    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
    [January 22, 2008]
    [Pages 103-104]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Congress Transmitting the Turkey-United States Agreement
    Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy
    January 22, 2008

    To the Congress of the United States:
        I 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),(d))(the
    ``Act''), the text of the proposed Agreement for Cooperation between the
    United States of America and the Republic of Turkey Concerning Peaceful
    Uses of Nuclear Energy (the ``Agreement'') together with a copy of the
    unclassified Nuclear Proliferation Assessment Statement (NPAS) and of my
    approval of the proposed Agreement and determination that the proposed
    Agreement will promote, and will not constitute an unreasonable risk to,
    the common defense and security. The Secretary of State will submit the
    classified NPAS and accompanying annexes separately in appropriate
    secure channels.
        The Agreement was signed on July 26, 2000, and President Clinton
    approved and authorized execution and made the determinations required
    by section 123 b. of the Act (Presidential Determination 2000-26, 65 FR
    44403 (July 18, 2000)). However, immediately after signature, U.S.
    agencies received information that called into question the conclusions
    that had been drawn in the required NPAS and the original classified
    annex, specifically, information implicating Turkish private entities in
    certain activities directly relating to nuclear proliferation.
    Consequently, the Agreement was not

    [[Page 104]]

    submitted to the Congress and the executive branch undertook a review of
    the NPAS evaluation.
        My Administration has completed the NPAS review as well as an
    evaluation of actions taken by the Turkish government to address the
    proliferation activities of certain Turkish entities (once officials of
    the U.S. Government brought them to the Turkish government's attention).
    The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Energy, and the members of the
    Nuclear Regulatory Commission are confident that the pertinent issues
    have been sufficiently resolved and that there is a sufficient basis (as
    set forth in the classified annexes, which will be transmitted
    separately by the Secretary of State) to proceed with congressional
    review of the Agreement and, if legislation is not enacted to disapprove
    it, to bring the Agreement into force.
        In my judgment, entry into force of the Agreement will serve as a
    strong incentive for Turkey to continue its support for nonproliferation
    objectives and enact future sound nonproliferation policies and
    practices. It will also promote closer political and economic ties with
    a NATO ally, and provide the necessary legal framework for U.S. industry
    to make nuclear exports to Turkey's planned civil nuclear sector.
        This transmittal shall constitute a submittal for purposes of both
    section 123 b. and 123 d. of the Act. My Administration is prepared to
    begin immediate consultations with the Senate Foreign Relations
    Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee as provided in section
    123 b. Upon completion of the period of 30 days of continuous session
    provided for in section 123 b., the period of 60 days of continuous
    session provided for in section 123 d. shall commence.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     January 22, 2008.

    Note: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    January 23. The related Presidential determination of January 22 is
    listed in Appendix D at the end of this volume.