DATE=7/14/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251752
TITLE=RUSSIA / KAZAKHSTAN (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=ANDRE DE NESNERA
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: RUSSIA AND KAZAKHSTAN HAVE RESOLVED THEIR DIFFERENCES
OVER PAYMENT FOR THE BAIKONUR COSMODROME -- AND AS CORRESPONDENT
ANDRE DE NESNERA REPORTS FROM MOSCOW, THE ACCORD PAVES THE WAY
FOR THE LAUNCH OF A MUCH-NEEDED CARGO SHIP FOR THE RUSSIAN SPACE
STATION "MIR."
TEXT: FOR MORE THAN A WEEK, ALL LAUNCHES FROM KAZAKHSTAN'S
BAIKONUR COSMODROME HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED. KAZAKH OFFICIALS TOOK
THE ACTION FOLLOWING THE EXPLOSION IN MID-AIR OF A RUSSIAN
"PROTON" ROCKET SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF FROM BAIKONUR JULY FIFTH.
THE ROCKET AND THE SATELLITE IT WAS CARRYING CRASHED TO THE
GROUND -- BUT NO-ONE WAS HURT.
SOME KAZAKH OFFICIALS SAID THE BAN WAS IMPOSED BECAUSE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS SURROUNDING THE ROCKET'S HIGHLY-TOXIC
FUEL. BUT IT ALSO GAVE KAZAKHSTAN THE OPPORTUNITY TO FORCE THE
ISSUE ON A SENSITIVE SUBJECT -- RUSSIA'S NON-PAYMENT OF ITS BILL
FOR THE LEASE OF BAIKONUR.
FOLLOWING THE BREAK-UP OF THE SOVIET UNION, KAZAKHSTAN HAS BEEN
LEASING BAIKONUR TO RUSSIA FOR THE ANNUAL SUM OF 115-MILLION
DOLLARS. MOSCOW'S ARREARS ARE ESTIMATED AT MORE THAN 300-MILLION
DOLLARS.
AFTER TALKS IN KAZAKHSTAN'S CAPITAL, ASTANA, RUSSIAN AND KAZAKH
OFFICIALS AGREED ON A DEAL ALLOWING RUSSIA TO REPAY PART OF ITS
DEBT. THE ACCORD CALLS FOR RUSSIA TO PROVIDE KAZAKHSTAN WITH
50-MILLION DOLLARS IN CASH BY NOVEMBER -- AND 65-MILLION DOLLARS
WORTH OF GOODS NEXT YEAR. RUSSIA ALSO AGREED TO TAKE CARE OF THE
MEDICAL AND CLEAN-UP COSTS OF LAST WEEK'S CRASH.
FOR THEIR PART, KAZAKH OFFICIALS HAVE LIFTED THE BAN ON THE
LAUNCH OF A CARGO ROCKET SHIP CARRYING MUCH-NEEDED SUPPLIES AND
EQUIPMENT TO THE RUSSIAN "MIR" SPACE STATION.
FORMER RUSSIAN COSMONAUT, YURI BATURIN, TOLD A MOSCOW RADIO
STATION ("ECHO MOSCOW") THE CARGO WILL CONTAIN A VERY IMPORTANT
NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM NEEDED WHEN THE THREE-MAN CREW LEAVES "MIR"
AUGUST 23RD.
// BATURIN ACT IN RUSSIAN, THEN FADE //
MR. BATURIN SAID THAT NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM WILL ALLOW THE SPACE
STATION TO BE CONTROLLED FROM EARTH WITHOUT THE NEED OF A PILOT
ON BOARD. THE FORMER COSMONAUT SAID IT WILL TAKE ABOUT A MONTH
TO INSTALL AND CHECK THE SYSTEM. WITHOUT SUCH A PILOTLESS
MECHANISM, MR. BATURIN SAID THE SPACE STATION COULD COME CRASHING
ANYWHERE ON EARTH.
RUSSIAN OFFICIALS SAY THE LAUNCH OF THE CARGO SHIP WILL TAKE
PLACE AT THE EARLIEST ON FRIDAY. (SIGNED)
NEB/ADEN/GE/RAE
14-Jul-99 9:34 AM EDT (1334 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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