INDIA READY FOR REGIONAL RADIOLOGICAL SECURITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 001248

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

PASS TO NRC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL TRGY KNNP KRAD IN NSSP
SUBJECT: INDIA READY FOR REGIONAL RADIOLOGICAL SECURITY
PARTNERSHIP



1. (SBU) Summary: In a trilateral meeting with USG and IAEA
officials on February 9, the GOI agreed to join the Regional
Radiological Security Partnership (RRSP); identified a lead
technical contact within the Department of Atomic Energy
(DAE); offered to serve as a venue for radiological security
training and to continue its cooperation with the IAEA on
radiological safety training; proposed to participate in
specific missions to address orphaned radiological sources;
and suggested that the IAEA host a working-level meeting with
the GOI and DOE in April to develop a plan for these and
other related activities. This initiative was useful in
reminding India's scientific establishment that there are
significant areas of US-India collaboration on nuclear
matters, even within the constraints established by US law
and policy. End Summary.

GOI Ready for Radiological Partnership
--------------


2. (U) In her opening remarks in the trilateral USG-GOI-IAEA
meeting on February 9, MEA Additional Secretary
(International Security) Meera Shankar outlined examples of
India's expertise and willingness to work internationally to
recover radiological material (e.g., in the Republic of
Georgia),as well as to provide training in radiological
security and safety in partnership with the IAEA and other
parties such as the US. While supporting bilateral
initiatives like DOE's Global Threat Reduction Initiative,
throughout the meeting, Shankar and other GOI representatives
reiterated that their work on this issue has been, and will
continue to be, under the aegis of the IAEA.


3. (U) Director of the Office of Global Radiological Threat
Reduction Ed McGinnis affirmed DOE,s desire to partner with
India and the IAEA in the area of radiological security.
"India is well-positioned to be a regional leader in
radiological security, especially in assisting countries that
don't have India's capabilities," he said. Misuse of
high-risk radioactive sources, while not resulting in mass
deaths, would have significant economic, health and strategic
consequences. McGinnis went on to outline the mission of the
RRSP, multilateral partnerships with IAEA and Interpol, and
programs to identify, secure, recover, and in some cases,
replace, high-risk radioactive sources. McGinnis also
highlighted the important benefit to radiological safety that
would result from this initiative.


4. (U) Anita Nilsson of the IAEA reviewed the agency's
two-track approach to radiological security which is to
support infrastructure development and security enhancements
to states upon request. IAEA also offers training and
assistance to establish an effective regulatory framework to
ensure sustainability. These activities are funded by
voluntary contributions through member states, including
in-kind contributions such as India's joint training programs.


5. (U) Dr. K. Raghuraman of the Department of Atomic Energy
and Dr. SP Aggarwal of India's Atomic Energy Regulatory
Board presented the GOI perspective on radiological security
which is comprised of four parts: 1) legislative and
regulatory framework for all nuclear and radiological
activities; 2) an integrated system for physical protection
of nuclear and radioactive materials and facilities; 3) a
comprehensive nuclear material accounting and control system;
and 4) a national registry of all radioactive material.


6. (U) Focusing on GOI interest and experience in conducting
international training, Nilsson expressed the need to ensure
that training is both holistic and contributes to
sustainability. Because of the many everyday uses of
radioactive materials, securing high-risk sources requires
raising security awareness among states, national and local
authorities, and law enforcement, among others, and will
require a widespread, holistic approach to be effective.
Further, training should be linked to established educational
institutions, e.g., universities, to be sustainable.


7. (U) India is most interested in providing training in the
areas of security and safety, physical protection of
facilities, and regulatory measures, according to Shankar.
She also asked about the location of IAEA,s current
radiological safety regional training centers. (According to
the IAEA,s Khammar Mrabit, the IAEA currently has centers in
six countries: Argentina, Malaysia, Belarus, Greece,
Morocco, and Syria.) Clearly interested in raising India's
international profile in this area, Dr. Raghuraman noted,
"We've already been acting in a regional role for training."
He added that India is willing to tailor its courses for
specific operations, as they did in support of the recovery
of high-powered, orphaned sources in the Republic of Georgia.


8. (U) Beyond training, Shankar said the GOI was interested
in offering its expertise in the areas of information
management, education, and recovery operations, but the GOI
would require further discussion about resource availability
before committing to operations in these areas.

Next Steps
--------------


9. (U) The trilateral group agreed to meet at the invitation
of the IAEA in Vienna after the IAEA Preparatory Committee
meeting on the Convention on the Physical Protection of
Nuclear Material in April. This trilateral group will develop
a work program for GOI participation in the RRSP. The three
parties also designated technical points of contact: Nilsson
as the interim POC for the IAEA, Dr. Raghuraman for the GOI,
and Dwyer for the USG. The GOI also issued a press statement
on the meeting (text in para 11).

Bio Note: Dr. Raghuraman
--------------


10. (SBU) Dr. Raghuraman is favorably known to DOE, IAEA,
and the Mission. Head of the International Studies Division
in the Department of Atomic Energy's Strategic Planning
Group, Dr. Raghuraman is a technical scientist filling a
position in DAE normally reserved for an MEA foreign service
officer. Raghuraman told SciCouns that MEA made an exception
for his appointment because of his extensive experience in
international affairs while serving as a Science Attache at
the Indian Mission to the IAEA in Vienna. He is among those
we are encouraging to take a more proactive view of the NSSP
in the context of moving our nuclear relationship forward.
In this regard, this initiative was useful in reminding
India's scientific establishment that there are significant
areas of US-India collaboration on nuclear matters, even
within the constraints established by US law and policy.

GOI Press Statement
--------------


11. (U) Begin text:

A joint delegation of representatives from the US Department
of Energy and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
visited India on 9 February 2005 for the first India-US-IAEA
trilateral meeting on the Regional Radiological Security
Partnership (RRSP) program.

The US and IAEA representatives welcomed India's
participation in the RRSP program as a Regional Partner and
discussions were held to work out the modalities of this
cooperation. The three sides acknowledged their shared
objective of enhancing globally the security of dangerous
radioactive sources. The US and the IAEA delegates expressed
appreciation for India's offer of providing infrastructure
and expertise on a regular basis for conducting international
training courses in India under the aegis of the IAEA on
issues related to the security of radiological sources and
materials as also for locating orphan radioactive sources in
countries which are unable to effectively deal with them and
which seek assistance from the IAEA. The three sides agreed
to continue further discussions on the subject.

Participants
--------------


12. (U) US Participants:
Edward McGinnis, Director, Office of Global Radiological
Threat Reduction, DOE/NNSA
Greg Dwyer, Project Manager, DOE/NNSA
Mark Soo Hoo, Project Manager, Sandia Labs
William Kenagy, Physical Scientist, State/Bureau of
Nonproliferation
Stacy Gilbert, Political-Military Officer, Embassy New Delhi
(notetaker)

GOI Participants:
Ms Meera Shankar, Additional Secretary (Intl Security),MEA
Dr. RB Grover, Head, Strategic Planning Group, DAE
Ms. Archana Arora, Joint Secretary, DAE
Dr. K. Raghuraman, Head, Intl Studies Division, Strategic
Planning Group, DAE
Dr SP Aggarwal, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board
Ms Nutan Kapoor Mahawar, Under Secretary (DISA),MEA

IAEA Participants:
Anita Nilsson, Head, Office of Nuclear Security (NSNS),IAEA
Khammar Mrabit, Section Head, Policy and Programme Support
Section, Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety
(NSRW),IAEA
MULFORD