VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHFR #1006/01 2051520
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241520Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6828
INFO RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0714
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 2675

UNCLAS PARIS 001006 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
State FOR ISN/NESS - RDELABARRE 
DOE for NNSA/NA-243 - RGOOREVICH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TRGY ETTC KNNP KSCA PARM FR
SUBJECT: GOF HEU Assurances for Nuclear Exercise 
 
REF: Goorevich to Figuet letter 
 
 ¶1. (U) On July 3 the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided 
the assurances requested in a letter from the U.S. Department of 
Energy to the French Embassy's Counselor for Nuclear Affairs 
concerning the transfer of highly enriched uranium (HEU) to the 
French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) 
for a nuclear forensics exercise. 
 
¶2.  (U)  Unofficial Embassy translation of the diplomatic note from 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (with Embassy clarifying notes in 
parentheses) is as follows: 
 
BEGIN TEXT OF FRENCH DIPLOMATIC NOTE 
 
 
Diplomatic note 1970/QA dated July 3, 2009 
 
The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs presents its 
compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and has 
the honor to refer to the letter sent by Mr. Richard S. Goorevich, 
an official of the Department of Energy, to Mr. Jacques Figuet, 
Counselor for Nuclear Affairs at the French Embassy in Washington. 
This document is annexed to this diplomatic note (Embassy note: see 
para 3). 
 
The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs is able to confirm that 
the laboratory of the Commissariat de l'Energy Atomique (Embassy 
Note: French Atomic Energy Commission) has expressed an interest in 
participating in the nuclear forensics exercise organized by the 
European Union, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the framework of the 
International Technical Working Group on Nuclear Smuggling (ITWG). 
 
The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs assures the U.S. 
authorities that the 10 to 14 gram sample of highly enriched uranium 
to be transferred by DOE will be used exclusively for peaceful 
purposes and only to fulfill the scientific objectives of the 
exercise. 
 
The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs avails itself of this 
opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of America 
the assurances of its highest consideration. 
 
END TEXT OF FRENCH DIPLOMATIC NOTE 
 
¶3. (U) Text of the undated letter from Richard Goorevich of the U.S. 
Department of Energy is as follows: 
 
BEGIN TEXT OF GOOREVICH 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 Agency for Atomic Energy (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 assurance 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 Ochlbert.  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 
 
 
Pekala