Cablegate: Korea Seeks U.S. Views On Civil Nuclear Cooperation with Libya

VZCZCXRO2584
PP RUEHTRO
DE RUEHTRO #0008 0071516
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 071516Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5651
INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 0111
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 0015
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 0003
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0874
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0047
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV PRIORITY 0020
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0100
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 6202

S E C R E T TRIPOLI 000008

NOFORN SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/MAG AND ISN E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/7/2020

TAGS: PREL PINS MNUC PARM PINR RS KGIC KNNP KRAD ENRG

SUBJECT: KOREA SEEKS U.S. VIEWS ON CIVIL NUCLEAR COOPERATION WITH LIBYA CLASSIFIED BY: Gene Cretz, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy Tripoli, U.S. Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)

1. (SBU) This is an action request; please see para 4.

2. (C) The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Libya, Dong Hee Chang recently told the Ambassador that his country was interested in advancing its civil nuclear cooperation with Libya and wanted to know if the U.S. had any objections. He said the South Korean Embassy in Washington had broached this topic with U.S. officials in Washington and had not received any reply. (It is unclear which USG agency or office was contacted.) Specifically, South Korea would like to provide nuclear reactors for power generation to Libya. South Korea's Ambassador told the Ambassador that any potential South Korean civil nuclear cooperation with Libya would be fully coordinated with the IAEA.

3. (C) Over the last year, Libya has stepped up its civil nuclear programs, signing agreements for similar cooperation with France, Argentina, Canada, Ukraine and Russia. Senior Libyan officials, including Muammar al-Qadhafi, have told us that Libya seeks similar cooperation with the United States.

4. (S/NF) Comment and Action Request: We note that further information on this proposal has been provided in other, sensitive reporting. Department's guidance on South Korea's proposed civil nuclear cooperation with Libya is requested. CRETZ

© Scoop Media