1893-1976
Eastern Europe
(372) documents
Southern Africa
North America
Western Europe
Middle East
1915- 1983
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1924-
August 20, 1979
UK Ambassador to South Africa Sir David Scott conveys the text of a letter he sent to South African Defense Minister P. W. Botha about UK concern that South Africa is developing a nuclear weapon.
October 17, 1977
Reid of the UK's Central and Southern African Department describes a recent visit to Pretoria, South Africa, during which he heard supposedly non-nuclear explosions taking place at the Kalahari Desert facility.
August 30, 1977
In a statement Horwood said that South Africa's nuclear program was for peaceful purposes, but that if it choose to, the country would make the decision to develop weapons "according to its own needs and it alone would make the decision."
September 23, 1993
Report by Director General of the IAEA on the Agency’s verification activities in South Africa and the status of the country's abandoned nuclear weapons program. The report includes an overview of the history of the program.
March 24, 1993
The Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations sends an extract of a speech delivered by South African President F. W. de Klerk announcing developments relating to South Africa’s nuclear capability, the normalization of international relations and accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
May 15, 1981
South African Minister of Foreign Affairs "Pik" Botha and President Reagan meet in Washington, DC. South African Ambassador Sole, the note taker, interprets Reagan's friendly opening comments as "the inference clearly being that he had no illusions about democratic rule in Africa." They discuss the situation in Namibia and Angola, and their shared opposition to Soviet and communist influence in the region. Botha also asks Reagan to help South Africa's souring relations with France regarding nuclear cooperation. Botha states that "South Africa was not preparing or intending to explode a nuclear device, but[...] could not afford publicly to surrender this option."
May 8, 1981
South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs its missions in Washington, Paris, London, Bonn about an announcement by F.W. De Klerk, Minister of Mineral and Energy Affairs, that under terms agree with the United States and the IAEA, SAFARI I will be operated on locally manufactured fuel.
March 4, 1981
South African Ambassador Donald Sole reports on the possible effect of Reagan non-proliferation policy on South African/US nuclear relations.
December 11, 1980
Alan Berman writes to US Office of Science and Technology Policy senior advisor John Marcum on hydroacoustic evidence on the Vela incident. Based on sounds recorded, it appeared that a large explosion occurred south of Ascension Island.
January 21, 1979
Forwarded to Ralph Earle, Director of US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. The Interagency Intelligence Memorandum on the 22 September 1979 explosion, or Vela Incident, concludes that it was a nuclear explosion.
