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| ID: | 228814 |
| Date: | 2009-10-07 19:33:00 |
| Origin: | 09CARACAS1296 |
| Source: | Embassy Caracas |
| Classification: | CONFIDENTIAL |
| Dunno: | 09CARACAS26 |
| Destination: | VZCZCXRO4814 RR RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHMT RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRS RUEHTM RUEHVC DE RUEHCV #1296 2801933 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 071933Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3793 INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHEHAAA/WHITEHOUSE WASHDC RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL |
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001296 SIPDIS ENERGY FOR ALOCKWOOD AND LEINSTEIN HQ SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD TREASURY FOR MKACZMAREK COMMERCE FOR 4332/MAC/WH/JLAO NSC FOR DRESTREPO AND LROSSELLO E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/29/2019 TAGS: ECON, ENRG, KNNP, VE, IR SUBJECT: VENEZUELA: THE POLITICS OF DEVELOPING URANIUM RESERVES REF: CARACAS 26 Classified By: Economic Counselor Darnall Steuart, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 1. (U) On Friday, September 25, Venezuelan Minister of Basic Industry and Mining, Rodolfo Sanz, claimed that Iran had helped carry out geophysical testing and aerial surveys to calculate the size of Venezuela's uranium deposits. He added that it would take three years to certify the size of the uranium reserves. A Venezuelan journalist reported on Sunday, September 27, that Chavez reprimanded Sanz about his comments on Iran, ordering him not to meddle in affairs he knew nothing about. (NOTE: The timing of Sanz's comments coincided with news that Iran is building a secret nuclear facility.) 2. (U) Jesse Chacon, Venezuelan Minister for Science, Technology, and Intermediary Industry, originally denied reports that the GBRV was receiving support from Iran to find uranium, but clarified on Saturday, September 26, that his comments were limited to cooperation with Russia and that any exploration efforts with Iran fall under the direction of the Ministry of Basic Industry and Mining. When questioned about how Venezuela would use its uranium reserves, both ministers responded that Venezuela would use nuclear energy for medicinal and peaceful purposes and for power generation. 3. (C) Popular blogger ("Devil's Excrement") Miguel Octavio, who has a Phd in Physics and extensive contacts in Venezuela's scientific community, told Econoffs September 22 that Venezuela's hard sciences are being decimated under the Chavez administration. Octavio noted that scientists at Venezuela's formerly prestigious Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC) are doing "pertinent science," i.e., science applied to Bolivarian goals. Venezuela, he said, does not have the domestic scientific capacity to support the development of a nuclear energy program. Octavio posited that if the GBRV wanted to develop a nuclear energy capability it would make the most sense to purchase a nuclear facility as a package, including technicians, from a friendly government. 4. (C) COMMENT: The U.S. Geological Survey's 2008 Minerals Yearbook includes a reference to Venezuela uranium "deposits located in the jungle states of Amazonas and Bolivar, which supposedly contain about 50,000 tons of uranium reserves." As reported reftel, one local scientist has asserted to the Embassy in the past year that the country has little uranium. Whether it does or does not have uranium, there does not appear to be a project underway to develop this resource. Nor does Venezuela have a cadre of trained scientists to support the development of a nuclear program. However, talk of a high profile project with an anti-U.S. partner would doubtless be appealing to Chavez. END COMMENT. DUDDY | |
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