SOUTH AFRICA INTERESTED IN SIGNING NUCLEAR R&D

UNCLAS PRETORIA 003076 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/S, EEB/ESC, ISN DOE FOR SPERL, PERSON, BIENAWSKI, AND PARKER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG TRGY ETRD BEXP KTIA IAEA SF SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA INTERESTED IN SIGNING NUCLEAR R&D AGREEMENT REF: A. PRETORIA 2494 ¶B. PRETORIA 317 ¶1. (U) This is an action request - see paragraph 1. ¶2. (SBU) Post seeks a response from Department and DOE to the Reftel A request that USG and SAG Ministers of Energy sign the proposed "Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of South Africa for Cooperation in Research and Development in Nuclear Technology" at the IAEA annual meeting in Vienna September 17, after the GNEP Ministerial on September 16. ¶3. (SBU) DME Chief Director: Nuclear Tselio Maqubela told Economic Counselor and Minerals and Energy Officer on August 27 that it was still the intention of the SAG to sign the nuclear R&D agreement at the Ministerial level in Vienna, noting there was already bilateral agreement on the text and spirit of the document. However, he admitted that DME was still seeking inter-agency approval to obtain signing authority. He directed his subordinates to follow up on the status, given the short time frame and the long period that the agreement has remained in the SAG interagency review. Maqubela promised to get back to us as soon as possible, saying that a decision should be made "by the end of the week." ¶4. (SBU) Maqubela noted the competition between Westinghouse and French Areva for the contract for new nuclear plant construction expected to be awarded in spring 2008 and said the SAG would seek to be even-handed with any activities with the USG and the GOF. He emphasized that in his view the SAG should be able to continue with projects already in the pipeline. Maqubela warned that he would not be able to meet as often with USG officials as the award date approached, given his half-time position in the Ministry and his half-time position with state power company ESKOM. As a result, he said he would try to resolve issues with the USG "before the end of the year." Teitelbaum