    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [March 8, 1991]
    [Pages 230-231]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to Congressional Leaders on Nuclear Cooperation with EURATOM
    March 8, 1991

    Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)
        The United States has been engaged in nuclear cooperation with the
    European Community for many years. This cooperation was initiated under
    agreements that were concluded over 3 decades ago between the United
    States and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) and that
    extend until December 31, 1995. Since the inception of this cooperation,
    the Community has adhered to all its obligations under those agreements.
        The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978 amended the Atomic Energy
    Act of 1954 to establish new nuclear export criteria, including a
    requirement that the United States have a right to consent to the
    reprocessing of fuel exported from the United States. Our present
    agreements for cooperation with EURATOM do not contain such a right. To
    avoid disrupting cooperation with EURATOM, a proviso was included in the
    law to enable continued cooperation until March 10, 1980, if EURATOM
    agreed to negotiations concerning our cooperation agreements. EURATOM
    agreed in 1978 to such negotiations.
        The law also provides that nuclear cooperation with EURATOM can be
    extended on an annual basis after March 10, 1980, upon determination by
    the President that failure to cooperate would be seriously prejudicial
    to the achievement of U.S. non-proliferation objectives or otherwise
    jeopardize the common defense and security and after notification to the
    Congress. President Carter made such a determination 11 years ago and
    signed Executive Order No. 12193, permitting nuclear cooperation with
    EURATOM to continue until March 10, 1981. President Reagan made such
    determinations in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1988,
    and signed Executive Order Nos. 12295, 12351, 12409, 12463, 12506,
    12554, 12587, and 12629, permitting nuclear cooperation to continue
    through March 10, 1989. I made such determinations in 1989 and 1990 and
    signed Executive Orders Nos. 12670 and 12706, permitting nuclear
    cooperation to continue through March 10, 1991.
        In addition to numerous informal contacts, the United States has
    engaged in frequent talks with EURATOM regarding the renegotiation of
    the U.S.-EURATOM agreements for cooperation. Talks were conducted in
    November 1978, September 1979, April 1980, January 1982, November 1983,
    March 1984, May, September, and November 1985, April and July 1986,
    September 1987, September and November 1988, July and December 1989, and
    February, April, October, and December 1990. Further talks are
    anticipated this year.
        I believe it is essential that cooperation between the United States
    and the Community continue and, likewise, that we work

    [[Page 231]]

    closely with our allies to counter the threat of proliferation of
    nuclear explosives. Not only would a disruption of nuclear cooperation
    with EURATOM eliminate any chance of progress in our talks with that
    organization related to our agreements, it would also cause serious
    problems in our overall relationships. Accordingly, I have determined
    that failure to continue peaceful nuclear cooperation with EURATOM would
    be seriously prejudicial to the achievement of U.S. non-proliferation
    objectives and would jeopardize the common defense and security of the
    United States. I therefore intend to sign an Executive order to extend
    the waiver of the application of the relevant export criterion of the
    Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act for an additional 12 months from March 10,
    1991.
        Sincerely,

                                                                 George Bush

                        Note: Identical letters were sent to Thomas S.
                            Foley, Speaker of the House of Representatives,
                            and Dan Quayle, President of the Senate. The
                            Executive order is listed in Appendix E at the
                            end of this volume.