IAEA/SAFEGUARDS: REQUEST TO SUPPORT ROBUST OPEN

C O N F I D E N T I A L UNVIE VIENNA 000577 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2034 TAGS: AORC KNNP IAEA ENRG TRGY SUBJECT: IAEA/SAFEGUARDS: REQUEST TO SUPPORT ROBUST OPEN SOURCE INFORMATION COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Classified By: AMBASSADOR GLYN DAVIES FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) In November 12 meeting, Michael Barletta (AmCit), Senior Safeguards Information Analyst in the Division of Information Management, described assistance he would like from the United States to support the IAEA in undertaking the open source information collection and analysis necessary to underpin "information-driven safeguards." Noting the need to integrate all-source information and the Agency's limited analytical resources, Barletta queried MsnOffs as to whether it would be possible for the Agency to meet with representatives from the Open Source Center (OSC) to discuss the types of nuclear information of use to the IAEA , especially information from relevant international conferences. (Comment: SGIM Information Collection and Analysis Section Head Matt Ferguson has also expressed interest in meeting with OSC to discuss the IAEA's operations and potentially learn best practices for information management. End Comment.) Barletta also hoped that, to the extent DOE's Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI) might assist the IAEA, the effort would have an information analysis focus. Barletta expressed a desire, to leverage nonproliferation information-management tools that may already have been developed in the United States (e.g., a "Wikipedia-like" system the IAEA could use internally). Finally, he expressed appreciation for the ongoing U.S. Safeguards Support Program task that provides U.S. experts (normally drawn from DOE labs) to serve two-week consultancies in SGIM on specified topics. -------------- Resource Challenges -------------- ¶2. (C) Barletta noted the IAEA's need to integrate various sources of information, including scientific and technical publications, commercial satellite imagery, environmental sample analysis, additional information provided by Member States, and other all-source information, to conduct more comprehensive analyses and draw better conclusions about the absence of undeclared nuclear activities. Barletta stated that his unit is quite capable on information collection, but needs assistance with the analysis of this large volume of information it collects. He recognized that many commercially available systems, or perhaps tools developed within the U.S. government, could assist the IAEA with its efforts to develop enhanced analytic capabilities. Rather than reinventing the wheel and wasting limited resources, Barletta is seeking U.S. support or recommendations on what systems are available, or what systems the agency should build to meet this information integration challenge. ¶3. (C) For example, the Safeguards Department's latest Research and Development plan identifies the need to expand the IAEA's capability to digest non-English open-source scientific and technical literature. In particular, the IAEA needs translation software for Farsi that includes nuclear-related terms. Barletta speculated that the U.S. intelligence community may have already developed such software and wondered whether it might be made available to the IAEA. -------------- Specific Requests -------------- ¶4. (C) Barletta floated several ideas for U.S. assistance in promoting and expanding the IAEA's information analysis posture. He said the IAEA's specific needs include: - machine translations for Farsi, Arabic, and other key languages (per the above) - assistance building a well-developed lexicon of nuclear terms in key foreign languages - link analysis tools for scientific and technical literature - an interactive Wiki-type system for internal use to make information readily available to analysts - a virtual reality tool for knowledge management to be populated by all-source information. (This would be used to maintain continuity of knowledge for inspectors and analysts over many years, for example, to geo-locate where samples were drawn, tag technologies and processes that may have changed over the years, and integrate measurements, imagery, and publications, in one place. This would also require experts working in these various areas to rely on one another and bring their knowledge together.) - development of country profiles using open source info. (Barletta suggested an idea he attributed to the U.S. of using interns at the National Laboratories to put together these analytical pieces as an NGSI activity. If done properly, much of the legwork on data collection would be completed, and the Agency could focus more resources on analysis. These country profiles could be posted on Open Source Center (OSC),for example, which could then be accessed by the IAEA.) - working with the OSC to focus their efforts on certain countries of interest, targeting nuclear fuel cycle technologies, specific non-English conferences, and other occasional IAEA specific requests. -------------- IAEA-Funded Activities on the R&D Project -------------- ¶5. (C) SGIM's John Hilliard later joined the discussion with Barletta desribed three projects below that are to receive regular budget funding via the Department's Research and Development plan. These include: - development of a department-wide geographic information system - reaching out to retired experts as consultants (Hilliard noted the lack of knowledge transfer and the need to retain continuity of knowledge to help concepts and planning.) - developing a "virtual state file" Hilliard noted that the information on Additional Protocol information, satellite imagery, environmental sample analysis, and country-specific information are all on separate LAN systems. Thus a major effort is required to integrate all of the computer systems in one Ops room, and have all of the analysis done in a multipurpose briefing room, similar to a "situation room." This should encourage collaborative analysis among the various sections and experts in various areas. Hilliard added that DDG Heinonen was supportive of this idea. (Comment: Such a well-appointed capability would also make for effective presentations to member states should an issue arise on which the IAEA would like to impress one or more member states with the credibility of its information.) -------------- Continuing Need -------------- ¶6. (C) The key message from both Barletta and Hilliard was the need for U.S assistance in developing Safeguards Department information analysis resources. Mission is reporting these specifics to give Washington experts a snapshot of the kinds of assistance the working-level in SGIM believes they need. Mission has not discussed Barletta's suggestions with DDG/Safeguards Heinonen, so cannot vouch for whether specific requests have his support. That said, Mission welcomes guidance as to any proposals that may be good candidates for U.S. support; we and/or the Agency may pursue one or more via the United States Support Program to Safeguards (USSP) or other means. For example, Mission will contact OSC through appropriate channels to inquire whether the above consultation might be possible on the margins of a planned visit to Washington in late January by SGIM Division Director Jacques Baute. DAVIES