FINLAND WILL NOT JOIN GNEP

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000665 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DOE: MAUREEN CLAPPER, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR ENERGY POLICY AND COOPERATION E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG TRGY KNNP IAEA FI SUBJECT: FINLAND WILL NOT JOIN GNEP REF: A. SECSTATE 114102 ¶B. SECSTATE 118280 ¶1. (SBU) Citing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as the clear instrument for all nuclear issues, including multilateral fuel issues, Riku Huttunen, Head of the Energy Administration and Nuclear Energy Division in the Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry told econoff that Finland was not prepared to join GNEP at this time, preferring instead to remain an observer. Although Huttunen said Finland values many aspects of GNEP, including its focus on non-proliferation and research into developing advanced technology, the Finns are concerned about any new organizations disrupting the existing open-market conditions for IAEA members to procure and process uranium. Huttunen said Finland believes many &open issues8 need to be settled at the IAEA-level before being addressed in other fora. ¶2. (SBU) Minister of Trade and Industry Mauri Pekkarinen will not attend the GNEP meeting or the IAEA meeting in Vienna in September. Finland will likely be represented at the IAEA meetings by Kirsti Kauppi, its Ambassador to Austria. ¶3. (U) The Embassy point of contact on this issue is Glenn Lewis, Economic Officer )- lewisgk@state.gov. HYATT