Unt1t1ed rev1ew_mark1ngs rev1ew_med1a_1 4 rev1ew_ med1a 1d rev1ew referra15 rev1ew_ re1ea5e _date rev1ew_ re1ease re1ease_ event rev1ew_ transfer_ transfer_ date rev1ew_ withdrawn w1thdrawn- f1e1ds tags PARM PFOR MCAP OTRA TECH Tw tags e mark1ngs Not reTeasabTe under e1ther Execut1ve order or other 1aw or regu1at1on US Department of State E0 systematic Rev1ew 28 MAY 2004 mark1ngs msgtext PAGE 01 TAIPEI 07052 2310532 53 ACTION EA-14 INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 EUR-25 ACDA-19 CIAE-OO IO-14 L-03 NSAEHOO NSC-10 SCI-06 SEEM-02 PA-04 DODE- 00 PM- 07 SPC- -03 2309252 NOV 73 FM AMEMBASSY TAIPEI TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0297 INFO AMCONGEN HONG KONG USLO PEKING AMEMBASSY TOKYO TAIPEI 7052 E O 11652 GDS TAGS PARM PFORI MCAP OTRA TECH TW SUBJECT ATOMIC ENERGY GROUP STUDY TEAM VISIT TO TAIWAN REF A STATE 223316 B TAIPEI 7051 TOKYO FOR HELFRICH AEC 1 BEGIN SUMMARY EMBASSY BELIEVES AEC STUDY TEAM VISIT TO TTAIWAN WAS AND SUCCESSFUL IN UNDERSCORING DETERMINATION TO DETER ROC FROM MILITARY NUCLEAR PROGRAM DESPITE PROTESTATIONS FROM ALL QUARTERS THAT NUCLEAR PROGRAM WAS LIMITED TO PEACEFUL USES STUDY TEAM FOUND ROC HAS FAIRLY ADVANCED PLANS AND FACIL- ITIES FOR FULL FUEL CYCLE WHICH WHATEVER ITS REAL PURPOSE WOULD KEEP OPEN MILITARY OPTION IN EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS TEAM TODL ROC OFFICIALS AND SCIENTISTS THAT US OPPOSES CHEMICAL REPROCESSING PLANT FONMIN ACCEPTED Page 2 DocId 31308804 untitTEd THIS POSITION AND REITERATED ASSURANCES ROC WILL NOT PROCEED IN FACE OF US OPPOSITION ALTHOUGH WE EXPECT CONTINUED PULLING AND HAULING WHICH MAY NUDGE ROC FURTHER TOWARD MILITARY PROGRAM TEAM HAS AT LEAST EXPOSED iayu i PAGE 02 TAIPEI 07052 2310532 MORE KEY PEOPLE ON TAIWAN TO WHAT COST WOULD BE END SUMMARY 2 ATOMIC ENERGY STUDY TEAM COMPLETED TAIWAN VISIT ON NOVEMBER 20 AFTER FIVE DAYS OF CALLS 0N ROC OFFICIALS AND INSPECTION OF NUCLEAR AND RELATED INSTALLATIONS DELEGATION MEMBERS CONDUCTED THEMSELVES SKILLFULLY AND EMBASSY BELIEVES THEIR VISIT WAS IMAGINATIVE WAY TO UNDERSCORE DETERMINATION TO DETER ROC FROM MILITARY NUCLEAR PROGRAM ROC OFFICIALS AND SCIENTISTS WERE UNDER NO ILLUSIONS AS TO PURPOSES 0F ALL BRIEFINGS WERE PREFACED BY PROTESTATIONS THAT PROGRAM WAS LIMITED TO PEACEFUL USES WE DOUBT STUDY TEAM WAS SUFFICIENT TO STOP ALL EFFORTS BE CERTAIN ROC ELEMENTS WHO FAVOR MILITARY PROGRAM IN TAIWAN BUT WE ARE CERTAIN MANY MORE KEY PEOPLE NOW APPRECIATE WHAT THE COST WOULD BE 3 DURING FINAL MEETING WITH FONMIN SHEN IN WHICH AMBASSADOR PARTICIPATED REFTEL B WE NOTED THAT DESPITE AFFIRMATIONS TO THE CONTRARY WE HAD IMPRESSION THAT SOME INDIVIDUALS AND SEGMENTS OF GOVERNMENT MIGHT VIEW FULL FUEL CYCLE AND CHEMICAL REPROCESSING PLANT AS WAY TO KEEP OPEN MILITARY OPTION AND THAT IT WAS NOT IN BEST INTERESTS TO PROCEED ANY FURTHER IN THIS DIRECTION GIVEN ITS SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WE WISHED ROC REMOVE ANY AMBIGUITY ABOUT OBJECTIVE OF ITS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM BECAUSE WE COULD NOT OTHERWISE ENSURE KING OF COOPERATION NECESSARY FOR NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAM ROC SHOULD NOT ONLY DESIST FROM SEEKING REPROCESSING CAPABILITY BUT ALSO CEASE MINOR ACTIVITIES IMPLYING CONTINUING INTEREST IN THIS DIRECTION 4 FONMIN REAFFIRMED INTENT TO LIMIT NUCLEAR PROGRAM TO PEACEFUL USES STATING ROC HAD NO INTENTION OF PROCEEDING WITH REPROCESSING PLANT IN FACE OF US OPPOSITION HE EMPHASIZED ROC WOULD NOT JEOPARDIZE US NUCLEAR COOPERATION ON WHICH TAIWAN CRITICALLY DEPENDENT AND HE INDIRECTLY ASSOCIATED PREMIER WITH HIS VIEWS IN EARLIER DISCUSSION AEC SECGEN CHENG SUGGESTED WE NOT FLATLY FORECLOSE APPROVAL OF PROCESSING GEERET PAGE 03 TAIPEI 07052 2310532 PLANT AS PASSAGE OF TIME AND CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES MIGHT LATER WARRANT SUCH FACILITY WE REJECTED THIS SUGGESTION STATING OPPOSITION REFLECTED POLICY DECISION ABOUT WHICH THERE COULD BE NO AMBIGUITY 5 VISIT AFFORDED STUDY TEAM A CHANCE TO PROBE IN DETAIL Page 3 DocIdz31308804 UntitTed PRESENT AND PROJECTED COURSE OF ROC NUCLER IN ADDITION TO FORMAL REPRESENTATIONS TEAM MEMBERS AND EMBASSY OFFICERS ALSO HAD NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPRESS TO LEADERS OF SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY AND GOVERN- MENT OFFICIALS US CONCERN OVER DIRECTION OF ROC APPLIED RESEARCH PROGRAM US POSITION WAS THUS MADE CLEAR BOTH TO THOSE DIRECTING ROD EFFORTS AND TO THOSE FORMULATING NATIONAL POLICY ONE STRIKEING EXCEPTION WAS GENERAL TANG DIRECTOR DIRECTOR CHUNG SHAN SCIENCE INSTITUTE CSSI AND KEY WHO FAILED TO ATTEND DINNER AT THE RESIDENCE AND WAS ABSENT WHEN TEAM VISITED C551 5 TEAM LEFT WITH FOLLOWING IMPRESSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS A DESPITE PROTESTATIONS OF INNOCENCE RE NUCLEAR PROGRAM INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH HAS AN EXPLICITLY AVOWED DESIRE TO DEVELOP SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN ENTIRE FUEL CYCLE INCLUDING REPROCESSING AND ACHIEVEMENT OF THIS GOAL WOULD OBVIDUSLY BENEFIT NUCLEAR WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT B TEAM MEMBERS WERE BRIEFED IN DETAIL 0N PROGRAMS WITH NO CRUDE EFFORTS TO CONCEAL OR OBFUSCATE INTERMEDIATE GOALS PRESENTATIONS AT INER REFLECTED PROBABLE DECISION THAT BEST WAY TO GAIN US ACTIVE 0R TACIT APPROVAL FOR INTEGRATED FUEL CYCLE PROGRAM WAS TO OPEN FACILITIES FOR INSPECTION AND LAY MOST CARDS ON TABLE TEAM FELT THEY SAW ALL THERE WAS TO SEE AT INER AND WERE SATISFIED THAT CURRENT RESEARCH PROGRAMS WERE ACCURATELY DESCRIBED C INER SEEMINGLY HAS UNLIMITED FUNDS AT ITS DISPOSAL EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT OFTEN SEEMED PURCHASED WITHOUT CLEAR CUT PROGRAM FOR UTILIZATION WASTEFULNESS WAS IMMEDIATELY APPARENT D ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATION FOR OVERBLOWN FABRICATION PLANT APPEARED DUBIOUS AND RATIONALE FOR REPROCESSING SEEREF PAGE 04 TAIPEI 07052 2310532 CAPABILITY DOES NOT REPRESENT CONSENSUS WITHING ROC TAIPOWER FOR EXAMPLE REMAINS COOL IF NOT OPPOSED TO SCHEME WHICH COMMUNITY PORTRAYED AS LONG TERM KEY TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAM 7 ACTION REQUESTED BELIEVE WE SHOULD A AMEND BILATERAL AGREEMENT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE T0 PERMIT ROC TO PROCEED WITH NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAM B CARRY THROUGH WITH PLANS FOR USAEC TO SUPPLY CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF PRESENT ROC PROJECTS AND SUGGEST NEW AVENUES OF RESEARCH c KEEP IN MIND POST 1985 REPROCESSING REQUIREMENTS AS US REVIEWS AND FORMULATES POLICY ON PROVIDING REPROCESSING SERVICES AND As ANY POTENTIAL EMERGES FOR ASIAN REGIONAL REPROCESSING SCHEME MCCONAUGHY ISECRETB Page 4 DocId 31308804 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu