Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Iran ready to ink nuclear waste protocol with Russia

IRNA

2003/08/23

Moscow, Aug 23, IRNA -- Iran is ready to sign a protocol to return 
its nuclear waste from the Bushehr power plant to Russia, Iran`s 
Embassy said here Friday. 
"The Iranian government is ready to sign the protocol based on 
the previous stance declared in the meetings of the head of Iran`s 
Atomic Energy Organization and Russian officials in Moscow," it 
said. 
Vice-President and Head of Iran`s Atomic Energy Organization 
(IAEO) Gholam-Reza Aqazadeh arrived here in July on a four-day 
visit at the head of a delegation and explored different avenues with 
senior Russian officials for promoting nuclear cooperation between 
the two countries. 
During two rounds of talks between Aqazadeh and Russian 
Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev, the two sides discussed 
technical issues of Tehran-Moscow cooperation including continuation 
of construction of Bushehr power plant, as well as supply of its 
needed fuel and other facilities. 
The IAEO head also held separate meetings with Russian Foreign 
Minister Igor Ivanov and Head of the country`s Security Council 
Vladimir Rushailo in which the two sides stressed the need for 
continuation and expansion of cooperation particularly in nuclear 
fields. 
Meanwhile, the Russian government has assigned the Ministry of 
Atomic Energy to hold negotiations with Iran over the issue. 
The Russian government has empowered the Atomic Energy Ministry 
to sign a protocol on amendments to the agreement with the Iranian 
government on the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, 
reported the Itar-Tass on Friday. 
Russian government sources said Friday that under the addendum 
the Iranian organizations shall present and Russian organizations 
accept spent nuclear fuel from the nuclear power plant for temporary 
technological storage and subsequent recycling. 
FM/213 
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