INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUCLEAR ENERGY IN IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L UNVIE VIENNA 000647

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2013
TAGS: ENGR KNNP IAEA RS IR
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUCLEAR ENERGY IN IRAN

REF: (A) STATE 122464 (B) STATE 112229 (C) STATE 122401

Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES GEOFFREY R. PYATT FOR REASONS 1.4 (B)
AND (D)

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Summary
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1. (C) Per an IAEA readout, the recent two-day nuclear power
conference displayed negligible international involvement in
Iran's nuclear sector (apart from Russia) and cannot have
failed to reflect to the Iranian government the limitations
on its relations with the Agency. IAEA official Christer
Viktorsson said he kept closely to his IAEA-cleared script,
focusing on reactor safety, but was nonetheless later
misquoted by Iranian press. He said the IAEA was contacting
the Iranian press outlet to set the record straight.
Speaking with Msnoffs December 5, his last day as an IAEA
employee, Viktorsson said there had been approximately 300
participants in the Tehran conference, mostly Iranians and
Russians. On a related matter, he confirmed that the
Norwegian training program for Iran has been launched and
that IAEA will perform two safety-related missions to Iran in
the second half of 2009, one of which normally takes place
3-6 months before a nuclear power plant goes operational.
End summary.

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Tehran Conference on Nuclear Power Plants
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2. (C) On December 5, 2008, Christer Viktorsson of IAEA met
with Msnoffs to discuss the November 30, 2008 conference
"First International Conference on Nuclear Power Plants,
Environmental and Sustainable Development" that he attended.
According to Viktorsson, the conference was mainly attended
by representatives of Iran and Russia, although he knew that
at least one representative from Oman had attended.
Viktorsson said there were several political speeches during
the first morning of the conference, including presentations
by Dr. A. Fayazbakhsh, Professor Abbapour (the organizers of
the conference),and Speaker of the Majlis Ali Larijani.
Thereafter, the rest of the conference presentations and
discussions were technical in nature. Viktorsson stated that
his presentations centered on safety and the benefits of Iran
joining the Convention on Nuclear Safety.


3. (C) During the conference Iranian officials discussed
their Nuclear Development Plan, in which they aim to have
20,000 MeW power by the year 2025. This would be
accomplished through importation of technology, as well as
development of their own reactor design/technology. In the
latter regard, the Iranians stated that they plan to
design/build their own 360 MW reactor and, with that
experience, to follow with larger plants. Viktorsson also
noted that Russia, which he said was heavily marketing its
nuclear wares at the Conference, stated that it had plans to
build 26 new reactors in Russia and 10-12 new reactors
outside of Russia.


4. (C) Viktorsson said that at the end of the conference
Iranian officials suggested IAEA develop a regional nuclear
cooperation program for Iran and its neighbors similar to the
program IAEA organized for Asian countries (Asian Nuclear
Safety Network). Viktorsson did not know if that was
something that IAEA was planning to do.


5. (C) Viktorsson offered that he was writing a trip report
which he would share with the Mission when it is completed.
(Note: Our conversation with him occurred on his last day of
IAEA service after many years; Viktorsson is moving on to a
position in the UAE's nascent nuclear regulatory structure.
End Note).

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Misquote
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6. (C) We raised the topic of press reporting on the
conference; Viktorsson said there was a lot of press at the
conference, but all of it Iranian. He stated to us that he
had spoken to only a few reporters and that the recent
article from Iran's FNA about Bushehr (claiming, inter alia,
that Viktorsson said that "operation of the plant will be
carried out safely") had misquoted him. The IAEA is
preparing a response to the article that should be released
soon, he said. The Mission will try to obtain a copy.

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IAEA Missions to Iran
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7. (C) Viktorsson re-confirmed to us that Iran has
requested from the IAEA an Operational Safety Review Team
(OSART) and an International Regulatory Review Service (IRRS
mission. A pre-IRRS meeting took place in November 2008 and
a full IRRS is scheduled for October 2009. IAEA is currently
trying to recruit team members for this mission. The
pre-OSART is scheduled for some time in the second half of

2009.

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Norway Funding Training Program
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8. (C) In addition to the conference, Viktorsson was also
in Iran to launch the new safety training program for the
Iranian regulators that has been championed by Norway. He
indicated the meeting went well and the program has now
officially started. He thanked the U.S. for its support and
for its encouragement for other countries to support the
program. He stated that Finland, Hungary, Bulgaria and
Slovakia had all agreed to participate with Norway in the
program. (Note: Mission reps re-confirmed that IAEA had
spoken with Finland in an official capacity about
participating in the program and had received an official
positive response. End Note). Viktorsson also indicated that
the Czech Republic has recently expressed some interest in
participating, even though its first reaction was negative.
Viktorsson implied that this was because of the U.S. support.


9. (C) As the next step in the training program, IAEA staff
and representatives from DMV (the Norwegian firm providing
the core of the training) will visit the regulatory bodies in
the four countries mentioned above, probably in January 2009.
The consultations will focus on the training program and
what services and instruction for Iranians the IAEA expects
from the participating regulators.

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Suitably Restrained
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10. (C) Comment: After our informal and formal demarches at
several levels of the IAEA, and aware no doubt of our
approaches in capitals, the Agency handled this Iranian event
appropriately. When we brought to IAEA attention the
organizers' unauthorized use of the IAEA logo on the
conference website, EXPO chief Cserveny called the Iranian
ambassador to get it removed. With two deputy directors
general invited by Tehran, ElBaradei on reflection authorized
only one speaker, a departing expert on reactor safety, to
deliver a technical paper in conjunction with conducting
other Agency business. The level and character of the IAEA's
participation provided Tehran no propaganda triumph; rather,
it conveyed that Tehran's relations with the Agency are
confined to technical essentials. End Comment.
PYATT