VZCZCXRO5031
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0419/01 0490740
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 180740Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1758
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 000419 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ISN/NESS, DAVID KENAGY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2019 
TAGS: TPHY SEVN ETRGY TSPL PARM ENRG KGIT KNNP KSCA
ISCI, IZ 
SUBJECT: IRAQ MAKING ENCOURAGING PROGRESS ON NUCLEAR 
CLEAN-UP 
 
REF: A. 08 BAGHDAD 1735 
     ¶B. 08 BAGHDAD 2769 
 
Classified By: ACTING CETI MICHAEL DODMAN FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, C) 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (SBU) The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) took 
EconOffs, MNFI, and two visiting Texas Tech University (TTU) 
Professors on a walking tour of the Tuwaitha Nuclear Research 
Facility (TNRF) February 9 to assess the progress of MoST's 
nuclear facility dismantlement and disposal project.  The TTU 
Professors, who visited TNRF several times in the past, were 
effusive in their assessment of MoST's progress since the 
clean-up project began in July 2008.  MoST has the necessary 
training and equipment to complete the next phase of the 
decommissioning project but awaits regulatory go-ahead from 
the Iraq Ministry of Environment.  Beyond the next phase, 
however, which should last approximately 6-8 months, Iraq 
will require further technical assistance and training to 
tackle the larger and more contaminated structures.  Given 
the positive momentum of this project and the international 
credibility such success can bring to Iraq's government, the 
Embassy will work with the NEA/I, ISN/NESS, and international 
partners to find ways to continue building GOI capacity to 
carry on this program.  End summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
Background: The Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Facility 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Facility (TNRF), 
located 15 kilometers southeast of Baghdad, was the nexus of 
Saddam's nuclear weapons program.  TNRF contains 
approximately 45 buildings in various states of decay and 
contamination, including the Osiraq nuclear reactor, 
destroyed by the Israelis in 1981, and a Russian-built 
research reactor destroyed during the First Gulf War.  Under 
Saddam, TNRF was administered by the Iraq Atomic Energy 
Agency (now subsumed under the Ministry of Science and 
Technology -- MoST).  MoST now has responsibility for TNRF, 
including administration, security, and decommissioning of 
the contaminated structures. 
 
¶3.  (C) Since 2003, Embassy Baghdad and Coalition forces have 
undertaken three significant TNRF projects.  First, Project 
MAXIMUS, conducted in June 2004 under Department of Defense 
(DOD) lead, with nuclear work at Tuwaitha executed primarily 
by Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Lab (DOE/ORNL). 
Project MAXIMUS removed from Iraq about 1000 radioactive 
sources of deemed proliferation risk which Iraq was not using 
for medical or research purposes plus about 1700 kilograms of 
low enriched uranium.  The sources had been gathered from all 
over the country and temporarily stored at TNRF.  (Note: 
Approximately 600 unwanted radioactive sources which cannot 
be used for medical or research purposes remain in storage at 
TNRF.  End note.)  Second, Project McCall, again under DOD 
lead and execution of nuclear work by DOE/ORNL and coalition 
forces, removed 550 metric tons of uranium oxide ("yellow 
cake") from TNRF in June 2008 for transport and sale to a 
Canadian nuclear fuel company (ref A).  Finally, in July 
2008, with the yellow cake safely removed, MoST commenced the 
Iraq Nuclear Facility Dismantlement and Disposal Program with 
training and technical assistance of numerous international 
partners including ISN/NESS, the International Atomic Energy 
Agency (IAEA), Department of Energy Sandia National Lab 
(DOE/SNL), US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Civilian 
Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), and Texas Tech 
QResearch and Development Foundation (CRDF), and Texas Tech 
University (TTU). 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Through 20 internationally funded and hosted 
planning and training events since 2005, MoST, in cooperation 
with the Ministry of Environment (MoEnv), has developed a 
multi-phased project management plan for dismantlement of the 
TNRF Active Metallurgy Testing Laboratory (LAMA), judged to 
be a convenient training project for decommissioning workers 
since contamination levels are very low (ref B).  The four 
phases of the LAMA decommissioning project are periphery 
clean up of the huge 62,000 square meter facility, 
dismantlement of the LAMA building, dismantlement of the 
radioisotope handling "hot cells" (one-meter thick reinforced 
high-density concrete), and finally, the LAMA basement.  MoST 
completed phase one in December 2008. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Phase One of the LAMA Project Complete 
-------------------------------------- 
 
BAGHDAD 00000419  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) On February 9, MoST officials took EconOffs, two 
visiting TTU professors, and MNF-I Chemical, Biological, 
Raiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Team Leader on a 
tour of the TNRF to view the status of the LAMA 
decommissioning project and review future decommissioning 
plans.  The TTU Professors, who visited the LAMA facility 
several times in the past, were extremely impressed by MoST's 
clean-up progress:  The grounds had been completely cleared 
of almost 500 tons of metal and concrete wreckage, including 
separation into contaminated and uncontaminated debris.  The 
TTU professors confirmed that the uncontaminated debris had 
no significant radioactive signature.  The contaminated 
debris, amounting to two barrels of soil, were packaged, 
isolated, and clearly marked. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) MoST has submitted plans for phase two of the LAMA 
facility decommissioning but awaits MoEnv approval to 
commence the 6-month clean-up process. (Note: In a separate 
meeting, MoEnv Radiation Protection Center (RPC) officials 
told us that the RPC is awaiting MoST's report from phase one 
before granting the go-ahead to commence phase two of the 
LAMA clean-up.  End note.)  MoST envisions running other 
nuclear decommissioning projects in parallel with the LAMA 
facility, starting with a small undamaged nuclear fuel pilot 
plant in Baghdad.  MoST will then have enough experience to 
commence cleanup of, in priority order, the larger 
contaminated debris at TNRF, liquid waste tanks, and the TNRF 
radiochemistry lab.  MoST officials said that overall, there 
are twelve nuclear sites throughout Iraq requiring 
decommissioning or clean-up, with TNRF by far the largest. 
 
¶7. (C) MoST officials took us on a walking tour of several 
other areas within TNRF, including the radiochemistry lab. 
TTU professors, using a handheld radiation detector, found a 
beaker of dried material in an open safe which gave an 
indication of a small contamination of 97% enriched uranium. 
TTU professors have undertaken to identify a mechanism for 
more detailed analysis of the contamination in question.  In 
past visits, the TTU professors have taken soil samples from 
approximately 400 locations in TNRF, allowing them to create 
a rough contamination map of the entire 3 square-kilometer 
facility.  We also visited the only remaining site they had 
not previously sampled (the destroyed chemistry lab in the 
west corner of TNRF) and took soil samples which in initial 
on-site testing showed no contamination. 
 
---------------- 
The Way Forward? 
---------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) MoST has the necessary training and equipment to 
complete phase two of the LAMA decommissioning project as 
well as the fuel pilot plant in Baghdad; they only require 
regulatory go-ahead from the MoEnv RPC.  MoST is providing 
all funding for clean-up operations.  Beyond those two 
projects, when MoST must deal with the reinforced concrete 
fuel handling cells in phase three of the LAMA project or the 
large contaminated debris in TNRF, they will require further 
technical assistance and training.  The Iraq Parliament has 
not yet approved the new draft law containing regulations and 
standards governing waste management developed as part of the 
international support program.  Given the positive momentum 
of this nuclear decommissioning project and the international 
credibility such success can bring the GOI, the Embassy will 
look for ways to continue building GOI capacity to carry on 
this program, perhaps under the Strategic Framework Agreement 
Qthis program, perhaps under the Strategic Framework Agreement 
or a Science and Technology Agreement.  ISN/NESS has a 
recommended four-part plan for U.S. assistance, including 
training to dismantle reinforced concrete structures 
(including the LAMA hot cells), assistance in establishing a 
radioanalysis lab (necessary to conduct their own 
contamination analysis), waste management training, and 
assistance to complete a master plan for nuclear 
decommissioning, including waste disposal. 
 
¶9.  (U) Participant list: 
 
Iraq: 
- Dr. Faoud Shati -- Deputy Minister 
- Dr. Talib Ebrahim -- Director General of Materials Science 
- Mr. Adnan Jarjies -- Program Manager, Iraq Decommissioning 
Program 
- Dr. Mohammed Abbas -- MoST Advisor 
- Mr. Dheyaa Hussein -- Deputy Manager, Iraq Decommissioning 
Program 
- Dr. Dr. Yousif Zaeir -- Deputy Manager, Iraq 
Decommissioning Program 
- Mr. Hadi Ibraheem Jassim -- LAMA Facility Project Manager 
 
BAGHDAD 00000419  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
United States Embassy: 
- Prof. Carl Phillips -- TTU Center for Environmental 
Radiation Studies 
- Prof. Ron Chesser -- TTU Center for Environmental Radiation 
Studies 
- Michael Uyehara -- Econ Infrastructure and Energy Team 
Leader 
- LTC Jeff Kyburz -- MNFI CJ3 CBRNE Team Leader 
- Roy Therrien -- ESTH Officer 
BUTENIS