[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[March 9, 1992]
[Pages 410-411]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Letter to Congressional Leaders on Nuclear Cooperation With EURATOM

March 9, 1992
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 has the 
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 in-

[[Page 411]]

cluded 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 12 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 Orders 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, 1990, and 
1991, and signed Executive Orders Nos. 12670, 12706, and 12753, 
permitting nuclear cooperation to continue through March 10, 1992.
    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, 
February, April, October, and December 1990, and September 1991. 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 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, 1992.
    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.