VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #0496 0650741
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 060741Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1215
INFO RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0134

UNCLAS ANKARA 000496 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DOS/NP/MNSA DRUDOLPH 
DOE FOR NNSA ABIENIAWASKI 
DOE FOR NNSA/NA-242 MMANNING 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG KNNP PARM PREL TRGY TU
SUBJECT: TAEK PRESIDENT ON HEU FUEL EXCHANGE AND SISTER 
LABORATORIES PROGRAM 
 
REF: A. 06 STATE 166038 
     ¶B. STATE 16413 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK) 
President Okay Cakiroglu stated TAEK is open to discussing 
areas for peaceful nuclear cooperation, including 
repatriation of HEU current held at the Cekmece Nuclear 
Research Center and the USG-proposed nuclear 
laboratory-to-laboratory ("Sister Laboratories") program.  He 
said TAEK would prefer a coherent plan for bilateral 
cooperation, rather than the current disjointed approach, and 
inquired about the status of U.S. ratification of the 
Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (PUNE) treaty. End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) In the course of February 28 meetings with Embassy 
officials and visiting USG scientists (septel), Cakiroglu 
said TAEK is willing to cooperate with the United States in 
all areas of peaceful nuclear energy, noting a long history 
of bilateral exchanges.  TAEK is ready to consider multiple 
levels of nuclear cooperation, from the organizational level 
to that of the individual scientist.  He stated his 
conviction that broad cooperation in the nuclear field is 
essential to countering the illegal or improper use of 
nuclear technology that endangers our collective security. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Cakiroglu confirmed TAEK interest in restarting 
discussions on the return of the HEU fuel assemblies 
currently being used at the Cekmece Nuclear Research Center 
(ref b).  He understands that, in the absence of a PUNE 
treaty, the origin of the replacement fuel will most likely 
be France.  Cakiroglu is willing to meet with USG officials 
in early April to discuss the possibility of a fuel exchange 
later this year. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Cakiroglu added that TAEK is also interested in 
DOE's proposed laboratory-to-laboratory information exchange 
program (Sister Laboratories Program - ref a), believing this 
type of program can be beneficial to all.  He noted that TAEK 
now has two research laboratories in operation: Cekmece 
Nuclear Research Laboratory and a second one in Ankara.  He 
welcomed the opportunity to more fully discuss this program 
and other areas of possible cooperation. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Referring to the PUNE treaty, Cakiroglu inquired 
about delays in U.S. ratification.  He stated that TAEK looks 
forward to the comprehensive bilateral nuclear cooperation 
that the treaty would allow rather than the current piecemeal 
project-by-project approach. 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON