DATE=2/14/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-38973
TITLE=U-S/RUSSIA/NUCLEAR SAFETY
BYLINE=MICHELE KELEMEN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
EDS NOTE: EXPANDED VERSION OF SERGEYEV ACT AVAILABLE IN RUSSIAN.
INTRO: THE CRISIS IN IRAQ OVERSHADOWED WILLIAM COHEN'S JUST
ENDED TRIP TO RUSSIA -- HIS FIRST AS U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY. BUT
MR. COHEN AND HIS RUSSIAN COUNTERPART WERE ABLE TO PUT THEIR
DISPUTE OVER IRAQ BEHIND THEM FOR A SHORT TIME TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR
COOPERATION IN ANOTHER FIELD, NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT. V-O-A'S
MICHELE KELEMEN TRAVELLED WITH THEM TO A MILITARY BASE NORTH OF
MOSCOW.
TEXT: /// SFX OF EXHIBIT GUIDE /// IN A FREEZING WAREHOUSE AT
THE BASE IN SERGEYEV POSAD, 50 KILOMETERS NORTH OF MOSCOW,
COLONEL OLEG GERASIMOV EXPLAINS TO DEFENSE SECRETARY COHEN HOW
U-S TECHNOLOGY WAS USED TO UPGRADE SAFETY ON RAIL CARS USED TO
TRANSPORT NUCLEAR WEAPONS. MR. COHEN ALSO VIEWED U-S DESIGNED
SUPERCONTAINERS THAT HOLD NUCLEAR WARHEADS IN TRANSIT AND ARMORED
BLANKETS TO PROTECT WEAPONS FROM SMALL ARMS FIRE. MR. COHEN
SEEMED IMPRESSED BY THE PROJECT THAT BEGAN 1992 WHEN RUSSIA HAD
TO CONSOLIDATE NUCLEAR WEAPONS AFTER THE BREAK-UP OF THE SOVIET
UNION.
/// WILLIAM COHEN ACT ///
THESE SYSTEMS ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SAFE AND SECURE
TRANSPORTATION, SECURE STORAGE, SECURITY ASSESSMENT AND
TRAINING. IT IS PRECISELY WHY THE COOPERATIVE THREAT
REDUCTION PROGRAM, THE SO-CALLED NUNN LUGAR PROGRAM, IS
SO VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR BOTH OF OUR COUNTRIES.
/// END ACT ///
THE U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY SAYS HE HAS ASKED CONGRESS FOR ABOUT
442 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR. THE UNITED STATES
IS CURRENTLY TRAINING MEMBERS OF THE 12TH MAIN DIRECTORATE OF THE
RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY (EDS NOTE RUSSIAN ACRONYM GUMO) ON
POLYGRAPH EQUIPMENT AND SETTING UP A LABORATORY FOR DRUG AND
ALCOHOL TESTING FOR OFFICERS WHO DEAL WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS. ///
OPT /// NAVY COMMANDER MICHAEL DEMEO SAYS THE PROJECTS ARE ALWAYS
EVOLVING, DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THE RUSSIAN MILITARY.
/// ACT DEMEO ///
WE HAVE HAD AN ONGOING DIALOGUE OF HOW WE DO BUSINESS
AND HOW THEY DO BUSINESS. IN THE EARLY YEARS, WE DID
NOT REALLY HAVE THESE TYPES OF TALKS. WE JUST SAID "WE
ARE HERE TO HELP YOU AND WE'LL BUY YOU SOME EQUIPMENT."
IN THE PROCESS OF THIS ONGOING DIALOGUE, WE HAVE BECOME
A LOT MORE CLOSE IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY. SO NOW WE
DISCUSS METHODS OF THE WAYS WE MAINTAIN SECURITY.
/// END ACT ////
COMMANDER DEMEO DESCRIBES IT AS A PHASED APPROACH TO NUCLEAR
SAFETY.
/// END OPT ////
RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER IGOR SERGEYEV, SPEAKING THROUGH AN
INTERPRETER, SAID THE JOINT U-S RUSSIAN PROGRAM HAS MADE STRIDES
IN IMPROVING THE SAFETY OF RUSSIA'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
/// SERGYEV INTERPRETER ///
SO FAR NO EMERGENCY SITUATIONS HAVE BEEN CREATED
THANKS TO THE PROPER COOPERATION BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT
OF DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE MINISTRY OF
DEFENSE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. I THINK DISARMAMENT
IS AS DANGEROUS AS THE ARMS RACE, MAYBE EVEN MORE
DANGEROUS. IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT AND A LOT OF TIME.
//// END ACT ///
DURING THEIR ONE-DAY TOUR OF 12TH DIRECTORATE FACILITIES, MR.
SERGEYEV AND MR. COHEN LAUNCHED THE NEXT BIG PROJECT, A SECURITY
AND ASSESSMENT TRAINING CENTER. (SIGNED)
NEB/MLK/DW/KL
14-Feb-98 9:08 AM EST (1408 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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