Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BRUSSELS1732
2008-11-13 16:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

BELGIUM NON-COMMITTAL ON CRITERIA-BASED CONTROL OF

Tags:  ENRG ETTC KNNP MNUC PARM TRGY IAEA BE 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBS #1732 3181604
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 131604Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8219
INFO RUCNNSG/NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001732

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/WE AND ISN/NESS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2018
TAGS: ENRG ETTC KNNP MNUC PARM TRGY IAEA BE
SUBJECT: BELGIUM NON-COMMITTAL ON CRITERIA-BASED CONTROL OF
ENR EQUIPMENT

REF: STATE 11509

Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Richard Eason

(C) Poloff delivered reftel points urging consensus on a
criteria-based approach to control of enrichment and
reprocessing (ENR) technology and equipment to Werner
Bauwens, Director of the MFA Office of Non-Proliferation and
Export Controls, on November 13, immediately upon Bauwens'
return from a conference in Australia. Bauwens was aware of
the USG proposal for a criteria-based approach and said that
Belgium had put forward papers on the issue in the Nuclear
Suppliers Group (NSG) in the past. Bauwens, who is scheduled
to represent Belgium at the November 19 meeting in Vienna,
said that he is ready to look at and discuss the U.S.
proposed text, but he doubts whether the text can be approved
at the November 19 meeting. The exact wording of the
USG-proposed text, as of time of the meeting, would be
decisive, he said. Poloff reviewed with Bauwens the criteria
mentioned in para 7 of reftel. Bauwens focused on the "black
box" approach to supplying technology, saying that some NSG
members, notably Canada, had problems with it. He added that
officials in the Belgian economic ministries also have
reservations about the idea. Bauwens was unwilling to
express his own opinion on the issue. He did ask whether the
latest version of the U.S. proposed text could be made
available to him in advance of the November 19 meeting so
that he can discuss it internally in the GOB before he
arrives in Vienna.
.