOT A QUESTION OF SIZE INDEED I HAD ADMIRED THE SPIRIT OF HALUTZIYUT PIONEERING IN ISRAEL AND THE SENSE or HUMANITY WHICH WAS PART OF ISRAELS EF FORT TO WORK WITH NEWLY EMERGING NATIONS IN Af ICA AND ASIA TO FURTHER THEIR RISING EXPECTATIONS fOR A BETTER LIFE IN FREEDOM BG SAID HE VERY APPRECIATIVE MY REMARKS H JMANITY WHICH WAS PART Of ISRAEL'S EfF'ORT TO WORK WITH NEWLY EMERGING NATIONS IN AFRICA AND ASIA TO F'lJRTHER THEIR RISING EXPECTATIONS FOR A BETTER tlFE IN FREEDOM BG SAID HE VERY APPRECIATIVE MY REMARKS I REID AN I II I r CftEf -- ·- ··-···-- NWf 2247 I - -----·•·----- ·- -- DECLASSIFIED Docid 612855 Authoric ylJ C lS£1i -' IKOMING m EGRAII Department of Sta e SECR I Cloul lcollon T Action S S fnfo Control 2488 Rec'd January 6 1960 5 28 a m FROM Tel Aviv TO Secretary ot State NO 626 January 5 6 p m SECTION 4 of 5 - NIACT EYES ONLY SECRETARY 1£05'01 1 CIA At the end of the conversation-we discussed the apying_qu stton alone including· the activities of Military Attaches nd-reported overflights of Q-2 Re latter I said 1 had not been ofei ia 1-ly informed nor had I ever asked whether a U-2 had been over l•¥ae Ben-Gurion inferred that he -thought the pictures the US -had i n · its possession ot had shown to Ambaasad r Harman might ·b8 i aerial photographs • I said the only photographs I knew of were •taken froo the public highway--which not _probibited · and 1n· fact I - had not known about them until a they were taken Further I said that I took full responsibility for the activities of• · • I ltbe Attaches I co'-'ld asaure him - here was no spying going on Indeed the Attaches und 1 m _y instructions had been scrupulous in contaeting the FLO and lo reporting matters only as it was appropria e for them to do so • Ben•Gu ion said be fuily accepted and Placed_ confidence wtii I said and was relieved to hear directly from me on this po t · I think this question--at least with Ben-Gurion baa been laDsely or wbally laid to est '-- - As Ben-Gurion had questioned IDll thillga US bad done l note · that knowledge of Dimona reactor had been i one form •or anotbe i quite widespread that tb•·-·pi ess in other countries r t unal•·rt ·· I I and finally that on at least seven occa siona tbe FLO office'4D I · officials of his government bad referred to the inatallatioq_··• a textile or metallurgical plant Beo-Guxion somewhat lam ly said--''well they did not know In addition I told him we bad bean seriously trying to build a working relationship between our two countriea--that a oumbex of our office a wave studying i I l UNLESS UNCLASSIFIED Claul lc0Uo11 i REPRODUCl ION FROM THIS COPY IS PROH18IT£0 iI 1•NW# 422'7 DocJ d 612855 f _____ - 2 626 January 5 6 p m SECTI Jj 4 OF '5 from Tel ' viv- studying Hebrew-•but this climate of understanding _had not bNnhelped · Y the GOl's violation of two agreements one ·ggsn ' or -by the GOI s failure to inform us of the reactor--particularly ·in light of the economic assistance we bad been providing Re • PL--480 I noted that while this unrelated to matter at hand ·r _ thought Eshkol and Dayan and the new negotiations coqmittee ' would make progress on real tic programs for the future· -wh_ich would be understood from top to bottom of both govermQents Ben-Gurion made note of this and I think tqe other poi ts registered ' First my apologies over the length ot tpe cable However the main points and the sense of the -meeting _seemed- worth reporting completely Comment Bsrt-Gurion feels that he has provided assurances re question• 6A 11 6E and 6D and he is well aware that he bas answered 6B _ with a flat negative--at least for the time -being•-and that- 0-o· · 6C he has agreed to only th• · second part of ·question under owo· conditions This offer I _b$11eve pxovides the best hopes fqr inspection particularly by US scient st--although in earliet dls'ror cuss ion Ben-Gurion agreed to inspection b qualified scienttat from friendly power Re t iming this · visii I believe it can be worked oµt relatively soon unles ICnes et deba flares up and provided Depart nt explains somewhat more fully-•aa appropriate-circumstances of M Cone answer on TV press query--and Jones coment to Harman Latter seemed clear to me---buc somewhat · cbaracteristic lly Ben--Gurion has t aken it as proa ise as he dld Secretary's comnants re a defensive weapon in spite of a ··_ · caveat at the ti Da and rsry reference tbareto shortly upon b return REID •'• HMR 2 • t _ • As z eceived 4 ' • I Will service upon request • r --- --· NW# 42247 --•· - - ----•--r·-------------_ Docid 612855 • # ' l epartment of Staie • • I • SBCUT' L Clauljlcallon Action S S Info FROM Tel Aviv TO Secretary of State NO 626 January -5 6 p m Control 2489 Rec'd ·January 6 -1961 5 ·28 a· m 006 SECTION FIVE OF FIVE NIACT ' 'r' - EYES ONLY SECRETARY The facts on the U-2 should probably be spelled out - ·if re-levant and t o extent appr opriate Finally •· I woutd add Ben-Gurion has been undergoing difficult poiitical apd personal experience Lavon affairs _ and Cabinet crisis l ich has hit him emotionally somewhat harder than one ·would expect _ I I think air at this end with Ben•Guri on is largely cleared_ • I I l· i I I I II I II I I I I I I II I i I I Re substantive question on a third reactor and or eva-lua- tion of the Dimona reactor-· Ben-Gu rion might agree toe private visit US scientist earlier than a public -and open one Given a little time I think '1 could raise thts wi h hiln at Sdeboker · · ·· - Having said this equally clear · Ben•Gurion has not been wholly candid in recent discussions · nor in fhis one ' ·He explained this partly by his concern over gµarantees to supp1 es re Ar ab boycott and particularly by his comment to me in stri t confidence that he had had to consult 1th the ench Government before replying to ··Secretary '1 I pointed out to Ben- idn that at December 9 meet · wi h Secretary suggestion had been made -- which was all -t hat was proper in the circumstances•• that if at ·a ll possible ·Ambassador Harman report bac dire tly to -1onea or- a ley I Cloul fcoUon REPROOUCTION FROM THIS COPY IS PROHIBITtO UJtLESS ' UNClASSIFlED I I i INW# 42247 Doc td 612855 II -2- 626 January 5 6 p m • SECTION FIVE OF FIVE from Te_l Aviv prior ·to Secretary's return - If Department wishes to allude to French cooperation on reactor -- Z would appreciate tt -•ff Ben•Gurion's comments re his recent consultation this regar d -- which he said with a finger alongside his nose -- not be· attributed direct l y or indirect ly to his conversation with me ·As instructed I made point of te lling Ben•Gurion Secr tary would welcome a visit by Ambassador Harman•- at earlie•t possible opportunity -- upon bis return to provide -persona 1 report and any fuller information re above or other questions Ben•Gurion -initially was a little -irked at ·my urg ng· Mrs Meir -- even as a personal suggestion - that some •kind of answer - to questions ·be forwarded soone-st even though we ·understoo'd llarman might want supply additional de tails Fact of matter 5 however that GOI has had ample time to ponder answers to questions and suggestions raised on December 9th 20th 2-lst and 24th and indeed GOI has ·had to my _knowledge at least two recent meetings -- with Prime · linister -present ·on reactor question and replies to US ca- Also in conversations with Mrs Meir · January 3 ·and dm ing br ef chat with Harman · December ·li _•- ·it became increasingly evident GOI had still not taken in -- or chosen not to -seriousness gravity and urg cy with which USG yiewed ole matter This •- I believe -- is no •longer the case • REID AMS RJT ' -- ·· • • ------- ··- -----NW# 42247 Docid 612855 DECLASSIFIED Authori t • ----·· qy