Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CARACAS1296
2009-10-07 19:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:
VENEZUELA: THE POLITICS OF DEVELOPING URANIUM RESERVES
how-toVZCZCXRO4814 RR RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHMT RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRS RUEHTM RUEHVC DE RUEHCV #1296 2801933 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 071933Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3793 INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHEHAAA/WHITEHOUSE WASHDC RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001296
SIPDIS
ENERGY FOR ALOCKWOOD AND LEINSTEIN
HQ SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
TREASURY FOR MKACZMAREK
COMMERCE FOR 4332/MAC/WH/JLAO
NSC FOR DRESTREPO AND LROSSELLO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/29/2019
TAGS: ECON, ENRG, KNNP, VE, IR
SUBJECT: VENEZUELA: THE POLITICS OF DEVELOPING URANIUM
RESERVES
REF: CARACAS 26
Classified By: Economic Counselor Darnall Steuart, for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001296
SIPDIS
ENERGY FOR ALOCKWOOD AND LEINSTEIN
HQ SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
TREASURY FOR MKACZMAREK
COMMERCE FOR 4332/MAC/WH/JLAO
NSC FOR DRESTREPO AND LROSSELLO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/29/2019
TAGS: ECON, ENRG, KNNP, VE, IR
SUBJECT: VENEZUELA: THE POLITICS OF DEVELOPING URANIUM
RESERVES
REF: CARACAS 26
Classified By: Economic Counselor Darnall Steuart, for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) On Friday, September 25, Venezuelan Minister of Basic
Industry and Mining, Rodolfo Sanz, claimed that Iran had
helped carry out geophysical testing and aerial surveys to
calculate the size of Venezuela's uranium deposits. He added
that it would take three years to certify the size of the
uranium reserves. A Venezuelan journalist reported on
Sunday, September 27, that Chavez reprimanded Sanz about his
comments on Iran, ordering him not to meddle in affairs he
knew nothing about. (NOTE: The timing of Sanz's comments
coincided with news that Iran is building a secret nuclear
facility.)
2. (U) Jesse Chacon, Venezuelan Minister for Science,
Technology, and Intermediary Industry, originally denied
reports that the GBRV was receiving support from Iran to find
uranium, but clarified on Saturday, September 26, that his
comments were limited to cooperation with Russia and that any
exploration efforts with Iran fall under the direction of the
Ministry of Basic Industry and Mining. When questioned about
how Venezuela would use its uranium reserves, both ministers
responded that Venezuela would use nuclear energy for
medicinal and peaceful purposes and for power generation.
3. (C) Popular blogger ("Devil's Excrement") Miguel Octavio,
who has a Phd in Physics and extensive contacts in
Venezuela's scientific community, told Econoffs September 22
that Venezuela's hard sciences are being decimated under the
Chavez administration. Octavio noted that scientists at
Venezuela's formerly prestigious Institute for Scientific
Research (IVIC) are doing "pertinent science," i.e., science
applied to Bolivarian goals. Venezuela, he said, does not
have the domestic scientific capacity to support the
development of a nuclear energy program. Octavio posited
that if the GBRV wanted to develop a nuclear energy
capability it would make the most sense to purchase a nuclear
facility as a package, including technicians, from a friendly
government.
4. (C) COMMENT: The U.S. Geological Survey's 2008 Minerals
Yearbook includes a reference to Venezuela uranium "deposits
located in the jungle states of Amazonas and Bolivar, which
supposedly contain about 50,000 tons of uranium reserves."
As reported reftel, one local scientist has asserted to the
Embassy in the past year that the country has little uranium.
Whether it does or does not have uranium, there does not
appear to be a project underway to develop this resource.
Nor does Venezuela have a cadre of trained scientists to
support the development of a nuclear program. However, talk
of a high profile project with an anti-U.S. partner would
doubtless be appealing to Chavez. END COMMENT.
DUDDY
SIPDIS
ENERGY FOR ALOCKWOOD AND LEINSTEIN
HQ SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
TREASURY FOR MKACZMAREK
COMMERCE FOR 4332/MAC/WH/JLAO
NSC FOR DRESTREPO AND LROSSELLO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/29/2019
TAGS: ECON, ENRG, KNNP, VE, IR
SUBJECT: VENEZUELA: THE POLITICS OF DEVELOPING URANIUM
RESERVES
REF: CARACAS 26
Classified By: Economic Counselor Darnall Steuart, for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) On Friday, September 25, Venezuelan Minister of Basic
Industry and Mining, Rodolfo Sanz, claimed that Iran had
helped carry out geophysical testing and aerial surveys to
calculate the size of Venezuela's uranium deposits. He added
that it would take three years to certify the size of the
uranium reserves. A Venezuelan journalist reported on
Sunday, September 27, that Chavez reprimanded Sanz about his
comments on Iran, ordering him not to meddle in affairs he
knew nothing about. (NOTE: The timing of Sanz's comments
coincided with news that Iran is building a secret nuclear
facility.)
2. (U) Jesse Chacon, Venezuelan Minister for Science,
Technology, and Intermediary Industry, originally denied
reports that the GBRV was receiving support from Iran to find
uranium, but clarified on Saturday, September 26, that his
comments were limited to cooperation with Russia and that any
exploration efforts with Iran fall under the direction of the
Ministry of Basic Industry and Mining. When questioned about
how Venezuela would use its uranium reserves, both ministers
responded that Venezuela would use nuclear energy for
medicinal and peaceful purposes and for power generation.
3. (C) Popular blogger ("Devil's Excrement") Miguel Octavio,
who has a Phd in Physics and extensive contacts in
Venezuela's scientific community, told Econoffs September 22
that Venezuela's hard sciences are being decimated under the
Chavez administration. Octavio noted that scientists at
Venezuela's formerly prestigious Institute for Scientific
Research (IVIC) are doing "pertinent science," i.e., science
applied to Bolivarian goals. Venezuela, he said, does not
have the domestic scientific capacity to support the
development of a nuclear energy program. Octavio posited
that if the GBRV wanted to develop a nuclear energy
capability it would make the most sense to purchase a nuclear
facility as a package, including technicians, from a friendly
government.
4. (C) COMMENT: The U.S. Geological Survey's 2008 Minerals
Yearbook includes a reference to Venezuela uranium "deposits
located in the jungle states of Amazonas and Bolivar, which
supposedly contain about 50,000 tons of uranium reserves."
As reported reftel, one local scientist has asserted to the
Embassy in the past year that the country has little uranium.
Whether it does or does not have uranium, there does not
appear to be a project underway to develop this resource.
Nor does Venezuela have a cadre of trained scientists to
support the development of a nuclear program. However, talk
of a high profile project with an anti-U.S. partner would
doubtless be appealing to Chavez. END COMMENT.
DUDDY