Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

RF, Iran to begin talks on Bushehr nuclear plant soon

IRNA

Moscow, Nov 10, Itar-Tass/ACSNA/IRNA -- The talks on Russia`s 
participation in the construction of the second unit of the nuclear 
power plant in Bushehr `will begin soon`, secretary of Iran`s Supreme 
National Security Council Hassan Rowhani said. 
After the talks with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov on 
Monday, Rowhani said, "Cooperation between Iran and Russia in the 
nuclear field will be effective for peaceful purposes." 
"Today this cooperation is closer than earlier," he added. 
Russia`s Atomstroiexport, general contractor of the construction 
of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, handed over Iran documents on the 
technical feasibility study of the construction of the second unit of 
the nuclear plant, sources in the Russian Atomic Energy Ministry told 
Itar-Tass. 
According to the ministry spokesman, `an agreement to this effect 
was reached as part of Russian Atomic Energy Minister Alexander 
Rumyantsev`s visit to Tehran in December 2002`. 
The spokesman said, "The second unit of the nuclear power plant in
Iran should be built from scratch and not continue work on the 
construction of the reactor that was suspended by Germany`s Siemens 
under US pressure several years ago." 
Now `Russian and Iranian specialists are finishing work on the 
construction of the first unit of the plant. It should be launched in 
2004`. 
The cost of the construction of the first unit with VVER-1000 
reactor, including supplied equipment, will amount to one billion US 
dollars, the spokesman said. 
/AH/210 
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