VZCZCXYZ0027
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #5757 3171347
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 131341Z NOV 06
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY ASTANA PRIORITY 0000
INFO DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS STATE 185757 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
TEXT RECEIVED FROM DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PARM KNNP MNUC KZ
SUBJECT: BN-350 SENIOR POLICY WORKING GROUP PROPOSAL 
 
REF: A. STATE 185480 
 
     ¶B. COONEY-O'MARA E-MAILS 
 
¶1. THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST.  See Para. 3 and 4. 
 
SUMMARY:  The USG would like to begin discussions with the 
Government of Kazakhstan on permanent disposition of 
Kazakhstan,s BN-350 spent nuclear fuel.  The USG proposes 
that the first formal discussion on options for permanent 
disposition be held in Kazakhstan in December 2006.  Post is 
requested to deliver the letter in para 4 to the Minister of 
Energy and Mineral Resources proposing the December meeting. 
 
¶2. BACKGROUND: The USG is working with Kazakhstan on the safe 
and secure storage of spent fuel from the BN-350 fast breeder 
reactor in Aktau.  The joint BN-350 Spent Fuel Program has 
packaged 300 metric tons (MT) of spent fuel containing 10 MT 
of HEU and 3 MT of plutonium into canisters and plans to move 
the spent fuel into dry storage in large, proliferation 
resistant casks at a long-term storage facility at the 
Baikal-1 site. 
Building on current cooperation, Secretary of Energy Bodman 
and President Nursultan Nazarbayev agreed to begin 
discussions on permanent disposition of the spent fuel during 
a meeting in Washington, DC on September 28, 2006.  Cable 
released by Department of State (reftel) outlined verbal 
demarche to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of 
Energy and Mineral Resources for first approach on policy 
group by Embassy Astana.  The USG proposes that a 
senior-level policy meeting be held in December 2006 in 
Kazakhstan to begin discussions on cooperative efforts 
regarding permanent disposition.  Specifically, this 
senior-level meeting would establish terms of reference that 
sets the framework for discussions on bilateral cooperation 
for possible permanent disposition.  The senior-level policy 
meeting would also create a bilateral technical working group 
to explore the bilateral cooperation and technical 
feasibility, costs, and schedule associated with various 
permanent disposition options.  The technical working group 
would report its findings to the senior-level policy group. 
Ideally, the first meeting of the technical working group 
would be in the January-February 2007 timeframe following the 
senior-level meetings so as not to lose positive momentum. 
 
¶3.  ACTION REQUEST:  To follow up on the Bodman-Nazarbayev 
agreement to begin discussion of permanent disposition of the 
BN-350 spent fuel with a meeting in early-mid December, 
action addressees are requested to deliver the following 
letter to the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources; with 
a copy, released as appropriate, to the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs. 
 
¶4. BEGIN TEXT OF LETTER: 
 
Minister Izmukhambetov 
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources 
    of the Republic of Kazakhstan 
 
Dear Minister Izmukhambetov: 
 
I am writing to follow up on the productive discussion 
between U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman and President 
Nursultan Nazarbayev of the Republic of Kazakhstan on 
September 28, 2006 in Washington, DC. 
 
One of the items that Secretary Bodman and President 
Nazarbayev discussed was the BN-350 spent fuel program.  This 
program has had a very successful year, meeting both of its 
major milestones to start construction of the Aktau Temporary 
Cask Storage Facility and to begin fabrication of storage 
casks.  The United States remains fully committed to this 
program and we are beginning to work on the Baikal-1 
long-term storage phase of the project. 
 
Building on this cooperation, Secretary Bodman and President 
Nazarbayev agreed to begin discussions on possible bilateral 
cooperation for the permanent disposition of Kazakhstan,s 
BN-350 spent nuclear fuel.  To begin this effort, I would 
like to propose that a bilateral senior-level policy meeting 
be held in December 2006.  Specifically, I envision that this 
senior-level policy meeting would establish a mutually agreed 
terms of reference that sets the framework for discussions on 
permanent disposition.  The senior-level policy meeting could 
create a bilateral technical working group to explore the 
technical feasibility, costs, and schedule associated with 
permanent disposition.  The technical working group would 
report its findings to the senior-level policy group.  I 
suggest that the first meeting of the technical working group 
take place in the January-February 2007 timeframe after the 
December 2006 senior-level meetings so as not to lose 
positive momentum. 
 
 
I would like to suggest that the senior-level policy group 
meeting on permanent disposition be held in Kazakhstan in 
early to mid December.  I am appointing William Tobey, the 
Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, as 
the U.S. Head of Delegation for the December meeting. 
Representatives from the U.S. State Department and the U.S. 
Embassy in Kazakhstan will also participate in our 
interagency senior-level meeting.  I look forward to working 
with you closely as we begin discussions on permanent 
disposition options and hope to receive a positive response 
to our proposal to meet in December. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
Linton F. Brooks 
Administrator 
National Nuclear Security Administration 
United States Department of Energy 
RICE