217. Letter From the Secretary of State to the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (Strauss)1
Dear Lewis: As you know, I received yesterday a visit from the EURATOM Wise Men and heard their introductory presentation.2 I understand they made a similar presentation to the Atomic Energy Commission yesterday afternoon, though I believe you were not able to be present.
I am struck by the imaginative character of the project that the Wise Men have developed and the great political importance of this project, both to Europe and the United States. Europe is clearly faced by a profound power shortage which, if not dealt with energetically, could have serious political consequences and, indeed, tend to undermine the entire economy of Western Europe. I am sympathetic with the judgment of the Wise Men that a constructive relationship between the Middle East oil producing states and Europe can best be developed if Europe is not totally dependent on imports of oil from that area. It is therefore most heartening that this distinguished [Page 516] group is proposing to meet this problem by a bold program of building nuclear power stations.
Out of this situation arises a unique opportunity for us. It means an opportunity to assist the Europeans in carrying out a concerted effort to solve a major European economic problem in a framework which will promote political solidarity in Europe. It may well open up a new area for European-U.S. collaboration which can re-establish and strengthen the lines of cooperation between Western Europe and the United States which were strained by the Suez situation. Finally, this opportunity to associate ourselves with a major effort of Europe’s to turn atomic energy to constructive purposes is at the essence of what the President’s speech on December 8, 1953 contemplated.3
I am sure that the Wise Men will obtain from the Commission the indispensable technical advice that they need. While they are not here to negotiate with us, I would hope we could also give them the sort of general assurances with respect to U.S. co-operation and the supply of the necessary fuel which will make it possible for them to push forward their program.
After you have had an opportunity to discuss the program with your staff and meet with the Wise Men personally, I would hope we could discuss it together in order to determine upon a course of action which we may both propose to the President for full support of the Euratom effort.
Sincerely yours,
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 840.1901/2–557. Confidential. Drafted by Schaetzel.↩
- See the memorandum of conversation, supra.↩
- For text of the President’s address to the U.N. General Assembly on the peaceful uses of atomic energy, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953, pp. 813–822.↩