VZCZCXYZ0004
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #5964 0222246
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 222233Z JAN 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0000
INFO RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0000

UNCLAS STATE 005964 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KNNP
MNUC 
PARM 
AORC 
SW 
PTER 
PINR 
SUBJECT: DOE REQUEST FOR ASSURANCES IN ORDER TO TRANSFER 
URANIUM FOR NUCLEAR FORENSICS EXERCISE 
 
¶1.  (U) DOE REQUEST FOR ASSURANCES: We wish to inform post 
that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has sent a request 
for assurances to Mr. Michael Mohr at the Swedish Embassy in 
Washington (para 4) to facilitate the Swedish Defense 
Research Agency's (FOI) request to participate in a nuclear 
forensics exercise in support of the International Technical 
Working Group (ITWG) on Nuclear Smuggling.  The exercise will 
involve the transfer of between 10-14 grams highly enriched 
uranium under a contract with the United States Department of 
Energy (DOE) to an FOI facility.  Title will transfer to the 
Government of Sweden for the laboratory's exclusive use 
during the ITWG exercise.  Because the FOI laboratory is not 
considered an eligible facility for international safeguards 
under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the DOE 
has requested, through the Swedish Embassy,  that the 
Government of Sweden provide assurances to the DOE that the 
nuclear material will be used only for peaceful uses and 
exclusively for the purpose of this sampling exercise. 
Without such assurances, DOE cannot enter into a contract 
with the FOI laboratory to supply the highly enriched uranium 
for receipt, sampling and analytical analysis and reporting. 
No post action is required at this time; this cable is for 
informational purposes. 
 
¶2.  (U) FOI POINT OF CONTACT:  Mr. Henrik Ramebck, Swedish 
Defense Research Agency (FOI), Nuclear, Biological & Chemical 
(NBC) Defense and Security, Cementvgen 20, SE-90182, Ume 
Sweden. 
 
¶3.  (U) ITWG BACKGROUND: Chartered in 1996 by the G-8, the 
Nuclear Smuggling International Technical Working Group 
(ITWG) is an international group of policy and decision 
makers, law enforcement personnel, and scientists with 
expertise in, and responsibility for, nuclear forensics.  The 
group is co-chaired by U.S. and European Union (EU) experts 
and includes members from more than 20 countries that have 
been nominated by their governments on the basis of their 
expertise in different facets of nuclear forensics.  The 
objective of the ITWG is to combat illicit trafficking of 
nuclear material by promoting international cooperation in 
the field of nuclear forensics, particularly with regard to 
supporting prosecutions of smugglers.  To this end, the ITWG 
has adopted a general framework to guide nuclear forensics 
investigations which includes: recommendations for nuclear 
crime scene security and analysis, the best application of 
radio-analytical methods, the conduct of traditional forensic 
analysis of contaminated 
materials, and effective data analysis to interpret the 
history of seized nuclear materials.  These techniques have 
been adopted by experts in many nations (e.g., Hungary, 
Poland, Ukraine, Turkey, others) as they respond to incidents 
of illicit nuclear trafficking.  These multilateral efforts 
directly support the principles and mission of the Global 
Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism which also seeks to 
share expertise and best practices. 
 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Begin text of letter: 
 
Mr. Michael Mohr 
Homeland Security Liaison 
Embassy of Sweden 
1501 M St., NW 
Washington, DC 20005 
 
Dear Mr. Mohr: 
 
The Swedish Defense Research Agency (FOI) has expressed an 
interest in participating in a nuclear forensics exercise in 
support of the International Technical Working Group (ITWG) 
on Nuclear Smuggling.  The exercise will involve the transfer 
of between 10-14 grams highly enriched uranium under a 
contract with the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to 
their facility.  Title will transfer to the Government of 
Sweden for the exclusive use of participating in the ITWG 
exercise.  Because the laboratory is not considered an 
eligible facility for international safeguards under the 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), prior to the DOE 
entering into a contract with the laboratory to supply the 
enriched uranium for receipt, sampling and analytical 
analysis and reporting, the United States Government requests 
that the Government of Sweden provide assurances to the DOE 
that the nuclear material will be used only for peaceful uses 
and exclusively for the purpose of this sampling exercise. 
 
Please confirm your receipt of this notice acknowledging the 
facility's responsibility to use this material for peaceful 
uses and exclusively for the purpose of the subject ITWG 
exercise, and furthermore, subject to a contract with DOE, 
the facility will account for the nuclear material in 
accordance with the contract to be executed between the DOE 
and the Government of Sweden.  You may confirm receipt by 
faxing or emailing a signed copy of this form to Mr. Sean 
Oehlbert.  He may be reached at 202-586-3806 or 
sean.oehlbert@nnsa.doe.gov. 
 
Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this 
matter. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
 
Richard. S. Goorevich 
Director 
Office of International Regimes and Agreements 
U.S. Department of Energy 
 
 
End text of letter. 
CLINTON