S E C R E T UNVIE VIENNA 000190

SIPDIS

ISN FOR GROMOLL AND MAHAFFEY, IO FOR DETEMPLE, EAP FOR
KELLY AND JOHNSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2034
TAGS: AORC IAEA KN KNNP
SUBJECT: IAEA/DPRK: INSPECTIONS DIRECTOR DOUBTS NORTH KOREA
COULD HAVE BEGUN REPROCESSING

REF: A. UNVIE 00164

B. UNVIE 00162

Classified By: AMBASSADOR GREGORY L. SCHULTE FOR
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (U) This is an action request, see para 3.


2. (S) Director of Safeguards Division Operations A, Marco
Marzo, told MsnOff on April 28 that he did not believe North
Korea could have begun reprocessing the spent fuel by April
25, as the DPRK claims. (Note: North Korea publicly
announced on April 25 that it had begun reprocessing spent
fuel rods and that it would use the plutonium extracted from
the rods to make nuclear weapons.) Marzo indicated that the
IAEA has not engaged with North Korea since inspectors
departed North Korea on April 16 (see reftels), so this
judgment is based only on the IAEA's historic knowledge.


3. (SBU) Action request: Mission notes that the Vienna-based
DPRK "Core Group" (composed of Canada, Australia, the UK,
Japan, South Korea, Germany France, and the United States)
will meet on April 30 to share views on the current situation
with North Korea, including the status of Six Party Talks and
next steps. Mission requests guidance for any points to
raise during this meeting with our like-minded colleagues.
SCHULTE