SLOVENIA: READY TO ALLOW TRANSIT OF SERB NUCLEAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000238 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/PGI, EUR/CE E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2019 TAGS: ENRG KNNP SI SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: READY TO ALLOW TRANSIT OF SERB NUCLEAR MATERIALS IN LATE 2010 Classified By: CDA GShelton, Reasons 1.4(b),(d) Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) On July 22nd Post accompanied officials from Department of Energy (DoE),International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),and Vinca Nuclear Institute (VNI) in Belgrade, Serbia to the initial discussions with officials from the Slovenian Ministry of the Interior regarding transport of nuclear materials through Slovenia. DoE will pay for the disposal of eight kilograms of highly enriched uranium (HEU) while the IAEA will pay for the disposal of two tons of spent fuel rods, all from VNI. The route will be by truck from Belgrade to Hungary then by rail through Hungary to the Port of Koper in Slovenia. A Russian ship will pick up the materials in Koper and deliver them to Murmansk, Russia. The date for shipping of these materials will be in October 2010. End Summary. The Planned Move Through Slovenia in October 2010 -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) On July 22, Emboff accompanied Igor Bolshinsky from the DoE's National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA),John Kelly from the IAEA, and Dr. Milan Pisec from Serbia's VNI, to a meeting with Slovenian Ministry of Interior officials. Representatives from the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA),Civil Protection, and Police Directorate were generally amenable to the movement of nuclear materials through Slovenia. Bolshinsky briefed everyone on the plan to transport the eight kilograms of HEU and two tons of spent fuel rods, initially from VNI to a railway station either in Serbia or Hungary, then by rail through Hungary to Koper, Slovenia. From there, a specially modified Russian ship will transport the materials to Murmansk for final disposal. He also said the transport will be in October 2010. Dr. Pisec explained that Serbia insisted on using the longer route, claiming that the port of Bar in Montenegro lacks the proper facilities to load the materials. Kelly added that an air shipment is not an option due to its large size. He also commented that while the NNSA is paying for the disposal of the HEU, the IAEA is taking the lead since it will be responsible for the disposal of the spent fuel rods, which make up the bulk of the nuclear materials. Slovenian Concerns -------------- ¶3. (C) The Slovenian officials voiced three main concerns regarding the movement of nuclear materials through their territory: the timely application for licenses, press relations and control of information, and force protection for the materials. The SNSA worried about the timely application for the proper licenses to transport the materials through Slovenia, in particular licensing of the Russian and Slovak built casks that will hold the nuclear materials during shipment. The officials noted that a September 2008 shipment from Hungary ran into problems regarding licensing, although it ultimately turned out to be successful. All parties agreed to work together during the licensing process. ¶4. (C) On the lesser issue of press relations, all parties agreed not to discuss the route with the public. Regarding force protection, the transport company handling the materials will be responsible for submitting a force protection plan for the nuclear materials. The IAEA-led group, however, has not yet selected a transport company, so the group postponed further discussions on this. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) The Slovenian officials have experience from the September 2008 shipment, so Post expects close cooperation and a smooth transfer. It will be important to have very clear communication among U.S. agencies as this project moves forward. Post will participate in follow-on discussions when DoE representatives return to Ljubljana in October 2009. SHELTON