Cablegate: Finland Will Not Join Gnep

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DE RUEHHE #0665 2431348
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 311348Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3711
RHEBAAA/DOE WASHDC
INFO RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 4676
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0002

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000665

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DOE: MAUREEN CLAPPER, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL
NUCLEAR ENERGY POLICY AND COOPERATION

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG TRGY KNNP IAEA FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND WILL NOT JOIN GNEP

REF: A. SECSTATE 114102

B. SECSTATE 118280

1. (SBU) Citing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
as the clear instrument for all nuclear issues, including
multilateral fuel issues, Riku Huttunen, Head of the Energy
Administration and Nuclear Energy Division in the Finnish
Ministry of Trade and Industry told econoff that Finland was
not prepared to join GNEP at this time, preferring instead to
remain an observer. Although Huttunen said Finland values
many aspects of GNEP, including its focus on
non-proliferation and research into developing advanced
technology, the Finns are concerned about any new
organizations disrupting the existing open-market conditions
for IAEA members to procure and process uranium. Huttunen
said Finland believes many &open issues8 need to be settled
at the IAEA-level before being addressed in other fora.

2. (SBU) Minister of Trade and Industry Mauri Pekkarinen will
not attend the GNEP meeting or the IAEA meeting in Vienna in
September. Finland will likely be represented at the IAEA
meetings by Kirsti Kauppi, its Ambassador to Austria.

3. (U) The Embassy point of contact on this issue is Glenn
Lewis, Economic Officer )- lewisgk@state.gov.
HYATT

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