TURKEY ON NUCLEAR FUEL SUPPLY ASSURANCES;

S E C R E T ANKARA 004994

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2016
TAGS: ENRG KNNP PARM TRGY TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY ON NUCLEAR FUEL SUPPLY ASSURANCES;
FRUSTRATION WITH DELAY IN RATIFICATION OF PEACEFUL USES
TREATY

REF: A. STATE 129965

B. 05 ANKARA 7390

C. 05 ANKARA 3789

D. 05 ANKARA 2397

Classified By: Acting DCM Daniel Sreebny, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) An action request is contained in para 6.


2. (C) EXBS advisor discussed ref a points on nuclear fuel
supply assurances with President Okay Cakiroglu of the
Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK) on August 25.
Cakiroglu accepted the paper and points, assuring us that his
agency would consider this program when Turkey's nascent
nuclear power plant development program requires fuel. Since
Turkey is still in the process of developing plans and
locations for its future nuclear power plants, Cakiroglu
explained, it is too early for the GOT to commit to such a
program.


3. (C) Cakiroglu expressed frustration with U.S. failure to
date to ratify the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Power Agreement.
He reiterated his past request (refs b-d) for information
about the causes of the delay, noting that it had been nearly
18 months since the GOT had formally requested the status of
U.S. ratification. He suggested the lack of a Peaceful Uses
of Nuclear Energy Agreement with the U.S. could have a
negative effect on Turkish participation in the nuclear fuel
supply program.


4. (C) Cakiroglu noted that the U.S. failure to ratify the
agreement came up during meetings between the Turkish Energy
Minister Guler and U.S. Secretary of Energy Bodman in
February 2006. Lack of a ratified agreement could affect
Turkey's ability to cooperate on a number of peaceful nuclear
cooperation issues, he warned. The development of a reliable
and safe nuclear power program is a high priority for the
GOT, he continued, and TAEK will focus its efforts on
countries which can fully cooperate in achieving this goal.
Cakiroglu again mentioned that Russia, France, South Korea,
and Canada all are willing to work with Turkey to develop its
nuclear program (ref b).


5. (S) Comment: At our urging, the GOT completed its
ratification process for the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy
Agreement on January 14, 2005 (ref C). Our decision not to
send the treaty for ratification and our inability to provide
any formal information to the GOT concerning the reasons for
the delay is having the result we predicted in ref C:
further cooperation is at risk and our access to TAEK
officials has been affected.


6. (C) Action request: Post requests status of the
ratification process for the Agreement for Cooperation
between the Republic of Turkey and the United States of
America concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy. We also
request talking points for use in addressing the ratification
delay with Turkish officials.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

WILSON