GERMAN MFA CLAIMS INTERAGENCY VICTORY ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000702

SIPDIS
ENERGY FOR SARAH DICKERSON, ISN/NESS FOR DAN FENSTERMACHER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2019
TAGS: ENRG KNNP OTRA TRGY IAEA RS GM
SUBJECT: GERMAN MFA CLAIMS INTERAGENCY VICTORY ON
ROSSENDORF FUEL REPROCESSING

REF: A. 09 STATE 27290

B. 09 BERLIN 425

Classified By: Global Affairs Chief Don Brown for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d)


1. (C) Summary: The German MFA claimed it had resolved
German interagency dissent regarding its proposed transfer of
spent nuclear research fuel to Russia for reprocessing (ref
A). The MFA also outlined its vision of the USG role in the
Berlin meetings, hoping for public USG support of the
transfer and financial support for the reprocessing.


2. (C) In the run-up to meetings scheduled for June 15-16 in
Berlin, Econoff met with German MFA Desk Officer Joerg
Polster. According to Polster, the Germans have resolved
their contentious internal political issues (ref B) regarding
the transfer of fuel from Saxony's Rossendorf nuclear
research facility. At a May 25th German interagency meeting
called by the Ministry of the Environment (BMU),the BMU
agreed with the MFA position that no alternative exists other
than to transfer this spent nuclear fuel to Russia for
recycling. The transfer process will start when the Ministry
of Economics (BMWi) writes to the Russian government asking
for the transfer to take place. Polster said the question of
how to handle the politically sensitive &is this nuclear
waste8 issue will be dealt with later, but it is important
to "get the ball rolling now". The "waste8 issue will
probably not, as a practical matter, arise until after the
German elections and, in Polster's opinion, will be easier to
deal with at that time. As the German internal political
disputes appear settled, Polster anticipated that this
meeting could focus on logistics and US, Russian, and German
roles and responsibilities in the transfer. Polster said he
is happy to have "pushed BMU into a corner" and limited their
ability to object to the transfer of the material.


3. (C) When asked, Polster described his two-fold notion of
DOE / NNSA's role in the Berlin meetings. First, he hopes
for substantive discussions regarding the U.S. financial
contribution to the recycling of the material after its
return to Russia. Polster believes the German state of Saxony
will pay for its transport to the Russian facility. Second,
Polster will ask the USG to publicly support Germany's
initiative to have the fuel returned to Russia. This
support, as Polster sees it, might take the form of a letter
from the USG to the GOG, thanking them for moving this
forward, applauding their efforts, and reaffirming that there
is no alternative other than the repatriation of this fuel to
Russia.


4. (C) German participation at the Berlin meetings will
likely include the Rossendorf facility director, as well as
MFA, BMU, and possibly BMWi and the Ministry of Transport.
Econoff will attend the Berlin meetings and report
developments septel.
Koenig