 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
2/6/12 |
 |
||||||||
|
 |
Home / Publications / News |
|
||||||||
|
|||||||||||
|
RANSAC Nuclear News, November 26, 2003 Compiled By: RANSAC Staff A. Announcements
 A. Announcements 1. Happy Thanksgiving A peaceful and safe holiday to all our friends around the world. -RANSAC Staff Return to Menu B. Submarine Dismantlement 1. Disposal of N-Sub spent fuel is a priority for non-proliferation, official says The recently held 17-th IAEA Contact Expert Group (CEG) meeting, attended by experts of 14 countries including Russia, the USA, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Great Britain, Italy, Japan, had discussed cooperation concerning management of radioactive waste, irradiated nuclear fuel (INF) as well as nuclear submarine dismantling in the North-West region of Russia, as Nuclear.Ru was informed by Viktor Akhunov, the head of department for decommissioning of nuclear facilities of Minatom of Russia. He said over five years passed since the 7-th CEG meeting in Murmansk and the moment Minatom took over the functions of the state customer and coordinator for the nuclear submarine integrated disposition and rehabilitation of NAVY facilities 58 nuclear submarines had been scrapped in the Northern Region with the same number yet to be dealt with. Besides, the work has started to rehabilitate the former on-shore NAVY bases in Andreeva Bay and Gremikha. �These activities have been funded from the Russia�s budget so far�, Akhunov said adding that other countries have already started assisting. In particular, contracts with Norway have been signed and are implemented to dispose of two multi-purpose nuclear submarines with two contracts pending signature with the Great Britain to dispose of two more. Also, an agreement was reached with Japan to sign a contract for nuclear submarine dismantling in the Far East and another one with Sweden, which assists in radioactive waste management in Andreeva Bay. In addition, during the 17-th CEG meeting four contracts with the Great Britain were signed: three � for the rehabilitation operations in Andreeva Bay and one � for the building of non-processible INF storage facility at RTP Atomflot in Murmansk. However, Akhunov noted, the donor-countries yet �do not fully understand the Russia�s priorities and not always provide assistance in the areas where it is needed most�. Commenting on the Russia�s position as regards the handling of INF unloaded from nuclear submarines, Akhunov noted that the material had its features: it amount was not big as compared to nuclear power, however, it is the highly enriched material. �To foster nuclear material non-proliferation and counteract terrorism one needs first to deal with nuclear submarine fuel, and we would like to have more assistance provided in this particular area including fuel transportation and processing�, Akhunov stressed while expressing hope that the CEG experts �would bring this point to the officials�. Next year it is planned to conduct two specialized seminars: on radwaste management and conditioning technologies for on-shore bases and nuclear submarine disposition and on risk assessment and environmental impact assessment in this area. Return to Menu 2. Revolution in nuclear objects safety technologies "Severnyi Reid" company from Severodvinsk, Russia has revolutionized radiating safety of nuclear objects. A Murmansk company "SevRao" started using so called mobile de-activation sanitarian check-point units, produced by the state-owed "Severnyi Reid" company. Building and maintainance of permanent sanitarian checkpoints at the nuclear wastage storages which would satisfy the norms of radiating safety used to "eat" a significant part of money provided by western countries for "unloading" such storages. Production of the mobile check-points changes this. Now, for the first time in the world, the check-points are made using the sea containers mounted on an automobile chassis, so it can be transported by any truck. This way, costs of organizing special zones for providing radiating security and safety are lowered tens of times. There is no need for building ground objects, maintaining infrastructure, building dosimetric control premises, as all this is included in the mobile unit. It is also a true revolution for radiating security of nuclear-powered ship docks. The company vice president Vladimir Kalashnikov informed that the mobile sanitarian checkpoint unit is designed for ensuring sanitarian norms when the staff enters and returns from a high danger zone of nuclear wastages. The checkpoint unit is used for staff redressing, control of skin and clothes radiation levels, sanitarian staff processes, dangerous areas entrance control. Western countries which participate together with Russia in atomic submarines utilization programs already show interest in the unique production of "Severnyi Reid". Russian companies which work on submarines utilization and safe parking do show great interest as well. Two first mobile checkpoints by "Servernyi Reid" will be used by "SevRao" on reconstruction an infamous nuclear wastage storage at Andreeva Guba in Kolskyi Peninsula. Heat-transmitting parts of nuclear subs engines have been stored there for thirty years. The storage reconstruction at Andreeva Guba is being funded by England, which provides support to Russia for utilizing the written-off nuclear submarines. More information on the unique developments of "Severnyi Reid" can be found at the website www.sevreid.ru or by email vb@reid.atnet.ru Return to Menu 3. Sevmash manufactured first batch of INF transportation packages The Severodvinsk-based defense shipyard Severnoye Mashinostroitelnoye Predpriyatie (Northern Machine Engineering Enterprise) � Sevmash � has manufactured the first batch of transportation packages for storage and transportation of nuclear submarine irradiated nuclear fuel (INF). ITAR-TASS reports referring to Sevmash press-service, five containers are ready for shipment to the customer. The enterprise is to manufacture 12 out of 24 metal-and-concrete packages under the US$3.5M contract by the end of 2003. The funding is provided for by the USA under the Arctic Military Environmental Cooperation program (AMEC), which is participated by the ministries of defense of Russia, Norway and the USA. To transport and store INF removed from all nuclear submarines being scrapped in Russia 220 containers have to be manufactured by 2010. Return to Menu C. Chemical Weapons Destruction 1. War gas destroyed at arsenals in Russia region The war gas lewisite has began to be destroyed at a plant in Gorny settlement in the Saratov region, a spokesman for the Information and Analysis Centre for Safeguarding and Destruction of Chemical Weapons told Itar-Tass on Wednesday. The specialists of the centre said the plant's technological line for disposal of lewisite was put in operation on Tuesday. The process began in the night and the amount of the destroyed gas will be known soon. At present, 252 tonnes of lewisite are stored at arsenals of Gorny. Under the disposal schedule, all lewisite is to be destroyed by the end of 2005. Return to Menu D. Export Controls 1. EURASEC Export Control Should Abide By Single Principles At a Tuesday sitting in Moscow, the commission for export control interaction under the Integration Committee of the Eurasian Economic Community has discussed work on the agreement on the single export control procedure of the EURASEC member states /Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan/, said Vladimir Nikanorov, aide to the EURASEC general secretary. "The export control agreement was signed at the heads-of-state level at a sitting of the EURASEC Interstate Council last October. The agreement obliges the participants to abide by the single principles, corresponding to the relative international agreements, as well as those on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," explained Nikanorov. He stressed that the agreement "provides for mutual recognition of licenses /permissions/ for the conduct of foreign-economic operations with goods and technologies liable to export control, free movement of such goods and technologies in the territory of the EURASEC states upon forming the Customs Union". Return to Menu E. Multilateral Threat Reduction 1. Dangerous disinterest An ambitious international action plan to help Russia get rid of its old stocks of weapons of mass destruction appears to have been relegated to the international backburner. In June 2002, the group of seven most industrialised countries plus Russia, known as the G8, agreed on an unprecedented 20-billion-dollar scheme to help Russia dismantle old stocks of chemical weapons, decommissioned nuclear submarines and other dangerous remnants of its WMD arsenal. But according to independent researchers, very little of the billions pledged at the G8 Summit in Canada have actually been spent. "There is a dangerous gap between the pace of progress and the scope and urgency of the threat," according to Sam Nunn, a former US Senator and current co-chairman of the "Strengthening the Global Partnership project", bringing together 20 research institutes from 16 countries. Catastrophic Mr Nunn added that "our leaders still have not acknowledged by their actions and resource priorities that the threat of catastrophic terrorism is the most likely, most potentially devastating threat we face." He was referring to the possibility that terrorists obtain old Russian nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. Last week, the European Commission, the EU's executive body, organised a special conference on the G8 action plan, called the "Global Partnership against Weapons of Mass Destruction" in Strasbourg, France. The meeting was meant to mobilise both the European Parliament and national parliaments of the 15 EU member states. However, the conference attracted little media attention, and if the Dutch parliament's response is anything to go by, there seems to be little interest in the subject, if any at all, among national legislators throughout the EU. Urgent None of the three political parties that make up the current Dutch coalition government chose to send representatives to the Strasbourg meeting, leaving it to the opposition Social Democrats (PvdA) to dispatch the single Dutch representative. Echoing Sam Nunn's words, Klaas de Vries said: "We do know what needs to be done, but still don't do what is necessary. This is an extremely urgent problem, yet it has not received the urgent attention it deserves". Mr de Vries told Radio Netherlands he would brief fellow-parliamentarians as well as the government and urge further action on the issue. Modest The Netherlands has pledged a modest 25 million euros towards three chemical demilitarisation projects in Russia. Only a quarter of that amount has been spent so far. Moreover, the Dutch contribution compares poorly to the 1.5 billion euros pledged by Germany, or the one billion and 750 million euros pledged by Italy and France, respectively. Return to Menu 2. November 26 TACIS opens its resident office at Beloyarsk nuclear plant TACIS Program will open its permanent office at Beloyarsk nuclear power plant on November 26. As Nuclear.Ru was told by Beloyarsk nuclear plant director Nikolai Oshkanov, this is to happen due to the decision made the European Community to assist the plant through TACIS Program in replacement of safety important steam-water valves of BN-600 reactor. "Installation of foreign-made valves, which are of much higher quality, will facilitate the unit's safety improvement", the plant director stressed adding that the three-year project would cost 10 million euros. The first project implementation stage will deal with identification of needs, generation of specifications, etc. "The process is targeted to BN-600 and we will have to make out the valve manufacturing technology and clear up a lot of technical issues", Oshkanov said. He said over 10 projects totaled 10 million euros had been implemented through TACIS at Beloyarsk nuclear plant, in particular, the training simulator, various instrumentation, software, now the procurement of the unit control computer is underway. The Zarechny TACIS office inauguration ceremony will be attended by representatives of France, Italy and Rosenergoatom Concern. Meanwhile, Beloyarsk nuclear plant was visited by Japanese experts. During the one-week visit they discussed issues related to operation of fast neutron reactors. "Since Japan also has a fast neutron reactor - Monzhu - and BN-600 unit at Beloyarsk plant has been in operation for 23 years already, it is quite natural that the operational issues are of mutual questions", Oshkanov said. Return to Menu F. Nuclear Smuggling 1. Kazakh Security Service Foils Sale of Radioactive Materials Kazakhstan's National Security Committee (KNB) has announced that a man from Shymkent was given a three-year suspended sentence for attempting to sell small quantities of highly radioactive curium-243 and -245 and cesium-137 that had apparently been stolen from industrial enterprises, khabar.kz reported on 22 November.(The report specified neither the date of the arrest nor the court that convicted and sentenced the man.) The head of the KNB department that deals with illegal sales of radioactive materials, Kuanysh Isaev, said the isotopes, which the man had been hiding in his apartment, were extremely dangerous but would almost never be used in nuclear bombs. They could, however, be used in making a so-called dirty bomb. The security service is particularly interested in finding out who wanted to buy the isotopes and why. Return to Menu G. Russia-Iran 1. Iran: Good cop/bad cop got results The agreement between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over the control of the Iranian nuclear programme represents a success for tough diplomacy in which Europeans and Americans found themselves playing a good cop/bad cop routine. The Europeans, in the form of the UK, France and Germany, urged Iran to cooperate and offered technology and fuel to allow it develop nuclear power. The Americans threatened Tehran with sanctions and beyond that declared that it would not accept an Iranian nuclear bomb. The threat of force was never explicit but it was certainly implicit. Iran says it has no intention of producing a bomb. In the event, it has been censured for not revealing work on the enrichment of uranium and has been warned that the IAEA will consider "all options" if it breaks the rules again or has not been truthful. But Iran has escaped being reported to the Security Council, thereby avoiding possible sanctions, and has agreed to accept much more intrusive inspections (called an "additional protocol") in the future. Tactics used Gary Samore of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London said that the combined approach of the Americans and Europeans had a produced a "pretty effective formula." "It gave Iran the incentive to be afraid of the US which wanted this in the Security Council and the opportunity of cooperating with the Europeans," he told News Online. However, he gave a warning that while the crisis was over for now it was not over altogether. "First, the IAEA Board is meeting next March and it will have to verify that Iran's explanations of its past activities are truthful. "Second, Iran has to implement the additional protocol. "And third and most important, is the question of Iran's future enrichment programme. The Europeans want Iran to stop enrichment completely and to accept fuel from Russia, which is building Iran's nuclear reactor. They have guaranteed that if Russia ever reneged, they would help Iran themselves." Iran has only announced the "suspension" of its enriching effort. Most countries producing nuclear power buy enriched uranium (which is used as the fuel in a nuclear power reactor) from an outside source, though they are allowed to make it themselves. Dr Samore said that Iran did not need to enrich uranium: "The world is awash with enriched uranium and it is very cheap. Russia has been degrading its weapons grade uranium and is offering it for nuclear power. The United States buys a lot of it. "The only rationale many see for Iran to develop its own capability is that it one day might want to leave the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and make a bomb. That is the so-called breakout scenario." he said. Israel watching Iran argues that it has been let down over nuclear power before and cannot rely on any source which might be susceptible to American pressure in the future. It first started building nuclear reactors in the 1970's under the Shah but that programme, run by the Germans, was abandoned after the Islamic revolution. Iran says that it needs to diversify its energy generation despite its possession of oil and gas because it has a rapidly rising population. Its assurances that it is not going to make a bomb have not convinced Israel. The head of Israel's intelligence service Mossad said recently that Iran's nuclear programme represented the most severe threat to Israel. The Prime Minister Mr Sharon is reported to have taken personal charge of a committee to monitor developments. Return to Menu 2. Israel Assesses Bushehr to be Ready in 2004 Israel has assessed that Russia will complete the Bushehr nuclear plant in Iran over the next year. The Israeli assessment disputes assertions by Russian officials that the Bushehr nuclear reactor would be delayed until as late as 2006. The Israeli Cabinet was briefed on Iran's nuclear program by Mossad director Meir Dagan. The Sunday briefing contained Israeli assessments of when Iran would achieve milestones in its nuclear program. The Mossad has been authorized to be the lead agency in monitoring and drafting options for foiling Iran's nuclear program. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has pledged to personally oversee Israel's intelligence efforts over Iran's nuclear program. Return to Menu H. Russia-North Korea 1. Russian Joint Staff Doubts North Korea has Nuclear Weapons The Russian Joint Staff doubts that North Korea has nuclear weapons, First Deputy Chief of Staff Yuri Baluyevsky told journalists on Wednesday. "I am sure that the crisis around North Korea will not escalate into an armed conflict. I believe that North Korea is, rudely speaking, bluffing saying that it has nuclear weapons. Thus it is trying to solve some domestic problems, such as energy supplies," Baluyevsky said. Pyongyang's statements should be taken calmly, he pointed out. Participants of the talks, the USA, Russia, China, Japan and South Korea, should force the North Korean leadership to stop blackmailing the world and its own population," Baluyevsky pointed out. "Proximity of North Korea is very sensitive for Russia, and thus we want the region to be more stable than it is now," he added. "Russia's position is not to allow even a potential possibility for this conflict to escalate into an armed one," he emphasized. Return to Menu I. Russia-India 1. Detailed design of refueling machine for Koodankulam approved November 19 Uralmashzavod held a technical board meeting to review the detailed design of MPS-V-412 refueling machine destined for India�s Koodankulam nuclear plant, the OMZ public relations office reports. The review and follow-up discussions resulted in the decision to start developing a contractor design and manufacturing of the machine. The two-machine supply contract for Koodankulam was signed in December 2002. The first refueling machine is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2005 with the second one produced in the third quarter of 2005. The completed stage is of importance in principle since the equipment is designed and final technical solutions are generally incorporated at the detailed design stage. The presented MPS-V-412 design has a number of advantages as compared with the standard makes. A new control system is of higher capacity, excludes neutral and risky movements caused by operators� errors or component failures. Refined strength and reliability calculations and upgrades of certain components reduced by 30% the weight of the refueling machine, which is 100 tons now. A number of design solution are also to be introduced to reduce refueling time. In particularly, the working assembly leakage monitoring will be done directly in the working arm of the machine. This makes unnecessary the monitoring in special shrouds and shortens the time from two hours to ten minutes. Uralmashzavod has a great experience in manufacturing equipment for nuclear power plants. In 1960-1980s the enterprise produced about twenty refueling machines for Russian and foreign nuclear plants. Since 2002 it has resumed manufacturing of transport and hoisting equipment for nuclear power plants. Presently it works on one more Koodankulam order: two polar cranes. The contract was signed in September 2002. Besides, it recently concluded a contract with Kursk nuclear plant to produce a liquid radioactive waste cementation installation, which does not have analogues in Russia. Return to Menu 2. N-sub on lease likely India is negotiating for a ten-year lease of an Akula class nuclear submarine. The cost: about Rs 1,700 crore, but subject to bargaining. Discussions for the lease have been going on for a while, but the Russians have unofficially linked it with the purchase of the Admiral Gorshkov, the aircraft-carrier for which price negotiations are going on, and the lease, and perhaps, the purchase of four TU-22 long-range marine reconnaissance aircraft. The Navy and the ministry have refused to confirm or deny the possible lease of the Akula class submarine � it is still under wraps. The offer came several years ago, but in recent times, the Russians have offered a newer vessel. A nuclear submarine cannot be purchased outright as it would violate international treaties. In the past, India had taken on lease a nuclear submarine from the erstwhile Soviet Union �the INS Chakra. The INS Chakra came for three years in the mid-eighties. Possession of a nuclear submarine would change the strategic balance in the sub-continent as it would give the Navy enormous reach and power. A nuclear sub has abilities far beyond any conventional submarine in terms of how long a mission can last and other characteristics. The Akula submarines, often called the Bars Class boats, are fast-attack boats of about 6,000 tonnes displacement and carry Cruise missiles and torpedoes. They can carry an anti-ship and land attack missile with a reach of 1,000 km. One of the quietest Russian submarines, making it more difficult to detect, the Akula (specially the later Akula II) compares favourably with the US Los Angeles class boats in terms of stealth. The US boats are believed to have better sensors. Having a nuclear submarine would be a help in terms of training also. The Navy is looking at an indigenously developed nuclear submarine, likely to be ready by around 2010. Having one now will ensure valuable training for the officers and sailors. Return to Menu 3. India, Russia set to finalise $ 2 billion aircraft deal India and Russia are now set to finalise the much-awaited aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov and MiG-29K fighters deal, estimated to cost almost $2 billion. Sources in the Defence Ministry here said the deal would be inked during the visit of Russian Defence Minister Igor Ivanov on November 27. Indian and Russian officials are currently burning midnight oil here to give final touches to the deal before the arrival of the Russian defence minister. The negotiations for the acquisition of 44.5 thousand tonnes Kiev class aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov by India have been going on between the two countries since 1994. The talks were stalled for quite some time as India felt the price demanded by Russia for its retrofitting was too high. The deal also figured during talks between Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and President Vladimir Putin early this month in Moscow. Russians accentuated the process after Indians threatened that they may start looking for other options if the price row is not sorted out within a ''reasonable time''. According to Defence Ministry sources, the two sides have now agreed to around $ 675 million to $682 million as the cost of overhaul for the carrier. "The final amount may vary by a few million here and there," sources said. In that amount, almost 70 per cent new items from electronic components to navigation systems and weapons will be fitted on Admiral Gorshkov. The two sides are now trying to finalise the price of MiG-29K aircraft to be placed on the carrier. "Indian Navy would in the first order purchase 16 MiG-29Ks, including three trainer versions," sources said. These 16 fighters would come with Admiral Gorshkov in about 48 months from the time of signing the deal. The navy has indicated its willingness to acquire MiG-29Ks also for the air defence ship, the indigenous carrier with 40,000-ton displacement being built at the southern port city of Kochi. It will be completed some 10 years from now. Once the Gorshkov deal is inked, the two sides are expected to move faster on leasing of TU-22 long-range bombers and Akula class nuclear submarines. The Russians had tied down both the requests to the signing of the Gorshkov deal. According to sources in the Indian Navy, the present projection of the navy for five nuclear submarines _ three in the western off Mumbai to tackle Pakistan and two in the east to meet Chinese challenges. The deal in brief will include three components: The Russian aircraft carrier Gorshkov that will be renovated. The lease of two nuclear powered Akula 2 class submarines. NATO rates this as the quietest and the most sophisticated Russian submarine. A few Tupolev-22M3 strategic bombers, which can be fitted with nuclear tipped cruise missiles. Return to Menu 4. India desperately seeking Gorshkov When Russian defence minister Sergei Ivanov visits India later this month, the Admiral Gorshkov deal may finally come through. After several twists and turns during hard-nosed price negotiations over the partly-burnt decommissioned Russian aircraft carrier, a meeting ground seems to have been reached between India and Russia . If the deal happens during Ivanov�s visit from November 26-28, it will be yet another mega defence deal to be finalised in the run-up to the general elections next year. Despite some raised eyebrows, defence ministry officials say many deals, after being in the pipeline for years, are being finalised to meet the armed forces� operational requirements. The Admiral Gorshkov package deal includes three components. One, the cost of the refit of the 44,570-tonne carrier berthed at Severodvinsk shipyard in Russia for over a decade now. Two, the purchase of 16 to 24 MiG-29Ks and four to six anti-submarine and early-warning Kamov helicopters to arm the carrier. And three, India �s plan to lease TU-22m3 long-range strategic bombers and Akula-class nuclear submarines from Russia . The wrangle was basically over the ��exorbitant�� price being asked by Russia for overhauling the carrier, which includes a bow ski-jump take-off ramp for the MiG-29Ks, modern weapon systems and new boilers. Sources, however, say the price for the refit has now been agreed to be in the region of $650-700 million. Russia had initially begun negotiations with a staggering $ 1 billion demand for the refit job. India , in turn, only agreed to pay $450-500 million. ��The days of Soviet friendship prices are over. It�s purely commercial now and the Russians bargain very hard to get the price they want,�� said a source. The Navy is keen on an early conclusion of the Admiral Gorshkov deal since its solitary carrier INS Viraat has a residual life of only five to six years left and it will take at least three years for the Russian ship to become combat-ready. Return to Menu J. Nuclear Forces 1. Defenceless Defence The Russian State Duma has approved the draft 2004 federal budget in the third reading. This virtually means that no more drastic changes can be made to it. National defence appropriations exceed all other appropriations, accounting for 20.33% of the entire budget. In short, the Russian Armed Forces will receive 411,472,653,400 rubles, or 2.69% of the entire Russian GDP, which is 66, 947 million rubles more than the 2003 figure. Nonetheless, generals and defence industry experts are unhappy, believing that the level of financing is insufficient. Why? A recent top-brass conference, and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov's report there, provides the answer to this question. Ivanov's report did not contain a word about the defence budget. However, Colonel-General Vladimir Mikhailov, who commands the Russian Air Force, was criticised by Ivanov rather severely. Many people believe that Ivanov was targeting the defence budget, rather than General Mikhailov. There have been eight fatal air crashes this year. A Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bomber crashed near Saratov in September, two Mi-24 helicopter gunships collided in the Primorye Territory and a MiG-29 Fulcrum air-superiority fighter recently crashed in the Armenian mountains. The defence minister came to the conclusion that pilot error and mistakes made during servicing were to blame for seven out of the eight crashes. It is impossible to contest this well-justified conclusion. How the crews and technical staff made these mistakes, though, is a different matter. Any military expert understands that all these faults are the direct consequence of inadequate professionalism on the part of engineers, technicians and pilots alike. One detail alone confirms this theory. Sergei Ivanov claims that the Tu-160 crashed because of unexpected technical problems, and the state board of inquiry confirmed his opinion. But why did those technical problems arise all of a sudden? Why did such an experienced pilot as deputy regimental commander for flight training Lieutenant Colonel Yuri Deineko and his co-pilot Major Oleg Fedosenko fail to cope with this emergency? Why could they not save the plane, their lives and those of their subordinates? And, finally, why did the crew not eject to safety? Unfortunately, the answer is quite simple: the pilots lacked several fractions of a second to make their escape. This time gap distinguishes an experienced pilot from a merely well-trained one. Russian pilots are supposed to log at least 150-200 flight hours every year. However, Deineko had logged just 50 hours last year, and 30 hours in 2003. This country's strategic bombers remained grounded over the 1992 to 1998 period. Routine maintenance and repair work was not conducted regularly enough; the same can be said about replacing obsolete equipment and instruments. The Russian Air Force did not receive any defence budget allocations for all this and for buying top-quality kerosene or engine accessories. According to official statistics, the army and the navy did not get 2.2 billion rubles for buying the required amount of petroleum, oil and lubricants in 2002. Air force, naval and other combat-training programmes received just 30-40% of the required fuel. Moreover, only 20-25% of all basic weaponry and combat hardware was repaired. Obviously the professionalism of the pilots, engineers and technicians, who flew and maintained such complicated aircraft as strategic bombers, suffered in these conditions. The State Duma defence committee estimates that car-fuel ceilings have been reduced by 20% in comparison to the 2003 budget. Meanwhile, the breakdown for diesel fuel, aircraft kerosene and ship boiler oil is 15% percent, 5% and 15%, respectively. Consequently, air force and navy pilots will fly no more than 32-35 hours, while warships, which are supposed to sail 40-day missions each year, will spend just 16-30 days outside their bases. The defence committee has drawn the same conclusions in the rearmament-program sphere. Spending on R&D, weapons and hardware, as well as on repair and maintenance work at defence enterprises, will come to 137, 366 million rubles, thus accounting for 33.38% percent of the entire defence budget. However, it is 1% below 2003 levels. The committee points out that Russian weapons and combat hardware are, therefore, becoming outdated, meaning that the country will lag behind other leading military powers. Yuri Solomonov, director and general designer of the Moscow Heat Engineering Institute, is also the general designer of the Topol-M strategic missile complex. In his words, the R&D and weapons-procurement appropriations stipulated in the presidential state defence order programme fall short of the real requirements by over 25% in the budget-2004. This means that the Russian military-industrial sector will be unable to mass produce, in one-three years, such hi-tech weaponry as ballistic missiles, multi-role spacecraft, smart reconnaissance and attack systems, air-defence complexes, communications networks, fifth-generation warplanes, nuclear submarines, fourth-generation warships, as well as other modern weapons and combat-support systems. We have already lost nearly 200 unique technologies to develop and repair combat hardware, he noted. He believes that if the country takes a few more steps toward the abyss, then Russia can forget about ensuring genuine military security. Return to Menu 2. Nuclear Components Safe Keeping Exercise Due in Russia With NATO Surveillance In 2004 an exercise on the safe keeping of nuclear components is due in Russia with the participation of representatives of the North Atlantic Alliance, Yuri Baluevski, first deputy chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, has said to reporters on Wednesday. The exercise, to be held in the north of Russia, is planned for next summer, he said. "Russian nuclear weapons are duly kept in accordance with all the requirements", Baluevski stressed. Representatives of the NATO member countries will see this with their own eyes, he said. Return to Menu 3. Russia Holds on Orbit 40 Satellites of Military Purpose The Russian orbital group consists of more than 40 military purpose satellites, First Deputy Head of Russian Armed Forces Headquarters Yury Baluevsky disclosed to journalists on Wednesday. "It is not true that we were left blind and deaf with the recent fall of one of our satellites. We attach great importance to our information and reconnoitring activity and posses great potential in this sphere," he said. Return to Menu 4. Russia takes U.S. into account in developing nuclear forces Moscow will correct the development of strategic nuclear forces with regard to Washington's plans on the use of nuclear arms. "The new U.S. nuclear doctrine says there is the possibility of using small-capacity nuclear arms. Because of this, Russia needs to correct the development of her strategic nuclear forces," First Deputy Chief of Staff Col. General Yuri Baluyevsky told journalists on Wednesday. "Nuclear arms, which before were only seen as a political instrument of restraint, are becoming field weapons. This is very scary, terrifying," he said. Return to Menu 5. Russian Military Strategy to be Adjusted in View of US Recent Statements Russia is adjusting its military strategy taking into account the US recent statements, Russian First Deputy Chief of Staff Yuri Baluyevsky told journalists on Wednesday. "Nuclear weapons are gradually becoming a combat tool, Americans are talking about a possibility of using nuclear weapons in practice," he said. The USA that has the most powerful army should, on the contrary, toughen the use of nuclear weapons, Baluyevsky believes. "Statements about a possibility of using nuclear weapons in local conflicts arouse our anxiety, we have to adjust our strategy," he explained. At the same time, Russia's principle of using nuclear weapons have not changed since April 2002, he emphasized. "Nuclear weapons are considered as a means to restrain aggression, to ensure military security of Russia and its allies, to preserve stability in the world. Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to use of nuclear weapons against itself and its allies, as well as in critical for Russia's national security moments and large-scale combat activities against the country," Baluyevsky said. Return to Menu 6. Russian Satellite Failure Information Not True The press service of the Russian Space Troops has rejected the information that the Russian satellite Kosmos-2399 has failed and "fallen apart". This information "is not true to fact", says the press service in the communique circulated on Wednesday. The satellite was launched from the Baikonur space port last August. "The press service of the Space Troops has been authorised officially to declare that, following correction work, the spacecraft is functioning and performing missions as designed within the Russian orbital group", reads the communique. Return to Menu 7. U.S. Nuke Development Concerns Russia A senior Russian military official voiced strong concern Wednesday about U.S. plans to develop low-yield nuclear weapons, saying that Moscow might be forced to review its own nuclear doctrine. Col.-Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky, the first deputy chief of staff of the Russian General Staff, told reporters that the Pentagon's plans to develop such weapons would be destabilizing. "We are witnessing that nuclear weapons, which have served as a political deterrent, are being transformed into a battlefield instrument," Baluyevsky said. "It's very scary, extremely scary." A defense bill signed by President Bush on Monday lifts a decade-old ban on research into low-yield nuclear weapons and authorizes $15 million for continued research into a powerful nuclear weapon capable of destroying deep underground bunkers. "That causes us concern," Baluyevsky said. "Should we somehow review our nuclear strategy? Yes, I believe we should." He wouldn't say whether Russia would work to develop similar weapons, but said that it would hold onto its stockpiles of tactical nuclear weapons. Baluyevsky said Russia was concerned about the United States maintaining its tactical nuclear weapons in Europe, where they could be used against targets in Russia. "We are asking why," he said. "We understood that it was necessary as a deterrent in the past when the Warsaw Pact existed and we had huge armies stationed in Eastern Germany. But now there is no Warsaw Pact and Russia pursues a different policy." Russia's relations with the United States and NATO have improved dramatically in recent years thanks to Putin's strong support for the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan following the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Last year, the alliance signed a partnership agreement with Russia envisaging cooperation in counterterrorism, nonproliferation, peacekeeping and other fields. Yet in spite of the warmer ties, Russian officials warned the alliance against deploying weapons close to Russian borders. Last month a Defense Ministry policy paper warned that Moscow might rethink its nuclear strategy if NATO maintains its current doctrine, which Russia says remains rooted in the Cold War. During a meeting between Putin and the top military brass, where the paper was presented, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov also warned that Russia would not rule out the preventive use of force if its interests and alliance obligations demand it. The Russian statements have troubled NATO, which asked for explanations. Baluyevsky on Wednesday echoed Ivanov's assertions that a possible pre-emptive strike would not involve nuclear weapons. "There hasn't been any talk about the preventive use of nuclear weapons," he said. Baluyevsky also emphasized that Russia remains committed to cooperation with NATO. He said Russia and the alliance were planning a joint military exercise next year, which he said was intended to convince NATO that Russia's nuclear weapons were well-protected. Return to Menu K. Nuclear Safety 1. World Bank to assess condition of Kyrgyz uranium waste storage facilities The World Bank will work on better uranium waste storage in South Kyrgyzstan, World Bank representative Joop Stoutjesdijk said at a briefing on Monday. The measures aim to improve the ecological situation in Maili-Suu, South Kyrgyzstan, where 23 uranium waste storage facilities are located, he said. The radioactive waste is buried low on the mountains above the Maili-Suu River and poses an environmental threat to Kyrgyzstan and the entire Fergana Valley. The risk of avalanche on the slopes is high, and the waste may be washed down into the river, Stoutjesdijk said. The measures include rehabilitation projects, changing the location of uranium waste storage facilities and avalanche stabilization projects, he said. Each of the possible variants will be discussed by international and Kyrgyz specialists. The best variant will be presented to the World Bank Board for approval, he said. Kyrgyz and foreign specialists on radioactive waste are doing research work in Maili-Suu under a World Bank grant project. The World Bank is planning to assign $5 million to Kyrgyzstan for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of storage facilities in the south. A final document on environmental protection in South Kyrgyzstan will be presented to the World Bank Board in June 2004. Kyrgyzstan has 44 uranium waste storage facilities and 28 dumps left from uranium mining and processing. The World Bank believes Kyrgyzstan needs over $20 million for the rehabilitation and reclamation of its waste storage facilities and dumps. Return to Menu L. Official Statements 1. Article of Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Ivanov, Published in the Newspaper Izvestia on November 26, 2003, Under the Heading "Russia and the USA: A Landmark in the History of Relations" This month we are observing a significant date in the history of Russian-American ties - the 70th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations between our countries. This is a good occasion to take an objective and impartial look at the historical experience and the outlook for cooperation between Russia and the United States of America, particularly since this experience is not limited to the seven decades. History closely bound the destinies of our countries and peoples. Way back in 1741, when the Russians Bering and Chirikov discovered the northwestern part of the American continent, the development was commenced of the so called "Russian America," which subsequently became a part of the present United States. Although in history Russia and the US went their different ways, at the turning-point, crucial moments common interests invariably united them. During the war of the British colonies in North America for independence (1775-1783) the stand of Russia, which proclaimed in 1780 the Declaration of Armed Neutrality, actually scuttled the attempt by Britain to establish a naval blockade of the young overseas republic. Later, in the years of the Civil War in the US (1861-1865), Russia, by rejecting France's proposal to jointly intervene with Britain in favor of the rebellious South, showed itself to be the only power interested in preserving the integrity of the United States. It is equally symbolic that serfdom in Russia and slavery in the US were abolished almost simultaneously - in 1861 and 1863. Russia and the US were allies in the two World Wars. In the memory of our peoples there will remain for ever both the "northern convoys" and the combat brotherhood of the two countries, their key role in the victory over a common enemy of mankind - Nazism. Even in the Cold War era, when the confrontation between Moscow and Washington sometimes brought the world to the brink of nuclear catastrophe, both the countries demonstrated an ability in critical moments to rise above their differences and exercise a common responsibility for the preservation of civilization. An important part of the joint historical experience of our countries is their decisive contribution to creating the modern international legal system, which has for more than half a century now been serving as the basis for the safeguarding of international peace and security. Their signatures are affixed to the Charter of the United Nations, the Helsinki Final Act, the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons and other key documents, the observance of which to this day is a guarantee of the stability and predictability of international relations. In the present-day conditions, when the page of the Cold War in our relations is definitively turned over, the common responsibility for the maintenance of stability in the world is all the more called upon to be the pivot of Russian-American relations. There exist the real prerequisites for Russia and the US, united by common values, to achieve an unprecedented level of mutual understanding and partnership in world affairs. Such is the chief requirement of the era of globalization, placing mankind before challenges and threats, with which it is possible to cope only together. Ranking first among those threats is international terrorism. Again, just as 60 years ago, it took the combining of efforts by our countries to resist a common enemy. Cooperation between Russia and the United States became the core of the global antiterrorist coalition established after the tragedy of September 11, 2001. The course towards a strategic partnership of our countries is confirmed in the Moscow Declaration on the New Strategic Partnership, signed by Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush in May 2002. In particular, it states that Russia and the US will cooperate "to advance stability, and security, and to jointly counter global challenges and to help resolve regional conflicts." Let us, however, face the truth: the implementation of the task set by the Presidents is still in the very early stages. Thus, the potential for economic cooperation is far from being realized in full. Of course, it is good that now we more often argue about chicken supplies or steel products rather than about missiles and warheads. It is good that the prospects of deepening economic cooperation are evident in such areas as the energy dialogue and new technologies. Nevertheless, Russia still has not been graduated from the provisions of the Jackson-Vanik amendment. Moreover, people in the US Congress are again trying to link the liquidation of this anachronism to a solution of the problems that have nothing to do with it. All this obviously places on the agenda the task of forming a mechanism designed to remove such problems and to carry the decisions of our Presidents to a practical result. This question was examined during the summit of September 26-27, 2003, at Camp David. The summit demonstrated the grown maturity of relations between the two countries, and confirmed the positive dynamics of their evolution. The Presidents gave the agencies of both countries a number of specific instructions to advance our partnership in priority areas, over the implementation of which constant control will be exercised. The strategic partnership means a possibility to tell each other openly and plainly about existing problems, discuss and argue about the most difficult issues on the Russian-American agenda, overcome the differences and find mutually acceptable solutions without detriment to bilateral relations. These disputes are the easier to conduct, the nearer we are to the awareness that on most key issues of our time Moscow and Washington diverge not in strategic aims, but in the ways and means of achieving them. Thus, we declared in principle that we did not regard the unilateral military action of the US against Iraq as justified. Having split the world community, this action has weakened the global antiterrorist coalition. At the same time we share with the US and other members of the world community the common aim of restoring the sovereignty of Iraq as a free democratic state posing no threat to its neighbors. This unity in approaches received its embodiment in resolution 1515 adopted by the UN Security Council, which, in particular, foresees a substantial expansion of UN involvement in a political settlement in Iraq. We continue to actively cooperate with the US on strategic stability issues, still fully relevant to this day. Our countries concluded the Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions. This treaty to a certain extent filled the gaps in the international arms control system, although big and complex work still lies ahead for its implementation. Like the US, we consider it basically important to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery vehicles. This problem affects the vital security interests of our countries, and poses a threat to international stability as a whole. The danger of WMDs getting into terrorist hands arouses particular concern. Russia is convinced that to solve this problem reliably is possible only on the basis of strengthening international legality in the person of international law and the UN's central role in world affairs. * * * In the years of the Civil War 1861-1865, when the very existence of the US as an integral country was in question, Chancellor A. M. Gorchakov wrote to the Russian envoy to Washington, E. A. Stekl: "The USA in our eyes is a substantial element of world political equilibrium. The Sovereign and all of Russia entertain the most friendly interest in that nation, because the two countries, located at the two ends of the world, in the previous period of their evolution were called for a natural solidarity of interests and sympathies, to which they already gave mutual testimonies." Today we have entered a new era in the history of international relations. Against the backdrop of new threats and challenges, such traditional notions as a balance of forces, rivalry and a struggle for spheres of influence are becoming things of the past. In these conditions, time has come for all the states, regardless of their weight, either political, economic or military, to become aware that their individual interests are impossible to realize without the embodiment of the collective interests of the world community. The entire historical experience of Russian-American relations also fully corresponds to this. Return to Menu 2. Russian-American Consultations on Korean Peninsula, Afghanistan and South Asian Problems in Washington On November 24-25 Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Alexander Losyukov held in Washington consultations on the problems of the Korean Peninsula, Afghanistan and South Asia with US Assistant Secretaries of State James Kelly, Christina Rocca and Thomas Fingar, as well as with James Moriarty, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Asian Affairs. Special attention was devoted to Korean themes in connection with a discussion of the prospects for holding in Beijing the second round of six-way talks. There was expressed the common opinion of the sides about the expediency of organizing this meeting in the current year provided that it is properly prepared. The Russian side emphasized the necessity to solve the nuclear problem through denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and by ensuring the security of the states located in this region, including the DPRK, and establishing conditions for their normal economic and social development. The US side noted the constructive role of Russia in dealing with the Korean problem. The participants in the consultations agreed to continue close contacts in the interests of substantively filling the upcoming six-way meeting and of the further exchange of views on the topical problems of Asia. Return to Menu 3. Transcript of Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Ivanov Interview with Al-Jazeera, Moscow, November 21, 2003 (excerpted) [�] Question: The question has again become acute with respect to the Iranian nuclear dossier. The United States insists on channeling it back to the UN Security Council and on punishing Iran. How does Russia see this problem as a whole? How can it be solved by peaceful means? For it is not ruled out that, with such pressure on Iran, force may be used? Foreign Minister Ivanov: First of all I want to say that in our assessments we take guidance from the report of the IAEA. Iran, as is known, has presented information on all its previous and current nuclear programs. Such was the condition of the international community, and Iran has fulfilled it. A second condition of the international community was that Iran should accede to the additional protocol to the IAEA Safeguards Agreement. Iran has declared its readiness to sign the protocol. Iran has also carried out the third requirement: to suspend uranium enrichment. Thus, Iran has fulfilled all the major conditions on the part of the international community, including those on the part of the IAEA. So our task now is to make the best use of these favorable circumstances at present in the interest of removing the concerns which could exist relative to the nuclear programs of Iran. I believe that the adopted decisions open the way for the IAEA, and the Agency's representatives themselves are talking about this, to have full control over the programs being carried out in Iran and be certain that these programs bear an exclusively peaceful character. The report of Director General Mohamed ElBaradei notes that in the previous years Iran was in breach of certain provisions of the agreement. Iran has itself presented information on those violations. It is bad that such violations took place, but the main thing is that they do not exist now, and that they should not occur in the future. We must think of the future; that's what dictates our position. We feel that it is necessary to adopt a very well considered IAEA resolution now which would make it possible to confirm the agreements currently reached and to proceed with the constructive dialogue with Iran on all the nuclear-related issues. We are certain that this will help to remove the acuteness that is there with respect to the nuclear programs of Iran. By continuing, however, to whip up the atmosphere and submitting the matter for consideration by the UN Security Council, we may repeat the experience that we already had with the Korean Peninsula. I think that no one should be interested in such a whipping-up of tensions. We are sincerely interested in seeing Iran carry out its nuclear programs for peaceful purposes only. Now we've got all the necessary possibilities for that. The choice of a different path may lead to a further escalation of tension. We are certain that this corresponds to neither the interests of the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, nor those of defusing the situation in the region, which is already tense. As for Russia, President Putin recently stressed that we are pleased with the decisions adopted by the leadership of Iran and Russia intends to continue its cooperation with it, including in the nuclear field. Question: It has recently become noticeable that some cooling-off in relations between Washington and Moscow has set in, hasn't it? Foreign Minister Ivanov: The winter is approaching and the climate has become cooler. But not in relations between Russia and the United States. Recently a meeting between the Russian and US Presidents took place at Camp David, where the questions of Iran and of the Middle East and of Iraq were discussed. Of course, we may have differences, and we do not hide this, but they bear not a strategic, but a tactical character. Both Russia and the United States oppose WMD proliferation. Here we have no differences. The question is, how to achieve this? Both Russia and the United States oppose terrorism. But how to achieve this? Neither Russia nor the United States were friends of Saddam Hussein; we would like to see a free democratic regime in Iraq. But our perceived ways to achieve this aim turned out to be different. Perhaps on other issues, too, differences are likely, but they bear an explainable character. Many of the problems which we today encounter have no easy solutions. The main thing is that our dialogue has been proceeding uninterruptedly, and that we are constantly looking for compromise solutions which would correspond to the interests of strategic stability. We find them not always. At the same time, and people in the world understand this, the greater is mutual understanding between Russia and the United States, the easier it is to deal with international problems, and the calmer the international situation will be. We shall continue to follow this line in the future as well. Return to Menu M. Links of Interest 1. Iran's Programs to Produce Plutonium and Enriched Uranium Return to Menu 2. The Race Between Cooperation and Catastrophe 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 |
|
|
|
© 2007 Partnership for Global Security. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement.