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UNCLAS STATE 067033 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM AORC FR PTER PINR
SUBJECT: DIPLOMATIC NOTE REQUESTING CONFIRMATION OF DOE 
ASSURANCE IN ORDER TO TRANSFER URANIUM IN SUPPORT OF 
NUCLEAR FORENSICS EXERCISE 
 
REF: STATE 005953 1-22-2009 
 
¶1.  (U) This is an action request for Embassy Paris.  Please 
see paragraph 3. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) BACKGROUND: Washington informed Post per REF A that 
the United States Department of Energy (DOE) had sent a 
request for assurances to Mr. Jacques Figuet at the French 
Embassy in Washington to facilitate the Commissariat a 
l'Energie Atomique's (CEA) 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 DOE to a CEA 
facility.  Most importantly, DOE requested that the 
Government of France (GOF) provide assurances that the 
nuclear material would be used only for peaceful uses and 
exclusively for the purpose of this sampling exercise. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Post is requested to pass to MFA a 
copy of the DOE letter to the French Embassy in paragraph 4 
and confirm that the GOF is facilitating the request made in 
REF A in support of this important exercise. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) (Complementary Opening) 
Begin text of letter: 
 
Mr. Jacques Figuet 
Counselor for Nuclear Affairs 
Embassy of France 
4101 Reservoir Road, NW 
Washington, DC 20007 
 
Dear Mr. Figuet: 
 
Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) 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 of highly enriched uranium under a 
contract with the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to 
their facility.  Title will transfer to the Government of 
France for the exclusive use of participating in the ITWG 
exercise.  Because the CEA 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 France 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 France.  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. 
 
(Complementary Closing) 
 
¶5.  (SBU) REPORTING DEADLINE:  Washington requests that Post 
respond via front-channel cable no later than July 7, 2009. 
 
¶6.  Washington appreciates Post's assistance.  Contact Aryn 
Weinberg (lesterab@state.gov, 202-736-7695 in ISN/WMDT for 
additional information. 
CLINTON