Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, National Security Affairs, Volume II, Part 2

S/P–NSC files, lot 62 D 1, “Atomic Energy—Cooperation”

The Chairman of the United States Atomic Energy Commission (Strauss) to the Special Assistant to the President (Cutler)¹

secret

Washington, June 11, 1954.

Dear General Cutler: Your letter of April 7, 1954,² requested the views of the Commission concerning the development of a policy dealing with the construction of reactors abroad. We have had prepared a staff memorandum, which is attached, discussing some of the principal considerations involved in the development of such a policy.³

We now have the technical capability of constructing power, research, and medical reactors, though it should be noted that power reactors are at present development machines directed toward the goal of economic nuclear power. The Commission recognizes that construction of reactors abroad might be of great significance in attaining foreign policy and other national security objectives. Construction of reactors abroad would, from the Commission’s point of view, benefit the reactor development program and, in the case of certain countries, assist the ore procurement program.

The obligations incurred by this country in connection with procurement of uranium from the Belgian Congo have made it desirable that the first power reactor built abroad with United States assistance should be located in Belgium. As you are aware, the President has requested amendment of the Atomic Energy Act to facilitate such assistance. In considering a further program of construction of reactors abroad, difficult questions of law and security, referred to in the attached staff memorandum, would be confronted. As in the case of Belgium, a satisfactory foreign program would depend on amendment of the present law.

Additional problems are identified in the attached memorandum. None of these problems appears insoluble should it be found that construction of reactors abroad would be in the national interest. We will be happy to discuss further with you the technical and other questions which arise in seeking to establish national policy in this field.

Sincerely yours,

Lewis Strauss

1. Copies of this letter were transmitted to the members of the NSC Planning Board by NSC Executive Secretary Lay by memorandum of June 15.
2. Not found in Department of State files.
3. The staff study is not printed.