Cablegate: German Query Concerning Russian Supply of Nuclear

VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRL #1084 1501036
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301036Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8414
INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 1820
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0498
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0275

UNCLAS BERLIN 001084

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR ISN/RA AND EUR/AGS
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MNUC ETTC PREL KNNP GM RS IN
SUBJECT: GERMAN QUERY CONCERNING RUSSIAN SUPPLY OF NUCLEAR
FUEL TO INDIA'S TARAPUR REACTOR

1. (U) This message contains an action request -- please see
paragraph 4.

2. (SBU) Joerg Polster, German MFA International Energy and
Nuclear Energy Policy desk officer, queried Global Affairs
officer May 23 concerning press reports that Russia had
delivered a batch of nuclear fuel to two reactors at Tarapur,
India, in April 2007. Polster noted that one article quoted
an unnamed U.S. official as saying "this kind of activity
should not take place" because Moscow had acted outside the
guidelines of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to allow fuel
to be supplied to states that had not signed the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). According to the press
reports, NSG guidelines allow the supply of fuel to non-NPT
states if a safety hazard can be averted by refueling
reactors at risk. The U.S. official is quoted as saying that
Tarapur is not at risk now and therefore should not receive
the fuel from Russia at this time.

3. (SBU) Polster queried the accuracy of this press report
and said the German Government would like to know the USG's
official reaction to Russia's provision of nuclear fuel to
India in this case.

4. (U) Post requests guidance on how to respond to the German
Government's request.
TIMKEN JR

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