[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 37 (Thursday, February 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 9324]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4709]



[[Page 9324]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Office of Arms Control and Nonproliferation Policy; Proposed 
Subsequent Arrangement

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Subsequent arrangement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice is being issued under the authority of Section 131 
of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2160). The 
Department is providing notice of a proposed ``subsequent arrangement'' 
under the Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear 
Energy between the United States of America and the European Atomic 
Energy Community (EURATOM).
    This subsequent arrangement involves United States advance consent 
for retransfer from EURATOM to Switzerland of U.S.-obligated plutonium 
recovered from Swiss spent fuel. The U.S. is designating Switzerland as 
a country eligible to receive retransfers of US-obligated plutonium 
from EURATOM to Switzerland as referred to in Article 8.1(C)(iii) and 
paragraph B(3) of the Agreed Minute to the Agreement. Subsequent to 
this designation, Switzerland will be able to receive retransfers of 
certain US-obligated plutonium, including plutonium contained in mixed 
oxide (MOX) fuel, from EURATOM on an advance, long-term basis. This 
subsequent arrangement applies both to US-obligated plutonium recovered 
from Swiss spent fuel that has been transferred to EURATOM for 
reprocessing pursuant to previous U.S.-Switzerland agreements for 
peaceful nuclear cooperation and U.S.-obligated plutonium recovered 
from Swiss spent fuel that may be transferred to EURATOM for 
reprocessing under the new U.S.-Switzerland Agreement signed October 
31, 1997.
    In Agreed Minute paragraph (D) of the Agreement for Co-operation 
Between the Government of the United States of America and the Swiss 
Federal Council Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, signed at 
Bern on October 31, 1997 (H. Doc. 105-184, January 28, 1998), the 
United States agreed to approve such retransfers from EURATOM to 
Switzerland on an advance, long-term basis.
    Under section 131(b) of the Atomic Energy Act, and in connection 
with the President's submission of the U.S.-Switzerland Agreement for 
Cooperation to Congress for review under section 123 (b)&(d) of the 
Atomic Energy Act (H. Doc. 105-184), the Secretary of Energy provided 
Congress with a report stating, inter alia, his reasons for entering 
into this subsequent arrangement and determined (memorandum dated 
September 5, 1997) that it will not be inimical to the common defense 
and security and will not result in a significant increase in the risk 
of proliferation beyond that which exists now, or which existed at the 
time approval was requested.
    This subsequent arrangement will take effect no sooner than fifteen 
days after the date of publication of this notice.

    Dated: February 19, 1999.

    For the Department of Energy.
Edward T. Fei,
Deputy Director, International Policy and Analysis Division, Office of 
Arms Control and Nonproliferation.
[FR Doc. 99-4709 Filed 2-24-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P