This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 SANAA 002142 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/26/2013 
TAGS: TRGY TPHY PTER AORC YM IAEA COUNTER TERRORISM ENERGY
SUBJECT: YEMEN: IAEA DRAFT RESOLUTION AND YEMEN-DEPT ENERGY 
MOU 
 
REF: A. CATO E-MAILS 
     ¶B. STATE 222302 
     ¶C. STATE 201986 
     ¶D. SANAA 1350 
     ¶E. SANAA 1453 
 
Classified By: Charge Alan Misenheimer for reasons 1.5(b,d). 
 
¶1.  (u)  This is an action request -- see para 3. 
 
¶2.  (c)  Dr. Moustafa Bahran, Chairman of the Yemen National 
Atomic Energy Commission (NATEC), requests U.S. assistance in 
delivering Yemen's draft resolution for the September 2003 
IAEA General Assembly to appropriate USG officials.  Bahran 
specifically listed (text para 4) a number of officials he 
met during NATEC's July 2003 consultations in Washington (ref 
b). 
 
¶3.  (c)  Action requested:  Post appreciates NP/MNA's 
assistance in coordinating and reporting on NATEC's recent 
visit to Washington, DC.  As noted in reftel a, post 
appreciates MNA's assistance in forwarding both the IAEA 
draft resolution and the draft Yemen-Department of Energy 
Memorandum of Understanding to all interested parties, 
including those listed in Bahran's letter to Ambassador Hull 
(para 4).  POC for this request is Willeah Cato -- class 
e-mail: catowe@state.sgov.gov, unclass e-mail: 
catowe@state.gov, phone (967) 1 303 - 155, or fax (967) 1 303 
- 182.  (Note: Please contact Pol/Econ Chief Mary Brett 
Rogers between September 3-24, 2003.) 
 
¶4.  (c)  Text of Dr. Bahran's request for USG assistance: 
 
(Begin text) 
 
Republic of Yemen 
Presidency of the Republic 
National Atomic Energy Commission (NATEC) 
P.O. Box 4720, Sana'a, Telfax: = 967 1 259460 
 
Confidential 
 
SIPDIS 
 
Mr. Edmund Hull 
His Excellency the Ambassador 
Embassy of the United States of America 
Sana'a 
 
August 20, 2003 
No. 1029/1516/2003 
 
Dear Mr. Hull, 
 
Please find enclosed a proposed resolution for the upcoming 
IAEA General Conference with a cover letter.  Please forward 
immediately to the following persons: 
 
1 - Mr. John Bolton - Under Secretary for Arms Control and 
Nuclear Nonproliferation - Department of State 
2 - Mr. Andrew Semmel - Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Nuclear Nonproliferation - Department of State 
2 - Mr. Richard Straford - Director, Nuclear Energy Affairs - 
Department of State 
4 - Mr. Ron Burrows - Office of Senior Coordinator for 
Nuclear Safety - Department of State 
5 - Mr. Ambassador Linto Brooks - Administrator, National 
Nuclear Security Administration - Department of Energy 
6 - Mr. David Huizenga - Assistant Deputy Administrator, 
National Nuclear Security Administration - Department of 
Energy 
7 - Mr. Gary Tittemore - Director, National Nuclear Security 
Administration - Department of Energy 
8 - Mr. Martin Virgilio - Director, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards - Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
 
The National Atomic Energy Commission avails itself of this 
opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of 
America in Sana'a the assurance of its highest consideration. 
 Thank you and please accept our best regards. 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
Dr. Moustafa Bahran 
Science and Technology Advisor to the President 
Chairman - National Atomic Energy Commission 
 
(End text) 
 
¶5.  (sbu)  Text of NATEC's open letter and the Yemen draft 
resolution: 
 
¶I.  (Begin text: NATEC Open Letter) 
 
Dear Colleagues, 
 
Please find enclosed the first draft of our proposed 
resolution for the 47 general session of the General 
Conference of the IAEA under the agenda item 15: Nuclear 
Security/ Measures to Protect Against Nuclear Terrorism, for 
your consideration. 
It has been structured in a way to reflect the agreement in 
principle that we have obtained in Paris, Washington and 
London which is basically to disentangle radioactive material 
from nuclear material (this draft is being sent only to the 
three countries at the time being).  The resolution consists 
of: 
 
A: Illicit Trafficking: 
This is taken basically from GC(45)/Res/14/A with some 
modifications.  It needs to be fine tuned once the Report of 
the IAEA DG called for by GC (45)/ Res/14, is published, 
which will be this week according to a phone conversation 
with the Agency relevant people.  We are open to changes on 
this part of the proposed resolution. 
 
¶B. Nuclear Security and CPPNM: 
This is taken from GC(45)/Res/14/B and GC(46)/Res/13 with 
modifications.  It needs to be fine tuned to reflect the 
current status regarding the negotiation on the CPPNM, which 
we are not fully aware off.  Again, we are open to changes 
here. 
 
¶C. Security and Safety of Radioactive Material: 
This, we are very well aware off everything going on and we 
have put together what we believe is an excellent text that 
we would like to keep as is if possible. 
 
We will be waiting for your thoughts.  Please communicate 
with your representative in Vienna to work with us on this as 
we plan to be in Vienna the week before the General 
Conference.  Thank you for your cooperation and look forward 
to hearing from you. 
 
(End text: NATEC Open Letter) 
 
 
II.  (Begin text: Yemen IAEA Draft Resolution) 
 
NATEC/GC(47)/Res-draft1 
 
NUCLEAR SECURITY - PROGRESS ON MEASURES TO PROTECT AGAINST 
NUCLEAR TERRORISM 
 
¶A.  MEASURES AGAINST ILLICIT TRAFFICKING IN NUCLEAR AND 
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS 
 
The General Conference, 
(a)  Recalling its resolutions GC (XXXVIII)/RES/15, GC 
(39)/RES/18, GC (40)/RES/17, GC(41)/RES/17, GC(42)/RES/18, 
GC(43)/RES/18, GC (44)/RES/20 and GC (45)/RES/14 on measures 
against illicit trafficking in nuclear materials and other 
radioactive materials and GC (46)/RES/13 on measures to 
improve nuclear security and protection against nuclear 
terrorism, 
(b)  Noting the programme for preventing and combating 
illicit trafficking in nuclear materials agreed upon by the 
participants in the Moscow Nuclear Summit of April 1996 
contained in document INFCIRC/509, 
(c)  Welcoming the confirmation of participants at the Denver 
Summit of June 1997 on their commitment to implement the 
"Programme for Prevention and Combating Illicit Trafficking 
in Nuclear Materials", 
(d)  Noting that revised Recommendations for the Physical 
Protection of Nuclear Materials and Nuclear Facilities 
(INFCIRC/225/Rev. 4 (Corrected)) were issued after intensive 
consultations by Member States' and Agency experts and that 
some Member States have started to implement them on a 
voluntary basis, 
(e)  Noting also the contribution of Agency safeguards 
agreements and additional protocols in preventing illicit 
trafficking, deterring and detecting diversion of nuclear 
materials, 
(f)  Noting with appreciation that the Agency, in 
co-operation with the World Customs Organization, the 
International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and 
Europol, organized the International Conference on Security 
of Materials - Measures to Prevent, Intercept and Respond to 
Illicit Uses of Nuclear Material and Radioactive Sources, in 
Stockholm, Sweden, in May 2001, the results of which provided 
important input to the further development of the Agency's 
plan of activities in this field, and 
(g)  Noting further that the UN General Assembly (UNGA) is 
continuing its elaboration of an international convention on 
the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism (UNGA resolution 
51/210 of 17 December 1996), 
 
¶1.  Takes note of the progress report submitted by DG in 
document,...; (This has not appeared yet!) 
¶2.  Welcomes the ongoing activities in the fields of 
prevention, detection and response undertaken by the 
Secretariat in support of efforts against illicit trafficking; 
 
SIPDIS 
¶3.  Also welcomes the activities undertaken to provide for an 
exchange of information with Member States, including 
continued maintenance of the illicit trafficking database 
programme, as well as to improve the exchange of information 
by making the best use of the modernized database; 
¶4.  Invites all States to participate in the illicit 
trafficking database programme, 
¶5.  Appeals to States that have not yet done so to accede to 
the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear 
Material, and also appeals to States to apply relevant 
physical protection recommendations and introduce and enforce 
appropriate measures and legislation to combat illicit 
trafficking in nuclear materials and radioactive materials; 
¶6.  Invites Member States to consider installing boarder 
monitoring equipment to detect possible illicit trafficking 
activities; 
¶7.  Invites the Director General to continue to develop, in 
consultation and co-ordination with Member States and within 
available resources, the plan in document GC (45)/20 
describing the future activities to be undertaken in these 
areas and the time schedule for their implementation and 
(Here, we are not aware o any further development by the 
Director General) 
¶8.  Requests the Director General to submit a report to the 
General Conference at its forty-ninth session on activities 
undertaken by the Agency in the intervening period. 
 
¶B.  THE PHYSICAL PROTECTION AND SECURITY OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS 
AND NUCLEAR FACILITIES 
 
The General Conference, 
 
(a)  Noting the importance of physical protection in 
preventing the unauthorized removal of nuclear materials and 
the sabotage of nuclear facilities and unclear materials by 
individuals or groups, 
(b)  Reaffirming the importance of the convention on the 
Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials, as the only 
multilateral legal instrument dealing with the physical 
protection of nuclear materials, 
(c)  Recognizing the importance of promoting an effective 
security culture in the field of physical protection of 
nuclear materials and nuclear facilities, 
(d)  Considering the need to continue to devote attention to 
the potential implications of terrorist acts for the physical 
protection of nuclear materials and nuclear facilities, 
(e)  Noting also that responsibility for the design, 
implementation and regulation of a system of physical 
protection within a State rests entirely with that State, 
(f)  Welcoming the Agency's programmes of training, guidance 
and technical assistance, which assists States in 
establishing systems of physical protection appropriate to 
their circumstances, 
(g)  Noting the revision of document INFCIRC/225 and of its 
associated guidance documents, 
(h)  Taking note of the progress report submitted by the 
Secretariat in document GC (45)/20 
 
SIPDIS 
(i)  Recalling resolution GC(45)/RES/14 on the Physical 
Protection of Nuclear Materials and Nuclear Facilities, 
(j)  Recalling the Director General's initial and refined 
proposals for new and enhanced activities to prevent nuclear 
terrorism, contained in document GOV/2001/50 and GOV/2002/10 
respectively, 
(k)  Emphasizing that any decision on the amendment to the 
Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials 
should encourage Member States to become parties to the 
Convention, and 
(l)  Recognizing the endorsement by the Board of Governors of 
the Physical Protection Objectives and Fundamental Principles 
referred to in document GC(45)INF/14, 
 
¶1.  Commends the Director General and the Secretariat for 
their prompt and construction response to resolutions 
relevant to the improvement of nuclear security and 
protection against nuclear terrorism; 
¶2.  Takes note of the progress report GC(46)/14 on nuclear 
security and measures to protect against nuclear terrorism; 
¶3.  Encourages States to apply the Fundamental Principles in 
designing, implementing and regulating their national systems 
for the physical protection of nuclear materials an nuclear 
facilities used for peaceful purposes; 
¶4.  Welcomes the activities in the physical protection of 
nuclear materials and facilities by the Agency to improve 
nuclear security and prevent nuclear terrorism; 
¶5.  Appeals to all States that have not yet done so to accede 
to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear 
Materials and encourages States to apply the physical 
protection objectives and fundamental principles endorsed by 
the Board of Governors and set out in document GOV/2001/41; 
¶6.  Continues to Notes with concern the lack of progress of 
the work of the Open-Ended group of legal and technical 
experts convened by the Director General in order to prepare 
a draft of a well-defined amendment aimed at strengthening 
the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear 
Materials, and calls for the early finalization of the 
negotiations on such amendment; 
¶7.  Requests the Director General to review thoroughly the 
activities and programmes of the Agency with a view to 
strengthening the Agency work relevant to prevent acts of 
terrorism involving nuclear materials, and urges all Member 
States to co-operate fully with the Director General and to 
support the Agency's efforts in this regard; and 
¶8.  Requests the Director General to submit a report to the 
General Conference at its forty eighth session on activities 
regarding these issues undertakes by the Agency. 
 
¶C.  MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN THE SECURITY AND SAFETY OF 
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS 
The General Conference, 
 
(a)  Recalling resolution GC (46) / RES/13 on measures to 
improve nuclear security and protection  against nuclear 
terrorism, 
(b)  Recalling resolution GC (45) / RES/14 on measures to 
improve the security of nuclear materials and other 
radioactive materials, 
(c)  Emphasizing the importance of security of radioactive 
materials and  national control systems for ensuring 
protection against the use of radioactive sources as elements 
of terror, 
(d)  Recognizing the importance of promoting an effective 
security culture in the Radiation Protection Programs in 
Member States through the integration of security and safety 
within the International Framework of Radiation Protection 
Infrastructure, 
(e)  Recognizing  that strengthening security of radiation 
sources helps the cause of radiation safety, and recognizing 
further that safety and security go hand in hand, 
(f)  Concerned by risks to human lives and the environment 
resulting from orphan sources and the increase of incidents 
and accidents involving such sources, 
(g)  Mindful, that responsibility for the radioactive sources 
security and safety within a State rests entirely with that 
State,  and noting the important contribution of 
international co-operation in supporting the efforts of 
States to fulfill their responsibilities, 
(h)  Mindful that every Member State might face the threat of 
radiological terrorism and would bear serious consequences if 
any were attacked, 
(i)  Noting United Nations Security Council resolution 1373's 
call for all States to work, particularly through bilateral 
and multilateral arrangements, to prevent acts of terrorism, 
(j)  Recognizing the threat - based risk assessment 
methodology for radioactive sources, to assist States wishing 
to implement the guidance given in document "Security of 
Radioactive Sources"  (TECDUC-1355), 
(k)  Recognizing the initiation by the secretariat, the 
project to develop a universal system of labeling for high 
activity sources including obtaining an agreement with ISO 
for this project, 
(l)  Recognizes the excellent progress that has taken place 
in many Member States in upgrading radiation protection 
infrastructure and recognizes further the excellent role of 
the Agency relevant model projects in such progress. 
(m)  Recognizing the findings of the international conference 
on Measures to Prevent, Intercept and Respond to Illicit Uses 
of Nuclear Materials and Radioactive Sources, Vienna, March 
2003, and recognizing the findings of the international 
conference on National Infrastructure for Radiation Safety, 
Rabat, Sept. 2003, and 
(n)  Stressing the importance of ensuring the confidentiality 
of information relevant to radioactive sources security that 
might be of interest to terrorists, 
 
¶1.  Commends the Director General and the Secretariat for 
their prompt and constructive response to General Conference 
resolutions relevant to the improvement of the security and 
safety of radioactive materials, in particular, commends both 
the Action Plan for the Safety and Security of Radioactive 
Sources contained in document GOV/2003/47, and the Code of 
Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Source 
contained in document GOV/2003/49; 
¶2.  Calls upon all Member States to continue to provide 
political, financial and technical support, including in-kind 
contributions, to improve radioactive sources security and 
safety and prevent radiological terrorism, and to insure the 
safety of people and the environment; 
¶3.  Welcomes the Agency's programmes and continued efforts to 
assist States in establishing and strengthening systems of 
radiation protection appropriate to their circumstances, 
which include national registries of radioactive sources, and 
in particular commends the Secretariat for the action it has 
taken in a number of countries, in co-operation with Member 
States, to locate, source and remove orphan sources; 
¶4.  Urges the Agency to continue and strengthen its work that 
has taken place in upgrading Radiation Protection 
Infrastructure in Member States through the relevant Model 
Projects and also urges the Agency to move forwards with its 
project to develop a universal system of labeling of high 
risk radioactive sources; 
¶5.  Urges Member States to strengthen their national efforts 
to secure all radioactive sources within their borders, and 
invites Member States to recognize the Code of Conduct on the 
Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources and to consider 
means of ensuring its wide application; 
¶6.  Also welcomes the activities undertaken to provide for an 
exchange of information with Member States; 
¶7.  Invites the Director General to continue to implement, in 
consultation and co-ordination with Member States, and 
subject to the availability of resources, Agency activities 
relevant to sources security and safety and protection 
against radiological terrorism; and 
¶8.  Requests the Director General to submit a report to the 
General Conference at its forty-eighth session on activities 
regarding these issues undertaken by the Agency, and to 
include an item titled the Safety and Security of Radioactive 
Materials in the provisional agenda. 
 
(End texts) 
 
¶6.  (sbu)  Text of NATEC's draft memorandum of understanding 
between the Republic of Yemen and the U.S. Department of 
Energy: 
 
(Begin text) 
 
Memorandum of Understanding Between the National Atomic 
Energy Commission of the Republic of Yemen and the United 
States of America Department of Energy on Bilateral 
Cooperation on Science and Technology, Radiation Protection 
and Peaceful applications of Nuclear Technology 
 
 
The National Atomic Energy Commission of the Republic of 
Yemen (hereinafter referred to as "NATEC") and the United 
States Department of Energy (hereinafter referred to as 
"DOE") agreed to sign this MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING to 
jointly work and collaborate for science-led sustainable 
development through optimal use of Science and Technology in 
general and peaceful applications of nuclear technology and 
radiation protection in particular, the states as under: 
 
1 - NATEC and DOE agree to cooperate for promotion of Science 
and Technology in various areas of mutual interest and in 
particular cooperate in the following fields: 
a.  Radiation Protection 
b.  Radioactive Sources Safety and Security 
c.  Peaceful applications of nuclear energy 
 
2 - DOE will help NATEC in strengthening its control of 
border points and entry ports through Radiation Monitoring to 
prevent any illicit trafficking of nuclear or radioactive 
materials. 
 
3 - DOE will help in setting a training center, at NATEC, 
that will be able to carry out professional training courses 
that require accreditation of international organs, in the 
area of peaceful applications of nuclear technology and 
radiation protection. 
 
4 - DOE will help in seeking admission for Yemeni students in 
US Institutions and Universities offering training in the 
field of peaceful nuclear technology. 
 
5 - DOE agrees to provide technical know how in setting a Non 
Destructive Testing (NDT) center at NATEC. 
 
6 - DOE agrees to provide technical know how in setting a 
Secondary Standard Dosemitry Laboratory (SSDL) at NATEC. 
 
7 - NATEC and DOE shall give priorities to each other 
requests for experts and shall fasten arrangements for such 
missions to take place. 
 
Signed in duplicate at DOE on (blank) 2003 with each side 
keeping on a copy. 
 
For NATEC 
 
For DOE 
 
(End text) 
 
MISENHEIMER