BN-350 PERMANENT DISPOSITION TALKS BEGIN

UNCLAS ASTANA 000219

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/CEN (O'MARA)
DOE/NNSA FOR C. KENNEDY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PARM MNUC KNNP KZ
SUBJECT: BN-350 PERMANENT DISPOSITION TALKS BEGIN
SUCCESSFULLY

REF: A. ASTANA 190 B. STATE 4791 C. ASTANA 93


1. (U) On January 24-25, a U.S. delegation led by NNSA Deputy
Administrator William Tobey met with Kazakhstani officials
for initial BN-350 spent fuel program Senior Policy Group
(SPG) discussions. During the talks, the two sides agreed
upon language for a draft joint communique establishing the
framework for SPG objectives. Under the communique, the SPG
will establish a Technical Working Group tasked with
exploring the technical feasibility, costs and schedule
associated with permanent disposition options. The SPG will
then recommend one or more permanent disposition options to
the U.S. and Kazakhstani governments.


2. (U) The communique must still clear the Kazakhstani
interagency approval process before signature. The
communique states that the TWG inaugural meeting shall occur
no later than two months from the signing of the communique.


3. (SBU) Comment: The initial Senior Policy Group discussions
on BN-350 spent fuel permanent disposition mark the beginning
of a long and complicated process. Merely defining the term
"permanent disposition" in Russian occupied a healthy portion
of the first day's discussions. Nevertheless, the
Kazakhstanis' willingness to hold the talks on relatively
short notice, their establishment of a well-represented,
multi-agency Senior Policy Group, and their cooperative
attitude during the discussions are all positive indications
that momentum remains from the President Nazarbayev -
Secretary Bodman talks on permanent disposition. End Comment

SIPDIS
MILAS