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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #1902 0402338
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 092323Z FEB 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA IMMEDIATE 0000
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA IMMEDIATE 0000

UNCLAS STATE 011902 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG KNNP PREL TRGY SA QA
SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO IAEA COMPREHENSIVE SAFEGUARDS 
AGREEMENTS ENTERING INTO FORCE FOR SAUDI ARABIA AND QATAR 
 
REF: STATE 03020 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paras 4-6. 
 
---------- 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶2. (U) On May 16, 2008, the United States Government and the 
Saudi Arabian Government (SAG) signed a Memorandum of 
Understanding (MOU) on civil nuclear cooperation.  A few 
weeks later, a similar nuclear cooperation MOU was proposed 
to the Government of Qatar (GOQ).  Since at that time neither 
Saudi Arabia nor Qatar had a comprehensive safeguards 
agreement (CSA) with the International Atomic Energy Agency 
(IAEA) in force, each MOU contained the following language 
conditioning its entry into effect:  "This Memorandum of 
Understanding is to commence upon the date of entry into 
force of a safeguards agreement between (Saudi Arabia/Qatar) 
and the International Atomic Energy Agency that meets the 
requirements of Article III of the (Nuclear Nonproliferation 
Treaty)." 
 
¶3. (U) On January 13, 2009, the SAG brought its CSA with the 
IAEA into force, and on January 21, 2009 the GOQ brought its 
CSA, as well as its small quantities protocol, into force. 
As a result, the MOU with the SAG is now in effect and the 
conditional language of para 2 is no longer needed in the 
draft MOU under consideration by the GOQ. 
 
-------------- 
ACTION REQUEST 
-------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Embassy Riyadh is requested to deliver the following 
message to appropriate officials within the SAG, and to 
re-extend the invitation to the nuclear energy infrastructure 
seminar hosted by DOE/NNSA in Amman, Jordan 22-26 March 
(reftel).  DOE/NNSA has identified potential participants for 
the seminar from past cooperative activities and can convey 
those names to Post, if requested. 
 
-- The United States welcomes the news that the Kingdom of 
Saudi Arabia has brought its comprehensive safeguards 
agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency into 
effect. 
 
-- This important step demonstrates your commitment to the 
peaceful uses of nuclear technology and will increase 
international confidence in your pursuit of nuclear power. 
 
-- Now that this step is complete, the civil nuclear 
cooperation Memorandum of Understanding, signed in Riyadh on 
May 16, 2008, has now entered into effect. 
 
-- In addition, the U.S. now welcomes Saudi Arabia's 
participation in the DOE/NNSA seminar on "Aspects of Planning 
and Implementing Effective Infrastructure for a Nuclear 
Energy Program" to be held March 22-26 in Amman, Jordan. 
 
-- Participation in the seminar will help identify target 
areas for future collaboration, and would be an excellent 
first step in our cooperation as outlined in the MOU. 
 
¶5. (U) Embassy Doha is requested to deliver the following 
message to appropriate officials within the GOQ, and to 
re-extend the invitation to the nuclear energy infrastructure 
seminar hosted by DOE/NNSA in Amman, Jordan 22-26 March 
(reftel).  DOE/NNSA has identified potential participants for 
the seminar from past cooperative activities and can convey 
those names to Post, if requested. 
 
-- The United States welcomes the news that the State of 
Qatar has brought its comprehensive safeguards agreement with 
the International Atomic Energy Agency into effect. 
 
-- This important step demonstrates your commitment to the 
peaceful uses of nuclear technology and will increase 
international confidence in your pursuit of nuclear power. 
 
-- Now that this step is complete, the final paragraph of our 
proposed civil nuclear cooperation Memorandum of 
Understanding, conditioning entry into effect on the entry 
into force of this safeguards agreement, can be deleted. 
 
-- In addition, the U.S. now welcomes Qatar's participation 
in the DOE/NNSA Seminar on Aspects of Planning and 
Implementing Effective Infrastructure for a Nuclear Energy 
Program to be held March 22-26 in Amman, Jordan. 
 
-- Participation in the seminar would be an excellent 
introduction to the type of cooperation outlined in the MOU, 
and will help identify concrete areas of cooperation that 
would be available should the MOU enter into effect. 
 
¶6. (U) If asked about next steps on civil nuclear cooperation 
with the United States, Posts are instructed to reply that we 
are currently unable to provide specifics on this due to a 
general review of U.S. policy and that a reply will come at a 
later date. 
 
¶7. (U) Department thanks Posts for their assistance.  State 
Department POC's for civil nuclear cooperation in the Middle 
East are ISN/RA Ariel Stukalin (202-736-4530) and ISN/NESS 
Marc Humphrey (202-647-6103).  The DOE/NNSA POC for the NNSA 
workshop is Matthew Van Sickle (202-586-2859, 
Matthew.VanSickle@doe.nnsa.gov). 
CLINTON