RUSSIAN MFA ON ASSISTANCE TO STRENGTHEN

UNCLAS MOSCOW 001461 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KNNP KCRM MNUC ASEC PARM PINR SUBJECT: RUSSIAN MFA ON ASSISTANCE TO STRENGTHEN INTERNATIONAL FORENSICS COOPERATION REF: SECSTATE 55511 (SBU) On June 3, EST Counselor delivered reftel points, non-paper with unofficial embassy translation, and invitation to MFA Office of Security and Disarmament Affairs First Secretary Olga Kuznetsova. Kuznetsova read the non-paper with interest and promised to inform her leadership. Drawing from reftel, EST Counselor explained the genesis of the proposal to create a nuclear forensics framework to strengthen international cooperation to end nuclear smuggling. Kuznetsova began taking notes when EST Counselor explained that the forensics libraries would include a range of data, such as isotopic composition, and chemical form, and that exchanging material would be optional. EST Counselor then suggested that the Russian government join the United States at the June 16-17 plenary of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) in encouraging additional governments to participate in the June 29 International Technical Working Group on Nuclear Smuggling-IAEA technical review. She was quite doubtful that the MFA would be able to make a decision on supporting the proposed framework for nuclear forensic cooperation by June 16-17. Although EST Counselor noted that the technical meeting is devoted largely to other topics, Kuznetsova demurred, saying that she was not sure if Russia would be ready by the GICNT plenary to encourage other countries to attend the briefing. She agreed to provide the non-paper to Rosatom. EST separately provided the non-paper to Rosatom on June 3. (Embassy Comment: EST does not believe that Russia has a nuclear forensics library with this information and that it will find it difficult to agree to participate in this initiative.) BEYRLE