Cablegate: South Africa Nuclear Status: R&D Agreements And

VZCZCXRO3760
RR RUEHDU RUEHJO
DE RUEHSA #3720 2501338
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071338Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5541
INFO RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 3299
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 8091
RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG 5187
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS PRETORIA 003720

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT OF ENERGY FOR LPARKER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG KNNP PARM PREL SF
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA NUCLEAR STATUS: R&D AGREEMENTS AND
SPENT FUEL TAKE BACK

REF: 05 PRETORIA 02923

1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified; Protect Accordingly. Not
for Internet Distribution.

2. (SBU) Incoming and outgoing Econ M/C's and Econoff met 31
August with Tseliso Maqubela, Chief Director: Nuclear at the
South African Department of Minerals and Energy (DME).
Maqubela reported that the Research and Development
Agreements on Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Material Safeguards
Technologies are still under consideration by the South
African Government (SAG) (reftel). Maqubela said there were
no problems with the Nuclear Energy Cooperative Agreement.
However, he stated that certain unnamed agencies within SAG
needed to be sure that the Nuclear Material Safeguards
Technologies Agreement did not conflict with government
policies or interests. Maqubela could not promise when the
agreements would be approved by SAG. Visiting USUNVIE COM
Schulte raised the agreements during an August 25th meeting
with DFA DDG Abdul Minty (septel).

3. (SBU) Maqubela reported that DME is reviewing a
feasibility study from the U.S. Department of Energy to take
back U.S.-origin spent nuclear fuel assemblies. He stated
that the decision to return fuel will rest with Cabinet and
that the decision will be guided by DME's Radioactive Waste
Management Policy and Strategy, a copy of which was provided
to Econoffs. The policy prohibits "in principle" both the
import and export of radioactive waste, thus necessitating
the Cabinet review. The policy requires consultation with the
Ministries of Health, Environmental Affairs and Tourism, and
Water Affairs and Forestry. Of concern to DME is a finding in
the feasibility study that among the spent fuel assemblies
are a small number of un-spent fresh fuel assemblies.
Maqubela stated that inclusion of un-spent fuel assemblies
complicates the approval decision because the policy covers
only radioactive waste material, not fresh fuel. Maqubela
noted that his staff is reviewing the feasibility study and
hopes to make recommendations to the Minister of Minerals and
Energy soon.
Bost

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