Russia eases restrictions on nuclear export

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, MAY 13. Russia has eased restrictions on export of nuclear materials and technologies that kept it from building more nuclear reactors in India, Iran and Cuba.

The President, Mr. Vladimir Putin, has amended a 1992 presidential decree, which banned nuclear exports to those non- nuclear weapon States that did not open their facilities to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitoring. Hereafter, nuclear exports will be allowed ``in exceptional circumstances'' and approved on a case-by-case basis.

Mr. Yuri Bespalko, press secretary to the Atomic Energy Minister, Mr. Yevgeny Adamov, told The Hindu that the decree made it possible for Russia to build more nuclear reactors in India. Under a $2.6-billion deal, negotiated in the 1980s and revived in 1998, Russia is to supply two 1000-MW reactors for the Kudankulam nuclear power station.

The Atomic Energy Minister said last month that his Ministry hoped to clinch a contract with India, to construct five additional nuclear reactors at Kudankulam. Russia is also preparing a Detailed Project Report for two light-water reactors, which should be ready by year-end.

The new decree stipulates stringent conditions for authorising exports of nuclear materials, equipment and technologies. Exports must not violate existing international agreements signed by Russia; the importing country must give official assurance that the supplies will not be used to create nuclear explosives and the nuclear facilities should be brought under the control of the IAEA.

The decree is also expected to advance Russia's nuclear deals with Iran and Cuba. Iran is willing to buy three nuclear reactors from Russia, in addition to the one being built in Bushehr. And Cuba wants Russia to complete the construction of a nuclear power station started by the Soviet Union and stalled after its breakup.

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