US-VIETNAM RELATIONS

United States Nuclear Cooperation with Vietnam Fact Sheet

June 25, 2008

The United States and Vietnam cooperate to enhance global nuclear non-proliferation efforts while supporting the development of a civil nuclear power sector in Vietnam.

In an Arrangement for exchange of information and cooperation in nuclear safety matters signed June 25, 2008 by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety & Control (VARANSAC), the two countries agreed to:

• Exchange information for the regulation of safety of nuclear reactors;
• Provide training for VARANSAC personnel (based upon the availability of resources);
• Provide an opportunity for Vietnam to strengthen its nuclear regulatory infrastructure; and
• Develop VARANSAC's capacity to serve as an independent regulatory body, as required by the Convention on Nuclear Safety, to which Vietnam is a signatory.

The Arrangement provides an opportunity for Vietnam to strengthen its nuclear regulatory structure and develops VARANSAC’s capacity to serve as an independent regulatory body, as required by the Convention on Nuclear Safety, to which Vietnam is a signatory. This agreement builds upon ongoing cooperation to promote nuclear non-proliferation and to increase Vietnam’s nuclear safety and security capacity.

• In September 2007, the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) assisted Vietnam to convert its only civilian research reactor from highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel, and return nearly 10 pounds of remaining highly enriched fresh fuel to Russia. The United States and Vietnam continue to discuss additional conversion work and the return of spent HEU to Russia.
• The USG has provided a $500,000 grant for joint nuclear research via the International Atomic Energy Agency and is working with the GVN to improve security at the Dalat nuclear facility.
• On August 20, 2007, DOE/NNSA and the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology signed an agreement to facilitate a sister laboratory cooperation program, under which U.S. technical experts collaborate with Vietnamese counterparts on applications such as radiation protection; health physics; reactor operations; emergency planning and response; low-level radioactive waste management; environment, safety and health; and nuclear medicine.
• DOE/NNSA and the NRC provided technical assistance to Vietnamese drafters of the new Atomic Energy Law passed in June 2008.
• The U.S. Trade Development Agency will host an orientation visit for Vietnamese nuclear experts and officials this fall.
• The United States and the 20 additional partner countries of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), which seeks the safe and secure expansion of civilian nuclear energy while at the same time reducing the risk of nuclear proliferation, unanimously agreed to welcome Vietnam to join GNEP as a valued GNEP partner.