GOF HEU Assurances for Nuclear Exercise

UNCLAS PARIS 001006 SENSITIVE SIPDIS NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION State FOR ISN/NESS - RDELABARRE DOE for NNSA/NA-243 - RGOOREVICH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TRGY ETTC KNNP KSCA PARM FR SUBJECT: GOF HEU Assurances for Nuclear Exercise REF: Goorevich to Figuet letter ¶1. (U) On July 3 the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided the assurances requested in a letter from the U.S. Department of Energy to the French Embassy's Counselor for Nuclear Affairs concerning the transfer of highly enriched uranium (HEU) to the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) for a nuclear forensics exercise. ¶2. (U) Unofficial Embassy translation of the diplomatic note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (with Embassy clarifying notes in parentheses) is as follows: BEGIN TEXT OF FRENCH DIPLOMATIC NOTE Diplomatic note 1970/QA dated July 3, 2009 The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and has the honor to refer to the letter sent by Mr. Richard S. Goorevich, an official of the Department of Energy, to Mr. Jacques Figuet, Counselor for Nuclear Affairs at the French Embassy in Washington. This document is annexed to this diplomatic note (Embassy note: see para 3). The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs is able to confirm that the laboratory of the Commissariat de l'Energy Atomique (Embassy Note: French Atomic Energy Commission) has expressed an interest in participating in the nuclear forensics exercise organized by the European Union, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the framework of the International Technical Working Group on Nuclear Smuggling (ITWG). The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs assures the U.S. authorities that the 10 to 14 gram sample of highly enriched uranium to be transferred by DOE will be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and only to fulfill the scientific objectives of the exercise. The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of America the assurances of its highest consideration. END TEXT OF FRENCH DIPLOMATIC NOTE ¶3. (U) Text of the undated letter from Richard Goorevich of the U.S. Department of Energy is as follows: BEGIN TEXT OF GOOREVICH LETTER Mr. Jacques Figuet Counselor for Nuclear Affairs Embassy of France 4101 Reservoir Road NW Washington, DC 20007 Dear Mr. Figuet: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (CEA) has expressed an interest in participating in a nuclear forensics exercise in support of the International Technical Working Group (ITWG) on Nuclear Smuggling. The exercise will involve the transfer of between 10-14 grams of highly enriched uranium under a contract with the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to their facility. Title will transfer to the Government of France for the exclusive use of participating in the ITWG exercise. Because the CEA laboratory is not considered an eligible facility for international safeguards under the International Agency for Atomic Energy (IAEA),prior to the DOE entering into a contract with the laboratory to supply the enriched uranium for receipt, sampling and analytical analysis and reporting, the United States Government requests that the Government of France provide assurance to the DOE that the nuclear material will be used only for peaceful uses and exclusively for the purpose of this sampling exercise. Please confirm your receipt of this notice acknowledging the facility's responsibility to use this material for peaceful uses and exclusively for the purpose of the subject ITWG exercise and furthermore, subject to a contract with DOE, the facility will account for the nuclear material in accordance with the contract to be executed between the DOE and the Government of France. You may confirm receipt by faxing or emailing a signed copy of this form to Mr. Sean Ochlbert. He may be reached at 202-586-3806 or sean.oehlbert@nnsa.doe.gov. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this matter. Sincerely, Richard S. Goorevich Director Office of International Regimes and Agreements U.S. Department of Energy Pekala