U.S. Department of State

   

The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Chile, hereinafter the "Participants,"

AFFIRMING their strong support for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons done at Washington, London, and Moscow July I, 1968 (NPT), and for the safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), including the Additional Protocol to IAEA comprehensive safeguards agreements (INFCIRCs 153 and 540, respectively);

AFFIRMING also their strong support for the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, done in Mexico City on February 14, 1967;

NOTING the potential contribution of nuclear energy to a wide variety of human development needs in such areas as energy, industry, health, agriculture, and water;

RECOGNIZING the need to address challenges of growing energy needs facing both Participants' countries, as well as the broader international community, in a manner that contributes to reducing the harmful effects of greenhouse gases on the global climate;

RECOGNIZING also the need to consider an appropriate mix of environmentally safe and secure sources of energy to meet the needs of their respective countries' populations;

RECOGNIZING the inalienable right of the Parties to the NPT to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with Articles I and II of the NPT, as well as the importance of the safeguards required by Article III of the NPT in this regard;

ACKNOWLEDGING that, while the Government of the Republic of Chile has not made a decision on whether to pursue nuclear power, it has determined that it must fully inform itself on all aspects of doing so in a responsible manner, and in conformity with the highest standards of safety, security and nonproliferation, and by adhering to the relevant Conventions in these areas;

UNDERSCORING the shared commitment of both Participants to preventing nuclear proliferation and to strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime;

TAKING note of both Participants' commitment to the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources;

RECALLING participation by the Government of the Republic of Chile in the Nuclear Security Summit hosted by the United States in Washington DC on April 12-13, 2010 and its subsequent decision to host a regional nuclear security seminar in May 2011;

WELCOMING the intent of the Government of the Republic of Chile, in the event nuclear fuel is required in the future, to rely exclusively on the international nuclear fuel service market and IAEA-endorsed nuclear supply mechanisms, and the intent of the Government of the United States of America to support international markets in order to ensure reliable fuel supplies;

ACKNOWLEDGING their common responsibility to fulfill the requirements of relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions, including Resolution 1540;

HA VB REACHED THE FOLLOWING UNDERSTANDING:

(1) The Participants intend to cooperate, subject to their respective national laws, regulations, and within the limits of available resources, in the following areas:

• development of Chile's peaceful uses of nuclear energy in a manner that contributes to global efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation and that promotes nuclear safety and security;
• cooperation in the areas of operation and utilization of nuclear research reactors, including training in the area of fuel design and calculation of compact cores and the taking of such measures as are feasible to facilitate the provision of the low enriched uranium necessary to produce the research reactor fuel;
• civilian nuclear training, human resource and infrastructure development, in accordance with evolving IAEA guidance and standards;
• application of radioisotopes and radiation In, inter alia, industry, health, agriculture, and water;
• radiation protection and management of radioactive waste and spent fuel;
• nuclear safety, security, safeguards and nonproliferation, including physical protection, export control and border security; and
• other areas of cooperation as may be determined by the Participants.

(2) The cooperation may be undertaken in the following forms :

• exchange of scientific and technical information and documentation;
• exchange and training of personnel;
• organization of symposia, seminars, and workshops;
• provision of relevant technical assistance and services; and
• other forms of cooperation as may be mutually determined by the Participants.

(3) As appropriate, the details of specific cooperative activities may be set out in implementing arrangements and work plans developed by the Participants and Agencies of the Participants.

Signed at Santiago, Chile this eighteenth day of March, 2011, in duplicate, in the English and Spanish languages.

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHILE