INVITATION TO GSA TO ATTEND GNEP STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING

UNCLAS STATE 160560 SIPDIS SIPDIS, UNVIE IAEA FOR ASTARZ E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG TRGY KNNP IAEA SF SUBJECT: INVITATION TO GSA TO ATTEND GNEP STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING IN VIENNA IN DECEMBER REF: PRETORIA 3674 ¶1. THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST FOR EMBASSY OFFICERS TO DELIVER TALKING POINTS (PARAGRAPH 3 BELOW) INVITING GSA OFFICIALS TO PARTICIPATE AS OBSERVERS during the first meeting of the Steering Group for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) in Vienna, Austria, from 11 to 13 December 2007. Request that Embassy Officers draw upon the following talking points during a meeting with DME officials, preferably with Tseliso Maqubela, Chief Director of Nuclear Affairs. Points may be left as a non-paper. ¶2. BEGIN TALKING POINTS U.S. GNEP representative, Ed McGinnis, has been attempting to make contact with the point of contact (Tseliso Maqubela) that South Africa identified during our last bilateral discussion with Ambassador Abdul Minty in Vienna, Austria, during the IAEA General Conference. However, to date, Mr. McGinnis has been unsuccessful in making contact. We would like to extend an invitation to South Africa to send representatives as observers to the first meeting of the GNEP Steering Group in Vienna, Austria, from 11 to 13 December. We believe that South Africa would be a strong and valued addition to the group of 17 nations that have already become full Partners of GNEP. If you are able to attend the GNEP Steering Group meeting, we believe that it would be worthwhile to hold at a bilateral side meeting with the South African attendees to discuss the important issues related to GNEP that you have raised. For example, South Africa has expressed concern that signing the GNEP SOP might limit your freedom of action. However, the SOP says that states participating in GNEP would not give up any rights. South Africa has also expressed concern that the SOP singles out "proliferation resistance" as a goal only for nuclear power reactors for developing countries. However, the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) has already made proliferation resistance a goal for all advanced nuclear power reactors. By referencing GIF, the SOP incorporates this goal and does not single out developing countries. The USG hopes that South Africa is able to accept this invitation, so that you may be fully informed about the proposed future activities of GNEP and so that we will have a chance to directly address South African concerns. END TALKING POINTS RICE