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May 16, 1979

Cable from Brazilian Embassy in Bonn to Brasilia, 'Nuclear Energy. Hamburg Congress: South African Program'

This document was made possible with support from Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY)

From Brasemb Bonn to the State Secretariat        

16 May 1979

 

SECRET

DEM/DAF-II/DE-I

Nuclear Energy. Hamburg Congress.

South African program.

 

No. 596 Wednesday 17:15 hs.  Informing. On the occasion of the Nuclear Congress in Hamburg, an official from this Embassy met the Scientific Attaché of the Embassy of South Africa in Bonn. At the opportunity some aspects of the nuclear program of that country were brought up. The following is a recount of the comments made by the South African official:

 

1. The South African facility for uranium enrichment has been operating for some three years and has a capacity of about 200.000 UTS/A. In the next few years this facility should be enlarged to reach a capacity of 800.000 UTS/A to supply the enriched uranium needs of the South African nuclear program.

 

2. The enrichment method adopted by South Africa is similar, in its basic conception, to the centrifuge jet process of professor Becke. The facility built in South Africa, however, is the result of that country’s own efforts, which would permit considerable reduction of energy consumption even in facilities of small dimension.

 

Jorgesilva

Report of a meeting between an official from the Brazilian Embassy in Bonn and the scientific attaché of the South African Embassy on the occasion of a nuclear congress in Hamburg. The South African official informed the Brazilian diplomat about the advancement of the Pretoria nuclear program with regard to uranium enrichment.

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Document Information

Source

CPDOC Archives, Ramiro Saraiva Guerreiro collection. Obtained and translated by Fundação Getúlio Vargas.

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Original Uploaded Date

2013-04-02

Type

Telegram

Language

Record ID

116658

Original Classification

Secret

Donors

Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY)