RESPONSE TO IAEA COMPREHENSIVE SAFEGUARDS

UNCLAS STATE 011902 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG KNNP PREL TRGY SA QA SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO IAEA COMPREHENSIVE SAFEGUARDS AGREEMENTS ENTERING INTO FORCE FOR SAUDI ARABIA AND QATAR REF: STATE 03020 ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paras 4-6. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. (U) On May 16, 2008, the United States Government and the Saudi Arabian Government (SAG) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on civil nuclear cooperation. A few weeks later, a similar nuclear cooperation MOU was proposed to the Government of Qatar (GOQ). Since at that time neither Saudi Arabia nor Qatar had a comprehensive safeguards agreement (CSA) with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in force, each MOU contained the following language conditioning its entry into effect: "This Memorandum of Understanding is to commence upon the date of entry into force of a safeguards agreement between (Saudi Arabia/Qatar) and the International Atomic Energy Agency that meets the requirements of Article III of the (Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty)." ¶3. (U) On January 13, 2009, the SAG brought its CSA with the IAEA into force, and on January 21, 2009 the GOQ brought its CSA, as well as its small quantities protocol, into force. As a result, the MOU with the SAG is now in effect and the conditional language of para 2 is no longer needed in the draft MOU under consideration by the GOQ. -------------- ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶4. (U) Embassy Riyadh is requested to deliver the following message to appropriate officials within the SAG, and to re-extend the invitation to the nuclear energy infrastructure seminar hosted by DOE/NNSA in Amman, Jordan 22-26 March (reftel). DOE/NNSA has identified potential participants for the seminar from past cooperative activities and can convey those names to Post, if requested. -- The United States welcomes the news that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has brought its comprehensive safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency into effect. -- This important step demonstrates your commitment to the peaceful uses of nuclear technology and will increase international confidence in your pursuit of nuclear power. -- Now that this step is complete, the civil nuclear cooperation Memorandum of Understanding, signed in Riyadh on May 16, 2008, has now entered into effect. -- In addition, the U.S. now welcomes Saudi Arabia's participation in the DOE/NNSA seminar on "Aspects of Planning and Implementing Effective Infrastructure for a Nuclear Energy Program" to be held March 22-26 in Amman, Jordan. -- Participation in the seminar will help identify target areas for future collaboration, and would be an excellent first step in our cooperation as outlined in the MOU. ¶5. (U) Embassy Doha is requested to deliver the following message to appropriate officials within the GOQ, and to re-extend the invitation to the nuclear energy infrastructure seminar hosted by DOE/NNSA in Amman, Jordan 22-26 March (reftel). DOE/NNSA has identified potential participants for the seminar from past cooperative activities and can convey those names to Post, if requested. -- The United States welcomes the news that the State of Qatar has brought its comprehensive safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency into effect. -- This important step demonstrates your commitment to the peaceful uses of nuclear technology and will increase international confidence in your pursuit of nuclear power. -- Now that this step is complete, the final paragraph of our proposed civil nuclear cooperation Memorandum of Understanding, conditioning entry into effect on the entry into force of this safeguards agreement, can be deleted. -- In addition, the U.S. now welcomes Qatar's participation in the DOE/NNSA Seminar on Aspects of Planning and Implementing Effective Infrastructure for a Nuclear Energy Program to be held March 22-26 in Amman, Jordan. -- Participation in the seminar would be an excellent introduction to the type of cooperation outlined in the MOU, and will help identify concrete areas of cooperation that would be available should the MOU enter into effect. ¶6. (U) If asked about next steps on civil nuclear cooperation with the United States, Posts are instructed to reply that we are currently unable to provide specifics on this due to a general review of U.S. policy and that a reply will come at a later date. ¶7. (U) Department thanks Posts for their assistance. State Department POC's for civil nuclear cooperation in the Middle East are ISN/RA Ariel Stukalin (202-736-4530) and ISN/NESS Marc Humphrey (202-647-6103). The DOE/NNSA POC for the NNSA workshop is Matthew Van Sickle (202-586-2859, Matthew.VanSickle@doe.nnsa.gov). CLINTON