Russian nuclear energy chief stated officially that a radioactive element of Polonium 210 which had caused death of former FSB agent Alexander Litvinenko could not be obtained illegally in Russia, the Reuters news agency reported Friday.
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December 4, 2006Anatoly Chubais, head of Russian power monopoly Unified Energy Systems of Russia doubts that the ailment affecting Russian economist and politician Yegor Gaidar was caused by natural factors, the Interfax news agency reports.
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November 29, 2006The head of Russia’s nuclear agency Rosatom will visit Iran on December 11 to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries.
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November 27, 2006Russia’s state-controlled nuclear power plant construction company Atomstroyexport has won a $5.1 billion deal to build two power reactors at Bulgaria’s second nuclear power plant, Russian officials said on Tuesday, October 31.
The other bidder was Czech consortium Skoda Alliance, but Bulgaria’s electricity company said the main reasons for choosing the Russian bid were “the higher safety and the longer term of operation of the reactors.â€
The nuclear plant is to be completed in seven and a half years, the national electricity company said.
According to an Atomstroyexport spokesperson, French nuclear company Areva and Germany’s Siemens will participate in the construction. No details were given.
Bulgaria’s government invested more than $1 billion in the project to build two 1,000 megawatt nuclear units at the Danube port of Belene, 250 kilometers (155 miles) northeast of Sofia, but froze it in 1990 after environmentalists said it could pose a safety risk.
The project was revived last year to compensate for the closure of two aging units at the country’s only nuclear plant in Kozlodui, which the Balkan country agreed to shut this year under its entry treaty with the European Union. Bulgaria will join the EU in January.
Environmental group Greenpeace criticized the choice of the Russian company as “fast and cheap, and concludes that that is a bad basis for nuclear safety, as well as economic security for Bulgaria.â€
Jan Haverkamp, Greenpeace nuclear expert for Central Europe, said in a statement that was quoted by Associated Press: “There are only two reactors of this type (VVER 1000/B466) under construction, one in China and one in India, which both are already facing heavy delays. There is no experience with operation, nor has this type been licensed in Europe before.â€
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October 31, 2006Iran’s Presidential Advisor Mohammad Nahavandian said Iran-Russia cultural ties are important for establishment of peace and tranquility in the world, IRNA reported.
In a panel discussion on Iran-Russia cultural ties and its impact on Islamic world on Saturday, Nahavandian described the prospect of the bilateral ties ’good’ which should be used properly.
The panel discussion was held in the framework of International Conference of “Iran and Russia, Dialogue among Civilizations†under auspices of the Russian Presidential Office.
Stressing that three years have passed since the signing of cultural cooperation agreement between Iran and Russia, Nahavandian called for the evaluation of its outcome.
President’s advisor said the world situation is abnormal and full of tension adding, “In this situation, Iran-Russia relations can contribute to the peace in the world.â€
He went on to say Iran and Russia can cooperate in three national, regional and international levels for which mutual understanding and relations are necessary.
Nahavandian set forth proposals for expansion of cultural ties between the two countries including; doing joint research projects in the higher education institutes, exchanging university professors and students, holding cultural days in the scientific centers and displaying art and constructive movies in both countries television networks.
Iran’s embassy cultural attache in Russia Mehdi Eimanipour was another participants in the panel discussion who emphasized the necessity of bilateral cultural cooperation between Iran and Russia.
Referring to the beginning of the work of the Russian Strategic Viewpoints and the Islamic World Group, the Iranian cultural attache said, “Experienced experts are working in the group and are trying to find ways to solve existing problems and expand ties of Russia and Islamic world.â€
He said Russia’s intention to develop ties with the Islamic world has various internal and external reasons.
Internally, 20 mln Muslims living in Russia is an important factor and the weakening of the US and the west positions in the Islamic world, is a good opportunity for Russia to expand its presence among world Muslims, and in this concern Iran can be a good help to Russia.
Another speaker in the panel discussion was Iran’s Deputy of Culture and Islamic Guidance minister Mohammad Hadi Homayoun, who emphasized Iran’s increasing intention on dialogue with the Russian Orthodox Christianity.
He said, “By creating cultural studies courses and implementing joint research projects, the experts from Iran and Russia try to get acquainted more with both countries.â€
Professor Alexander Logonov from Russia State University criticized both Iran and Russian text books and said, “Information about Iran and Russia is not sufficient and even unfriendly which does not conform with existing relations.â€
He suggested that expertise groups of both countries cooperate in compiling text books.
The Russian professor also called for displaying of TV programs and movies about Muslims and Christians.
Sadeq Haqiqat, a professor from Mofid University in Qom, proposed exchanging university students and experts and holding cultural exhibitions to promote cultural cooperation.
Jahangir Dorri, a writer and a professor in Russian Military Academy also presented 3 proposals in this concern.
The proposals included, Considering information on Iran and Russia in their history text books, translating Iran’s contemporary novels in Asian and Africa Magazines and printing Russian and Persian literary books in both countries.
International conference titled “Iran, Russia, Dialogue among Civilizations†wrapped up its works Saturday after two-day discussions and exchange of views.
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October 30, 2006International action over Tehran’s nuclear program must be in proportion to the real situation in Iran, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said, the Reuters news agency reports.
“It is necessary to act on Iran but that action should be in direct proportion to what is really happening,†RIA Novosti news agency quoted Lavrov as saying on Wednesday.
“And what is really happening is what the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) reports to us. And the IAEA is not reporting to us about the presence there of a threat to peace and security,†the minister stressed.
French UN Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere told journalist earlier that the European powers were going to put forward a draft UN Security Council resolution during the course of this week.
According to the media reports, the resolution would impose limited sanctions, including bans on nuclear and missile cooperation.
Six countries — U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany offered Iran a package of economic incentives and political rewards in June 2006 if it agreed to consider a long-term moratorium on enrichment and commit to a freeze on uranium enrichment before talks to discuss details of their package, the Associated Press reported.
But Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly said his country would continue enrichment, and is not intimidated by the possibility of sanctions.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who has led talks on behalf of the six nations, said he spoke to top Iranian negotiation Ali Larijani on Monday but “the situation hasn’t changed,†and Iran continues to refuse to suspend its nuclear enrichment program.
“We have to see if we can overcome the situation that makes it impossible to start negotiations,†he said.
Solana’s negotiations with Tehran were seen as a final bid to avoid a full-blown confrontation between Iran and the U.N. after it ignored an Aug. 31 deadline to suspend enrichment or face punishment.
The United States has called for broad sanctions, such as a total ban on missile and nuclear technology sales, while the Russians and Chinese back prohibitions of selected items as a first step.
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October 18, 2006
To dissuade Moscow from blocking UN action against Iran, Russia would be permitted to work on a nuclear reactor in Iran even if the UN Security Council imposes sanctions on Tehran for its nuclear program, U.S. and European officials quoted by Reuters said.
The exclusion for the Bushehr project, a light-water reactor being developed with Russian help in southwestern Iran, is in a sanctions resolution drafted by Britain, France and Germany. The three countries have led efforts to halt nuclear activities that the major powers say are aimed at bomb-making but Tehran insists are for energy production.
In New York, French UN Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere told Reuters the three European powers planned to put forward a draft UN Security Council resolution “during the course of this week. We are aiming for Wednesday or Thursday.â€
Russia, which is being paid $800 million by Iran for its work on the Bushehr reactor, holds a veto in the Security Council, so its support for the measure will be crucial.
The resolution would impose limited sanctions, including bans on nuclear and missile cooperation, after Iran ignored a Security Council demand to halt uranium enrichment by Aug 30.
In interviews, U.S. and European officials said Russia, which like China has been hesitant about sanctions, would not vote for a Security Council resolution without an exemption for the Bushehr project, which is due to begin operation next year.
“It ensures that you get the Russians to go along,†a U.S. official said.
A European diplomat explained: “We think there shouldn’t be any cooperation on the nuclear side and none on missile side or even a defense relationship (with Iran but) the Russians think it’s OK for there to be nuclear cooperation as long as it’s for civilian purposes.â€
Russia is believed to have some 1,500 technicians working at Bushehr and they are expected to remain, officials said.
For more than a decade, the United States has opposed Russian nuclear cooperation with Iran and strongly objected when Russia in 1995 took over the contract for Bushehr, a 1,000-megawatt project begun by German firm Siemens in the 1970s.
Washington’s opposition cooled after Russia, following revelations in 2002 that Iran was pursuing a covert uranium enrichment program, slowed Bushehr’s completion and negotiated a deal under which Russia would provide fresh fuel for Bushehr, then take back spent fuel so it could not be diverted for weapons.
Some U.S. officials said Russia’s willingness to take back spent fuel made the project less of a proliferation risk, but others hoped that if the Security Council imposed sanctions on Iran, that would give Russia political cover to halt the project entirely.
The Bush administration is negotiating with Moscow on a U.S.-Russia nuclear cooperation agreement that some experts predicted would open the door to so much new and lucrative nuclear trade that Russia could afford to jettison the Bushehr contract. But said one U.S. official: “Russia wants both.â€
Russia and Iran last month signed an agreement fixing a 2007 start-up date for Bushehr, with Moscow resisting pressure from Tehran to speed up work on the long-delayed plant.
Rose Gottemoeller, director of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Moscow Center who worked closely with Russia as a senior Clinton administration official, said she was comfortable with the Bushehr exemption.
“My basic conclusion is (Russian officials) have gotten religion on this issue and have tailored the Bushehr fuel services contract to properly avoid proliferation while preserving the reactor deal,†she said in an e-mail.
Mark Medish, another Carnegie Russian expert, said the exemption reflects practical politics and there could be diplomatic value in allowing a Russia-Iran channel to continue operating. Also, letting Bushehr proceed gives the Security Council flexibility to further tighten sanctions in the future, he said.
But Henry Sokolski of the Non-proliferation Education Center said a Bushehr exemption would be a disappointment after the tough UN sanctions imposed on North Korea.
Given concerns about Iran covertly making nuclear fuel, “you shouldn’t trust them with a light-water reactor,†said Sokolski, who says such technology is more dangerous than many people think.
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