![Keep Us Strong](../../../static/gfx/ja-cg.jpg)
![WikiLeaks logo](../../../static/gfx/WL_Hour_Glass_small.png)
Currently released so far... 3954 / 251,287
Articles
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Amsterdam
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Browse by tag
AF
AM
AE
AG
AR
ASEC
AS
AU
AORC
AJ
AMGT
AGMT
AFIN
APER
ABUD
ATRN
AEMR
ACOA
AEC
AO
AX
AMED
ADCO
AODE
AFFAIRS
AC
AL
ASIG
ABLD
AA
AFU
ASUP
AROC
ATFN
CH
CE
CA
CASC
CU
CLINTON
CO
CI
CVIS
CDG
CIA
CACM
CDB
CS
CBW
CD
CV
CMGT
CJAN
CG
CF
CN
CAN
COUNTER
CIS
CM
CONDOLEEZZA
COE
CR
CY
CTM
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CPAS
CWC
CT
CKGR
CB
CACS
COM
CJUS
CARSON
COUNTERTERRORISM
EUN
EG
EAID
ENRG
ETTC
EFIN
ECON
ETRD
EPET
EINV
EMIN
ECIP
ECPS
EINDETRD
EAGR
EU
EN
EZ
ELAB
ER
ET
ES
EUC
EI
EAIR
EIND
EWWT
ELTN
EREL
ECIN
EFIS
EINT
EC
ENVR
ECA
EXTERNAL
EINVETC
ENIV
EINN
ENGR
EUR
ESA
ENERG
EK
ELECTIONS
ECUN
EINVEFIN
IR
IS
IZ
INRB
IAEA
IN
IT
ID
IO
IV
ICTY
IQ
ICAO
INTERPOL
IPR
IRAJ
INRA
INRO
IC
IIP
ITPHUM
IWC
ISRAELI
IRAQI
ICRC
IMO
IF
ILC
IEFIN
INTELSAT
IL
IA
IBRD
IMF
ITALY
ITALIAN
KCOR
KDEM
KNNP
KU
KWBG
KPAL
KN
KS
KZ
KAWK
KISL
KPAO
KCRM
KJUS
KSEC
KIPR
KGHG
KIFR
KTFN
KDRG
KV
KSUM
KWAC
KAWC
KDEMAF
KFIN
KGIC
KTIP
KOMC
KHLS
KSPR
KGCC
KPIN
KG
KBIO
KHIV
KSCA
KE
KFRD
KPKO
KNUC
KMDR
KPLS
KOLY
KUNR
KIRF
KIRC
KACT
KRAD
KCOM
KMCA
KHDP
KVPR
KDEV
KWMN
KTIA
KPRP
KCIP
KCFE
KOCI
KTDB
KMRS
KLIG
KBCT
KICC
KGIT
KSTC
KPAK
KNEI
KSEP
KPOA
KFLU
KNUP
KNNPMNUC
KO
KTER
KHUM
KRFD
KBTR
KDDG
KWWMN
KFLO
KSAF
KBTS
KPRV
KMPI
KNPP
KNAR
KWMM
KERG
KTBT
KCRS
KRVC
KR
KPWR
KMIG
MOPS
MZ
MO
MNUC
MASS
MARR
MY
MEPP
MCAP
MA
MR
ML
MX
MIL
MTCRE
MPOS
MOPPS
MTCR
MAPP
MU
MG
MASC
MCC
MK
MTRE
MP
MDC
MAR
MEPI
MRCRE
MI
MT
MQADHAFI
MD
MAPS
MUCN
PREL
PTER
PGOV
PO
PHUM
PINS
PARM
PK
PINR
PINT
PBTS
PROP
PE
PL
PREF
POGOV
PINL
POL
PBIO
PSOE
PHSA
PKFK
PGOF
PARMS
PA
PM
PMIL
PTERE
PF
PALESTINIAN
PY
PGGV
PNR
POV
PAK
PAO
PFOR
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PNAT
PROV
PEL
PGOVE
POLINT
POLITICS
PEPR
PSI
PU
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PECON
SNAR
SA
SY
SOCI
STEINBERG
SP
SENV
SCUL
SF
SO
SR
SG
SW
SU
SL
SMIG
SN
SHUM
SZ
SYR
ST
SANC
SC
SAN
SIPRS
SK
SH
SI
UNSC
UP
UK
USEU
UG
UNMIK
UV
UZ
UY
UN
US
UNGA
UNO
USUN
UE
UNESCO
UAE
UNEP
USTR
UNHCR
UNDP
UNHRC
USAID
UNCHS
UNAUS
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 10WINDHOEK7, Namibia's Rossing Uranium -- A USG Evaluation
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #10WINDHOEK7.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
10WINDHOEK7 | 2010-01-25 15:03 | 2011-02-01 21:09 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Windhoek |
VZCZCXRO7060
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHWD #0007/01 0251507
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 251507Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0134
INFO SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0001
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 WINDHOEK 000007
SIPDIS
ISN FOR RMONGIELLO
AF/S FOR PGWYN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/01/25
TAGS: EMIN KNNP MNUC PARM TRGY ETTC IR WA
SUBJECT: Namibia's Rossing Uranium -- A USG Evaluation
REF: 09 WINDHOEK 348; 09 WINDHOEK 159 CLASSIFIED BY: Dennise Mathieu, Ambassador; REASON: 1.4(B), (E), (G)
------- Summary -------
¶1. (SBU) A combined National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and State Department team visited Rio Tinto's Rossing Uranium Mine and received a detailed briefing on the September 2009 theft of uranium oxide (reftel A), reviewed the company's mitigation measures to prevent future thefts, and discussed Rossing's compliance with UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) on Iran. The team was provided full access to Rossing's facilities and Rossing officials provided candid and detailed responses to the team's questions. The team focused most of its attention on Rossing's most vulnerable area, the Final Product Recovery (FPR) facility where the September 2009 incident occurred. The team came away encouraged that Rossing has taken the September 2009 theft very seriously; that the company has a detailed and well designed security plan to prevent future uranium thefts; and, that Rossing is fully compliant with U.S. laws and UNCSR requirements with regards to Iran. End Summary.
---------------- Visit Background ----------------
¶2. (SBU) Following the theft from Rossing Uranium of 170 kgs of U308 in September 2009, Rossing's Managing Director (MD) Mike Leech approached Ambassador Mathieu to seek USG assistance in evaluating Rossing's security environment (reftel A). In response, officials from the Department of Energy's (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Phil Robinson (DOE Headquarters), Mike Itamura (Sandia National Lab), and Doug Sweeney (Lawrence Livermore National Lab), as well as the State Department's Risa Mongiello from the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN), and Embassy Windhoek's econoff Frank DeParis, visited the Rossing Uranium Mine and Corporate Offices in Swakopmund, Namibia January 18-20. The team had access to the senior levels of Rossing's management xxxxxxxxxxxx. Team members were permitted to ask questions of any Rossing employee they encountered. While the team had full access to the Rossing Mine and downstream shipment (the rail and port) facilities used for product delivery, much attention was focused on security and access controls surrounding the Final Product Recovery (FPR) area where the September 2009 incident occurred.
------------------------ The September 2009 Theft ------------------------
3.(C) xxxxxxxxxxxx provided a detailed account of the September 2009 theft. Rossing employee xxxxxxxxxxxx and Rossing contractor xxxxxxxxxxxx who worked in Rossing's Final Product Recovery (FPR) area orchestrated the theft. FPR is where uranium impregnated solution is converted and packaged into final product (U3O8). According to xxxxxxxxxxxx, Namibian police (NAMPOL) initiated the illicit purchase with the goal of determining if uranium could be smuggled out of the mine. NAMPOL appears to have targeted Rossing employees (and presumably employees with access to the FPR) and offered them exorbitant amounts of money (several thousands of dollars per kilo) to purchase U3O8. WINDHOEK 00000007 002 OF 004
4.(C) The two employees exploited their knowledge of the various vulnerabilities within the FPR and elsewhere at the mine to perpetrate the theft. External access to the FPR was strictly controlled and physical security around the FPR area was generally adequate, but employees with access to the FPR were largely unmonitored and had free reign to all areas of the FPR. xxxxxxxxxxxx removed the finished U3O8 from a damaged finished product drum as they knew that controls on damaged drums were not as strict as on regular drums. Rossing senior management believes the drum was intentionally damaged to allow for the removal of the product. One or both then moved the "damaged drum" to an enclosed area within the FPR where there was no closed circuit TV (CCTV) supervision. Once in the unmonitored area, the U3O8 was scooped into individual plastic bags and transferred to a trash dumpster for removal.
5.(C) Thereafter, xxxxxxxxxxxx circumvented a number of controls on waste removal from the FPR. xxxxxxxxxxxx used a hauling truck to take the dumpster to Rossing's dump site. Neither Maasdorp nor Isaak were authorized to drive the hauling truck and the truck should never have entered or exited the FPR without a security escort. Furthermore, the two drove the hauling truck outside its normal schedule. Once the bags of U3O8 were "deposited" at Rossing's dump site, the material was largely unprotected and unsupervised as the dump is normally only used for disposing of Rossing's non-hazardous waste. xxxxxxxxxxxx , xxxxxxxxxxxx and/or perhaps their third partner xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx, picked up the bags from the dump site at a later date/time.
6.(C) Rossing's finished uranium oxide (U3O8) is packaged in steel drums which can hold a maximum of 485 kgs (gross weight including the drum). Average gross drum weight is around 420 kgs. The police caught the thieves when they attempted to sell 170 kgs (24 bags) of U308. xxxxxxxxxxxx acknowledged the thieves likely removed another 250 kgs which the company cannot account for, but the company and NAMPOL are still investigating. In theory, xxxxxxxxxxxx and xxxxxxxxxxxx could have returned the missing material back into the legitimate stock, but Rossing's CFO admitted that that was highly unlikely. Rossing has conducted a search of all likely sites where the material might have been stored on the mine site, but have yet to find any of the presumed missing material.
7.(C) Five other employees worked on the same FPR shift as xxxxxxxxxxxx and xxxxxxxxxxxx . The five have not been directly implicated and to date there is only circumstantial evidence to link them to the crime. Nevertheless, xxxxxxxxxxxx and xxxxxxxxxxxx believe the five likely had knowledge that something illicit was happening during their shifts at the FPR, and that some of the five (if not all) were likely complicit. In order for xxxxxxxxxxxx to have exploited so many vulnerabilities, others on shift would have had to have (at a minimum) witnessed their activity. Under Namibian labor law and mining union rules, Rossing cannot dismiss the five other shift employees without proof of wrongdoing. The five continue to work at the FPR but remain under close watch/investigation by both Rossing and the police. CCTV cameras should have caught some of xxxxxxxxxxxx activity and that of other shift workers who may have participated, but the two were caught three weeks after the material was removed. By the time of their arrest, the CCTV recording from the day of the theft had already been overwritten.
----------------------- The Security Evaluation -----------------------
¶8. (SBU) The combined USG team reviewed the security surrounding the entire lifecycle of Rossing's uranium business - from excavation of the ore to the port of Walvis Bay where containerized finished product is loaded on to ships for delivery to end customers (enrichment facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia). While the team reviewed the security features for the entire mine site and delivery chain, the team focused most of its WINDHOEK 00000007 003 OF 004 evaluation/assessment on the Final Product Recovery (FPR) facility. This FPR is where the final processing, packaging, and storage of uranium oxide (U3O8) occurs. Access to finished U3O8 is most readily accessible within the FPR, and thus the FPR is Rossing's most highly vulnerable site. The team received a full (escorted) tour of the FPR and observed (in addition to the processing) the security in place at the facility.
9.(SBU) Rossing management provided a full rundown of the actions the company has taken to prevent future U3O8 thefts. Rossing has conducted a thorough security audit using both Rio Tinto security experts and expertise from other mining companies including Anglogold Ashanti. The USG team was provided a copy of the results of the audit. The audit appeared very thorough and revealed 54 security findings which Rossing has already begun addressing through a security improvement action plan. Most of the findings were consistent (or in certain cases exceeded) what the DOE NNSA team observed. Rossing has contracted two security experts from DeBeers, one who oversees the security of the entire Rossing complex, while the other who has responsibility for FPR. Rossing has also contracted with a third individual to implement their security improvement action plan. CFO Carlson told the USG team that capital has been allocated for implementation of the plan and that he envisioned all upgrades would be in place by June or July 2010. Implemented and future upgrades include but are not limited to:
- Tightened access controls on the entire site and specifically the FPR
- Improved/increased use of biometrics (retinal scanners)
- Additional closed circuit TVs and CCTV storage media
- Physical segregation of drums (empty, filled, and damaged drums).
- Improved drum identification systems (bar codes, labels)
- Tamper-proof seals on finished drums
- Improved fencing and gates/access points
- New procedures for waste product removal
- Increased security training
- Intrusion detection system on perimeter fencing and at critical locations
10.(SBU) The DOE NNSA team provided Rossing a series of suggestions, many of which are captured within the Rossings security improvement plan. The team's recommendations emphasized policies and procedures, access control, physical security at the FPR, waste removal procedures, finished product controls, background checks on personnel, and implementation of vulnerability assessments. Rossing was pleased with the recommendations and did not ask many questions of the U.S. team regarding their suggested security changes. Rossing's primary response was that the presentation made it clear how intensely the company must focus on the issue of security in the future. When offered a chance for a similar team to review the implementation of Rossing's security improvements later this year, Rossing MD Mike Leech immediately accepted.
-------------------- The Iranian Catch 22 --------------------
11.(SBU) State (ISN) inquired about Rossing's awareness of the UNSCRs on Iran and about the government of Iran's 15 percent stake in Rossing through the Iran Foreign Investment Company (IFIC). Both the xxxxxxxxxxxx responded that they have engaged WINDHOEK 00000007 004 OF 004 with the Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy as well as U.S. government and private organizations (their customers) and believe that they are in full compliance with the UNSCRs. The CFO and MD explained that for the past two years, since the adoption of UNSCR 1803, Rossing has cut-off all financial payments and dividends to the IFIC because the Bank of Namibia (BoN) will not allow it. Currently, all Iranian dividends are sitting in a Namibian bank account controlled by Rossing (approximately USD $6 million), and appear on Rossing's financial statements as unpaid dividends. Even if the IFIC were granted access to open a local bank account to access their dividends - which the BoN has blocked - the BoN would prevent the IFIC from converting the Namibian dollar denominated dividends into hard currency for repatriation to Iran.
12.(SBU) Rossing expressed an interest in buying Iran's share in the company, but they are unable to do so because they are prohibited from transferring any funds to Iran. The CFO specifically requested guidance on how to deal with this issue because the legal advice they are receiving in Namibia has not been clear. The CFO also requested guidance on whether or not Rossing could accept an offer from Iran to provide Rossing with a free supply of sulfuric acid for the mine. Rossing would be obligated to pay the transportation cost of the acid. [NOTE: Iran has offered the sulfuric acid to Rossing because Iranian companies allegedly have "excess supply." END NOTE] Rossing has not yet responded and were strongly urged by the ISN rep not to take Iran up on their offer as it may cause further reputational risk. Rossing also inquired about whether or not there was anything preventing Iran from increasing its share in the company, and the U.S. team agreed to help find an answer. According to the CFO, the IFIC views increasing its share in Rossing as one way it can spend (claim) its dividends. Finally, xxxxxxxxxxxx and the xxxxxxxxxxxx reiterated that Rossing does not supply uranium product to Iran, that Iran has no off take rights, and that the IFIC stakeholder has not expressed (at least overtly to them) an interest in acquiring Rossing's uranium.
13.(SBU) Action Request: Rossing would be happy to rid itself of its Iranian stakeholder, as the IFIC stake always causes company difficulty when entering into sales contracts with customers. Rossing believes that current sanctions prevent them from buying the IFIC's stake in the company, since it would provide financial assistance to the GOI. Post requests information on whether there is way for Rossing (or another entity) to buy Iran's 15 percent stake in the company without violating existing U.S. laws and UNSCRs.
14.(SBU) Comment: Rossing's Senior Management was extremely open with the USG team about the September 2009 incident, and the lapses in its security. The USG team came away satisfied and very encouraged that Rossing is extremely serious about improving its security and that the actions taken (and the actions which remain to be implemented) will more than adequately address their most serious security threats. End Comment MATHIEU