DATE=7/13/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251709
TITLE= RUSSIA / KAZAKHSTAN (L-ONLY)
BYLINE= ANDRE DE NESNERA
DATELINE= MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE LAUNCH OF A CARGO ROCKET CARRYING VITAL EQUIPMENT TO
THE RUSSIAN "MIR" SPACE STATION HAS BEEN POSTPONED FOR A FEW
DAYS. THE DELAY IS DUE TO AN ONGOING DISPUTE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND
KAZAKHSTAN OVER THE USE OF THE BAIKONUR COSMODROME, LOCATED IN
SOUTHERN KAZAKHSTAN. CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA REPORTS FROM
MOSCOW.
TEXT: EXPERTS FROM RUSSIA AND KAZAKHSTAN ARE CONTINUING THEIR
INVESTIGATION, TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED A RUSSIAN "PROTON"
ROCKET TO EXPLODE SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF JULY FIFTH FROM THE
BAIKONUR COSMODROME. THE ROCKET AND THE SATELLITE IT WAS
CARRYING CRASHED TO THE GROUND. NO-ONE WAS HURT.
FOLLOWING LAST WEEK'S MISHAP, KAZAKHSTAN GROUNDED ALL LAUNCHES
FROM BAIKONUR PENDING THE RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION. SOME
KAZAKH OFFICIALS SAY THE DEBRIS SCATTERED AROUND THE KARAGANDA
REGION POSES AN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD BECAUSE THE ROCKET WAS
PROPELLED BY HIGHLY-TOXIC FUEL.
THE BAN HAS FORCED THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE LAUNCH WEDNESDAY OF A
CARGO SHIP BOUND FOR THE RUSSIAN SPACE STATION "MIR." // OPT //
THE CRAFT WAS TO DELIVER FOOD, OXYGEN, FUEL AND A NAVIGATIONAL
SYSTEM. TWO RUSSIAN COSMONAUTS AND A FRENCH ASTRONAUT ARE ABOARD
THE RUSSIAN SPACE STATION. // END OPT //
THE DIRECTOR OF RUSSIA'S SPACE AGENCY -- YURI KOPTEV -- RECENTLY
TOLD REPORTERS THERE IS ENOUGH FOOD AND SUPPLIES ON "MIR" TO LAST
UNTIL MID-AUGUST. BUT HE SAYS IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE
NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM TO BE SENT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
MR. KOPTEV SAYS THE NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM WILL ALLOW "MIR" TO BE
CONTROLLED WITHOUT A PILOT ON BOARD AND MUST BE INSTALLED BEFORE
THE THREE-MAN CREW LEAVES IN LATE AUGUST. HE SAYS IT WILL TAKE
THE CREW ABOUT ONE MONTH TO INSTALL AND CHECK THE NAVIGATIONAL
SYSTEM -- SO IT IS ESSENTIAL THE CARGO SHIP BE LAUNCHED BY NEXT
SUNDAY.
IF THE NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM IS NOT SENT IN TIME, MR. KOPTEV SAYS
THE THREE-MAN CREW WILL HAVE TO EVACUATE. //OPT// HE SAYS THERE
IS ALSO A CHANCE THE 140-TON "MIR" SPACE STATION COULD COME
CRASHING DOWN TO EARTH AT AN UNKNOWN PLACE NEXT MARCH OR APRIL.
//END OPT//
BAIKONUR IS RUSSIA'S MAIN LAUNCH SITE -- BUT IT IS LOCATED IN
KAZAKHSTAN, A FORMER SOVIET REPUBLIC. FOLLOWING THE BREAKUP OF
THE SOVIET UNION, KAZAKHSTAN AGREED TO LEASE BAIKONUR TO RUSSIA.
MANY COMMENTATORS IN MOSCOW SAY THE REAL REASON KAZAKHSTAN
SUSPENDED LAUNCHES FROM BAIKONUR IS THAT RUSSIA HAS NOT PAID ITS
BILL -- AND KAZAKH OFFICIALS WANT TO FORCE THE ISSUE. UNDER
TERMS OF AN AGREEMENT REACHED A FEW-YEARS AGO, KAZAKHSTAN HAS
LEASED BAIKONUR TO RUSSIA FOR 20-YEARS AT THE ANNUAL SUM OF
115-MILLION DOLLARS. MOSCOW'S ARREARS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE MORE
THAN 300-MILLION DOLLARS.
RUSSIAN AND KAZAKH OFFICIALS SAY FINANCIAL CONCERNS ARE BEING
DISCUSSED -- AND THEY EXPECT THE BAIKONUR ISSUE TO BE RESOLVED IN
THE NEAR FUTURE. (SIGNED)
NEB/ADEN/PCF/RAE
13-Jul-99 11:05 AM EDT (1505 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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