SOUTH AFRICA STILL WORKING ON U.S.- SOUTH AFRICA

UNCLAS PRETORIA 003077 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/S, EEB/ESC, ISN DOE FOR SPERL, PERSON, BIENAWSKI, AND PARKER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG PARM PREL KNNP KTIA IAEA SF SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA STILL WORKING ON U.S.- SOUTH AFRICA AGREEMENT TO TAKE BACK U.S.- ORIGIN SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL REF: A. PRETORIA 2494 ¶B. PRETORIA 317 ¶1. (SBU) In a wide ranging meeting on August 27 between DME Chief Director: Nuclear Tselio Maqubela and Economic Counselor and Minerals-Energy Officer, Maqubela identified two issues blocking SAG agreement to return U.S.-origin spent nuclear fuel. Maqubela described the first issue as relatively easy to be resolved: both South African NECSA (Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa) and DOE were working to complete the "invoice trail" for the U.S.-origin nuclear fuel. He described the second issue as a potential "show stopper". According to Maqubela, in order for the SAG to participate in the USG-supported spent fuel return program, under U.S. law the SAG would have to formally agree to "never load HEU into its research reactor". While it is SAG intent to take advantage of benefits under the program and to convert the reactor to use only LEU, Maqubela said it would be politically prohibitive for the SAG to give up a sovereign right in order to participate in a voluntary program. He wondered whether DOE would be able to find creative phrasing to meet both the requirement of the U.S. law and SAG political sensitivities, thus allowing him to fruitfully raise this issue with his principals. ¶2. (SBU) In a separate conversation, Westinghouse SA General Manager Rita Bowser, explained that she had extensive experience with the spent fuel program and suggested that DOE consider wording to the effect: "The U.S. recognizes that S.A. is converting its reactor to LEU. When S.A. is finished converting, the U.S. will take S.A.'s spent fuel back." This might give the U.S. the necessary assurance that S.A. will not be loading HEU into its research reactor without requiring the SAG to give up its sovereign right. Teitelbaum