VZCZCXRO2083
OO RUEHTRO
DE RUEHTRO #1025 3551626
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 211626Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5616
INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 0110
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA IMMEDIATE 0099
RHMFISS/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0253
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 6166

S E C R E T TRIPOLI 001025

NOFORN
SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/FO AND NEA/MAG. STATE PLEASE PASS TO ENERGY
(ANDREW BIENIAWSKI, KELLY CUMMINS, AND SARAH DICKERSON).

E.O. 12958: DECL:  12/21/2019
TAGS: PREL PINS MNUC PARM PINR RS KGIC KNNP KRAD ENRG
LY
SUBJECT: FINAL HEU SHIPMENT DEPARTS LIBYA

REF: A) TRIPOLI 938  B) TRIPOLI 966; C) TRIPOLI 941

CLASSIFIED BY: Gene Cretz, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy Tripoli,
U.S. Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
¶1.  (S/NF)  On December 21 at 0515, a Russian-chartered plane
took off from Tripoli with the seven casks containing Libya's
final Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) spent fuel stocks.
Department of Energy (DOE) staff in Tripoli confirmed that the
flight arrived in Russia at 11:15 local time.  Today's flight
marked the successful completion of Libya's commitments to
dismantle its nuclear weapons programs.

¶2.  (S/NF) Visiting DOE staff reported that the loading of the
casks the overnight on December 20-21 went smoothly.  XXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXX provided no
insights into the reasons behind the GOL's last-minute decision
to cancel the planned November 25 shipment (ref a) or to put it
back on track via a letter to Russian authorities on December 15
(ref b).  DOE staff said the month-long impasse had taken a
visible toll on XXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXX

¶3.  (S/NF)  In reference to queries made by Saif al-Islam
al-Qadhafi regarding the disposition of Libya's centrifuges that
were handed over to the U.S. (Ref C), the DOE visitors noted
that any centrifuges that were sent to the U.S. were destroyed
and could not be could be returned to Libya in their original
form.  If the Libyans were referring to other materiel, such as
high efficient machinery, some equipment was moved to the U.S.
and some was left in Libya to be used for peaceful purposes such
for medical uses.

¶4.  (SNF)  The Ambassador would like to thank the DOE team -
Kelly Cummins, Igor Bolshinsky, and Stan Moses - for their
efforts to resolve this issue.  Their on-the-ground, expert
analysis ensured that the Embassy was fully apprised of all of
the technical details, and their clear explanation of the
complex timelines and constraints helped ensure a timely
resolution. We are very grateful for their work.

CRETZ