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RANSAC Nuclear News, September 26, 2003 Compiled By: RANSAC Staff A. Nuclear Cities Initiative
 A. Nuclear Cities Initiative 1. Early Retirement of Russian Nuclear Scientists Could Ease Proliferation Concerns, Paper Recommends International funding for the early retirement of Russian nuclear weapons scientists could help efforts to reduce the size of Russia�s nuclear complex, according to an academic paper released today. The paper suggests that as many 10,000 Russian nuclear weapons experts could be persuaded to retire early in exchange for receiving additional annual pensions as small as $500. The proposal was made by Jean Pierre Contzen, professor at the Instituto Superior Tecnico in Lisbon and Maurizio Martellini of the University of Insubria and LNCV in Como, Italy. Martellini participates in an international consortium of 20 research groups focused on helping implement the Group of Eight�s $20 billion effort to secure WMD materials and promote nonproliferation measures in the former Soviet Union. The consortium, called Strengthening the Global Partnership, is administered by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. The Russian Atomic Energy Ministry has decided to cut 35,000 nuclear weapons workers by 2010, according to the report. To aid the downsizing effort, several U.S.-Russian and multilateral programs are working to provide civilian jobs for scientists and technicians, the report says, but it says the success of these programs has been �very limited.� To help accelerate the downsizing process, the report proposes creating an early secure retirement buyout program for Russian nuclear weapons scientists. About 20 percent of Russian nuclear weapons workers are over 50 years old and 5 percent are over 60 years old, the report says, noting that the retirement age in Russia is 55. Many Russian nuclear weapons workers are continuing to work beyond retirement, however, because pensions are too low, according to the report. For example, the average pension in the closed Russian city of Sarov in 2001 was about $37 per month, less than one-fifth of the wage the laboratory�s active employees. According to the report, if a system were established to provide adequate pensions for Russian nuclear weapons personnel, then about 10,000 workers could be persuaded to retire by 2010. The report also says that such a system �would be by far the cheapest way to address the problem of excess nuclear scientists and workers.� It notes that the director of one Russian nuclear weapons facility has said that he could persuade 2000 workers of retirement age to retire early if provided an additional pension bonus of $500 annually per person for 10 years. �An early secure retirement buyout program over 10 years for 10,000 workers might cost only $50 million, rather than the $100 million needed only to start 10,000 new civilian jobs in the territories of the RNCs [Russian nuclear cities],� the report says. An early retirement program would have to include several provisions to ensure that nonproliferation objectives are met. For example, workers who choose to accept early requirement may need to give up their security clearances and access to Russian nuclear weapons facilities to ensure that they do not return to work, the report says. It also proposes that those who accept early retirement also be required to live within the restricted area of the closed cities so that they do no become private consultants for rogue states or terrorists groups seeking to obtain nuclear weapons. To attract the confidence of Russian nuclear weapons workers, funding for an early retirement program should be independently managed, according to the report. It proposes that a fund of $50 million over the next 10 years be created to provide additional pension bonuses. Such a fund could be managed by either the G-8 partnership or the U.S.-Russian International Science and Technology Center (see GSN, July 2). Several nonproliferation experts told Global Security Newswire today that while an early retirement program would be helpful in reducing the number of Russian nuclear workers, it would not fully solve the problem. Kenneth Luongo, executive director of the Russian American Nuclear Security Advisory Council, said that while some workers are at, or near, retirement age, new workers are also being employed at the closed cities who would not be affected by an early retirement program. Luongo also said that there would be implementation concerns in any early retirement program, including determining eligibility and ensuring that retired workers were either not being re-employed or being hired by other countries or terrorists groups. In addition, a multilateral funding mechanism might also hinder implementation, he said. It is also still unclear as to Russia�s position on any type of early retirement program for its nuclear weapons workers, Luongo said. Return to Menu B. Submarine Dismantlement 1. 89 of 192 decommissioned subs disposed in Russia One hundred and three decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines are in line for disposal in the Arctic and Pacific Oceans, and "76 of them still have used nuclear fuel aboard," the Atomic Energy Ministry spokesman told Itar-Tass on Friday. "Eighty-nine of 192 decommissioned submarines of the Russian Navy had been disposed by September 2003," he said. "Used nuclear fuel will be unloaded from another 14 submarines this year," he said. "Reactor rooms of the submarines and adjoining compartments are welded tightly in order to prevent the spill of liquid nuclear waste and radiation emissions." This year's federal budget allocates 1.8 billion rubles for the disposal of decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines, the source said. Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev said earlier, "the ministry's plants dispose submarines on time set by the government, but the process will be much quicker if Western countries provide for real and sufficient financial support." "A group of Western countries, among them Norway and Japan, has decided to assign $32.8 million to Russia for the sub disposal in 2003," the ministry source said. It became known earlier this week that "Canada had also decided to assign Eur20 million for the sub disposal program of Russia." Return to Menu 2. Biophysics Institute confirms excessive radiation of worker in Gremikha The Biophysics Institute in Moscow has confirmed that a worker from the SevRAO state company suffered a large dose of radiation during a cleanup operation at a storage facility for solid radioactive objects and spent nuclear fuel in the community of Gremikha on the Kola Peninsula. "On August 28, the clinic of the Biophysics Institute in Moscow received a 32-year-old patient suspected of having acute radiation sickness. The dose to which the man, a SevRAO staffer, was exposed to as the result of an incident in Gremikha was about 200 millisieverts (mSv)," a source with the institute told Interfax on Friday. The patient is in stable condition, the source said. The incident occurred on August 20 when workers were retrieving components of the control units from nuclear submarine reactors at an irregular dump. They put the components into temporary packages to be transported to a regular storage facility. At the end of the operation, they retrieved a rod radiating up to 4.4 Sv/h. Work was immediately stopped at that point. The Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy previously denied reports that the SevRAO workers were exposed to excessive doses of radiation. The ministry's press service reported on Wednesday that "the doses the SevRAO workers were exposed to during the operation were estimated from 6 to 29 mSv. No defects in the SevRAO personnel's health or signs of radiation sickness were found," it said in a press release. According to Russian Standards of Radiation Security, "the radiation of an effective dose of over 200 mSv within one year must be regarded as potentially dangerous." The standards allow for radiation among personnel working with radioactive materials "up to 20 mSv a year on average within any consecutive five years, but no more than 50 mSv a year." A total of 15 SevRAO workers were engaged in the operation in Gremikha at a former Northern Fleet base. Gremikha houses a Northern Fleet coastal storage facility for spent nuclear fuel and the largest settlement for decommissioned nuclear submarines, mostly of the first generation. Return to Menu 3. Minatom Admits Workers Were Irradiated at Gremikha Naval Base Several radiation decontamination workers were irradiated high above normal levels earlier this month at the Gremikha Naval Base while working with solid radioactive waste in the form of equipment taken from nuclear submarine reactors, ministry officials confirmed in interviews with Bellona Web. But information about what radiation doses the workers received, where they are located now, how sick they are, why they were not using proper anti-radiation precautions�and even when the incident occurred�is contradictory and will apparently be cleared up by an investigation into the incident launched by a special commission formed by the Ministry of Atomic Energy, or Minatom. Alexander Agapov, chief of Minatom�s safety, ecology and emergency situations department confirmed information obtained by Bellona Web that 10 or more workers at Gremikha�a facility belonging to SevRAO, a Minatom waste management structure on the Kola Peninsula� were irradiated in early September, and that their health status is not currently known. But Minatom spokesman Nikolai Shingaryov said on Wednesday that 12 SevRAO workers were irradiated and received doses of 50 millisieverts, which is 30 millisieverts above the healthy norm, according to the state-run ITAR-TASS Russian newswire. He also said that the incident happened on August 20th. Still later that same day, Shingaryov revised his statement in a Minatom press release, which said that the incident actually occurred on July 11th. SevRAO�s Structure SevRAO�or Northern Radioactive Waste�is a structure created by Minatom on the Kola Peninsula for building an infrastructure for decommissioning nuclear submarines, securing their radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, and the rehabilitation of dangerous nuclear equipment in the Northern region of Russia. Funding has been pledged for SevRAO�s operation by a number of countries, including Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, the United States and the United Kingdom. In a gradual transition, radioactive waste sites in the Murmansk region that once fell under the auspices of the Ministry of Defence are being transferred to SevRAO�s jurisdiction. Sergei Zhavoronkin, head of Bellona�s office in Murmansk, said dosages of 50 millisieverts are not deadly, but that the workers who received these dosages should no longer be allowed to work at the SevRAO facility. The annual norm for radiation exposure, said Zhavoronkin, is 20 millisieverts�meaning these workers received twice the yearly acceptable dosage in the short period of time while they were working with the radioactive materials. It also remains unclear from Shingaryov�s statements, said Zhavoronkin, whether the workers were bombarded by gamma radiation, or a combination of different kinds of radiation. It remains unknown, noted Zhavoronkin, whether the workers swallowed or ingested any of the radioactive material with which they were working�which would make their plight much more dangerous. Zhavoronkin also stressed that healthcare for workers has suffered since Gremikha was transferred to SevRAO. At present, there are not even any healthcare workers with competence enough to determine what kind of radiation was involved in the incident. Worker�s Health Status Unknown Shingaryov said that, in 2000, before apparent normative changes were made, radiation doses reaching 50 millisieverts were considered normal, and that there was �no danger to the workers� health.� He added that one of the irradiated workers is currently under observation at the Moscow Institute of Biophysics. Still further information on the condition of the workers came from Yury Yevdokimov, governor of the Murmansk region, where Gremikha is located. Yevdokimov told Bellona Web in a Wednesday interview that only four workers were irradiated and they are all entirely healthy. Agapov�s account of the workers� health is somewhat more vague. �I�ve had a talk with the first deputy minister [of atomic energy], Mikhail Solonin, and I have been given the task of securing the required information to find out about the clinical situation of the irradiated people,� said Agapov. Why special documentation would be required for Agapov, a highly ranked official, to learn of the workers� conditions remains unknown. Agapov said that the workers could be suffering from �skin burns� due to local radiation exposure, and not necessarily whole body irradiation. But he was nonetheless unsure. It is also unclear from differing accounts provided by Shingaryov and Agapov whether the workers were civilian technicians with SevRAO, or whether they were naval sailors. The Russian Northern Fleet Command said Wednesday that no naval personnel were involved. Gremikha�s Recent History of Disaster Gremikha Bay has been in recent headlines as the point of origin of the K-159, a rusty barrel of a decommissioned November class submarine that sank on August 30th while being towed to the Northern Kola Peninsula for dismantlement. The incident killed nine of the 10 crew members aboard the K-159 and led to the suspension of Northern Fleet Chief, Admiral Gennady Suchkov. According to Agapov, the radiation exposure incident at Gremikha occurred while staff, working without proper radiation protection, were handling solid high-level waste from submarine reactors�including safety rods, control rods, and other highly irradiated reactor elements. According to information obtained by Bellona Web, there was no spent nuclear fuel among the reactor parts being handled. Agapov said that Minatom has already carried out an investigation of the incident, but was not satisfied with the results. He added, however, that �the problem was connected with the organisation of the work. Incident Underscores Radiation Dangers from Retired Nuclear Vessels Alexander Nikitin, a former submarine captain first class and the chairman of Bellona�s St. Petersburg office said in an interview with Bellona Web that �this incident once again shows the serious danger presented by retired naval vessels.� He said this danger �is demonstrated by both nuclear subs, like K-159 that sank during transportation [�], and onshore storage sites in Gremikha Bay, Andreyeva Bay and other bases of the Northern Fleet.� The Bellona Foundation has already made its position known regarding work carried out at these facilities that is financed by Western donors. In Bellona�s opinion, these projects are important and laudable and need continued support. Nevertheless, Bellona asserts that many of them are carried out without proper risk assessment, and donated money often helps finance dangerous dismantlement practices. �In our opinion, there are problems here. Not the last reason for that being that it�s not clear who controls radiation safety on these sites [like Gremikha or Andreyeva Bay],� said Nikitin. As of 1999, when Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a governmental decree stripping Gosatomnadzor, or GAN, Russia�s nuclear regulatory agency, of the jurisdiction to oversee submarine decommissioning, the responsibility was passed to the Defence Ministry�s radiation safety unit and Minatom, meaning that, within SevRAO, Minatom is its own nuclear regulatory body. But the Defence Ministry and Minatom have often seemed more interested in guarding their secrets about radiation hazards than addressing the harm these hazards cause. Disturbingly, Murmansk Regional Governor Yevdokimov�who has signed agreements for international assistance with Norway and Sweden�was unaware in an interview with Bellona Web that GAN has no regulatory oversight of SevRAO. When confronted with this information, he was nonplussed. �GAN has no regulatory control? That cannot be,� he said. �Decommissioning is passed from military jurisdiction to Minatom, and GAN controls [the process.]� A GAN spokeswoman denied that her agency had any jurisdiction over military nuclear installations or SevRAO. Bellona Hopes Minatom Will Objectively Investigate Incident �We hope that after Minatom�s commission has completed its work, we will receive objective information,� said Nikitin. He noted that Article 7 of the law �On State Secrets� provides that �any information pertaining to civil emergencies and catastrophes that threaten the safety and health of the population; to natural disasters and official forecasts about disasters and their potential consequences, as well as information about ecological conditions� cannot be classified. Gremikha, formerly a Russian Navy base, is 350 kilometres southeast of Murmansk and is one of two onshore submarine nuclear waste storage facilities on the Kola Peninsula. The other onshore submarine waste storage facility is Andreyeva Bay, 45 kilometres from the Norwegian border. There are no roads or railways to the Gremikha base and it can only be reached by air or sea. In 2001, the base was transferred from the Russian Navy�s jurisdiction over to Minatom�s SevRAO. At present, there are still up to five submarines�as opposed to 19 at the beginning of 2002�laid up at Gremikha�s piers and buoys, still loaded with their spent nuclear fuel as they await dismantlement. Return to Menu 4. Russia invests in nuke subs utilization for nuclear safety Russia's funding of the programme for the utilization of its decommissioned nuclear submarines made up nearly 2.5 billion roubles in 2003, Alexander Agapov, the head of the department for safety, ecology and emergency situations at the Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy, told the Sixth international conference "Radiation safety: Atomtrans-2003/ Radioactive materials transportation". He said 1.5 billion roubles out of this sum is allocated for these purposes along the lines of the Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy and about one billion roubles is invested by the countries participating jointly with Russia in the projects of radio-ecological safety in Russia's Arctic and in the bays on the coast of the Far East where nuclear sub are settled. As many as 192 out of the 250 nuclear submarines built in the former USSR have been decommissioned by now, Agapov said. He said spent nuclear fuel would be unloaded from 20 submarines before the end of the year. Their reactor compartments would be cut out and the hulls would go for re-smelting. Less than 40 percent of the decommissioned submarines have been utilized by now. Agapov said the massive decommissioning of nuclear submarines technologically unprepared aggravates the problem of ensuring radiation safety. He said 100 tonnes of spent nuclear fuel is now kept at facilities of the Russian navy (in over 300 active zones). Return to Menu 5. Twelve Russians exposed to radiation at nuclear dump Twelve people working at a Russian nuclear waste site have been exposed to higher-than-normal radiation levels, Russian authorities said on Wednesday. The incident happened last month at a dump for nuclear waste in the north western Murmansk region, Nikolai Chingarev, spokesman for the Nuclear Energy Ministry, said. "However, there is no risk to their health," he told AFP, adding an internal inquiry was underway. A Norwegian-based international ecologist organisation, Bellona, first reported the August 20 incident. Dismantled parts of former nuclear submarines are stored at the site at a garrison of Russia's Northern Fleet in the village of Gremikha, Sergey Javoronkine, Bellona's regional official, told AFP. He blamed "crude violations of safety rules" for the incident. Return to Menu C. HEU Purchase Agreement 1. How Are You Using Russian Uranium? Russia Asks USA Sergei Stepashin, Russia's Audit Chamber president, addressed David Walker, US Comptroller General, for information about the use of low-enriched uranium the United States is importing from Russia for nuclear power plants. "We are working together on low-enriched uranium supplies. It greatly matters to us what becomes of such uranium. Last but not least, Russian parliamentarians are tremendously concerned about the issue," Mr. Stepashin said to the media after Moscow talks with Mr. Walker. The negotiators analyzed the implementation of a bilateral agreement made ten years ago on uranium utilization. As the document stipulates, Russia processes its redundant nuclear weaponry into low-enriched uranium to export it as fuel to US-based nuclear plants. Prominent on the Stepashin-Walker agenda were parallel inspections against wasting and misspending both countries' allocations to implement the agreement. Return to Menu 2. Moscow to control storage of Russian uranium in US The Audit Chamber of the Russian Federation has requested the US General Accounting Office (GAO) to provide information about the storage in the United States of low-enriched uranium from Russia, Sergey Stepashin, head of the Audit Chamber, said at a joint news conference with GAO Comptroller General David Walker following their meeting on Thursday. Mr. Walker noted that the auditing agencies of both countries were interested in minimizing the danger posed by the use of uranium, and they should know precisely where it was stored and how it was used. During the meeting, Sergey Stepashin and David Walker discussed the implementation of the Russia-US agreement on the recycling of uranium, signed 10 years ago. Under this agreement, Russia�s weapons waste is processed into low-enriched uranium, which is supplied as fuel to American nuclear power plants. The two officials also discussed parallel checks regarding the efficient use of funds allocated by both parties for the implementation of the agreement, as well as the completeness and timeliness of the transfer of revenues to the Russian budget. Russia also touched upon the issue of inventory checks of raw materials supplied to the United States. In addition, the officials discussed parallel checks regarding the efficient use of funds allocated by the US government for the recycling of chemical weapons in Russia. The first meeting of a working group of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) dealing with money laundering took place on Thursday. According to Mr. Walker, significant progress has been achieved at the meeting. In particular, the mission of the working group and its goals have been defined. The spheres of cooperation have also been defined. In this respect, the top priority is the fight against corruption, terrorist financing and drug trafficking. Return to Menu D. Chemical Weapons Destruction 1. Russia seen unwilling to fund scrapping chemical weapons Russia is unable to meet its international obligations in respect of destruction of chemical weapons, a Russian news website argues. As a result, the flow of foreign aid has recently slowed down markedly. This poses danger to environment, the paper said. Nor does it enhance Russia's image abroad, it added. The following is text of report by Russian Grani.ru web on 23 September. Subheadings have been inserted editorially: Russia is unable to fulfil its international obligations in respect of destruction of chemical weapons [CW]. Instead of the R11.58bn envisaged by the government's CW destruction programme for 2004, the draft federal budget has allocated R5.36bn. The cumulative funding shortfall carried over from 2001 will therefore be just under R20bn. Lack of funds The Ministry of Finance, which is deliberately reducing the funds for destroying CW, is trying to put the blame on states, which are parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention: they, the ministry says, have promised to assist Russia financially within the framework of the programme, now let them do so. But Western Europe and the United States realized long ago that multimillion [dollar] sums sent to Russia and not subject to repayment, would disappear into its vastness without trace. And you will not find anyone who is answerable. This is in the context where the Russian side is persistently failing to honour its financial obligations under the programme. In other words, we are splashing out other people's money while being in no great hurry to spend our own. As a result, the flow of foreign aid under the program has recently slowed down markedly. For example, the United States is agreeing to unfreeze funding to the tune of 200m dollars for constructing CW destruction facilities in the town of Shchuchye [Kurgan Region] only on condition that Russia itself stumps up at least 50m dollars. According to State Duma Defence Committee information, if the government's version of the budget is adopted, CW destruction facilities not only in Shchuchye, but also in Kambarka (Udmurtia), Maradykovskiy (Kirov Region), and Gornyy (Saratov Region) will be mothballed. What does this mean? Consequences In the first place, substantial deterioration of the ecological situation (over 80 per cent of CW storage facilities on Russian Federation territory long ago ceased to meet the required standards for storing toxic substances - in short, the walls are crumbling, the sensors have rusted through, and the containers have become leaky). In the above population centres the grapes of wrath have not just ripened, but are already overripe - people there are ready to move on from rallies to more radical forms of battle for survival. Secondly, Russia's inability to cope with its share of the international programme is not enhancing its prestige. Thirdly, the delays in completion of CW destruction facilities threaten us with far higher costs than those envisaged by the program. And it is quite possible that in a couple of years from now all these gigantic deposits of chemical toxins will become a serious threat to the federal budget - it will still be us, primarily, who will have to destroy the CW. And then, as is usual in our country, chemical disarmament will change from being a planned, routine operation into a heroic battle, with plenty of scope for derring-do and financial chicanery. It is worth noting that the State Duma Defence Committee intends to increase the amount spent on the programme from R5bn to R7bn. Seven is better than five, of course, but even this amount does not solve the problem of saving the country from the critical mass of chemical stocks, and does not halt our slide towards the precipice. Like any partial financing, these tactics will only (even with a top-up) lead to the allocated sums being frittered - ostensibly - on patching up holes, although, in reality, they will disappear in an even less identifiable direction. People in government are well aware of the existence of the ticking chemical time-bomb. But, evidently, they are consoling themselves with the thought that their cabinet successors will be the ones to defuse it. Return to Menu E. Multilateral Threat Reduction 1. Russia And Canada Project Economic, Scientific-Technical Cooperation Russia and Canada have prepared a set of joint projects, which will soon be discussed by a joint intergovernmental commission for economic and scientific-technical cooperation, Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov said at a Friday meeting with Canadian Governor General Adrienne Clarkson. "I'm glad to say that your state visit provides a strong incentive for the development of cooperation in many other areas, such as education, culture, science and sport," the Russian prime minister said. Kasyanov also said that the Russian leadership is satisfied with how Russian-Canadian relations are developing. In turn, Clarkson assured the Russian premier of the Canadians' friendly feelings towards Russia. The G8 idea of global partnership can play a special role in the strengthening of relations between the two countries, she said. We in Canada see this idea as extremely important and serious, she said. In the opinion of the Canadian governor general, the two countries' interaction in handling problems of the North and environmental problems should particularly been seen from the point of view of global partnership. We are northern countries united by the Arctic Ocean and have a common geography, she continued. Clarkson also said that representatives of the peoples of the North are in the Canadian delegation. On Saturday the delegation headed by the Canadian governor general will go to Salekhard in Russia's North and meet with representatives of the Nenets people. Return to Menu 2. Russian Foreign Minister to Participate in Barents/Euroarctic Council Session Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov will take part in the 9th session of the Barents/Euroarctic Council, due on October 2-2, 2003 in Umeo in northern Sweden. The foreign ministers of the Council's member countries will exchange opinions on a wide range of issues of cooperation in the Barents region in view of the decisions made at a meeting of the Council's heads of government, the Russian Foreign Ministry told journalists. The meeting gathered in Kirkenes, Norway in January 2003. The foreign ministers will discuss the strengthening of transboundary and economic cooperation, environmental protection, enhancement of nuclear and radiation safety. It is also planned to discuss the development of trade and investment, improvement of energy efficiency, counteraction to new threats and challenges particularly human trade, improvement of the frontier and transport infrastructures. Back on January 10-11, 1993 the foreign ministers of Norway, Russia, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Denmark, a spokesman for the European Communities Commission, observers from the United States, Canada and Japan gathered for a meeting and agreed on establishing the Barents/Euroarctic Council. Its permanent members are Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Finland, Sweden and the European Commission. The nine states with the observer status are - the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Poland, France, the United States and Japan. Return to Menu 3. Russian critics say millions from Canada for nuclear cleanup going astray Canadians should keep a keen eye on hundreds of millions of dollars Ottawa is giving Moscow to help clean up Soviet-era atomic weapons and waste dumps in the Arctic, independent Russian experts and non-governmental groups say. "You better make sure the money donated is used to reduce the nuclear threat and not to intensify it," Alexander Nikitin, a former Soviet nuclear submarine captain turned environmental activist told a Moscow forum organized by Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson on Thursday. Nikitin, who spent five years under house arrest for giving foreign ecologists information about the Russian navy's nuclear abuses, warned that funds being supplied under the 10-year, $27-billion Cdn Global Partnership Program are being used by Russia's Atomic Power Ministry to revive its capabilities to build nuclear weapons and power stations. "These programs weren't supposed to be used to finance Russia's nuclear industry," he said. "But we cannot say the funds being given have been used for the stated purposes." Canada proposed the Global Partnership initiative at the G-8 summit in Kananaskis, Alta., just over a year ago, as a way for the international community to address the former Soviet Union's vast and deadly legacy of poorly secured nuclear materials and chemical weapons. "It is an act of great enlightenment on the part of the new Russia that it has committed itself" to dismantling its old weapons, said Maurice Strong, undersecretary of the United Nations. "This is a threat to our common security." Ottawa has pledged $1 billion to various aspects of the program and is discussing a plan to finance the decommissioning of three of more than 100 derelict ex-Soviet nuclear submarines moored in Russian Arctic ports. One atomic submarine, the 40-year-old K-159 with two nuclear reactors aboard, sank in the Barents Sea last month while being towed to a shipyard for decommissioning. "That was a sharp reminder of the difficulties and dangers we face in this enterprise," said Franklyn Griffiths, a University of Toronto professor and one of Canada's top experts on nuclear issues. Russian officials have complained that the money pledged by the G-8 has been slow to arrive - and that too much of it is being spent on well-paid western consultants, rather than on improving Russian nuclear security. "It's been over a year since Kananaskis, and what concrete results have been achieved?" said Anatoly Antonov, Russian ambassador-at-large for nuclear issues. "No one asks us." But Nikitin said the Russian government, while eager for funds to reprocess nuclear wastes into fresh fuel and weapons-grade material, has not constructed a single secure storage space for submarines, missiles and other nuclear equipment destined for destruction under the program. He also alleged that Moscow has refused to listen to environmentalists, aboriginal organizations and other community groups in drawing up plans to dismantle old Soviet weapons of mass destruction. "Co-operation between the state and non-governmental groups is non-existent in this country," Nikitin said. "Bureaucrats view us only as a threat." Return to Menu 4. Zero Consensus on WMD Terrorism and loose weapons of mass destruction are the worst nightmare of the modern world. Terrorists might grab nuclear, chemical or biological WMD and attack a major city. A rogue state might sell WMD to terrorists or use them in some stupid local war over a patch of barren land that some half-insane person believes to be "an indispensable part of the national heritage." These fears dominated a nonproliferation conference in Moscow last week that gathered an exotic bunch of people: Israelis, Iranians, Russians, Indians, UN officials, U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, Russian Nuclear Power Minister Alexander Rumyantsev, think tankers and researchers from all over world. One could see Iranian and Israeli officials sharing the same table during panel discussions. All present at the conference agreed the situation is really bad. But that seemed to be the only point of agreement. Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh, the deputy director general of political affairs at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated: "We are threatened by Israel -- an enemy that has nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, along with long-range missiles." The Israelis replied that Iran is developing WMD, long-range missiles and does not recognize Israel's right to exist. Almost everyone present denounced the United States for double standards in not punishing Israel for having nukes, while chasing Saddam Hussein out of Baghdad, persecuting Iran and North Korea just for aspiring to have some. U.S. speakers at the conference agreed that one could not solve the Middle East problem while applying double standards in dealings with Israel. But these statements did not reflect any imminent change in U.S. policies, since most Americans present were liberal Democrats. As one of them told me: "Our Republican colleagues are now all in government, ruling the world and too busy to attend conferences in Moscow." Many of these Democrats were ranking officials in Bill Clinton's administration and have now become think tankers. When in government the same people -- as far as I can recall -- were rather tight-lipped about the issue of U.S. "double standards." How much of their present foresight will survive when, and if, the Democrats take over government in 2004 or 2008? Russian government officials attending the conference did not mince their words in denouncing the West. Natalya Kalinina, an aide to Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, and Anatoly Antonov, ambassador-at-large at the Foreign Ministry, told the audience that Western nations are doing virtually nothing to make good on their pledges to increase help to Russia in destroying WMD and keeping dangerous nuclear and radioactive materials safe. The United States, Japan and EU countries are today providing assistance in dismantling Soviet-era WMD, but Russian officials claim that all this aid is a leftover of programs announced in the 1990s. Nothing has materialized of the "$20 billion in 10 years" that the G-7 countries offered to spend on making safe WMD in the framework of the Global Partnership. Russian officials also state that large chunks of the aid that is being provided is squandered on paying lavish fees to worthless Western consultants. General Gennady Evstafyev from the Foreign Intelligence Service told the conference that the U.S. use of nonproliferation problems as a pretext for attacking Iraq has backfired and created even more instability and intensified attempts by North Korea and Iran to acquire WMD. Evstafyev also accused the United States of designing a new generation of low-yield nukes for possible use in local conflicts, a development that is unnerving Russia. Russian intelligence services believe that terrorist groups are not likely to be able to use regular nukes anytime soon. But such nongovernmental groups may make substitute WMDs -- such as so-called dirty bombs -- using highly radioactive materials that are inadequately stored or guarded all over Russia and in other former Soviet republics. The conference in Moscow reflected the total disarray in the international community over terrorism and WMD. The term "community," in fact, does not reflect the reality of the situation. The absence of any meaningful consensus will surely lead to more unchecked terrorism and proliferation that in turn will precipitate more unilateral military action by the present U.S. administration. Return to Menu F. Nuclear Trafficking 1. Radioactive Cesium Container Stolen in North Siberia A container with radioactive cesium has been stolen in the north of Siberia - in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area. As RIA Novosti was told in Russia's Ministry of the Interior Thursday, the crime was committed in the town of Noyabrsk, at a base belonging to an oil company. According to preliminary data, unidentified criminals broke open a transportation container belonging to French Schlumberger Logelco Inc., and stole the inner lead container with cesium. In investigation is underway along with the search for the stolen radioactive material. Return to Menu 2. Radioactive parcel bound for US seized in Ukraine A radioactive package addressed to the United States has been seized at Ukraine's main airport in the capital Kiev, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday. The regional emergencies ministry said the package, discovered on Tuesday, was emitting radiation at a rate thousands of times higher than the norm in Kiev of 0.05 milliroentgens an hour. "This material is being investigated," said Mykola Karabet, duty officer for the emergencies ministry in the Borispyl region of Kiev. "We do not know what it is. "It was a parcel in some luggage to be sent by air transport... There is no threat to human health or life." The United States has been on alert for suspect packages since Washington was all but shut down by letters containing anthrax powder in 2001. In Ukraine, metal scrap and other objects from the Chernobyl region are often stopped at the borders of the former Soviet state for higher than normal radiation levels. Large swathes of the country were left with high levels of radioactivity after Chernobyl's reactor number four exploded in 1986, in the world's worst civil nuclear disaster. Health officials have blamed that accident for thousands of deaths from radiation-linked illnesses and an increase in thyroid cancer. Return to Menu G. Russia-US 1. Bush and Putin, together again President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin will be eager to restore their once-friendly relationship during their summit in Camp David today and tomorrow. Beyond the anticipated soul-gazing, the two leaders will have some weighty specifics to discuss, from Iraq and Iran to the potential for growing Islamic militancy in former Soviet states. Mr. Putin would welcome the prospect of emerging from the U.N. General Assembly meeting this week as the conciliatory party on a new U.N. resolution on Iraq, working to bridge the divide between, on one side, Moscow, Paris and Berlin and, on the other, Washington. Such a role would bolster Russia's geopolitical prominence and allow Mr. Putin to help the United States without appearing submissive. The United States stands only to gain from obliging Mr. Putin this role. Yesterday, Mr. Putin dropped earlier demands, made also by Germany and France, that the United States set a timeline for withdrawing from Iraq � proving its willingness to be accommodating in drafting a new resolution. On Iran, Mr. Bush and Mr. Putin will strive to forge a common policy on how to deal with Iran's nuclear ambitions. The U.N. nuclear watchdog said yesterday that it has found traces of enriched uranium in Iran at the Kalaye Electric Co. Russia has been helping Iran develop a pressurized-water-power reactor that wouldn't be suitable for developing nuclear weapons, but provides the Iranians with nuclear know-how. Moscow, therefore, has a business and diplomatic relationship with Tehran that Washington could effectively leverage. But first, Mr. Bush and Mr. Putin would have to agree on what combination of carrots and sticks should be brought to bear on Iran. Washington might consider, for example, allowing Russia's reactor project to go forward in Iran, if the regime in Tehran agrees to unannounced and unfettered inspections. Mr. Bush also will want Russia's assessment of some former Soviet countries in Central Asia, some of which are governed by corrupt governments and incubating an increasingly radical and restless Islamic population. Should militancy grow in that region, the United States, Russia and China could all be affected. Messrs. Bush and Putin should devise strategies on how to stem this militancy and potentially deal with it if it intensifies. It is unclear if the two world leaders will be doing the courting at the summit. Recruiting Mr. Putin's cooperation on a range of issues can help the United States on the global stage. Mr. Putin values his relationship with the world's only superpower, particularly since it extricates Russia from the rogue status some have assigned it. Both leaders are convinced they face similar threats and interests, and they seem intent to re-establish a working relationship, a determination that Mr. Bush and French President Jacques Chirac clearly haven't made. Return to Menu 2. Russia will prevent new arms race Russia is ready to cooperate in any format to prevent an arms race, including in space, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said at a video conference following Russian President Vladimir Putin�s speech at the UN General Assembly Thursday. �It is for this reason that the President stressed the importance of achieving corresponding agreements that would prevent the extension of an arms race into space,� he said. At the same time, Mr. Ivanov stressed that measures to prevent an arms race were needed not just in regard to space. He said there was a number of international agreements on the non-proliferation and reduction of weapons. In particular, the US-Russian agreement on the reduction of strategic offensive weapons, which was signed by the Russian and US leaders and entered into effect, suggests a significant reduction of nuclear warheads. �This is a concrete example of the position outlined in the speech of the Russian President at the session of the UN General Assembly,� the Foreign Minister said. At the same time, Mr. Ivanov noted Russia would continue efforts to resume the six-way talks on North Korea�s nuclear program. He stressed that the holding of the talks in a different format would be inappropriate. According to the Foreign Minister, Russia has welcomed the six-nation talks in Beijing. �It is no secret that the dialog is difficult. But we did not expect concrete results in the first round,� Mr. Ivanov noted. �The dialog should be continued, and all interested parties should take part. This problem can only be solved through a dialog,� he stressed. Return to Menu 3. Russia-US Summit Agenda The Washington agenda of Vladimir Putin's stay in the US features no protocol events - something allowing the two presidents to discuss calmly all issues as scheduled. Deputy chief of the presidential administration Sergei Prikhodko said as much to newsmen. Putin will arrive at George Bush's residence in Camp David on September 26th. In the evening the two leaders will hold narrow-format negotiations, and on September 27th they will meet in an extended format. Prikhodko noted the Putin-Bush talks would consider bilateral military-strategic interaction, putting into effect the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty and missile defense cooperation. Nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and measures to avert them from landing into the hands of terrorists will be considered separately. The situation in Iraq will become a priority. Putin and Bush will consider the situation in the Middle East. Prikhodko has not ruled it out that the talks will be followed by joint Russia-US measures, including within the international quartet, seeking to help the conflicting sides break the vicious circle of violence and return to the road map. As for economic interaction, Putin and Bush will consider the results of the energy summit in St. Petersburg held before the Camp David meeting. At the same time, the Kremlin spokesman noted the economic focus would be laid upon the need to eliminate barriers and limitations hampering dynamic contacts between people and mutually advantageous trade and economic ties. Return to Menu 4. U.S.: Bush-Putin Talks Come As Moscow Appears To Be Drawing Closer To Washington On Key Issues (excerpted) [�] Reports yesterday that inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) may have uncovered further traces of enriched uranium in Iran are also likely to prompt Bush to renew his call for Russia to curb its nuclear cooperation with Tehran. Bush yesterday told reporters that he will raise the issue during his talks with Putin. He said Tehran faces what he called "universal condemnation" if it keeps pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Iran denies that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Russia find itself in a bind with Iran, says Redman. On the one hand, the Putin administration wants to complete the lucrative contract for the Bushehr nuclear power plant it is building for Iran, but it shares U.S. concerns about nuclear proliferation. "There's no way Russia wants to lose its links with Iran. There's no way it wants to lose the trade. But at the same time, Putin is going to be very clear that there's no interest in nuclear proliferation to Iran. And so the question is whether [Putin] can strike a balance, whether he can push the Iranians very slowly into compliance with the IAEA without losing the link or losing the trade, if possible," Redman says. But Moscow-based political analyst Andrei Piontkovsky tells RFE/RL there are indications that Russia has been drawing closer to the U.S. position in recent weeks. "Iran's stubborn, inflexible and now clear drive to acquire nuclear weapons is beginning to worry Russia and to draw [the United States and Russia] together. For example, Russia has now made it clear it is prepared to stop fuel deliveries to the Bushehr reactor if Iran does not sign an agreement on returning spent nuclear fuel. And Russia has also assumed a more flexible attitude on the issue of Iran signing an additional protocol on inspections with the IAEA. For now, Russia has not made completion of the Bushehr reactor conditional on Tehran's signature, but it has added its voice to others calling on Iran to sign the protocol," Piontkovsky says. Kimberly Martin in New York agrees. She notes that Tehran faces a deadline from the IAEA to fully disclose the extent of its nuclear activities. Failure to comply could lead to action by the UN Security Council, in which case Russia would be hard-pressed not to freeze its deal with Tehran. "As you know, Iran is now facing a deadline of October 31. And at that point, if the IAEA is not satisfied, there's a possibility of the UN Security Council imposing sanctions against Iran. At that point, Russia would have to take a stand -- either on behalf of the sanctions or against the sanctions. And I would guess, based on the direction that things are going, that it is unlikely to veto sanctions against Iran if it appears that the IAEA report is so strongly against Iranian intentions," Martin said. Overall, says Andrei Piontkovsky, the ever-pragmatic Putin remains committed to a strategic alliance with the United States, because he and his advisers believe this dovetails with Russia's principal foreign policy and economic interests. "If you take a broader strategic perspective, Russia and the United States have an objective interest in strategic cooperation because most of the conflicts of the 21st century are going to take place along Russia's southern border -- the Middle East and Central Asia, and let's not forget Northeast Asia and the problem of China's growing power. Awareness of this will draw the U.S. and Russia closer together. So I think Putin's understanding of these long-term mutual strategic interests will prevail over disagreements over specific details," Piontkovsky said. In other words, when the talk turns to oil and gas sales, Iran and Iraq, expect Moscow to drift closer to Washington and further from Paris, despite the friendly exchanges during the latest meeting of the Russian-German-French "troika" in New York this week. Return to Menu H. Russia-North Korea 1. Pulikovsky: Nuclear-Free Zone can be Formed on Korean Peninsula The Russian president's plenipotentiary in the Far Eastern federal district, Konstantin Pulikovsky, is certain that the participants in the talks on the Korean nuclear problem will come to realise that the Korean Peninsula should become a nuclear-free zone. Pulikovsky also told reporters in Moscow this Friday that he hoped the talks would be continued. On the whole he spoke highly of the August talks in China with the participation of representatives of Russia, North Korea, South Korea, the USA, Japan and China. In his opinion, it would have been a surprise if a unanimous opinion could be reached during the very first meeting. Each side in the talks is upholding its national interests above all, said the plenipotentiary. The North Korean side remained discontent with the absence of allied and specific decisions, added Pulikovsky. The plenipotentiary referred to Russia's "clear-cut, transparent and comprehensible" position in this regard: "We have always favoured and will continue championing the nuclear-free status of the entire Korean peninsula." Return to Menu 2. Russia natural gas may be key to solving NKorea problem Russian natural gas can become the key to solving the problem of North Korea, Maurice Strong, the special envoy of the United Nations secretary-general, said on Thursday in Moscow. At the request of Canadian's Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson, Maurice Strong, a Canadian, participates in her state visit to Russia. His powers as United Nations representative include assistance to settling the situation in the Korean peninsula. He regards the problem of North Korea as being central to ensuring peace and security and remaining, perhaps, the only major outstanding problem in this sphere. Strong believes that the ability of the world community to assist North Korea in developing alternative non-nuclear energy sources is the key factor in resolving this problem. He said this would be in everybody's interests. The nuclear problem cannot be resolved without settling the energy problem. Strong believes Russian natural gas offers the best way. Russia has two promising projects - in Irkutsk and in Sakhalin. The Irkutsk project is now at an early stage of development, he noted. He believes that the Sakhalin deposit is no less rich a source of natural gas which can play the decisive role in transforming the energy system of the whole region. Return to Menu 3. Moscow, Beijing Speak for Resolving DPRK Nuclear Problem Through Dialogue Moscow and Beijing have declared to be for resolving the DPRK's nuclear problem through dialogue and by peaceful means, says the joint communique on the results of the eighth regular meeting of the heads of government of Russia and China. Moscow and Beijing hold the view that the dialogue, started in the course of the tripartite talks in Beijing in April 2003 and the six-party talks in Beijing in August 2003, must be continued. "Each of the sides must act in the interests of the talks' success," the communique reads. The sides stated the necessity to ensure a nuclear-free status of the Korean peninsula, and to observe the regime of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. But "the DPRK's well-grounded concerns in the security sphere and in other fields must be taken into consideration," the document notes. The heads of the governments of Russia and China declared to be for maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, which meets the interests of all sides, including Russia and China, and the general aspirations of the international community. "The sides agreed that they would intensify the consultations and cooperation on the questions of the Korean peninsula, the nuclear problem included," the joint communique reads. Return to Menu I. Russian Nuclear Forces 1. Tu-160 crash blamed on technical failure According to Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov, the fatal crash of a Russian bomber last week was caused by a technical problem, not pilot error, Rossiya (Russia) television reported on Tuesday. �There was a fire and an explosion aboard the plane even before it hit the ground. I can say this with confidence," Mr. Ivanov stressed. At the same time, he noted that these were preliminary, not official, results. �Multiple technical examinations have been scheduled. After they have been performed, it will be officially announced what caused the crash,� the Defense Minister said. The Tu-160 strategic bomber crashed on September 18 in the Saratov region, about 450 miles southeast of Moscow, while performing a test flight following repairs. A fire broke out aboard the plane, and it crashed, killing all four crew members on board. The Military Prosecutor�s Office of the Volga-Ural military district has opened a criminal case under Article 351 of the Russian Criminal Code (violation of flight safety regulations). The last crash involving a Tu-160 bomber happened in 1987, and it was also blamed on an engine fire. Ruslan Pukhov, Director of the Center for Analysis, Strategy and Technology, said on Echo of Moscow radio that the development of the Tu-160 strategic bomber had begun back in the late 1970s. By the time the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, there were 19 such aircraft in the country. They were based in Ukraine. After the disintegration of the USSR, the planes became the property of Ukraine. Return to Menu J. Russia-China 1. Russia and China to cooperate in construction of over 800 MW nuclear units Russian government chair Mikhail Kasianov visited China September 22-25 by invitation from his Chinese counterpart � PRC council of state chair Wen Jiabao. The official visit included the 8th Russia and China head of governments� regular meeting held on September 24 in Beijing, which produced a number of documents including the joint communiquй that, in particular, states that the achieving the goal set by Russian President Vladimir Putin and PRC Chairman Hu Jintao �to breakthrough over the whole array of the bilateral trade and economic relations and dramatic growth in sales� must become the main work area. In this regard the Russia and China�s heads of governments consider necessary, in particular, to concentrate joint effort in cooperation in: continuing the cooperation in the peaceful uses of atomic energy including construction of nuclear power plants; expansion of interaction in nuclear fuel cycle including construction of the phase two of the uranium enrichment gaseous centrifuge plant; development of nuclear technologies; as well as cooperation in nuclear safety; continuing cooperation between Russian and Chinese companies in construction of nuclear power units of 800 megawatt and higher capacity which will use the Russian modern equipment and technologies. Return to Menu 2. Russia to Grant China a Loan to Complete 2nd Construction Phase of Tianwan NPP The Russian government can give China a loan to complete the second construction phase of the Tianwan nuclear power station, the project that is involving Russia. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, who is visiting China, said this in Beijing today. Russia must fulfil its first phase obligations under the project, i.e. put into operation the station's first unit in December 2004 and second unit at the end of 2005. By that time the Chinese leaders are expected to take the decision to launch the second construction phase and hold a tender among constructors. Russia hopes Russian-based high technology companies have good chances to win the tender, said Mr Kasyanov. Russia's prospective loan will go to finance the delivery of Russian-made equipment to China, he added. Return to Menu 3. Government supports Russian companies� intent to build Tianwan phase 2 The Russian Federation Government will support the Russian companies in their intent to build phase two of Tianwan nuclear power plant in China, reportedly to ITAR-TASS, said RF Prime Minister Mikhail Kasianov to the press conference held after his negotiations with his counterpart Wen Jibao. Kasianov noted Russian companies� interests in construction of Tianwan NPP phase two, which phase one is presently close to completion. He also expressed hope that Russia�s companies would win tenders for construction of Tianwan-3 and 4 and supply of the relevant equipment. The Russian Prime Minister also outlined main priorities for future Russia-China trade cooperation. According to Kasianov, Russia is interested in increasing export to China of heavy machinery and civil products including nuclear power plant equipment. Other issues that could extend Chinese-Russian nuclear co-operation include China's possible help in building a floating nuclear power plant in the Russian town of Severodvinsk, Russian participation in building additional industrial uranium enrichment capacities in China, and joint works on developing nuclear power facilities for spacecraft. Return to Menu 4. Russian company makes fuel for Chinese nuclear power plant. Russia's nuclear fuel producer, the company TVEL, has made nuclear rods for China's Tianwan atomic power station. The rods were made at the company's plant in Novosibirsk. TVEL spokesman told Itar-Tass on Wednesday, "The nuclear rods will be kept in special storage rooms at the plant before transportation to China." "In accordance with existing agreements, this nuclear fuel will be supplied to the Tianwan nuclear power plant six months before its first reactor goes on line," the spokesman said. The ministry told Itar-Tass that Russia and China are engaged in "large-scale cooperation in the field of nuclear power engineering." Work to build the first two reactors at the nuclear power plant in China "is proceeding according to schedule, and the first of them is expected to be commissioned in January 2004, to be followed by the second a year later," the ministry said. It also noted, "If China decides to build the second stage of the nuclear power plant, Russia is ready to take part in this project." "The construction of the first two reactors in China will cost three billion U.S. dollars," the spokesman said. Russia's Rosenergoatom company told Itar-Tass, "more than 300 Chinese specialists have undergone training at the Balakovo and Novovoronezhskaya nuclear power plant in the operation of atomic power stations." Return to Menu K. Nuclear Industry 1. Russia�s uranium consumption exceeds its mining output several times In Russia the total domestic and export uranium consumption exceeds its mining output several times, reportedly to ITAR-TASS, said to the St. Petersburg press briefing an official of the All-Russia Institute of Mineral Raw Materials (VIMS). The briefing was devoted to the 3rd International Exhibition �Nuclear Industry� and the 6th International Conference �Radiation Safety: radioactive material transportation� (Atomtrans-2003) held September 22-25. The VIMS official said the Russia�s 2003 nuclear industry export would amount up to US$ 3.5 million. �Natural uranium constitutes the main bulk of the industry�s export with the world market share has grown from 6-9% up to 20% as per experts� estimates�, he said adding that the uranium consumption by Russian nuclear power plants is presently about 4,000 tons a year while the total annual consumption of uranium for domestic needs and export exceeds its mining output several times. According to the current long-term agreements, said the VIMS official, Russia exports uranium in ready-made fuel assemblies for nuclear plants built to former USSR designs in Armenia, Lithuania and Ukraine as well as in Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Finland. �But these supplies are only slightly covered with the external feed�, the expert stressed. Besides, 4-5 thuds tons of uranium are supplied to the USA under the �Megatons to Megawatts� (HEU-LEU) umbrella agreement. The disbalance of mining and consumption is maintained due to availability of large uranium stock in store. �The surveyed uranium resources in Russia are estimated 165,000 tons. This is the top seven in the world�, he said. According to him, considering export the average annual uranium demand would be about 13,000 tons a year by 2010 and would grow up to 16,000-17,000 tons in 2010-2020 taking into account the planned rates of development. �The Russian scientists link the problem of long-term supply of fuel for nuclear power with the transition to fast neutron reactors, which possess practically inexhaustible feed resource�, the VIMS official noted. Return to Menu 2. Russia�s nuclear icebreakers to be transferred to Sevmorput The Ministry of the Russian Federation of Transport plans to transfer all Russia�s nuclear icebreakers under the jurisdiction of a new federal company Sevmorput. ITAR-TASS reports it said by deputy transport minister and head of Roskomflot service Vyacheslav Ruksha addressing the Second Marine Forum of Russia on September 23. He said the federal company is created to ensure effective management of the nuclear icebreaker fleet operations. Presently, the fleet includes five nuclear propelled ships are under the trustee ownership of Murmansk Shipping Company. According to Ruksha, the ships and the maintenance shore base Atomflot are planned to transfer to Sevmorput jurisdiction. The Ministry of Transport officials consider the transfer will make more effective the Arctic Ocean shipments. Icebreakers including nuclear propelled ones ship annually about 1.7 million tons cargo via the Northern Marine Route. This number must be 13-15 million tons by 2015. Return to Menu L. Official Statements 1. Bush to Discuss Iran's Nuclear Weapons Program with Putin (excerpted) The discovery by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of traces of weapons-grade uranium in Iran will be on President Bush's agenda when he meets at Camp David this weekend with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a short question-and-answer session with reporters September 25 at the White House, Bush said "it will be on my agenda with President Putin this weekend. It was on my agenda with many of the world leaders I met with in New York. It is very important for the world to come together to make it very clear to Iran that there will be universal condemnation if they continue with a nuclear weapons program. And I will tell you, the response was very positive. People understand the danger of the Iranians having a nuclear weapons program." [�] Return to Menu 2. Speech at the 58th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (excerpted) [�] Respected Assembly, We only have the right to oppose current threats to civilization by collective responses, the legitimacy of which are not in doubt. And here we need a systematic view, combining political, and where necessary, military measures. These measures should be coordinated, sensible, and sufficient. The improvement of the UN�s peace-making mechanisms remains on the UN agenda. The UN should be capable of more efficient and effective deployment of operations on supporting peace, and where necessary on coercion of peace. However, all this should take place in strict accordance with the UN Charter. I must say that Russia is prepared to increase its participation both in operations under the aegis of the UN, and in coalition operations sanctioned by the Security Council. A serious challenge to modern world is the proliferation of weapons of mass destructions and means of supplying them. And the most dangerous of all is for them to fall into the hands of terrorists. Methods of eliminating these threats are well-known. They include further universalising existing systems of non-proliferation, consolidation of international inspection tools, introduction of safe technology in nuclear production and energy. In general, nations must do away with excessive arsenals and military programs capable of destroying the military-political balance and provoking an arms race. Russia believes it is important to avoid militarization of space. We propose the preparation of a universal agreement on this problem, and invite countries with space potential to join our initiative. Russia�s initiative to form a global system to oppose new threats under the aegis of the UN has already been supported by the General Assembly. I suggest we pass a new resolution during this session � to specify further steps in this direction. [�] Return to Menu 3. Transcript of the Interview Granted by Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Ivanov to Russian Television Channel One (September 23, 2003) (excerpted) [�] Question: How did the meeting of heads of foreign ministries of Russia and the EU members and candidates pass? Answer: The meeting was held in a 1+25 format for the first time. This attests that our cooperation with the European Union is being raised to a new qualitative level. There were three questions on the agenda: the situation in the Middle East and around Iraq and the questions of WMD nonproliferation. On all three problems the positions of Russia and the EU are very close. We are working within the Middle East Quartet and have agreed to take a stand of greater initiative lest it lose its authority and so that it more effectively promotes the Road Map's provisions. As to the problem of Iraq, Russia and the EU are interested in seeing a political solution found. We agreed to coordinate our efforts in this direction. Among WMD nonproliferation issues, we examined the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the situation around Iran's nuclear program. The position of Russia consists of assisting the further strengthening of the nonproliferation regime. We are against weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons, appearing in Iran, on the Korean Peninsula or somewhere else. Here we shall also closely coordinate our efforts. It is important that these questions should not lead to an escalation of tension in some or other regions, but be tackled by dialogue through appropriate mechanisms, primarily the IAEA. [�] Return to Menu 4. White House Press Briefing (excerpted) [�] Q: Scott, what are the President's expectations for this meeting over the next two days with President Putin? MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the President, first of all, looks forward to welcoming President Putin to Camp David. He will be arriving tomorrow. The President -- Q: What time? MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry? Q: What time? MR. McCLELLAN: I don't have the exact time on me. We'll, obviously, put that out later today. But the President looks forward to welcoming President Putin to Camp David. I expect they will talk about a range of issues, from one that we have discussed here today, Iran; I'm sure they will talk about the continuing efforts in the war on terrorism; the Middle East. So they'll discuss a range of issues, as well as continuing to strengthen our already strong relationship that the two leaders have built. Q: On that, on Iraq, is the President going to be asking Putin if he might be interested in pitching in some troops or some other aid there? And, frankly, if not, why not? We were told -- MR. McCLELLAN: I think that they will talk about our efforts in Iraq, they will talk about the new resolution. So let's let the meeting take place, and then we'll have more to talk about after that. But I expect they will. [�] Return to Menu 5. On the IAEA 47th General Conference The 47th session of the IAEA General Conference took place in Vienna on September 15-19. It was attended by delegations from almost 100 member states and the representatives of thirty international organizations. During the conference, participants examined a broad range of problems encompassing the full spectrum of IAEA activities, in particular, nuclear safety, peaceful utilization of nuclear technologies, technical cooperation, and control activities, as well as the Agency's efforts in the prevention of possible acts of nuclear terrorism, and so on. In the spirit of the initiative put forward by Russian President Vladimir Putin for developing innovation nuclear technologies, the conference approved a Russia-proposed resolution on activities by the Agency in this field. All in all, the conference adopted more than 20 resolutions. In its statement the Russian delegation, which was led by Russian Federation Minister of Atomic Energy Alexander Rumyantsev, especially noted the growing role and importance of the IAEA in ensuring the international regime for the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, cooperation in the utilization of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, and the safe development of atomic power generation. The Russian delegation held numerous meetings with the delegations of other states, in which various aspects of bilateral cooperation in peaceful uses of atomic energy, as well as the Agency's activities were discussed. The conference participants unanimously reaffirmed the necessity of further strengthening and raising the effectiveness of the safeguards system of the Agency as the basis of the nonproliferation regime. The next session of the IAEA General Conference will open in Vienna on September 20, 2004. Return to Menu 6. Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Ivanov Meets with South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yun Yong Gwan On September 23 Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Igor Ivanov held a working meeting with Yun Yong Gwan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea, on the sidelines of the 58th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. At the meeting, which passed in an atmosphere of constructive partnership, questions of bilateral relations were discussed and those of normalizing the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in the Northeast Asia region as a whole in the light of the six-way talks on Korean problems held in Beijing on August 27-29. They spoke for continuing the negotiating process, and reiterated their firm intention to work to ensure a nuclear-free status of the Korean Peninsula solely by peaceful means with regard for the lawful interests of all the dialogue participants. Return to Menu M. Links of Interest 1. US�Russian Relations: Between Realism and Reality Return to Menu 2. Horse Trading as Foreign Policy: Dangers of the Bush-Putin Summit Return to Menu 3. Russian Nuclear Weapons Complex Workforce Downsizing Through Secure Retirement Rationalities and Proposals Return to Menu 4. The Democratic Presidential Candidates on WMD Proliferation and International Security Return to Menu 5. Tool of First Resort Return to Menu 6. 30,000 Nuclear Warheads Return to Menu 7. The Bush-Putin Summit Agenda: Russian Peacekeepers for Iraq? 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. 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