US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI1248

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 001248 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
PASS TO NRC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, TRGY, KNNP, KRAD, IN, NSSP 
SUBJECT: INDIA READY FOR REGIONAL RADIOLOGICAL SECURITY 
PARTNERSHIP 
 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary:  In a trilateral meeting with USG and IAEA 
officials on February 9, the GOI agreed to join the Regional 
Radiological Security Partnership (RRSP); identified a lead 
technical contact within the Department of Atomic Energy 
(DAE); offered to serve as a venue for radiological security 
training and to continue its cooperation with the IAEA on 
radiological safety training; proposed to participate in 
specific missions to address orphaned radiological sources; 
and suggested that the IAEA host a working-level meeting with 
the GOI and DOE in April to develop a plan for these and 
other related activities.  This initiative was useful in 
reminding India's scientific establishment that there are 
significant areas of US-India collaboration on nuclear 
matters, even within the constraints established by US law 
and policy.  End Summary. 
 
GOI Ready for Radiological Partnership 
-------------------------------------- 
 
2.  (U) In her opening remarks in the trilateral USG-GOI-IAEA 
meeting on February 9, MEA Additional Secretary 
(International Security) Meera Shankar outlined examples of 
India's expertise and willingness to work internationally to 
recover radiological material (e.g., in the Republic of 
Georgia), as well as to provide training in radiological 
security and safety in partnership with the IAEA and other 
parties such as the US.  While supporting bilateral 
initiatives like DOE's Global Threat Reduction Initiative, 
throughout the meeting, Shankar and other GOI representatives 
reiterated that their work on this issue has been, and will 
continue to be, under the aegis of the IAEA. 
 
3.  (U) Director of the Office of Global Radiological Threat 
Reduction Ed McGinnis affirmed DOE,s desire to partner with 
India and the IAEA in the area of radiological security. 
"India is well-positioned to be a regional leader in 
radiological security, especially in assisting countries that 
don't have India's capabilities," he said.  Misuse of 
high-risk radioactive sources, while not resulting in mass 
deaths, would have significant economic, health and strategic 
consequences.  McGinnis went on to outline the mission of the 
RRSP, multilateral partnerships with IAEA and Interpol, and 
programs to identify, secure, recover, and in some cases, 
replace, high-risk radioactive sources.  McGinnis also 
highlighted the important benefit to radiological safety that 
would result from this initiative. 
 
4.  (U) Anita Nilsson of the IAEA reviewed the agency's 
two-track approach to radiological security which is to 
support infrastructure development and security enhancements 
to states upon request.  IAEA also offers training and 
assistance to establish an effective regulatory framework to 
ensure sustainability.  These activities are funded by 
voluntary contributions through member states, including 
in-kind contributions such as India's joint training programs. 
 
5.  (U) Dr. K. Raghuraman of the Department of Atomic Energy 
and Dr. SP Aggarwal of India's  Atomic Energy Regulatory 
Board presented the GOI perspective on radiological security 
which is comprised of four parts:  1) legislative and 
regulatory framework for all nuclear and radiological 
activities; 2) an integrated system for physical protection 
of nuclear and radioactive materials and facilities; 3) a 
comprehensive nuclear material accounting and control system; 
and 4) a national registry of all radioactive material. 
 
6.  (U) Focusing on GOI interest and experience in conducting 
international training, Nilsson expressed the need to ensure 
that training is both holistic and contributes to 
sustainability.  Because of the many everyday uses of 
radioactive materials, securing high-risk sources requires 
raising security awareness among states, national and local 
authorities, and law enforcement, among others, and will 
require a widespread, holistic approach to be effective. 
Further, training should be linked to established educational 
institutions, e.g., universities, to be sustainable. 
 
7.  (U) India is most interested in providing training in the 
areas of security and safety, physical protection of 
facilities, and regulatory measures, according to Shankar. 
She also asked about the location of IAEA,s current 
radiological safety regional training centers.  (According to 
the IAEA,s Khammar Mrabit, the IAEA currently has centers in 
six countries:  Argentina, Malaysia, Belarus, Greece, 
Morocco, and Syria.)  Clearly interested in raising India's 
international profile in this area, Dr. Raghuraman noted, 
"We've already been acting in a regional role for training." 
He added that India is willing to tailor its courses for 
specific operations, as they did in support of the recovery 
of high-powered, orphaned sources in the Republic of Georgia. 
 
8.  (U) Beyond training, Shankar said the GOI was interested 
in offering its expertise in the areas of information 
management, education, and recovery operations, but the GOI 
would require further discussion about resource availability 
before committing to operations in these areas. 
 
Next Steps 
---------- 
 
9.  (U) The trilateral group agreed to meet at the invitation 
of the IAEA in Vienna after the IAEA Preparatory Committee 
meeting on the Convention on the Physical Protection of 
Nuclear Material in April. This trilateral group will develop 
a work program for GOI participation in the RRSP.  The three 
parties also designated technical points of contact: Nilsson 
as the interim POC for the IAEA, Dr. Raghuraman for the GOI, 
and Dwyer for the USG.  The GOI also issued a press statement 
on the meeting (text in para 11). 
 
Bio Note:  Dr. Raghuraman 
------------------------- 
 
10.  (SBU) Dr. Raghuraman is favorably known to DOE, IAEA, 
and the Mission.  Head of the International Studies Division 
in the Department of Atomic Energy's Strategic Planning 
Group, Dr. Raghuraman is a technical scientist filling a 
position in DAE normally reserved for an MEA foreign service 
officer.  Raghuraman told SciCouns that MEA made an exception 
for his appointment because of his extensive experience in 
international affairs while serving as a Science Attache at 
the Indian Mission to the IAEA in Vienna.  He is among those 
we are encouraging to take a more proactive view of the NSSP 
in the context of moving our nuclear relationship forward. 
In this regard, this initiative was useful in reminding 
India's scientific establishment that there are significant 
areas of US-India collaboration on nuclear matters, even 
within the constraints established by US law and policy. 
 
GOI Press Statement 
------------------- 
 
11. (U) Begin text: 
 
A joint delegation of representatives from the US Department 
of Energy and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 
visited India on 9 February 2005 for the first India-US-IAEA 
trilateral meeting on the Regional Radiological Security 
Partnership (RRSP) program. 
 
The US and IAEA representatives welcomed India's 
participation in the RRSP program as a Regional Partner and 
discussions were held to work out the modalities of this 
cooperation.  The three sides acknowledged their shared 
objective of enhancing globally the security of dangerous 
radioactive sources.  The US and the IAEA delegates expressed 
appreciation for India's offer of providing infrastructure 
and expertise on a regular basis for conducting international 
training courses in India under the aegis of the IAEA on 
issues related to the security of radiological sources and 
materials as also for locating orphan radioactive sources in 
countries which are unable to effectively deal with them and 
which seek assistance from the IAEA.  The three sides agreed 
to continue further discussions on the subject. 
 
Participants 
------------ 
 
12.  (U) US Participants: 
Edward McGinnis, Director, Office of Global Radiological 
Threat Reduction, DOE/NNSA 
Greg Dwyer, Project Manager, DOE/NNSA 
Mark Soo Hoo, Project Manager, Sandia Labs 
William Kenagy, Physical Scientist, State/Bureau of 
Nonproliferation 
Stacy Gilbert, Political-Military Officer, Embassy New Delhi 
(notetaker) 
 
GOI Participants: 
Ms Meera Shankar, Additional Secretary (Intl Security), MEA 
Dr. RB Grover, Head, Strategic Planning Group, DAE 
Ms. Archana Arora, Joint Secretary, DAE 
Dr. K. Raghuraman, Head, Intl Studies Division, Strategic 
Planning Group, DAE 
Dr SP Aggarwal, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board 
Ms Nutan Kapoor Mahawar, Under Secretary (DISA), MEA 
 
IAEA Participants: 
Anita Nilsson, Head, Office of Nuclear Security (NSNS), IAEA 
Khammar Mrabit, Section Head, Policy and Programme Support 
Section, Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety 
(NSRW), IAEA 
MULFORD