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RANSAC Nuclear News, December 23, 2003 Compiled By: RANSAC Staff A. Announcements
 A. Announcements 1. New RANSAC Publication and Holiday Greetings An updated edition of �Statements Concerning Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction in Russia and the Former Soviet Union by Democratic Candidates for President in 2004� has been posted to RANSAC�s website, and can be found at: http://www.216.119.87.134/documents/demquotes122303update.pdf The document is cumulative with the previous October release, and contains statements made in recent years by seven of the nine contenders for the nomination of the Democratic ticket of the November 2004 presidential election. Especially of interest, the document contains a number of recent high-profile statements made by several of the candidates in speeches on their proposed national security and foreign policy strategies. It will serve as a useful, centralized resource in the period running up to the February primary elections. RANSAC Nuclear News will next publish on January 5, 2004. Our staff wishes you a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and a joyous, safe, and peaceful holiday season, wherever you are. Return to Menu B. Nuclear Cities Initiative 1. Russia's Secrets Still Attract Foreign Security Agents More than 70 embassy officers of the USA, Great Britain, France, Germany, China, Japan, Israel and other countries have visited Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region this year. Thirteen of them have been exposed as spies or suspected of links to foreign secret services. Lieutenant General Vladimir Bulavin, chief of the regional Federal Security Service (FSB), said this as he summed up his service's performance in 2003 at a press conference on Thursday. Foreign security agencies are, above all, interested in the nuclear center based in Sarov and a few defense complex enterprises, which design, produce and test new arms, said General Bulavin. The local FSB has focused on tracing and containing foreign agents' actions, said the general. Moreover, the general said the regional FSB had finished a years-long counter-intelligence operation, the results of which had been reported to the president. He promised to reveal the details later. Return to Menu C. Threat Reduction Expansion 1. A $20 million carrot to keep WMD scientists in Iraq Next month, the US State Department will launch a two-year, $20 million program to keep former Iraqi weapons scientists from selling their skills to terrorist groups or "rogue" nations. But have they already fled? "The problem with this is that it may be too little, too late," says Jonathan Tucker, a former UN weapons inspector and a senior researcher at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Key Iraqi scientists have already gone to Syria, Sudan, and other countries, he notes. Last month, it was reported that Dr. Modher Sadeq-Saba al-Tamini, who headed Saddam Hussein's long-range missile program, had fled to Iran. Modeled after a similar program launched in 1992 after the fall of the former Soviet Union, the new Iraqi International Center for Science and Industry (IICSI)is designed to keep scientists with knowledge in chemical, biological, and nuclear weaponry in Iraq, and to give them grant money to work in projects to rebuild the country. The retraining program marks a shift in approach (from stick to carrot) by the Bush administration, which immediately after the war detained and interrogated many of the scientists and professors suspected to be involved in weapons research. "What we don't want are people to be afraid of our program," said one State Department official in Baghdad. "It's not about catching people. It's about rebuilding the scientific and technological institutions in the country so they're useful." Eight months since the end of major combat, many say that the hundreds of Iraqi scientists formerly employed in the weapons industry are still unemployed. Before the war, many weapons experts warned that the collapse of the Iraqi government could create an emigration of scientists. But no effort was made until now to retain them, largely because the State Department wasn't allowed to intervene in Iraq while the Pentagon was conducting its hunt for these scientists. But even with money to dangle, the State Department faces a challenge. Many of those involved in weapons research were also members of the Baath Party who went into hiding after the regime fell, for fear of retribution. Others lost their jobs after the US ordered all high-ranking members of the Baath Party be removed from government jobs. The two major Iraq centers suspected of conducting weapons research - the former Atomic Energy Commission and the Military Industrial Commission - were both disbanded during the war, and top officials there were detained. Furthermore, the US says that Iraqi weapons research was conducted piecemeal in a variety of locations. This is unlike the former Soviet Union, where scientists were compartmentalized into weaponsmaking labs isolated from the rest of society. In Iraq, many weapons scientists were mixed in with the university and other industries. "It's hard to say who was involved. Out of a staff of 200, maybe two were involved in weaponsmaking, and they were only working on very specific parts of a weapon," says Dr. Mahmood Abdul Hussain, president of the Iraq's Commission of Technical Education, adding: "I don't know who they are." Most Iraqi university officials insist that Iraq never had significant unconventional weapons programs. "The US has wasted a lot of money on the bluff of Saddam Hussein. There's no background in doing weapons research here," says Abdul Mahdi Talib, the new dean of the College of Sciences at Baghdad University. "I know the people and the scientists and if they were of the caliber to make weapons. They were not." Nonetheless, Dr. Mahdi and other university scientists welcome the program. In January, officials will launch five initial programs including science workshops, seminars, meetings between US program officials and former WMD experts, and a desalination project to tackle Iraq's water problems. US officials also want to reach out to universities outside Baghdad, such as in Mosul and Basra. One aim is to link Iraqi scientists with the global scientific community after three decades of isolation. "The main thing is we have to connect the Iraqi scientific establishment with the international," says Raymond Zilinskas at the Monterey Institute. "They want to be respected by other scientists. These people don't want to go to Iran or North Korea if they can help it, because that's not where the good science is done." An expected 120 Iraqi scientists will initially be recruited for the programs. By comparison, the similar post-Soviet program funded 1,600 projects valued at $420 million and gave grants to 30,000 individuals between 1994 and 2002, according to the State Department. Return to Menu D. Russia-Iran 1. Iranian Businessmen Call on Russian Colleagues to Establish Cooperation in Nuclear Power Engineering Iranian businessmen have called on Russian colleagues to establish cooperation in nuclear power engineering and restoring the Iraqi economy, Saeed Aliaghi Hamoosh, president of the Iranian chamber of commerce, industry and mines, told a round-table of Russian and Iranian businessmen. "Although we use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, this causes indignation among some people. If Russia is prepared for cooperation in this field, Iran will give it priority," he said. The main object of cooperation in nuclear power engineering is the construction of the first power unit of the Bushehr nuclear power station. The cost of the contract is about $1 billion. The first unit is to be started up in 2005. He also favored Russian-Iranian cooperation in third countries. "We could start cooperating with Russia in restoring Iraq," he said. He called on Russian businessmen to more actively invest in the Iranian economy, in particular, in the free economic zone created in this country. Iranian legislation allows making 100-percent foreign investments and provides for the possibility of exporting profits from Iran, he said. Return to Menu 2. Russian firms become active in Iran Russian-Iranian trade turnover has increased 50 percent over the past five years, and it totaled $803m in 2002. In January-September 2003, the trade turnover rose to $1.007bn, it is said in the materials prepared for a meeting of the Russian-Iranian commission for economic and trade cooperation. Analysts say this is due to a rise in the activity of Russian companies on the Iranian market. Tehran assesses positively the prospects for the participation of Russian oil and gas companies in Iran's oil and gas projects. In particular, Gazprom, as part of an international consortium, continues developing the South Pars gas field project in Iran. More than 50bn cubic meters of gas have been produced there since the development of the field began. In addition, Gazprom's participation in building the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline is being considered. Other Russian companies also participate in the development of oil and gas field projects in Iran. So, one of Russia�s oil companies has implemented contracts on the geological exploration of a number of Iranian oil fields. Russian-Iranian nuclear energy cooperation continues. Despite pressure from the United States, Russia is building the Bushehr nuclear power station in Iran. The implementation of this project, estimated at $1bn, prepares conditions for further expansion of bilateral cooperation in the sphere of nuclear energy. Russia and Iran are interested in implementing joint investment projects, Yevgeny Primakov, the head of the Russian Commerce and Industry Chamber, said at a meeting of the bilateral trade and economic cooperation commission. He said that in his opinion, the most promising projects in Iran for Russian companies were projects in the following spheres: the modernization of metal companies, the development of the so-called North-South transport corridor, equipment supplies and the exploration of natural resources. Return to Menu 3. Russia upbeat with Iran`s signature on NPT protocol, Rumyantsev Russian Minister of Atomic Energy Alexander Rumyantsev said that Russia is pleased with the breakthrough Iran made with the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) by putting signature on the additional protocol to Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Speaking in an interview with IRNA, Rumyantsev said that Iran managed to put behind the international tension, so, Russia will remain Iran`s partner. Asked about the deal yet to be signed by the two countries over fuel supply for Bushehr power plant, Rumyantsev felt assured that it would be signed soon. "Russia had prepared a draft six months ago for the fuel deal to be signed by the two parties, but, Iran said it seeks an amendment to it. Russia agreed to consider Iran`s views about the deal later on," Rumyantsev said. "We need more time to study Iran`s proposals. Of course, we will sign a new agreement as soon as we reach a consensus. Currently, we are ready to sign the prepared one. So, extra coordination should be made to reach a new agreement," he said. IRNA reporter asked about Russian offer to build six nuclear power plants in Iran, Rumyantsev said that Russia made the offer to announce Russian technical capacity to launch such a project. Later, the topic was only reviewed at Tehran-Moscow joint economic commission, Rumyantsev said. "Head of Iran`s Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) Gholamreza Aghazadeh later declared Iran`s decision to generate 6,000 mega-watts electricity by setting up nuclear power plants in cooperation with international suppliers. Russia has announced to provide Iran with necessary technology to go ahead with the plan," the Russian minister said. "Russia will apply for the project, if Iran puts it to international tender," he said adding that Russia is looking for ratification of the protocol by Iranian legislature. Return to Menu 4. Iran Expects Soonest Return for Signing Additional Protocol to Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Iran calls on the European Union and the world community to fulfil obligations to the Islamic Republic, official spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Hamid Reza Asefi told a press conference on Sunday. "The foreign ministers of three European states /Germany, Great Britain and France/ promised Iran to develop cooperation and to provide it with advanced peaceful nuclear technologies during October talks in Tehran. These countries and the world community as a whole should fulfil their obligations," Asefi noted. "If Europe does not keep its promises the Islamic Republic will act in its on interests," the official spokesman added. Having signed the additional protocol to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, Tehran expects the West to keep its promises immediately. Meanwhile, the signature of the Iranian representative can be disavowed by the majlis /parliament/ or Ayatollah Ali Hoseini Khamanei if he considers the protocol contradicting Iran's national interests. Return to Menu E. Russia-Libya 1. Russia ready to cooperate with Libya in 'peaceful atom' Russia's Deputy Atomic Energy Minister Valery Govorukhin said on Tuesday Russia was ready to continue to develop cooperation with Libya in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Govorukhin was commenting on Tripoli's decision to open its programs on mass destruction and chemical weapons to the international community. The decision by the Libyan leadership "opens a new chapter in relations between Libya and the countries with high nuclear technologies," Govorukhin said. "Already today," he said, "Russia has formal grounds for the beginning of such cooperation. Libya, a signatory to the treaty on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, has already stated its readiness to sign a protocol on guarantees with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), within which framework this influential international organization could carry out "thorough and unexpected checks at all Libyan nuclear and chemical facilities," the deputy minister said. In the times of the Soviet Union, Libya began the construction of a nuclear power plant using a VVER-440 reactor. However, after the crash of a British airliner in Scotland and the imposition of sanctions against Libya by the United Nations, "the construction was stopped at the initial stage." Today, after IAEA has conducted inspections, and given Libya's interest in continuing cooperation, the Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy could consider the issue of resuming the construction of the nuclear power plant and placing on this country's coast a floating nuclear power plant manufactured in Russia, according to Govorukhin. Return to Menu F. Nuclear Industry 1. Russian Foreign Minister to Hold Talks in Brazil Russian foreign minister Igor Ivanov will meet Friday with his Brazilian counterpart Celso Amorim. Brazilian minister of development, industry and trade Luiz Fernando Furlan will later enter the negotiations. A joint statement will be adopted on results of the meeting. Promotion of trade and economic cooperation will be the main topic at the negotiations. Russian foreign ministry official spokesman Alexander Yakovenko told RIA Novosti that Brazil is "the second, after the US, trade and economic partner of Russia in the Western Hemisphere." The volume of Russo-Brazilian trade turnover for the nine months of this year has reached almost $1.5 billion and is likely to exceed the trade index of 2002 - 1.68 billion. "Unfortunately, bilateral trade is based on a narrow range of goods, in particular, on deliveries to Russia of foodstuffs," Yakovenko said. In his works, today the agenda includes not only volume increase, but also diversification of the range of bilateral trade, reduction of its growing disbalance. Moscow notes that the present state of bilateral economic relations does not fully meet the existing potential. The Brazilian leadership voiced its intention to increase in the coming three years trade turnover with Russia threefold up to $5 billion a year, which, in Moscow's opinion, is quite real. Russia wants to organize investment cooperation with Brazil in the field of energy, gas pipelines etc. Russia's energy ministry is working on the issue of participation by Russian enterprises in the program of Brazil's economy development, as well as on the creation in that country of joint production of gas-turbine units. The Russian Federation Energy Ministry intends to continue talks on cooperation in development of deposits, deep-water drilling on Brazil's shelf and on deliveries of drilling equipment. Russian companies voiced their readiness to take part in the modernization of Brazilian hydro electric power plants and deliveries of equipment for them. Cooperation in the field of nuclear energy is developing as well. Russian-submitted projects in the sphere of irrigation of agricultural lands in the state of Bahia, creation of an automobile producing enterprise in the state of Espirito Santo, and joint assemblage of buses and trolleys in Brazil are under consideration of the Brazilian side. Return to Menu G. Missile Defense 1. Russian Foreign Ministry on Japan's AMD initiative Every state has a right to address independently the problem of self-protection, spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Yakovenko said commenting on a decision of the Japanese government to implement their own anti-missile defense (AMD) system starting in 2007. According to Japanese officials, this decision has nothing to do with related studies that Japan and the USA have been conducting in this field since 1999. According to Yakovenko, Russia's position on AMD stipulates that regional security can be ensured by creating such non-strategic anti-missile defense systems that can be joined by any interested country and are based on concerted efforts, the official stressed. Return to Menu H. Russian Nuclear Forces 1. New Strategic System Topol-M Put On Combat Duty, Defense Minister Says Russia plans to continue perfecting both the up-to-date Topol-M system and the entire strategic nuclear component of its Armed Forces, said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov at the President's traditional conference with the members of the government in the Kremlin on Monday. The aim is "first of all to raise the quality and the efficiency of our nuclear triad," he said. The minister reported to the head of the state that a new regiment of the Strategic Rocket Forces' division, equipped with Topol-M systems, had entered on combat duty in the Saratov Region (Volga Area) on Sunday at 15:00, Moscow time. This is an ultra modern strategic system capable of carrying nuclear warheads, Ivanov said. Visiting the Saratov Region, continued the minister, I talked with the regiment's personnel and familiarized myself with the state of the military equipment. As Sergei Ivanov put it, he "came down under the ground," because the Topol-M system is a silo-based weapon. "This duty system meets all the requirements and criteria established by the Defense Ministry and the General Staff. The regiment is fully in a high state of readiness," the Defense Minister said. At the beginning of the next year, he added, he will be ready to report to the President about concrete trends in the development of the Russian strategic nuclear forces in 2004, both ground-based and of other types of deployment. Return to Menu 2. Russia Deploys Strategic Nuclear Missiles Russia has deployed another batch of state-of-the-art intercontinental nuclear missiles after a two-year break in the program caused by a funding shortage. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov inaugurated the new set of Topol-M missiles at the Tatishchevo missile base in the central Saratov region Sunday, describing them as a "21st-Century weapon" unrivaled in the world. "This is the most advanced state-of-the-art missile in the world," Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said in remarks broadcast by Russian television stations Monday. "Only such weapons can ensure and guarantee our sovereignty and security and make any attempts to put military pressure on Russia absolutely senseless." The Interfax-Military News Agency said six Topol-Ms were deployed Sunday. The first 10 such missiles entered duty in December 1998 and two more sets followed in the next two years. The military had planned to continue the deployment in regular installments in the next two years, but only got the fourth batch of Topol-Ms out on Sunday. The Topol-M missiles, capable of hitting targets more than more than 6,000 miles away, so far have been deployed in silos. Its mobile version, mounted on a heavy off-road vehicle, is set to become operational next year, the Strategic Missile Forces chief, Col.-Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov, said in televised remarks. The daily Izvestia said that the Topol-M lifts off faster than its predecessors and maneuvers in a way that makes it more difficult to spot and intercept. It is also capable of blasting off even after a nuclear explosion close to its silo, the newspaper reported. The Topol-Ms deployed so far have had single nuclear warheads, but it's planned to equip each missile with three individually targeted warheads, Izvestia said. However, the Topol-M's chief designer, Yuri Solomonov, told Izvestia that a severe money crunch had put the program in jeopardy. Budget allocations for making Topol-Ms next year were halved without consulting its makers, he said. If the government doesn't revise its course, "the year 2004, or the year 2005 at the latest, will be the last year when we will be able to carry out serial production of high-tech products for the military," Solomonov added. A subcontractor producing artificial fibers for the missile suspended production last year for several months because of a money shortage, and when it resumed work, its products were substandard for two months, Solomonov was quoted as saying. Such problems will persist and be exacerbated as 80 percent of equipment at Russian defense plants has served for more than 30 years, he added. "We are getting crumbs from the budget, which makes it impossible to modernize our production facilities," Solomonov said. As the Topol-M program faced difficulties, the military has sought to maintain nuclear parity with the United States by extending the lifetime of its Soviet-era missiles. Return to Menu 3. Russia to continue developing strategic nuclear forces Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov declared Monday the ambition to develop the country's strategic nuclear forces, particularly some advanced strategic missile systems, the Interfax news agency reported. "We will upgrade the Topol-M systems and the entire strategic nuclear component" to improve the quality and efficiency, the minister said at a meeting which President Vladimir Putin held with the participation of Cabinet members. The minister reported to Putin that a regiment, armed with Topol-M strategic missile systems, was put on duty Sunday in Russia's southwest region of Saratov. The system, with a payload of up to 1.2 tons, is "the most advanced strategic missile systems produced in Russia" and enables the "fully combat ready" regiment to "meet all the demands and criteria of the Defense Ministry," said Ivanov. The minister plans to inform the president about specific areas for developing Russia's nuclear forces in early 2004. Russia has started designing a new intercontinental ballistic missile with up to ten nuclear warheads, and will begin work next year on a new liquid-fuel missile, according to Interfax. The new missile is designed to has a payload of up to four tons, which is three times the payload of the solid-fuel Topol-M missile, a source from the Russian Armed Forces General Staff said. The new missile will be commissioned after 2009. Putin said at a conference at the Defense Ministry in early October that Russia stored dozens of UR-100H UTTH missiles capable of carrying several hundred nuclear warheads and defeating sophisticated missile defense systems. Although Russia and the United States promised to slash their deployed nuclear arsenals by about two-thirds by 2012 under the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT). The accord also allows the signatories to keep significant reserves of such missiles. Russia has made "a number of breakthroughs" in developing new 21st century weapons and will do everything to maintain the momentum, Putin said. Return to Menu 4. Russia Will Improve Strategic Nuclear Component of its Armed Forces, Says Defense Minister Russia plans to continue perfecting not only the Topol-M system (the most up-to-date strategic system), but also the entire strategic nuclear component of its Armed Forces, said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov at the traditional conference of the President with the members of the government in the Kremlin. The aim is "first of all to raise the quality and efficiency of our nuclear triad," he said. Return to Menu 5. Topol-M to remain on duty for decades � defense minister The Topol-M missile system is a weapon of the 21st century. The system will be on duty for decades and it will be upgraded, the same as other components of the Russian nuclear triad, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said at the ceremony for the fourth Topol-M regiment of the 60th division of the Russian Strategic Missile Troops on Sunday. �Only such weapons can provide for the national security and sovereignty, so any attempts to put pressure on us are senseless. We are giving preference to the national security rather than the foreign reaction, so we have been concentrating on the quality improvement of the strategic nuclear forces,� the minister said. Russia is putting new missile regiments on duty in strict compliance with agreements, �which it will not violate,� the minister said. The Russian Strategic Missile Troops will adopt a mobile Topol-M missile system in 2004, Troops Commander Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov said. Tests of the Topol-M missile system mounted on a chassis will be completed next year, and the system will be commissioned, he said. Return to Menu 6. "Topol-M" Missile Complex To Be Put On Alert Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov will participate in the ceremony of putting on alert of the missile complex "Topol-M" in the Saratov Region /Middle Volga/. This was disclosed by the press-service of the Strategic Purpose Rocket Forces. The tactical and technical characteristics of the "Topol-M" are much higher of the "Topol", which is currently in operation in the Russian Armed Forces. Huge power capacity of the new missile complex enables to increase the carrying load and thus its efficiency. "This new complex is planned to be operated from a mine as well as by mobile means," the press-service disclosed. In the course of the ceremony of putting the missile regiment on the alert Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov will hand the symbolic key for the military missile complex to the Commander of the regiment and will decorate distinguished servicemen with medals. Return to Menu 7. Mobile Missile Complexes "Topol-M" To Be Put Into Service In 2004 The decision concerning the putting into the military service of the modernized missile complexes "Topol-M" will be taken in 2004, Commander of the Strategic Purpose Missile Forces Nikolai Solovtsov said. In accordance with the state military plans the launching tests of the chassis-based missile complex "Topol-M" will be completed in 2004 and the decision to put into military service this missile complex will be taken the same year, he said. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov said in his turn that the "Topol-M" complex is the peak of the Russian scientific and construction idea. According to him, this missile complex represents the best characteristics of the Russian missile industry. "Thus, we have laid a strong and reliable basis of the Russian missile and nuclear shield," Sergey Ivanov said. The Russian Defense Minister and the Commander of the Strategic Purpose Missile Forces participated in the ceremony of putting on the alert of the missile regiment, operating the "Topol-M" complexes in Saratov region. Return to Menu 8. Sergey Ivanov: Nuclear Weapons Guarantee Russia's Security Nuclear weapons guarantee Russia's security, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov said. "Only this type of weapons can ensure Russia's sovereignty and national security," the Russian Defense Minister disclosed to journalists following the ceremony of putting on alert the regiment, which operates missile complex "Topol-M". "The further operation of the "Topol-M" from mines as well as by mobile means is Russia's task of a prior importance and the task is being fulfilled now at a full scale," Sergey Ivanov said. "That is why we recently pay great attention to the qualitative development of the strategic nuclear forces," the Russian Defense Minister noted. Mr. Ivanov called the new missile complex "Topol-M" as the weapon of the 21st century. "It is the most perfect missile complex in the world," the Russian Defense Minister stressed. According to him, the new complex will remain on the alert for decades to come and will be constantly modernized as well as the other components of the nuclear triad. Meanwhile, the putting on the alert of the new missile complex does not violate the framework of the current international agreements, he said. "Russia does not intend to violate any international agreements by putting on the alert such missile complexes," Sergey Ivanov said. Return to Menu I. Nuclear Safety 1. Armenia resolves to continue operating nuclear reactor in quake zone The director of a nuclear plant that the European Union wants closed because it sits atop an earthquake zone says the center can continue operating without danger for another 12 years. The EU had sought the closure of the vintage Soviet-built plant as early as next year, but it supplies 40 percent of Armenia's electricity and there are no alternative sources of energy. Gaguik Markossian, the plant's director, said that international credits and aid had enabled a constant improvement in security at the plant, which includes two 440-megawatt reactors, only one of which is in operation. "The nuclear plant can function without danger until 2016," Markossian said. The Metzamor plant, 30 kilometers (18 miles) west of Yerevan, was commissioned in 1980 but closed in an earthquake in 1988. With electricity supplies reduced to three or four hours a day and industry in crisis, one of the reactors was restarted in 1995, since when about 35 million dollars (28 million euros) have been spent on various safety improvements. The Institute for Applied Ecology in Austria says the Armenian plant, along with similar units in Bulgaria, is among the most dangerous in Europe. Markossian said the EU continues to cooperate in improving security. Armenia has just signed an agreement under the EU's Tacis program, which provides help to former Soviet countries, to receive a further four million euros for security at the nuclear plant, according to Lussine Aroutiounian, a spokeswoman for the minister of energy. The deal apparently supersedes a 1996 agreement between the EU and Armenia for the closure of Metzamor next year. Earlier this year, the EU promised this impoverished Caucasian country 100 million euros for closing the plant. Armenia has said it will comply once it can develop alternative energy sources to meet the needs of its three-million population. But plans to build a pipeline to bring natural gas from Iran are stalled while a national program to build wind-generated power plants has so far achieved only two megawatts of capacity, a drop in the ocean compared to the 440 megawatts produced by the one functioning reactor. Most of Armenia's non-nuclear energy comes from gas supplied from Russia, but the pipeline passes through hostile neighbors in the Caucasus, and Armenia insists it must have its own secure power supply. Return to Menu J. Official Statements 1. Statement by Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Ivanov Regarding Libya's Decision to Give Up Its Weapons of Mass Destruction Programs Moscow has received with satisfaction the statement by the Libyan leadership that Tripoli is giving up its plans to develop and produce weapons of mass destruction and is ready for the widest cooperation in this area with the international community. The Russian side had invariably called for this in the framework of its contacts with the Libyan partners for the last few years. We welcome Libya's declared readiness to sign an Additional Protocol to the IAEA Safeguards Agreement Pursuant to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, accede to the Chemical Weapons Convention and adhere to the Missile Technology Control Regime. We regard the decision of Tripoli as a responsible step which will help the strengthening of the international nonproliferation regime, as well as the efforts for the consolidation of security in the Middle East and on the African continent. Moscow expects that this will become an important contribution to establishing a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East, which the world community favors. The decision of the Libyan leadership, and the recent lifting by UN Security Council of the sanctions against Libya will complete the process of full reintegration of that country into the system of international relations. This event once again confirms the effectiveness of politico-diplomatic efforts and dialogue in the search of ways to deal with complicated international problems. It has been such measures in the framework of multilateral preventive diplomacy that Russia and most countries of the world have been advocating. Return to Menu 2. Lugar statement on weapons scientists U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Dick Lugar made the following statement on the U.S. State Department announcement that the U.S. will hire former Iraqi weapons scientists. The plan is based on the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, which employs former weapons scientists in the old Soviet Union. �I commend the Administration for the start of efforts in Iraq to redirect personnel formerly engaged in the planning, research and production of Saddam Hussein�s weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The need to contain this knowledge and to provide opportunities for the peaceful employment of such individuals is a critical priority in stabilizing Iraq and in winning the global war on terrorism. �The United States must do all it can to prevent this knowledge from escaping Iraq. The announcement that $2 million from the State Department�s Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund (NDF) will be used to fund these projects conforms with Congressional intent in establishing the flexible authorities of the FREEDOM Support Act. The Committee on Foreign Relations has been working closely with the State Department as its efforts to initiate this program took shape. I am pleased to provide my strong endorsement for this effort. Establishment in Baghdad of the Iraqi International Center for Science and Industry (IICSI) is an important first step. �I know from my own experience with similar efforts, under Nunn-Lugar�s International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) in Moscow, how this engagement contributed to successful nonproliferation of WMD knowledge. To date, ISTC Moscow has engaged with almost 700 institutions and more than 50,000 individuals. I hope that the new IICSI in Baghdad will meet with similar success.� Return to Menu K. Links of Interest 1. Friendly Neighborhood Nonproliferation - Don't stop with Libya. Return to Menu 2. City on fire Return to Menu 3. RT-2UTTH - Topol-M - SS-27 Return to Menu 4. The European Union: Seeking Common Ground for Tackling Weapons of Mass Destruction Return to Menu 5. Fiscal Year 2003 Performance and Accountability Report Return to Menu 6. Considering the Options: U.S. Policy toward Iran�s Nuclear Program Return to Menu DISCLAIMER: Nuclear News is presented for informational purposes only. Views presented in any given article are those of the individual author or source and not of RANSAC. RANSAC takes no responsibility for the technical accuracy of information contained in any article presented in Nuclear News. RANSAC's Nuclear News is compiled two to three times weekly. To be automatically removed from our mailing list, click on the following link: Remove Me From The List If you have questions/comments/concerns, please reply to news@216.119.87.134 |
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