IAEA/TC: SYRIA NUCLEAR POWER PROJECT MAY DROP FROM

C O N F I D E N T I A L UNVIE VIENNA 000569 SIPDIS FOR IO/T AND ISN/MNSA E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2013 TAGS: KNNP IAEA TRGY SY SUBJECT: IAEA/TC: SYRIA NUCLEAR POWER PROJECT MAY DROP FROM LIST REF: (A) UNVIE 0540 (B) STATE 97067 Classified By: DCM Geoffrey Pyatt, 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) As reported ref a para 6, the IAEA Secretariat indicated to us a Technical Cooperation (TC) proposal was forthcoming from Syria on the economic feasibility of nuclear power. Msnoffs stated at the time the U.S. view that nuclear power cooperation with Syria was inappropriate while Syria was under investigation by the Safeguards division. Mission shared the foregoing information recently with French counterparts and learned October 22 of a French demarche made on External Relations chief Cserveny, registering concern over any project related to nuclear power capabilities in Syria. UNVIE made parallel, informal approaches the same day to the TC and Legal Affairs offices. ¶2. (C) Per information gained by the French, the proposal is entitled "Conducting an Economic and Technical Feasibility Study and Site Selection for a Nuclear Power Plant." The IAEA input would comprise expert missions, fellowships and scientific visits, meetings, and procurement of four equipment items. The proposal is budgeted at USD 351,285. Privately with IAEACouns, a TC official characterized the budgeted activities as going well beyond a "feasibility study". A more senior contact in the Secretariat, who had not been involved in review of the proposal, found it outrageous in light of other developments in IAEA interaction with Syria. Both interlocutors indicated the Secretariat would assess the proposal further. ¶3. (C) Comment: While time is short before the scheduled posting of project details for Member State review, we expect this proposal may be channeled away from active consideration at the November Technical Assistance and Cooperation Committee meeting. We will keep Department apprised of our further efforts to block the proposal. SCHULTE