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Cablegate: Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission Unaware Of

VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDR #1376 2251424
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131424Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4577
INFO RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA PRIORITY 0203
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA AU PRIORITY 0003
RUCNDT/USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0052

UNCLAS DAR ES SALAAM 001376

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

VCI FOR HHEINTZELMAN AND KWALKIN; AF/E FOR BYODER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER IAEA PGOV CG TZ
SUBJECT: TANZANIA ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION UNAWARE OF
URANIUM SEIZURE OR IAEA REQUEST

REF: UNVIE VIENNA 00601

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY.

1. (SBU) In response to an August 6 London Sunday Times
report of a shipment of uranium 238 uncovered by customs
officials in Tanzania on October 22, Poloff spoke with A.M.
Nyanda, Director General of the Tanzania Atomic Energy
Commission (TAEC). Nyanda said he had not read the article
and had no knowledge of any seizure of uranium in Tanzania in
October 2005, or of any contact from the International Atomic
Energy Commission (IAEA) regarding such an incident.

2. (SBU) Nyanda confirmed that the TAEC is the regulatory
body for all nuclear technology matters, including uranium,
and that the TAEC registers all radioactive sources. When
asked of the process in the event that uranium were to be
found at an entry point, Nyanda said the authorities
(customs, police or port officials) would seize the material
and inform the TAEC. The TAEC would then confirm the
measurements of the material and, if it was within its
regulatory mandate, establish control measures until the case
was resolved. The TAEC has one waste facility, located in
Arusha, where it is headquartered. In addition to its main
office in Arusha, the TAEC has a sub-office in Dar es Salaam
and is planning to open another sub-office on Zanzibar.
Nyanda estimated that any response required of TAEC would
occur within one to two days of notification by authorities.

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3. (SBU) When asked about reports to the IAEA, Nyanda said
the TAEC "usually reports to the IAEA." When pressed
regarding matters on which it would not so report, Nyanda
said he could not envision any circumstances in which they
would not report unless it was a military matter. Nyanda
added that the TPDF would not be involved in a seizure of
uranium unless the act was of a military nature.
RETZER

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