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