STATUS UPDATE: MEETING BETWEEN NUCLEAR AGENCY

UNCLAS ANKARA 007544 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SE, ISN/RA DOE FOR JSCHWARTZEL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG IZ JO KNNP OTRA PARM TRGY TU SUBJECT: STATUS UPDATE: MEETING BETWEEN NUCLEAR AGENCY HEADS OF TURKEY, JORDAN AND IRAQ REF: ANKARA 4037 ¶1. Summary: Following up on a DOE/IRTR suggestions, Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK) offered to host a meeting with the head of the Jordanian and Iraqi nuclear authorities in early 2006. The Turks would welcome U.S. observers to the meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to begin discussions of regional cooperation and communications to address illicit trafficking of radioactive materials across respective borders. TAEK President discussed meeting with Jordanian Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) President gaining support for the initiative. End Summary. ¶2. Members of the DOE Office of International Radiological Threat Reduction Program (IRTR) visited Ankara June 28, 2005 and agreed with Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK) President, Dr. Okay Cakiroglu, that IRTR and TAEK would cooperatively develop a plan of action and milestones to assist the Iraqi gvernment to achieve positive control of radioctive materials within Iraq, prevent contaminated shipments from leaving Iraq or being dumped close to their borders. Since similar trafficking incidents were occurring on the Jordanian/Iraqi border, Cakiroglu agreed to include Jordanian authorities in resulting activities (ref a). ¶3. A first opportunity for the three senior members of the Turkish, Jordanian and Iraqi Nuclear Authorities to meet was in September 2005 during the "Workshop on Cooperative Monitoring along Iraq's Frontiers" sponsored by CMC Amman and NESA Center. Due to scheduling difficulties, Cakiroglu and Jordanian Atomic Energy Commission President Dr. Kodah were not able to attend this workshop. However, a representative of the Turkish MFA First Secretary for Security Affairs Ali Findik, Dr. Kodah's representative Dr. Mamoun Makahleh, and Iraqi Radioactive Source Regulatory Agency Chairman Dr. Mousa Al Atia did attend and agreed that a meeting of the three agency heads could assist in the decrease of radioactive incidents at the borders, increase communications between agencies and that it would be beneficial to his developing program. ¶4. During a December 8 discussion, TAEK President, Cakiroglu informed EXBS Advisor that he had just returned from a Regional Nuclear Agency Conference in Amman Jordan. While in Amman, Cakiroglu met with JAEC President Kodah and discussed the need to meet and discuss joint cooperation with the goal to improve control of radiological and/or radioactive contaminated materials in Iraq. Cakiroglu informed Kodah that he was intending to try to hold a meeting the end of January or early Feb. and he hoped Kodah was available to attend. Cakiroglu stated that Kodah told him that he was unsure of his schedule but that he was very interested in attending the meeting and in a joint cooperation program with Iraq. ¶5. Comment: We are encouraged that the GOT has followed up on IRTR's suggestion and that the three nuclear authorities have agreed in principle to meet. We have heard from MFA and TAEK sources that they would welcome a U.S. observer at this first meeting, which they see as an initial information exchange. We will continue to encourage Ankara to push this initiative forward. End comment. WILSON