An employee of the Deutsche Kraftwerksunion (KWU) writes to Klaus Barthelt, the Chairman of the Board, about enrichment negotiations with the Soviet Union in the context of an upcoming meeting with the President of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. The author also describes a meeting with another Iranian official who described Tehran's annoyance with France.
September 9, 1974
Letter, Klaus Barthelt, Chairman of the Board of KWU, to State Secretary Detlev Rohwedder, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs
This document was made possible with support from Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY)
Klaus Barthelt[1]
Chairman of the Board of the Deutsche Kraftwerksunion[2] [KWU]
Hammerbacherstr. 12-14
8520 Erlangen
Telefon 09131/182700
9 September 1974
Mr. State Secretary
Dr. Detlev Rohwedder[3]
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs
5300 Bonn-Duisdorf
Villemomblerstr. 76
Dear Mr. Dr Rohwedder!
In context of he upcoming visit of Mr. Dr. Etemad[4], Iran, at the end of this month I humbly submit you the attached KWU notes respectively letters[5]. I might want to mention that the Siemens representation in Iran is doubling as our KWU representation there.
The Dr. Arabian mentioned in the internal note is someone like the right-hand man of Mr. Dr. Etemad whom I know well from the negotiations in Tehran. Although I am obviously delighted by his very positive report concerning the status of the project, I still want to add that, according to my overall life experience, this report is also somewhat unsettling me in particular because of his very positive content. Usually the developments at that stage, where the project Nuclear Power Plant Iran currently is, are not this favorable; especially not so, if I can compare with country experiences in Iran I was able to gain on site some years ago. Nonetheless: This is the report from Dr. Arabian, which regarding its positive content is confirmed by the impressions of our men, who in the context of submitting our offer were present in Tehran some weeks ago.
Regarding the project it can be said that our men have negotiated successfully in Moscow and reached an agreement that we will receive in the years 1976 to 1978, with our procurement of the required natural uranium, enriched uranium with about 390 tons separative work units. This is sufficient for the first fuel element initial stockings of either a 1200 Megawatt nuclear power plant or two 600 Megawatt nuclear power plants.
As you probably know, the French have conceded a pricing review of their price in their talks with the Iranians. In order to achieve equal opportunity with the pricing declaration submitted by the French, we did select after intensive deliberation to include the following statement in the offer, which is attached to this letter as another appendix.[6] This was welcomed by Dr. Etemad but he also stated his request to address this complex again during his visit to Bonn, in order to receive from your Ministry an according reassurance.
When selecting the attached phrasing, we acted in particular based on the consideration of the fact that this is not an official state pricing review. We were acting from the understanding that this review can be undertaken by the pricing supervisor office in Ansbach, which is in charge of the Erlangen area. I would be grateful to you if you could in the meantime arrange a review of this option, so that during the visit of Mr. Dr. Etemad the expected confirmation can be provided from your side.
Furthermore, I hope that you are in possession of the report by Mr. Dr. Gerhardt from the German Embassy in Tehran. After a meeting with Mr. Dr. Etemad he had also reported that apparently the Shah has received sympathetically the positive report by Dr. Etemad regarding our offer.
Have again very cordial thanks for all the support you have provided us so far. For reasons of employing people, we would be extraordinary grateful and pleased if the Iranian project would be met with success; and especially so, because here we are dealing with an extremely exceptional case of a project that does not come with the need for necessary funding from the side of the Federal Republic.
With very friendly greetings,
Your
[signed K. Barthelt]
Appendixes[7]
[1] Klaus Barthelt (1926-2008).
[2] Deutsche Kraftwerksunion (“German Power Plant Union”). Subsidiary of Siemens and AEG Corporations for nuclear power plant construction.
[3] 1923-1991. State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs 1969 to 1978.
[4]Akbar Etemad (born 1930). President of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) 1974 to 1979.
[5] Not part of this document.
[6] Not part of the document.
[7] Not part of the document.
This is a letter anticipating Rohwedder's visit with Dr. Etemad in Iran and gives a brief of what to discuss.
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