Statement made by Leonard Weiss about his memories of the 1979 VELA Incident.

A statement written by Dr. Alan Berman about the 1979 VELA Incident.

Nye stated that at present the United States preferred to "concentrate on pressing South Africa to adhere to the NPT rather than continuing to enquire about the nature of the Kalahari facility." The State Department assessment was that while South Africa was capable of building a bomb at short notice, they did not actually plan to test one at this time.

Martin Jacobs reports that Dr. J. V. Retief, Senior Scientist of the National Nuclear Research Center of the South African Atomic Energy Board requested permission to visit an Army Corps research facility, the Cratering Group Research Labratory at Livermore, California. Jacobs was concerned that "there might be political repercussions if it appeared the US was assisting South Africa to produce nuclear explosives as a prelude to weapons development."

Details of the impending US Department of Defense visit to South Africa.

The South African Legation in Vienna writes to the Department of Foreign Affairs to request a copy of the Union's bilateral agreement with the United States. Mr. Philip at the Department of External Affairs attaches a handwritten note that they won't find anything in the bilateral on grants for nuclear technology; the offer was made generally, in President Eisenhower's subsequent speech.

P. H. Philip of the South African Department of Foreign Affairs forwards material on South Africa's application to the United States for financial assistance with the development of a reactor for nuclear research.

Discusses how South Africa should go about applying to the United States for financial assistance for the building of a research reactor in the Western Province, under President Eisenhower's 'Atoms for Peace' program.

P. H. Philip of the South African Department of Foreign Affairs writes to the US Ambassador to South Africa informing him that South Africa will formally apply to the United States Atomic Energy Commission by June 1st 1960 for nuclear materials, pursuant to the bilateral trade agreement between the US and the Union of South Africa.

Background on US-South African nuclear relations and uranium cooperation from the end of the Second World War to the early 1980s. Also addressed is the Vela incident of September 1979 and the international community’s backlash against the South African government.