VZCZCXRO0932
OO RUEHTRO
DE RUEHTRO #1065/01 3621007
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 281007Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2961
INFO RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0054
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0965
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 0390
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 0593
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 0542
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0397
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0703
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0004
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 0072
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 3401

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TRIPOLI 001065 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, T/VCI (LOOK), ISN/CTR (MACDONALD), COPY TO 
SENATOR LUGAR'S OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL TRGY KNNP IAEA PINR TSPL TPHY TNGD MCAP
ETTC, LY 
SUBJECT: CORRECTED COPY - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TEAM FINALIZES HEU-LEU 
AGREEMENT LANGUAGE WITH GOL 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: A visiting team of experts from the Department 
of Energy (DOE) finalized language for a 
government-to-government agreement providing for the return of 
highly-enriched uranium to Russia under the rubric of the 
tri-lateral agreement (TSCC) announced December 19, 2003 with 
the U.S., U.K. and Libya.  The agreement also envisages 
cooperation in improving physical security at Libya's 
experimental Tajoura reactor facility and other sites, to 
include hospitals with radiological equipment and material.  The 
two sides initialed English-language versions of the agreement; 
the GOL and the Department's Language Services staff are 
currently working to finalize Arabic language that conforms with 
the agreed English iteration.  It is expected that a senior USG 
official will sign the agreement in conjunction with putative 
travel to Libya early next year.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) A team from the DOE's Office of Global Threat Reduction 
traveled to Libya December 9-12 to meet with Libyan science 
community counterparts to finalize language for a 
Highly-Enriched Uranium/Low-Enriched Uranium (HEU-LEU) 
agreement.  The delegation, consisting of Kelly Cummins 
(Delegation Head), Phil Robinson (Country Officer), Diana Clarke 
(General Counsel), Igor Bolshinsky (Technical Lead) and Stan 
Moses (Technical Staff) met with Dr. Abdelkarem Mgeg, Director 
of the Tajoura Renewable Energies and Water Desalination 
Research Center, to resolve issues and finalize language for a 
related to a government-to-government agreement between the U.S. 
and GOL.  The agreement would facilitate the return to Russia of 
26 fuel assemblies comprising approximately 4.6 kilograms of HEU 
material. (Note: Technical Lead Bolshinsky confirmed December 9 
that all HE material was still physically present at the Tajoura 
facility.  End note.)  The agreement would complete the process 
begun in March 2004, when the GOL returned to Russia 15 
kilograms of HEU material. 
 
¶3. (SBU) It is envisaged that the material would be transferred 
to Russia by air circa late 2009.  In addition to fuel return, 
the agreement includes language detailing cooperation on nuclear 
and radiological security enhancements at the Tajoura site and 
other facilities in Libya, to include four hospitals in 
Benghazi, Sabratha and Tripoli (two facilities).  Implementing 
additional security measures as the Tajoura site could occur 
12-24 months after the agreement is signed; 
radiological/security upgrades at the hospitals could be made 
within several months of signing. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Discussion on day one of the talks, which took place at 
the Tajoura facility, focused on resolving issues associated 
with the agreement.  GOL officials initially expressed some 
concern that the agreement included language regarding 
enhancement of physical protection measures; however, a closer 
reading and explanation by the DOE's experts convinced them that 
the language was anodyne.  Consensus was also achieved on 
language concerning audit and inspection protocols.  DOE 
delegation head Cummins and Director Mgeg initialed the draft 
agreement to signal consensus on the language. 
 
¶5. (SBU)  Day two focused on finalizing language for a Basic 
Ordering Agreement (BOA) contract between the Oak Ridge National 
Laboratory and the Tajoura facility.  After minor changes to the 
scope of the work at the GOL's request, the two sides achieved 
consensus on final language. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The GOL agreed to provide an Arabic language 
translation of the agreement and the BOA; however, given 
concerns about how quickly the GOL would honor that commitment, 
post understands that NEA/MAG has asked Language Services to 
prepare treaty-ready translations.  The GOL stressed that the 
agreement would have to be approved by the relevant ministries 
before it could be signed. (Note: It may also have to be blessed 
by the General People's Congress.  End note.)  Libyan 
interlocutors were optimistic that the agreement could be 
finalized on their side in time for a visit by a senior State 
Department official in early 2008.  Following the negotiations, 
the DOE team learned that Dr. Ali Gashut, the senior Libyan 
interlocutor on technical nuclear issues, had obtained a copy of 
the agreement and was working to obtain the requisite GOL 
 
TRIPOLI 00001065  002 OF 002 
 
 
approvals. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment: In the DOE team's judgment, the meetings were 
positive and cooperative, suggesting that the GOL wants to 
quickly finalize and implement the agreement.  The GOL 
ultimately insisted on only minor changes to the original draft 
agreement.  Despite the enthusiasm of the Tajoura facility 
scientists and the avowed interest of other senior GOL officials 
in signing the agreement, obtaining approval from the 
appropriate ministries may be time-consuming and difficult.  The 
fact that the GOL clearly expects that the agreement will be 
signed in connection with a putative senior-level visit early 
next year may help expedite the Libyan interagency process.  End 
comment. 
STEVENS