VZCZCXRO7131
PP RUEHDE RUEHTRO
DE RUEHTU #1193/01 3380852
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030852Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 1381
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5780
INFO RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE
RUEHMEP/THE MIDDLE EAST PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 TUNIS 001193 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG (NARDI AND HAYES) 
STATE PASS USTR (BURKHEAD) AND USAID (MCCLOUD) 
USDOC FOR ITA/MAC/ONE (NATHAN MASON), ADVOCACY CTR 
(REITZE), AND CLDP (TEJTEL AND MCMANUS) 
USDOC PASS USPTO (ADAMS, BROWN AND MARSHALL) 
CASABLANCA FOR FCS (ORTIZ) 
AMMAN FOR ESTH HUB (BHALLA) 
CAIRO FOR FINANCIAL ATTACHE (SEVERENS) 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EFIN ETRD TS
SUBJECT: TUNISIA: GETTING READY FOR NUCLEAR POWER 
 
REF: PARIS 1447 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) GOT officials expressed strong interest in U.S. 
civil nuclear cooperation during the November 19 visit of 
Ambassador Jackie Wolcott, Special Envoy for Nuclear 
Nonproliferation, and her interagency delegation.  Wolcott 
discussed opportunities for increased technical exchanges, 
human capital development, and other areas of cooperation and 
assistance.  GOT representatives provided the Wolcott 
delegation with a detailed overview of Tunisia's approach to 
nuclear power development, and its plans for legislation 
development and the establishment of a regulatory agency. 
They confirmed the GOT will soon undertake a feasibility 
study with an eye on constructing a first nuclear power plant 
by 2020-2023.  The GOT officials asked the delegation to 
organize a seminar early in 2009 on options and opportunities 
for civil nuclear cooperation with the United States, as has 
recently been done by Canada, South Africa, and France.  End 
Summary. 
 
-------------- 
Who's On First 
-------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Special Envoy for Nuclear Nonproliferation, Jackie 
Wolcott, and a delegation of technical experts from the 
Department of State, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and 
the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security 
Administration (NNSA) exchanged views and identified 
potential areas for cooperation with GOT counterparts during 
a November 19 visit to Tunis.  Ambassador accompanied the 
Special Envoy in her meetings with the Minister of Higher 
Education and the state-owned utility STEG (Tunisian 
Electricity and Gas Company).  In addition to Ambassador 
Wolcott, the delegation included: 
 
-- Alex Burkart, Department of State 
-- Marc Humphrey, Department of State 
-- Michael Mayfield, NRC 
-- Matthew Van Sickle, NNSA 
-- Moussaddek Bissani, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 
 
Embassy ESTH officer accompanied the delegation to all 
meetings. 
 
¶3. (U) Following a high-level orientation meeting chaired by 
the GOT Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and 
Technology Lazhar Bououni, the delegation followed up with 
more detailed discussions with representatives of the 
National Center for Nuclear Science and Technology (CNSTN), 
the Ministry of Public Health, and STEG.  A common thread 
throughout the meetings was GOT interest in increased 
bilateral cooperation, particularly in the area of human 
resource development, to support its goal of deploying a 
nuclear power plant by 2020 - 2023. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
Higher Education Takes the Lead on Nuclear 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) As Tunisia's permanent representative to the 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Minister of 
Higher Education currently plays a key role in the pursuit of 
nuclear power in Tunisia.  To provide the delegation an 
overview of Tunisia's current plans, Minister Bououni 
included the following officials in his meeting with Amb. 
Wolcott: 
 
-- Abderrahman Boukricha, Director General of International 
Cooperation, Ministry of Higher Education; 
-- Rabah Jerad, Deputy Managing Director, STEG; 
-- Mougou Abdelaziz, President, Institute for Agriculture, 
 
TUNIS 00001193  002 OF 005 
 
 
Research and Higher Education; 
-- Zohra Azzouz Berriche, Deputy Director of Development and 
Projects, CNSTN; and 
-- Hichem Abdesselem, Director General of Technical 
Cooperation, Ministry of Public Health. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Minister Bououni recalled his meeting with 
Ambassador Wolcott at the 2008 IAEA General Conference in 
October, and thanked her for fulfilling her promise to bring 
an expert-level delegation to Tunisia.  Noting that nuclear 
power was a "very important project," Bououni identified 
three priorities on the road to its deployment.  First, 
Tunisia needs to collect more technical information about 
available technologies (in particular, that from U.S. firms); 
second, it must identify opportunities for nuclear-related 
human resource development (e.g., through workshops, 
exchanges, or other cooperation, such as that already in 
place between Tunisia and France); and third, it aims to 
reassure the international community about its intentions to 
develop nuclear energy solely for peaceful purposes and with 
appropriate safeguards. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Minister Bououni asked if the USG could convene a 
seminar, to exhibit U.S. technologies and to discuss more 
broadly areas of potential civil nuclear cooperation, in 
early 2009 in Tunis.  Similar seminars had already been 
organized by Canada and South Africa, he explained, and 
France would hold its own the following week (November 26-27, 
2008).  Wolcott replied that she would seek to arrange this, 
and Ambassador Godec confirmed that the Embassy would be 
pleased to assist in its organization.  Wolcott also outlined 
for Bououni several opportunities for U.S.-Tunisian 
cooperation in the area of capacity building, such as through 
an NNSA-organized human resources workshop planned in March 
2009 in Rabat, through an embryonic university exchange 
program with U.S. Nuclear Engineering departments, through 
regulatory fellowships with the NRC, and through Fulbright 
exchanges.  Wolcott also promoted the idea of an orientation 
visit (sponsored by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, 
USTDA), which would allow Tunisian experts to consult with 
representatives of nuclear authorities, industry, utilities, 
and laboratories in the United States.  At the meeting's 
close, Bououny identified Director General Boukricha as the 
appropriate point of contact for nuclear-energy-related 
matters. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Nuclear Science Research Center - Technopole 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) In a meeting at CNSTN, Nafaa Reguigui, Deputy 
Director of Nuclear Applications, explained the Center's 
broad array of research efforts aimed at modernizing 
Tunisia's use of nuclear applications.  Established in 1993, 
the Center features research in radiopharmacology, isotope 
hydrology, microbiology, agriculture (e.g., sterile insect 
technique), and nuclear instrumentation.  In addition, the 
Center is working to support the GOT's pursuit of nuclear 
energy, through training and technical support for the 
development of a national nuclear legal framework, for the 
preparation of nuclear-related bid documents, and for a 
feasibility study (conducted by STEG and the Ministry of 
Industry, see para 16). 
 
¶8. (SBU) Reguigui said that the GOT has already engaged the 
French, having recently signed a nuclear cooperation MOU 
during President Sarkozy's visit in April 2008.  (Note:  this 
MOU renewed an existing 1995 agreement and would open the 
door for cooperation with France's new nuclear development 
agency AFNI, see reftel.  End Note.)  He confirmed that the 
French Embassy would hold a two-day conference November 26-27 
on nuclear energy, which would feature Tunisia's plans, 
introduce French nuclear policy and technology, and allow 
detailed discussions on nuclear safety, safeguards, fuel 
cycle issues, site selection, and human resources.  The 
seminar would target a non-specialist audience of about 
 
TUNIS 00001193  003 OF 005 
 
 
100-150 people, similar to past seminars held with the 
Canadians and the South Africans, Reguigui explained. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Reguigui also explained that the GOT is evaluating 
the possibility of investing in a research reactor to 
complement their emerging nuclear research efforts and 
provide a training ground for nuclear experts, and asked the 
delegation's opinion of its necessity.  In response, Burkart 
explained that while valuable, this step could be preceded by 
a "virtual" research reactor program (which would allow for 
internet-based experiments with a research reactor in another 
country) or by participation in a regional program.  Reguigui 
also expressed interest in expanding educational cooperation, 
to which the delegation briefly described a number of 
potential projects with the NRC, NNSA, and State (through the 
IAEA).  To provide more detail on these and other areas of 
cooperation, the delegation offered a document summarizing 
U.S. cooperation programs.  However, Reguigui noted that all 
decisions will be made by more senior officials. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Compliance with International Standards 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) At CNSTN, the delegation also met with a 
representative of Tunisia's nascent regulatory authority 
responsible for international obligations and safeguards, who 
underscored the GOT's determination to comply with all 
international nuclear standards and obligations.  He 
confirmed that Tunisia has a comprehensive safeguards 
agreement with the IAEA and has signed the Additional 
Protocol.  As part of a new "nuclear energy act" being 
developed, Tunisia intends to ratify the latter by the end of 
¶2009.  The safeguards official also reported that Tunisia, a 
party to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear 
Material (CPPNM), intends to ratify its 2005 amendment in the 
coming months.  Similarly, Tunisia is preparing to ratify the 
(signed) Convention on Nuclear Safety.  Tunisia is currently 
studying the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel 
Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, 
as well as the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability (though 
it is not yet considering the Convention on Supplementary 
Compensation for Nuclear Damage).  Lastly, the safeguards 
official confirmed that Tunisia is compliant with its 
obligations under UNSCR 1540 and the IAEA Code of Conduct for 
Radiological Sources (and had submitted the requisite 
reporting on the former in October).  He indicated the GOT 
will first focus on developing its own internal legal 
framework within which to handle nuclear-related issues.  In 
response, Wolcott noted that the United States has recently 
provided comments on other countries' draft nuclear laws, and 
stated that we could provide the same service if Tunisia were 
willing to provide us with a draft. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
Ministry of Public Health ) To Regulate or Not To Regulate? 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) At the Ministry of Public Health, the delegation 
met with Dr. Mohamed Ben Laiba, Director General of Public 
Health and Inspector General.  After the Wolcott delegation 
briefly outlined potential areas of civil nuclear 
cooperation, Laiba highlighted Tunisia's growing medical 
tourism industry, which most recently provided services to 
more than 110,000 tourists, more than half of whom were 
Europeans.  Noting that the nuclear domain is "special," he 
emphasized GOT interest in upgrading its nuclear-related 
legislation and further building its human capital (e.g., 
scientists, doctors and engineers).  Laiba also reaffirmed 
GOT interest in cooperation, and when asked what role the 
Ministry of Public Health would play in nuclear energy 
policy, he answered that that topic is under discussion at 
high levels. 
 
¶12. (SBU) The Ministry of Public Health's National 
Radioprotection Center (CNRP) was created under the Ministry 
 
TUNIS 00001193  004 OF 005 
 
 
of Public Health in 1981 to provide for a secure, safe 
environment for the use of nuclear technologies used to treat 
and diagnose patients.  CNRP Director Dr. Latifa Ben Omran 
stated that the Center is involved in many sectors, including 
agriculture, industry, and research, but nuclear medicine 
comprised 75% of the its responsibilities.  Specifically, the 
center's responsibilities include (1) controlling the use of 
radioactive sources; (2) licensing the import, transfer, and 
transportation of radioactive sources; (3) inspecting 
radioactive source installations and activities; (4) 
monitoring employees who handle radioactive materials; (5) 
irradiating food and agricultural exports and imports; (6) 
monitoring scrap metal exports; (7) securing standards 
laboratories; (8) training users of radioactive materials; 
(9) overseeing radioactive waste handling; (10) measuring 
household radiation levels; and (11) rehabilitating 
contaminated sites.  Ben Omran added that CNRP currently 
cooperates with the IAEA, WHO, and NNSA, via a signed MOU 
with the NNSA's Global Threat Reduction Initiative for a 
"Search and Secure" project.  (Comment: NNSA's "Search and 
Secure" project is currently on hold pending resolution of 
Tunisian contracting and banking issues.  NNSA expressed its 
desire for the resolution of these issues so that work could 
continue.  End Comment.) 
 
¶13. (SBU) Dr. Naoufel Somrani, the Deputy Director of 
Emergency Response, explained the GOT's interest in upgrading 
its nuclear emergency preparedness capacity as part of its 
overall nuclear strategy.  He highlighted Tunisia's need for 
technical expertise in developing first responders to nuclear 
disaster as well as strengthening the health services 
infrastructure.   Finally, an official from the Ministry's 
Research Department commented on the importance of 
sensitizing the local population on the benefits of ionizing 
radiation, such as those of the Sterile Insect Technique 
program. 
 
¶14. (SBU) Notwithstanding all of these programs centered on 
the use of radioactive sources, Dr. Hichem Abdesselem, 
Director General of the Ministry's Technical Cooperation 
Unit, commented that in the future the Ministry will need to 
"prepare for the new context" of nuclear power.  As evidence 
by joint programs with the IAEA, WHO, and NNSA, the Ministry 
is "wide open to cooperation in this field" and "ready to 
develop new activities."  When asked by the delegation if the 
Ministry's regulatory oversight would be expanded to cover 
nuclear power or if a new agency would be established for 
this purpose, Ben Laiba conceded that this is a decision that 
still remains to be addressed. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
The Public Utility - Future Home of Nuclear? 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶15. (SBU) The delegation also met with the Managing Director, 
Othman Ben Afra, and Deputy Managing Director, Rabah Jerad, 
of the Tunisian Electric and Gas Company (STEG).  Ben Afra 
stated that although STEG has been considering nuclear power 
for nearly 25 years, only recently has the confluence of high 
oil prices and the perceived need to diversify energy 
supplies prompted the political commitment to this 
technology.  In November 2006, President Ben Ali made the 
formal decision to pursue nuclear power with an aim of 
deploying its first nuclear plant by 2020-23, at which point 
the national electric grid, with an estimated total capacity 
of 7000 MW, would be large enough to accommodate a 700-1000 
MW unit.  STEG and the GOT are now considering how to 
proceed, and are inviting other governments (namely Canada, 
South Africa, France, and now the U.S.) to provide 
information and support for the Tunisian nuclear program. 
Wolcott touched on the range of programs available from the 
USG and said she would seek to organize a seminar for more 
detailed discussions in Tunis in the near future. 
 
¶16. (SBU) Ben Afra noted that Tunisia was preparing a 
three-phase road map, which would begin with a technical and 
 
TUNIS 00001193  005 OF 005 
 
 
economic feasibility study.  Jerad explained that STEG was 
preparing to launch a tender for this study, to begin next 
year and conclude by 2011.  Phase 2 would call for a tender 
for plant construction, followed by a third phase of plant 
realization.  At this stage, STEG is planning to be operator 
of the plant, which would be located at one of two potential 
sites:  one in the south at Skhira and one on the northern 
coast at Bizerte.  When asked how the GOT was evaluating 
financing options, Ben Afra answered that no specific 
financing models had been selected, thought the GOT was 
assuming a cost of $4.5-6 billion for a one-unit plant. 
First, the GOT wants to solidify the legal framework, prepare 
the intellectual capacity, and identify the most suitable 
location.  When asked how nuclear power would be regulated in 
Tunisia, the STEG officials stated that a proposal is now 
being considered by the GOT which would establish a 
regulatory body under the Prime Minister, independent of the 
"strategic" or promotional body.  The regulatory body, they 
added, must be in place prior to final site selection and the 
launch of the construction tender (i.e., by 2011).  Jerad 
noted that a recently signed MOU with the French would 
facilitate training for ten Tunisian nuclear scientists, 
though he conceded this was not enough to meet the stated 
goal of deployed nuclear power around 2020.  Therefore, 
additional training in the United States "would be welcome." 
Ben Afra added, "we do not want to limit ourselves to France 
only, we want to expand our horizons" as recommended by the 
IAEA.  He also recounted that some of the people previously 
sent to France for training had stayed and recognized that 
this would be a continuing problem in developing and 
retaining human resources.  At the close of the meeting, Ben 
Afra noted that the head of STEG's nuclear power project, 
Mustapha Fekih Ali, was the appropriate point of contact for 
follow-up discussions. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶17. (SBU) Though Tunisia is in the very early days of 
establishing a nuclear program, it is clearly serious in the 
wake of its 2006 decision and subsequently looking for a 
diverse supply of international support and assistance. 
During Ambassador Wolcott's visit, the Tunisians expressed a 
clear interest in civil nuclear cooperation with the United 
States.  They also made clear their stated intentions to 
adhere to international standards on safety and security and 
to lay the necessary groundwork (such as thorough nuclear 
legislation, a proper regulatory framework, and sufficient 
human resources) to responsibly deploy nuclear power. It 
remains to be seen how quickly these elements can be 
developed. 
 
¶18. (SBU) The delegation's visit reemphasized that the GOT 
remains strongly interested in US cooperation on science and 
technology.  As is usual GOT procedure, meetings were only 
granted at the last minute.  In this case, positively, four 
substantive meetings were arranged, perhaps facilitated in 
part by the groundwork laid during the meeting between Amb. 
Wolcott and Minister Bououni in Vienna in October. 
Throughout the visit, the Tunisians exhibited great interest 
in exploring options for civil nuclear cooperation with the 
United States.  Overall, the delegation's visit was a 
success, but Post recommends robust follow-up to ensure that 
no momentum is lost. 
 
¶19. (U) Ambassador Wolcott and her delegation cleared this 
cable. 
 
Please visit Embassy Tunis' Classified Website at: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/tunis/index.c fm 
Godec