Document on modernization of Arak heavy water reactor released
November 22, 2015 - 0:0
The document for reconfiguring the Arak heavy water reactor, which is signed by the foreign ministers of the 5+1 group as well as the European Union foreign policy chief, was published on Saturday.
The full text of the document is as follows:OFFICIAL DOCUMENT
AMONG
THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, THE REPUBLIC OF FRANCE, THE
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY, THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, THE UNITED
KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND, AND THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA TOGETHER WITH THE HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY
AND
THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
FOR COLLABORATION IN FURTHERANCE OF
THE PROJECT FOR MODERNIZATION OF
THE REACTOR AT ARAK
The People’s Republic of China, the Republic of France, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America, together with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, hereinafter ‘the E3/EU+3’, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, together, ‘the Participants,’
RECALLING the E3/EU+3’s and Iran’s strong commitment in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to the redesign and reconstruction of a modernized Arak heavy water research reactor (the Arak modernization project),
FURTHER RECALLING Iran’s commitment in the JCPOA to have responsibility for overall implementation of the Arak modernization project and the E3/EU+3’s commitment in the JCPOA to assume responsibilities regarding the modernization project and to provide assistance needed by Iran for redesigning and rebuilding the reactor,
WELCOMING the Joint Statement of Intent by China, Iran, and the United States of October 18, 2015,
DESIRING to establish a framework that reflects their strong commitment to the modernization project,
REAFFIRMING their shared objective of providing an assured path forward for the modernization project, thereby instilling confidence that the modernization project should commence without delay,
Confirm the following commitments:
1. Iran will take the leadership role as the owner and as the project manager and have responsibility for development of a schedule and overall implementation of the Arak modernization project. The Arak modernization project will encompass a wide range of activities that include, but are not limited to, overall implementation efforts, design of the modernized reactor and subsidiary laboratories, fuel fabrication and qualification, application for and issuance of licenses, and construction and operation of the reactor and subsidiary laboratories.
2. The E3/EU+3 will engage in a range of collaborative activities in support of the Arak modernization project, in a Working Group to Support the Project for Modernization of the Reactor at Arak, which will be established in a Memorandum of Understanding among the E3/EU+3 (MOU), following consultations with Iran. Such collaborative activities will include, inter alia, reactor design, fuel development and fabrication, safety, reactor component procurement and fabrication, and spent fuel management, as specified in the MOU.
3. The Working Group participants commit to provide assistance, consistent with their respective national laws, for redesigning and rebuilding the Arak reactor and subsidiary laboratories as follows:
a. China will participate in the design and construction of the modernized reactor, including in areas such as reactor design engineering, engineering technology services, supply of equipment, and fabrication of fuel for the initial core load, based on commercial arrangements. China is a co-Chair of the E3/EU+3 Working Group.
b. The United States will provide technical support and review of the modernized reactor design, as well as analysis of fuel design and safety standards, to ensure it conforms with the key attributes and characteristics of the modernized reactor as set forth in the JCPOA. The United States is a co-Chair of the E3/EU+3 Working Group.
c. France will participate in design review, supply of equipment based on commercial arrangements, and receipt and handling of spent fuel through commercial arrangements.
d. The United Kingdom will participate in design review, training on safety and security, and supply of equipment based on commercial arrangements.
e. Germany will participate in design review, the feasibility study, and supply of equipment based on commercial arrangements.
f. Russia will provide consultative service, provided the availability of the necessary expertise and upon request of the co-Chairs of the E3/EU+3 Working Group.
g. The High Representative of the European Union, as the coordinator of the Joint Commission, will facilitate the approval process of relevant designs and, if needed, of relevant equipment exports for the modernization project.
4. An international partnership composed of Iran and the Working Group will implement the Arak modernization project, China and the United States, as co-Chairs of the
E3IEU+3 Working Group, are responsible for ensuring coordination of the Working Group, facilitating a prompt response by the Working Group to requests for assistance from Iran, including consolidated responses in the area of design review, and serving as the primary interface on behalf of the Working Group with the Joint Commission and the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). As the primary liaison between the E3/EU+3 Working Group and Iran, China will facilitate communication between Iran and
the Working Group in the course of the implementation of the Arak modernization project.
5. Iran will develop and share as soon as possible with the E3/EU+3 Working Group its five-year schedule, including major milestones. The Working Group will promptly review Iran’s schedule and share its view with Iran.
6. The E3/EU+3 and Iran express their firm commitment to cooperate to develop the final design of the modernized reactor and subsequently the final design of the subsidiary laboratories, in preparation for submitting the final design of the modernized reactor and the final design of the subsidiary laboratories to the Joint Commission for review and endorsement prior to construction. The Joint Commission will aim to complete its review and endorsement within three months after the submission of the final design. In this regard, the E3/EU+3 and Iran intend to make all reasonable efforts to ensure that the final design of the modernized reactor and the final design of the subsidiary laboratories as submitted to the Joint Commission clearly meet the criteria set forth in the JCPOA, with the aim of facilitating the Joint Commission’s prompt review and endorsement as envisioned in the JCPOA.
7. Disputes or concerns regarding the implementation of this Official Document, including claims of non-performance or undue delays by any Participant with respect to its commitments, may be referred to the Joint Commission for discussion and resolution in accordance with the JCPOA.
8. Nothing in this Official Document modifies or alters the JCPOA in any way. In the event of a conflict between this Official Document and the JCPOA, the JCPOA prevails.
9. This Official Document becomes effective on the date the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy has received from each Participant a copy of this Official Document with an original signature for that Participant. It is not necessary that the signatures for all Participants appear together on one original document. The High Representative intends to inform all Participants of the effective date of this Official Document and to provide each Participant a certified copy of this Official Document with the signature of each Participant.
Signed in the English language.