VZCZCXRO2117
RR RUEHLN RUEHSK RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #1553/01 3570919
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220919Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1276
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0362
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0265
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0206
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0241

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 001553 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG TRGY BEXP BTIO TI
SUBJECT: INFORMATION ON TAJIKISTAN'S PLANS TO PURSUE NUCLEAR ENERGY 
 
REF: STATE 00127423 
 
¶1. (SBU) Enclosed is Post's response to questions posed in reftel. 
 
GENERAL SITUATION 
 
-- Plans for the development of nuclear power; existing or planned 
nuclear power related facilities; foreseen expansion of these 
facilities? 
 
President Rahmon recently announced that his government would seek 
opportunities to develop Tajikistan's commercial uranium mining and 
processing potential.  During the Soviet period, Tajikistan produced 
yellow cake at Vostokredmet, a facility in Chkalovsk (Northern 
Tajikistan), from raw materials that had been extracted from sites 
in Tajikistan or was shipped in from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and 
Kyrgyzstan.  The yellow cake would then be sent on elsewhere in the 
Soviet Union.  Tajik authorities estimate that there are 57 million 
tons of waste left over from these operations. 
 
While Tajik authorities have not developed specific plans to develop 
this sector, any such plans would involve using new technology to 
extract uranium from waste already stored in the country; exploring 
possible uranium deposits in the country; and renovating the 
Chkalovsk facility. 
 
The Chkalovsk facility falls under the direct control of 
Tajikistan's Ministry of Energy and Industry; it has been largely 
dormant since 1992.  Kazakhstan continued to send some materials for 
processing after that time, but this stopped in 1996, when 
Uzbekistan refused to allow the transportation of nuclear materials 
to and from Tajikistan.  The Chkalovsk facility is now used 
primarily for storage of ionized emission sources. 
 
The Ministry of Energy and Industry has identified three main areas 
with potential uranium deposits: the Gissar area; the Rasht Valley; 
and in the Pamir Mountains, particularly the area covered by Lake 
Sasikul. 
 
-- Underlying motivations for pursuit of nuclear power. 
 
Tajikistan's primary motivation is economic.  The economy is 
extremely weak, and Tajik authorities are searching for new sources 
of revenue and ways to diversify the economy. 
 
-- Anticipated government role in the financing of civil nuclear 
sector. 
 
All current facilities are state-owned, and will likely remain in 
government hands.  We expect any funding for commercial projects to 
come from other sources. 
 
-- Names and titles of the key nuclear decision making government 
bodies and top officials? 
 
The prime nuclear decision making authority is the Inter-Ministerial 
Commission on Energy Issues, which is headed by First Deputy Prime 
Minister Asadullo Gulomov.  The Ministry of Energy and Industry is 
responsible for developing the country's commercial nuclear 
capacity; Deputy Minister Makhmadsharif Khakdodov is responsible for 
the defense and nuclear sectors within the Ministry. 
 
-- Existing nuclear regulatory authority; inspection/enforcement 
powers? 
 
The Nuclear and Radiation Safety Agency (NRSA), established in 2003, 
is Tajikistan's state regulatory authority, and its director is 
Prof. Ulmas Mirsaidov.  Its functions are to investigate, control 
and regulate sources or radioactivity; monitor the environmental 
impact of radiation; investigate and research nuclear and hydrogen 
power engineering; and cooperate with international organizations 
and foundations, especially the IAEA.  There are five departments 
(Research, Information and Analysis, Licensing and Control, Exposure 
Regulation, Research and Technology) and a branch office in 
Chkalovsk. 
 
-- Does Tajikistan have a domestic nuclear liability law? 
Q-- Does Tajikistan have a domestic nuclear liability law? 
 
Tajikistan passed legislation after ratifying the IAEA statute in 
¶2001.  The Laws on Radiation Safety (2003) and Use of Atomic Energy 
(2004) established a regulatory framework, but there does not appear 
to be a specific nuclear liability law. 
 
-- Is the manufacturing base involved in nuclear-related products or 
services?  Does it seem likely that any components or contracting 
services for new plants could be sourced locally, or would the 
majority of these need to be imported? 
 
 
DUSHANBE 00001553  002 OF 002 
 
 
It is not involved in such activities.  Tajikistan would have to 
rely very heavily - if not completely - on imports for components or 
contracting services. 
 
-- How extensive is the nuclear-trained workforce? 
 
There are no programs in place to train domestic personnel for civil 
nuclear power.  The talent base generally for the civil nuclear 
sector is extremely small.  There are very few skilled engineers, no 
high precision manufacturing, and few quality assurance programs. 
Domestic construction capacity is of very low quality in every 
aspect.  There are still some Soviet-trained scientists affiliated 
with the Academy of Sciences and the NRSA; they are, for the most 
part, not being replaced as they retire. 
 
OPPORTUNITIES FOR US INDUSTRY 
 
-- Any current or anticipated nuclear-related tenders? 
 
At this time there are none. 
 
-- What nuclear sector opportunities do you foresee for U.S. 
industry (e.g., feasibility studies or other consulting services, 
plant construction management, reactor sales, fuel cycle service 
provision, plant operations, waste management, or logistics)? 
 
There may be scope for feasibility studies on possible uranium 
deposits, and on extracting uranium from existing nuclear waste. 
The NRSA Director, Mirsaidov, was extremely pessimistic about 
Tajikistan's ability to develop uranium mining operations, or to 
convince investors that such undertakings would be worthwhile.  He 
doubted that there were significant uranium deposits, and he thought 
the expense of researching and extracting uranium would be 
prohibitive. 
 
-- If applicable, what are the primary companies (domestic and 
foreign) involved in (or considering involvement in) the civil 
nuclear sector? 
 
Domestically, the most important actor is the Ministry of Energy and 
Industry.  Vostokredmet, a state-owned company under the direction 
of the Ministry of Energy and Industry, is engaged in mining 
activities, although it has not recently been involved in mining 
uranium.  In the past, Vostokredmet had an arrangement with 
Kazakhstan's State Corporation for Nuclear Energy and Industry 
wherein Kazakhstan supplied uranium ore to Vostokredmet for 
processing into yellow cake.  There have been reports that a Russian 
enterprise, Atomredmetzoloto, and a Chinese enterprise, Sino Hydro, 
have explored uranium waste reprocessing in Tajikistan. 
 
FOREIGN COMPETITORS 
 
-- Are there other nuclear supplier countries engaging your country? 
 
 
According to the NRSA Director, Kazakhstan stopped sending raw 
materials to Tajikistan in 1996.  Media reports have mentioned 
Russia and China as sources of interest in the nuclear sector, but 
there are no concrete projects.  Chinese Embassy officials have 
denied knowledge of any concrete Chinese interest in this sector; 
they did, however, say that a Chinese firm (possibly Sino Hydro) 
researched uranium mining possibilities in late 2008 and concluded 
that it would not be economically feasible based on Tajikistan's 
limited deposits of uranium.  In February 2008, a former President 
of India, APJ Abdul Kalam, said that India is "very interested" in 
Tajikistan's uranium mining possibilities; Post has not seen 
evidence of such interest beyond his statement, however.  The media 
have also mentioned Iran as a source of interest, but post has found 
no evidence of any discussions or plans. 
 
-- Are there any political considerations your country may take into 
account when choosing to cooperate with competing nuclear supplier 
Qaccount when choosing to cooperate with competing nuclear supplier 
states? 
 
Tajikistan maintains a complicated "multi-vectored" foreign policy, 
attempting to balance relationships with the United States, Russia, 
China, Iran, and immediate neighbors.  These relations are a factor 
in major economic decisions. 
 
¶2. (U) Point of contact on this issue is PolOff Greg Naarden, 
NaardenGL2@state.gov. 
 
JACOBSON