TURKEY: ENERGY AND NON-PROLIFERATION COOPERATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002024

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR ISN/ECC ACHURCH, NJOHASON
DEPT FOR EUR PMALIK, AFRIEDT
DOE FOR NNSA ABIENIAWASKI, BPENTOLA, ASCHEINMAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2017
TAGS: ENRG KNNP PARM PREL TRGY TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: ENERGY AND NON-PROLIFERATION COOPERATION
HINDERED BY LACK OF US RATIFICATION OF 123 AGREEMENT

REF: A. 05 ANKARA 2397

B. 05 ANKARA 6248

C. 05 ANKARA 7390

D. 06 ANKARA 1581

E. 06 ANKARA 4994

F. 07 ANKARA 0257

G. 07 ANKARA 1177

H. 07 ANKARA 1962

Classified By: CDA Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) Action request at para 5.


2. (C) Summary: The Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (123)
Agreement was initialed by the US and GOT in July 2000. The
GOT ratified this agreement in January 2005. To date, the
USG has not submitted this agreement to Congress for
ratification. Senior GOT officials have stressed that the
lack of such an agreement is delaying progress on a number of
important bilateral energy and non-proliferation initiatives,
including: DOE's Sister Labs Program, the exchange of LEU for
HEU reactor fuel, and commitment by the Turkish Atomic Energy
Authority (TAEK) to nuclear fuel assurances programs (ref g).
Moreover, Foreign Ministry officials have told us the
government is reluctant to complete entry into force
procedures for our bilateral Non-Proliferation Cooperation
(EXBS) Agreement until it receives assurances the 123
Agreement is moving towards ratification. End Summary


3. (C) The GOT ratified the 123 Agreement in January 2005
(ref a). In September 2005, U/S Joseph told Turkish
officials he hoped the 123 Agreement would soon be submitted
to Congress, noting that Turkey had made good progress on
bilateral non-proliferation cooperation (ref b). In February
2006, Energy Minister Guler inquired about the status of our
ratification of the 123 Agreement during meetings in
Washington with Energy Secretary Bodman (ref d). In January
2007, MFA U/S Akgunay met with U.S. officials and requested
information concerning the status of the 123 Agreement (ref
f).


4. (C) MFA Arms Control and Disarmament officials have told
us that the GOT is reluctant to complete the procedures for
entry into force of our bilateral Non-Proliferation
Assistance (EXBS) Agreement, approved by the Turkish
parliament in January 2007, until the U.S. provides Turkey
with assurances that the 123 Agreement is moving towards
ratification. This has prevented full implementation of our
EXBS program and has delayed our provision of modern border
monitoring and inspection equipment to Turkey at a time when
we are pushing Turkey to fully implement UNSCRs 1737 and 1747
against Iran and prevent the transit of arms bound for Hamas
and Hezbollah. Meanwhile, officials from the Turkish
National Police, Customs, Foreign Trade Undersecretariat and
TAEK frequently remind us that lack of a ratified 123
Agreement is hindering further cooperation on initiatives
such as DOE's Sister Labs Program and LEU/HEU fuel exchange,
as well as TAEK commitment to nuclear fuel assurances
programs.


5. (U) Action request: Post requests information that we
can share with GOT officials on the status of our efforts to
obtain ratification of the bilateral Peaceful Uses of Nuclear
Energy (123) Agreement.

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

MCELDOWNEY