US embassy cable - 04ANKARA6802

UNCLAS ANKARA 006802 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NP/NE FOR ALLEN KRASS 
USDOE/NA-212 FOR JILL ZUBAREV 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG, KNNP, TRGY, TU 
SUBJECT: CEKMECE REACTOR CONVERSION AND FUEL RETURN 
 
REF: STATE 250990 
 
1.  EXBS Advisor and energy officer met with Turkish Atomic 
Energy Authority (TAEK) President Okay Cakiroglu on December 
3 to discuss the Cekmece reactors and the possible early 
return of Highly Enriched Uranium (HUE) fuel rods (ref A). 
Cakiroglu did not believe that there would be any GOT 
objection to the early return of the unused HUE fuel rods in 
Turkey's possession; however, Turkey has only one unused HEU 
fuel rod.  All other HUE fuel rods in Turkey's possession are 
either currently in use or in the process of cooling.  The 
HEU rods which are still in the reactor core are considered 
"hot" rods. These rods are not fully spent, thus are not 
ready for removal from the core.  The cooling process that 
the other rods are in could take up to 2 years to reach a 
level permitting shipment.   Turkey is on schedule to safely 
return their inventory of both used and unused HEU rods as 
previously planned.  While Cakiroglu did not object to 
considering the possible early return of the unused rod, he 
was not sure that it would be cost-effective for the U.S. to 
come to Turkey to pick up only one rod. If Turkey were to 
return the rod to the U.S., it would appreciate assistance in 
obtaining replacement LEU fuel rods. 
 
2.  Cakiroglu said he would not object to a visit of a 
technical team to Turkey, but given that Turkey only has one 
remaining unused HUE rod for transfer, he did not see the 
benefit of a DOE visit at this time. 
 
3.  During their discussion Cakiroglu informed EMBOFs that an 
IAEA inspection team was currently in Ankara and Istanbul 
conducting a surprise accounting and inspection on the 
Turkish program.  So far no discrepancies have been reported 
to him and he did not anticipate any problems. 
 
EDELMAN