MEETING WITH THE MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 002028 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2017 TAGS: ECON ENRG IZ PREL SUBJECT: MEETING WITH THE MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REGARDING THE TUWAITHA SITE Classified By: ECONOMIC MINISTER COUNSELOR DANIEL WEYGANDT FOR REASONS 1.5 (b) AND (d) SUMMARY: June 17, 2007, Embassy Officers met with the Minister of Science and Technology and several of his directors general. The Minister reported that he had yet to prepare the letter authorizing Coalition Forces to install the additional site security features at Tuwaitha. He said that the preparation of the list of radioactive sources the Government of Iraq no longer needs was in process, and that perhaps the list would have to be reviewed by other ministries before it is finalized. The Minister was apparently unaware of the existence of large quantities of ammonium nitrate in Area C. Embassy officials also emphasized the need for a letter from the GoI requesting assistance in removing the natural uranium (yellow cake) and four large radioactive sources from their current location. END SUMMARY. ¶1. (C) On June 17, the Energy Attache and others met with the Minister of Science and Technology, Ra,id Fahmi Jahid, and several of his directors general regarding a number of issues, including those associated with the Tuwaitha site. The Minister reported that he had not completed the letter authorizing Coalition Forces access to Site C to install new concrete barriers, concertina wire, gates and locks, and an improved communications system. He stated that he would complete the letter sometime in the next two days. ¶2. (C) As for the list of radioactive sources stored in Bunker B that the GoI no longer needs, he and others noted that Dr. Mousa al-Atia has the list but was not present. The Minister also discussed the need to contact other ministries to confirm which sources are no longer necessary to those ministries. ¶3. (C) The Minister was apparently unaware of the presence of large quantities of ammonium nitrate at the Tuwaitha site. Dr. Mohammed al-Sharaa confirmed that the material was ammonium nitrate and that it was contaminated with unknown quantities of natural uranium. He also stated that the ammonium nitrate was stored in the same building used to store the yellow cake. ¶4. (C) Energy Attache requested a letter from the GoI asking for USG assistance in removing the four high-level radioactive sources, and the removal and sale of the yellow cake. The Minister responded that he would discuss the matter with the Prime Minister,s Chief of Staff, Tauriq Abdullah. In a private meeting, Emboff told the Minister that Ambassador Timothy Carney had met with Mr. Abdullah and that he had concurred in the need to remove and sell the yellow cake. Emboff told the Minister that significant planning efforts were underway and that the letter was needed as soon as possible. ¶5. (C) In a separate meeting, Dr. al-Sharaa stated that the ammonium nitrate could not be sampled without removing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seals from the Site C buildings. In response to questions, he also noted that there was at least one building at the Tuwaitha site that could be used by workers for housing. Emboff informed Dr. al-Sharaa that another meeting of the Prime Minister,s expert committee was appropriate. He agreed but noted that several members of the committee would be out of the country for the next two weeks. He also stated that the GoI had still received no response to its letter to the IAEA notifying it of the GoI,s intent to sell the yellow cake. CROCKER