VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #5480 3132224
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 092217Z NOV 06
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY ASTANA PRIORITY 0000
INFO DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS STATE 185480 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MNUC PARM KNNP KZ
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST: BN350 BILATERAL TALKS 
 
REF: EMAILS COONEY-O'MARA-CURRY 
 
¶1.  (U) This is an Action Request: Chief of Mission (or 
highest appropriate official at post's discretion) is 
requested to approach the highest ranking Government of 
Kazakhstan (GOK) official available, as soon as possible, 
to convey U.S. request to establish ongoing senior and 
technical level discussions about permanent disposition 
for the BN-350 nuclear plant,s fast 
breeder reactor spent fuel (after long-term storage at the 
Baikal-1 site).  Department suggests demarche to both 
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs on this topic. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) BACKGROUND: This action request follows GOK 
President Nursultan Nazarbayev's September 28, 2006 
meeting in Washington, D.C. with Secretary of Energy 
Samuel Bodman.  Secretary Bodman asked to open discussions 
about permanent disposition of the spent fuel and 
President Nazarbayev agreed.  The USG has a long 
and successful history of cooperation on nuclear 
nonproliferation with the GOK.  DOE would like to build on 
the Bodman-Nazarbayev good will as quickly as possible.  A 
separate cable will follow containing  text of letter to 
Minister 
of Energy and Mineral Resources Izmukhambetov from 
Ambassador Linton Brooks, Department of Energy 
Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration 
(DOE/NNSA).  Ambassador Brooks suggests Deputy 
Administrator William H. Tobey as head of delegation for 
the policy level group.  The initial discussions will take 
place at senior policy levels to ensure political will and 
to better understand how the GOK intends to use the spent 
fuel. 
Washington believes a follow-on meeting of a Technical 
Level Working Group (TLWG) should take place very soon after 
the 
policy level discussion; this group would report to the 
policy level 
group.  Ideally, the TLWG would begin discussion of 
options, including feasibility, cost and timelines for 
permanent disposition of BN-350 spent fuel with 
Kazakhstani counterparts in January-February 2007. 
These options would inform policy discussions and help the 
U.S. assess the potential for bilateral cooperation on 
permanent disposition.  END BACKGROUND. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) As a way forward, the Department and DOE have 
agreed to 
the following steps: 
-- Open the discussion with the GOK about permanent 
disposition of BN-350 spent fuel materials (after 
long-term storage at Baikal-1) by senior level demarche. 
-- Request GOK concurrence with the visit of a Senior 
level policy delegation, led by senior officials from the 
Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security 
Administration (DOE/NNSA) and joined by 
officials from various agencies, including the State 
Department and participation by Embassy Astana. 
-- Senior Policy Delegation will visit as soon as possible 
after GOK concurrence, preferably in December 2006. 
-- With GOK concurrence the Technical Level Working Group 
will meet with appropriate GOK counterparts to begin 
discussion of available technical options for permanent 
disposition of BN-350 spent fuel. 
 
A copy of the points in para 4 may be left as a non-paper, 
at posts' discretion, to be shared with appropriate 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Energy and 
Mineral Resources officials. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) BEGIN TEXT: 
 
--  President Nazarbayev and Secretary Bodman agreed to 
begin discussion of permanent disposition of the BN-350 
reactor spent fuel during their meeting in Washington 
in September 2006. 
 
--  The ongoing U.S.-Kazakhstan cooperation over BN-350 
has met significant project goals during the past year. 
We would like to build on the current successes. 
 
--  The U.S. remains committed to long-term storage of 
spent fuel at the Baikal-1 facility.  However, in order to 
plan effectively for the permanent disposition of the 
spent fuel material after Baikal-1 we must begin to 
discuss opportunities for joint cooperation now. 
 
--  The U.S. proposes a joint, senior level policy group 
to establish a framework for future bilateral technical 
cooperation and terms of reference for permanent 
disposition of BN-350 spent fuel. 
 
--  The senior level policy group would also establish a 
joint bilateral technical working group to discuss our 
options at the expert level, reporting to the senior level 
policy group. 
 
--  We look forward to your response to this proposal and 
hope to be able to schedule the first discussions of the 
senior level policy group before the end of the year. 
END TEXT. 
 
 
¶5.   (U) MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. 
RICE