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Iran, Russia discuss continuation of peaceful nuclear cooperation

IRNA

 Moscow, May 27, IRNA -- Russian Energy Ministry here Tuesday stressed 
continuing cooperation with Iran in peaceful use of nuclear energy.   
    A spokesman for the ministry said that there are no reasons to    
halt construction of the first phase of the Bushehr Nuclear plant or  
cease future cooperation between Iran and Russia in nuclear energy.   
    He also referred to talks held between visiting Iranian delegation
to Moscow and the Russian Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev.
    The discussion with members of the delegation comprising of the   
deputy director of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization and head of      
Bushehr power plant are part of the regular biannual meetings between 
the two sides, the official stated.                                   
    The spokesman said the discussions focused on the construction of 
the first phase of Bushehr nuclear plant and its completion time      
frame.                                                                
    Russian experts have previously said for Bushehr construction to  
be back on schedule will depend on a visit by Iranian representatives 
to Moscow in the second half of 2003.                                 
    Also, experts at the Russian Atomic Energy Ministry said in the   
absence of an agreement on the return of spent fuel of the Bushehr    
plant to Russia, 'so far, no amount of spent fuel has been shipped to 
the country'.                                                         
    The Russians have declared that they are ready to cooperate with  
Iran on building another five nuclear power plants.                   
    Meanwhile, Itar-Tass quoted Rumyantsev here Tuesday as saying that
US-Iran relations will not affect Russia's cooperation with Iran with 
respect to the completion of the nuclear power plant in Bushehr       
(southern Iran).                                                      
    After meeting with an Iranian atomic energy delegation on Monday  
he added that 'the Russian side does not see grounds to revise its    
obligations with regard to the construction of the first power unit at
the nuclear power plant in Bushehr'.                                  
    "We will continue to fulfill our obligations despite the fact that
our positions on this issue differ from those of officials in         
Washington," the minister said.                                       
    "We hold and will hold consultations with representatives from the
US Department of Energy every month during which we discuss this      
issue," Rumyantsev said.                                              
    "We also meet regularly with representatives of the Iranian Atomic
Energy Organization," he added.                                       
    The minister added: "Iranian Vice President and Chairman of the   
Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Gholam Reza Agazadeh is expected to
come to Moscow in June.                                               
    One of the issues to be addressed in consultations during his     
visit will be the cooperation between Russia and Iran in the field of 
nuclear technology and the completion of the work to build the first  
power unit of the nuclear power plant in Bushehr."                    
NB/AH/AR                                                              
End