DATE=7/10/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251615
TITLE=RUSSIA-KAZAKHSTAN (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=ANDRE DE NESNERA
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: RUSSIAN AND KAZAKH OFFICIALS ARE TRYING TO RESOLVE A
DISPUTE FOLLOWING THE EXPLOSION OF A RUSSIAN ROCKET IN MIDAIR AT
THE BAIKONUR COSMODROME EARLIER THIS WEEK. V-O-A'S ANDRE DE
NESNERA REPORTS FROM MOSCOW.
TEXT: EXPERTS FROM RUSSIA AND KAZAKHSTAN ARE IN A KAZAKH REGION
(KAR-KARALINSK) CLOSE TO THE BAIKONUR COSMODROME, TRYING TO
DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED A RUSSIAN PROTON ROCKET TO EXPLODE SHORTLY
AFTER TAKEOFF MONDAY. THE ROCKET AND THE SATELLITE IT WAS
CARRYING CRASHED TO THE GROUND. NO ONE WAS HURT.
FOLLOWING THE MISHAP, KAZAKHSTAN SUSPENDED ALL LAUNCHES FROM
BAIKONUR PENDING RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION. SOME KAZAKH
OFFICIALS SAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE, SINCE
THE ROCKET WAS PROPELLED BY HIGHLY TOXIC FUEL.
KAZAKHSTAN'S ACTION HAS ALREADY FORCED THE POSTPONEMENT OF
SEVERAL LAUNCHES -- INCLUDING A JOINT RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN VENTURE
TO PUT ANOTHER WEATHER SATELLITE INTO SPACE.
BUT RUSSIAN OFFICIALS ARE CONCERNED IF THE BAN PERSISTS, IT COULD
ENDANGER THE LIVES OF THE THREE-MAN CREW ABOARD THE ORBITING
SPACE STATION "MIR." A CARGO SHIP CARRYING FOOD, EQUIPMENT AND A
NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM TO "MIR" IS SCHEDULED FOR LIFT-OFF FROM
BAIKONUR NEXT WEDNESDAY. THAT LAUNCH IS NOW IN DOUBT.
/// OPT /// MEANWHILE, ABOARD THE "MIR," THE TWO RUSSIAN
COSMONAUTS AND ONE FRENCH ASTRONAUT ARE TRYING TO DETERMINE WHY
THE AIR PRESSURE IS SLOWLY FALLING. A SPOKESMAN FOR RUSSIA'S
COSMONAUT TRAINING CENTER SAID THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN DETECTED TWO
WEEKS AGO -- AND THE CREW IS IN NO DANGER. /// END OPT ///
BAIKONUR IS RUSSIA'S MAIN SPACE LAUNCH SITE -- BUT IT IS LOCATED
IN KAZAKHSTAN, A FORMER SOVIET REPUBLIC. FOLLOWING THE BREAK-UP
OF THE SOVIET UNION, KAZAKHSTAN AGREED TO LEASE BAIKONUR TO
RUSSIA.
MANY COMMENTATORS HERE SAY THE REAL REASON KAZAKHSTAN SUSPENDED
LAUNCHES FROM BAIKONUR HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ENVIRONMENTAL
CONCERNS FOLLOWING MONDAY'S ROCKET EXPLOSION. THEY SAY IT HAS
EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT MOSCOW HASN'T BEEN PAYING ITS
BILL. ANALYSTS SAY THAT BY BANNING LAUNCHES, KAZAKH OFFICIALS
WANT TO FORCE THE ISSUE.
DURING A RECENT NEWS CONFERENCE, KAZAKHSTAN'S DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER, ALEXANDER PAVLOV -- WHILE NOT OPENLY SAYING THAT IS
THE CASE -- STRONGLY INDICATED FINANCIAL CONCERNS MAY BE BEHIND
THE LAUNCH BAN.
/// PAVLOV ACT IN RUSSIAN, THEN FADE ///
WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED A SINGLE CENT OR A SINGLE KOPEK -- SAID MR.
PAVLOV -- SINCE WE LEASED BAIKONUR.
UNDER TERMS OF AN AGREEMENT REACHED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, KAZAKHSTAN
WOULD LEASE BAIKONUR TO RUSSIA FOR 20 YEARS FOR THE ANNUAL SUM OF
115 MILLION DOLLARS. MOSCOW'S CURRENT ARREARS ARE ESTIMATED TO
BE MORE THAN 300 MILLION DOLLARS. (SIGNED)
NEB/ADEN/ALW/KL
10-Jul-99 8:35 AM EDT (1235 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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