ML19254D992

From kanterella
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Executive Branch Position Re Westinghouse Application to Extend License XSNM-510 to Export Pu to Japan.Recommends That License Extension Be Granted
ML19254D992
Person / Time
Site: 07001684
Issue date: 10/05/1979
From: Nosenzo L
STATE, DEPT. OF, BUREAU OF OCEANS & INTL. ENVIRONMENT
To: James Shea
NRC OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS (OIP)
References
NUDOCS 7910300406
Download: ML19254D992 (2)


Text

-

c e-RECEgED

(!

DEPARTM ENT OF STATE

[

'79 OCT -9 A7 :57 msn-roa. a c. =m BUREAU OF OCEANS AND INTERNATIONAL GFFICE CF

~i ENVIRONMENTAL AND SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS INTERNATICHAL PROGRAMS a

Octocer 5, 1979

/SSY 76 M3

~

Mr. James R.

Shea g

Director of International Programs United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Room 6714 - MNBB Bethesda, Maryland

~

Cear Mr. Shea:

I refer to your letter dated March 15, 1979, re-questing formal Executive Branch views as to whether extension of a license to export plutonium to Japan (NRC No. XSNM-510) should be considered as an exception to, or exempted from, the Presidert's plutonium export policy.

The Executive Branch formally confirms its previous

~

recom=endation, conveyed to you in our letter of November 27, 1978, that the request to extend licensy XSNM-510 be granted.

Moreover, it is the view of the Executive Branch that the following f actors should be taken into account by the NRC in the consideration of this license extension request by Westinghouse:

1) The case should be considered " grandfathered" because it predates the three cases specifi-cally mentioned in the November 14, 1977 memorandum to the President -- XSNM-510 had already been issued in November 1977, where-as the three cases cited in the 1977 memo were pending license applications.
2) We are unaware of any intention on the part af the President to tascind or otherwise re-E strict existing licenses for the export of i

plutonium for mutually acceptable purposes to countries with appropriate non-prolifera-tion credentials.

1236 006

~

7 910 3 0 0 +o 6

2:

'._Z q-e_ 155 nr

-[

3) Extension of license.SNM-510 to permit

~1 export of the remaining plutonium should

- - ~

not in our view be construed as entering

'Z into a new commitment.

4) The extension, therefore, should not be treated as an exception to the Preside.;'s pluton.um export policy, but rather con-siderea as falling within the guidelines of that pclicy.
5) The balance of material remaining to be exrorted under license XSNM-510, although slightly in excess of one kilogram, is but a small percentage of the amount of plutonium originally authorized for e : Port under this license.

I hope that the foregoing will be helpful to the Commission in its review of the extension request.

Sincerely, cw Ah

(

w L y s '.,y o se n z A s2s ant / Secretary

. = _.

-me a

een E

((

i236 007

,