[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 43 (Monday, October 29, 2001)]
[Pages 1546-1547]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Congress Transmitting a Protocol to the Morocco-United 
States Treaty on the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy

October 24, 2001

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), (d)) (the <gr-thn-eq>Act<gr-thn-eq>), the text of a proposed 
Protocol Amending the Agreement for Cooperation Between the Government 
of the United States of America and the Government of the Kingdom of 
Morocco Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy signed at Washington 
on May 30, 1980. 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), a classified Annex to the NPAS, prepared 
by the Secretary of State in consultation with the Director of Central 
Intelligence, summarizing relevant classified informa-tion, will be 
submitted to the Congress separately.) 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.
    I am informed that the proposed Protocol has been negotiated to be 
in accordance with

[[Page 1547]]

the Act and other applicable law, to meet all statutory requirements, 
and to advance the nonproliferation and other foreign policy interests 
of the United States.
    The Protocol amends the Agreement for Cooperation Between the 
Government of the United States of America and the Government of the 
Kingdom of Morocco Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy in two 
respects:
    1. It extends the Agreement, which expired by its terms on May 16, 
2001, for an additional period of 20 years, with a 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 nuclear material subject to the Agreement.
    As amended by the proposed Protocol, I am informed that the 
Agreement will continue to meet all requirements of U.S. law.
    Morocco is in the early stages of developing a nuclear research 
program, with support from the United States and the International 
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The United States firm, General Atomics, is 
currently building the country's first reactor, a small (2 megawatt) 
TRIGA Mark II research reactor that will use low-enriched uranium fuel. 
General Atomics' completion of the project cannot occur without an 
Agreement for Cooperation in force.
    Morocco 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. Morocco is a signatory to 
(but has not yet ratified) the Convention on the Physical Protection of 
Nuclear Material, which establishes international standards of physical 
protection for the storage and transport of nuclear material.
    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 immediately the consultations with the Senate 
Foreign Relations Committee and House International Relations Committee 
as provided in section 123 b. Upon completion of the 30-day continuous 
session period provided for in section 123 b., the 60-day continuous 
session period provided for in section 123 d. shall commence.
                                                George W. Bush
The White House,
October 24, 2001.

Note: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
October 25. An original was not available for verification of the 
content of this message.