NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY AGENCY DISCUSSES SISTER LAB

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000297 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/NESS, EAP/K AND EAP/MLS DEPT OF ENERGY FOR NNSA/NA-21 (SARAH FRAZER, KEN APT, SARAH DICKERSON) SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG TRGY KIPR KNNP KGIT VM SUBJECT: NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY AGENCY DISCUSSES SISTER LAB COOPERATION WITH VIETNAM SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Vietnamese officials signaled a strong willingness to sign a cooperative arrangement with the United States on information exchange and cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy during the team visit of the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Global Security and Engagement Program to Vietnam in January 22-26. Government of Vietnam (GVN) officials told the NNSA team, led by Director Monte Mallin, that the GVN enthusiastically supports establishing bilateral sister laboratory cooperation. On February 6, Director Mallin forwarded to Vice Minister of Science and Technology Tran Quoc Thang a draft arrangement, which has been positively received. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) During January 21-26, a six-person USG team led by NNSA's Global Security and Engagement Program Director Monte Mallin visited Hanoi and Dalat, Vietnam to discuss nuclear science issues, including the potential of a cooperative arrangement between the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) on information exchange and cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The visit had three objectives: 1) promote the establishment of a sister laboratory arrangement for peaceful nuclear cooperation between NNSA and MOST; 2) assess Vietnam's technical facilities and capabilities, primarily at the Nuclear Research Institute in Dalat, that would be involved in future collaborations, and 3) identify potential areas for cooperation. The DOE/STATE team was warmly received by Vice Minister of Science and Technology Tran Quoc Thang as well as officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnam Atomic Energy Commission (VAEC),the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Control (VARANSAC) and the Nuclear Research Institute (NRI) in Dalat. The visit followed on preliminary meetings held in November, 2006 in Washington, DC that included senior officials from MOST, VARANSAC and the Office of Government. GVN Delighted to Sign Cooperative Agreement -------------- ¶3. (SBU) DOE/NNSA assistance through a Sister Laboratory program was welcomed by all five organizations in conjunction with Vietnam's plans for civilian nuclear energy. MOST Vice Minister Tran Quoc Thang indicated that the MOST is interested in signing the arrangement for cooperation and that he would create the "most favorable conditions" for new collaboration. (COMMENT: An arrangement between MOST and DOE would allow NNSA to collaborate with both VAEC and VARANSAC, thereby enabling broad areas for collaboration. However, initial efforts would focus on nuclear infrastructure issues and probably be undertaken with VAEC, which is the parent organization administering the NRI. END COMMENT.) VM Thang advised the group to focus initial cooperation on realistic, achievable goals and suggested that the details of collaboration be developed by technical experts from both sides. ¶4. (SBU) During the meeting, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) representative Pham Van Thang expressed appreciation for the initiative and reiterated the GVN's desire to cooperate with the United States in civilian nuclear topics. MOST views nuclear cooperation with the United States as particularly important for implementation of the National Strategy for the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy. With the objective of achieving civilian nuclear power by 2020, the strategy comprises elements of nuclear energy technology, nuclear infrastructure and civilian applications. Thang suggested three notional areas for sister laboratory assistance, namely radiation protection, low-level radioactive waste management and emergency planning. ¶5. (SBU) During the meeting with VM Thang, the USG delegation gave an overview of the Sister Laboratory program and provided MOST and VAEC with a copy of a draft arrangement, with the request that suggestions for changes be communicated to NNSA. In addition, the NNSA team promised to provide a short list of tentative topics for collaboration. VAEC OUTLINES POTENTIAL AREAS OF COLLABORATION -------------- - ¶6. (SBU) At a separate meeting, the Vietnam Atomic Energy Commission (VAEC) Chairman Vuong Huu Tan warmly welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with U.S. National Laboratories. Dr. Tan reiterated the GVN's strategy to support peaceful nuclear energy, including: building the nation's first nuclear power plant; increasing nuclear applications in socio-economic areas; and enhancing human resources needed for to achieve the national strategy. VAEC officials outlined several areas for possible technical collaboration under a sister laboratory arrangement as follows: HANOI 00000297 002 OF 002 -- Emerging issues related to operating a mixed reactor core subsequent to the planned fuel conversion at NRI (under separate NNSA/NA-21 Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return program) and topics related to construction of a new research reactor; -- Nuclear power plant development by 2020, including technology selection, safety standards, and human resources training; -- Radioactive waste management, including radiological sources; -- Environmental radiation monitoring, including regional network and environmental transport modeling; -- Radiation protection and nuclear safety; and -- Application of nuclear technology to health care and agriculture. The USG team provided an extensive review of the Sister Laboratory program. Vietnamese counterparts were both inquisitive and supportive and they asked numerous questions regarding cooperation, such as the list of other countries involved in similar programs, mechanisms of cooperation, program size and funding, and relationship to IAEA technical cooperation. VAEC's Nuclear Research Institute in Dalat -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Subsequently, the USG team traveled to Dalat to assess the capabilities and interest of the Nuclear Research Institute (NRI) for future collaboration. The team provided detailed information on the scope and mechanisms of sister laboratory collaboration as well as overviews of technical capabilities and programs of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). NRI staff provided a detailed briefing on NRI programs and capabilities and facilitated an extensive tour of the facility and laboratories. (COMMENT: The USG teams assesses that NRI generally has a high level of technical competence, as evidenced by numerous successful endeavors such as radiopharmaceutical production and neutron activation analysis. NRI has made extensive and effective use of IAEA technical cooperation projects. END COMMENT.) VAEC officials presented a comprehensive list of topics for possible collaboration, which included research reactor applications, neutron activation analysis, environmental surveillance, radiation protection and health physics and radioactive waste management. CONCLUSION -------------- ¶8. (SBU) While all topics raised by GVN interlocutors were of potential interest to DOE/NNSA, NNSA will propose initial topics that are within the scope of the sister laboratory program's resources and mission and that are best aligned with the overall objective of infrastructure improvement in anticipation of Vietnam's civilian nuclear power development. The USG team's overall conclusion was that sister laboratory cooperation will mesh well with Vietnam's new strategy for nuclear energy. The Vietnamese counterparts appeared eager to establish the partnership and begin collaboration. Moreover, the USG team concluded that MOST and VAEC are both capable and responsive partners in a variety of potential nuclear infrastructure cooperation topics. ¶9. (SBU) COMMENT: Vietnam is an emerging regional economic player with significant interests in developing a peaceful nuclear research program for power and socio-economic applications. Mobilizing various governmental agencies and ministries to sign bilateral cooperative agreements requires both time and patience. Post encourages DOE/NNSA to continue to pursue the sister laboratory cooperation. This initial program has the potential to open a multitude of other possible initiatives, including technical assistance for developing Vietnam's nuclear regulatory framework, safeguarding of other nuclear materials, and developing the interest of U.S corporations to provide infrastructure for the planned second research reactor and first nuclear power facility. Post stands ready to support DOE/NNSA as needed to ensure the GVN signs the draft sister laboratory cooperation agreement, which could be highlighted in the visit of President Nguyen Minh Triet to Washington planned this summer. ¶10. (U) This cable has been cleared by DOE/NNSA. ALOISI