[House Document 106-84]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



106th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 106-84
_______________________________________________________________________

 
                    THE TEXT OF A PROPOSED PROTOCOL

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

THE TEXT OF A PROPOSED PROTOCOL AMENDING THE AGREEMENT FOR COOPERATION 
  CONCERNING CIVIL USES OF ATOMIC ENERGY BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE 
  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA SIGNED AT 
  WASHINGTON ON JUNE 15, 1955, AS AMENDED, PURSUANT TO 42 U.S.C. 2153(b)




    June 25, 1999.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the 
    Committee on International Relations and ordered to be printed.

                               __________

                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
69-011                     WASHINGTON : 1999

To the Congress of the United States:
    I am pleased to transmit to the Congress, pursuant to 
sections 123 b. and 123 d. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as 
amended (42 U.S.C. 2153(b) and (d)), the text of a proposed 
Protocol Amending the Agreement for Cooperation Concerning 
Civil Uses of Atomic Energy Between the Government of the 
United States of America and the Government of Canada signed at 
Washington on June 15, 1955, as amended. I am also pleased to 
transmit my written approval, authorization, and determination 
concerning the Protocol, and an unclassified Nuclear 
Proliferation Assessment Statement (NPAS) concerning the 
Protocol. (In accordance with section 123 of the Act, as 
amended by Title XII of the Foreign Affairs Reform and 
Restructuring Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-277), I have 
submitted to the Congress under separate cover a classified 
annex to the NPAS, prepared in consultation with the Director 
of Central Intelligence, summarizing relevant classified 
information.) The joint memorandum submitted to me by the 
Secretary of State and the Secretary of Energy and a letter 
from the Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission stating 
the views of the Commission are also enclosed.
    The proposed Protocol has been negotiated in accordance 
with the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and other 
applicable law. In my judgment, it meets all statutory 
requirements and will advance the nonproliferation and other 
foreign policy interests of the United States.
    The Protocol amends the Agreement for Cooperation 
Concerning Civil Uses of Atomic Energy Between the Government 
of the United States of America and the Government of Canada in 
two respects:
    1. It extends the Agreement, which would otherwise expire 
by its terms on January 1, 2000, for an additional period of 30 
years, with the provision for automatic extensions thereafter 
in increments of 5 years each unless either Party gives timely 
notice to terminate the Agreement; and
    2. It updates certain provisions of the Agreement relating 
to the physical protection of materials subject to the 
Agreement.
    The Agreement itself was last amended on April 23, 1980, to 
bring it into conformity with all requirements of the Atomic 
Energy Act and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978. As 
amended by the proposed Protocol, it will continue to meet all 
requirements of U.S. law.
    Canada ranks among the closest and most important U.S. 
partners in civil nuclear cooperation, with ties dating back to 
the early days of the Atoms for Peace program. Canada is also 
in the forefront of countries supporting international efforts 
to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons to additional 
countries. It is a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation 
of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and has an agreement with the IAEA for 
the application of full-scope safeguards to its nuclear 
program. It also subscribes to the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) 
Guidelines, which set forth standards for the responsible 
export of nuclear commodities for peaceful use, and to the 
Zangger (NPT Exporters) Committee Guidelines, which oblige 
members to require the application of IAEA safeguards on 
nuclear exports to nonnuclear weapon states. It is a party to 
the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, 
whereby it has agreed to apply international standards of 
physical protection to the storage and transport of nuclear 
material under its jurisdiction or control.
    Continued close cooperation with Canada in the peaceful 
uses of nuclear energy, under the long-term extension of the 
U.S.-Canada Agreement for Cooperation provided for in the 
proposed Protocol, will serve important U.S. national security, 
foreign policy, and commercial interests.
    I have considered the views and recommendations of the 
interested agencies in reviewing the proposed Protocol and have 
determined that its performance will promote, and will not 
constitute an unreasonable risk to, the common defense and 
security. Accordingly, I have approved the Protocol and 
authorized its execution and urge that the Congress give it 
favorable consideration.
    This transmission shall constitute a submittal for purposes 
of both sections 123 b. and 123 d. of the Atomic Energy Act. My 
Administration is prepared to begin immediate consultations 
with the Senate Foreign Relations and House International 
Relations Committees as provided in section 123 b. Upon 
completion of the 30-day continuous session period provided for 
in section 123b., the 60-day continuous session period provided 
for in section 123 d. shall commence.

                                                William J. Clinton.
    The White House, June 24, 1999.
      
    
    
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