MINISTER OF MINES ANNOUNCES 40KG DRC URANIUM

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001057

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/28/2015
TAGS: EMIN KNNP ENRG PARM CG CF
SUBJECT: MINISTER OF MINES ANNOUNCES 40KG DRC URANIUM
CONFISCATED

Classified By: Econoff WBrafman for reasons 1.4 e/f


1. (U) The DRC Minister of Mines, Ingele Ifoto, announced
at a June 21 press conference that 40kg of enriched uranium
had been confiscated in neighboring Brazzaville, Republic of
Congo (ROC). The Minister told members of the press that the
uranium, illegally exported from the DRC, is radioactive and
highly enriched. The press reported that the ROC Minister of
Mines, Pierre Oba, has dismantled the "mafia" network of DRC
and ROC traders responsible for the cross-river trading. The
GROC has not yet returned the uranium to the GDRC.


2. (C) Comment: We are not even convinced that any uranium
was seized at all, let alone that it is enriched. The
nuclear reactor at the University of Kinshasa, the only
existing facility of its kind in the DRC, is not capable of
enriching uranium. End comment.
MEECE