Russian chemical weapons cannot be destroyed in nine years
IRNA
Moscow, Nov 15, Ria-Novosti/ACSNA/IRNA -- Russia ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention on November 5, 1997. Under it, Russia must destroy its chemical weapons stock by 2012. However, the adoption and ratification of the convention was the first stage in a long and costly process, one that is proceeding slower than expected. The Russian Green Cross, a non-governmental public organization, held the Fifth Public Forum that discussed the fulfillment of Russia`s chemical disarmament obligations in Moscow on November 11 and 12. The latest data on chemical disarmament were announced at the forum. The creation of the Green Cross is the evidence of the complicated task that Moscow has undertaken. Its president Sergei Baranovsky said the creation of the organization was prompted by the need to coordinate the efforts of the main parties involved in the destruction of chemical weapons. These parties include the population and the administration of the sites where toxic agents are stored and where scrapping facilities are operating or being built, representatives of regional public organizations, federal executive authorities and departments responsible for the organization of disarmament and representatives of the international public and donor countries directly involved in chemical disarmament. New factories must be built to destroy toxic agents at their storage sites. There is little difference between such enterprises and textile or chocolate factories. They are large investment projects that need money for building highways and railways, residential blocks, hospitals, water and gas lines, and sewage systems for the nearby settlements. So far, these tasks are being tackled rather well, though not very quickly. But what about the rest? During the Cold War, Russia accumulated more chemical weapons (40,000 metric tons) than any other country. (The USA had 35,000 metric tons.) It will cost 93 billion roubles, or approximately dlrs 3.1 billion, to destroy these weapons. Neither the Russian budget and economy in the 1990s nor the current budget and economy can afford this endeavor. Russia increases allocations for chemical disarmament annually (5.36 billion roubles in 2003), yet this is not enough. "Currently, Russia has destroyed 610 metric tons of yperite," Vyacheslav Kulebyakin, deputy director general of the Russian Munitions Agency, said at the forum. "We will finish destroying the yperite stocked in Gorny, Saratov Region, in November and start detoxifying lewisite." The Russian Munitions Agency is responsible for the safe storage and destruction of Russia`s chemical stocks. Russia has destroyed Category 2 -- 122mm artillery shells armed with phosgene (3,844, with the aggregate mass of 10 metric tons of toxic agents) -- and Category 3 -- unarmed (meaning empty) shells and aviation bombs and fragmentation and powder charges (288,300, including 24,000 charges) -- chemical weapons. It has also scrapped 6.5 metric tons of dangerous chemical weapons, weapons whose containers` service life has expired and could crack any moment. Thank God, not a single emergency was recorded during their storage time. Gen. Kulebyakin`s example about the destruction of yperite and lewisite in the Saratov Region demonstrates that Russia cannot destroy its chemical stocks by the deadline coordinated with the Hague Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Russia was supposed to report the destruction of one percent of its chemical stocks the Hague on April 26, 2000. At the forum, Kulebyakin said the 400 metric tons of yperite (the required one percent) were destroyed in April 2003 (presently, 610 metric tons have been destroyed). Nobody is talking about the initial deadlines now. The OPCW granted Moscow`s appeal to extend the deadline. Russia must liquidate 20 percent of its stocks (8,000 metric tons) by April 29, 2007; 45 percent (18,000 metric tons) by April 29, 2009; and the rest by late April 2012. It appears these deadlines will unlikely be met for the same -- financial -- reason. To destroy 8,000 metric tons of toxic agents by 2007 and create the basis for the next stage (45 percent by 2009), Russia needs to open in 2005 the lewisite scrapping factory in Kambarka (6,360 metric tons) and the first stage of the factory in Shchuchye (5,440 metric tons of sarin, soman and VX). In 2003, 439.7 million roubles was allocated for the construction of the lewisite scrapping factory in Kambarka. Another 112 million roubles was allocated for social projects, a requisite expense. A similar amount will be allocated in 2004. This may not be enough to build the facility for the utilization of reactive masses, detoxification modules, a compressor and refrigerator stations, a terminal for dismantling equipment with toxic agents, a fire-fighting depot, sewage and water system, and to modernize the boiler room and build several kilometers of roads. The German government allocated 30 million euros for the project. The Netherlands supplied 2 million euros, inspiring the hope that Russian builders will meet their deadlines -- if the Russian government allocated the promised funds. The situation at the Shchuchye facility in the Kurgan Region is even worse. The US pledged dlrs 888 million to finance the construction of the first stage of a factory for destroying organophosphorous substances in the local storage. However, for the past three years, the Republican majority in Congress conditioned financial assistance to the Kremlin to all kinds of unacceptable conditions. As a result, Russia has not received the money. This year President Bush ordered dlrs 200 million allocated to Moscow. As of November, the US has only provided dlrs 12 million. Meanwhile, Russia is building the second stage (which it is duty bound to finance independently) in Shchuchye. Foreign countries are also contributing to the project. In particular, Canada and the EU (Britain and Norway) have granted dlrs 20 million and 10 million euros, respectively, for the modernization of power lines and the construction of a railway bridge and line to link the storage facility and the factory. Poland and the Czech Republic have provided small but highly appreciated sums (dlrs 100,000 each). Vyacheslav Kulebyakin says Russia will complete the construction of the second stage in Shchuchye in 2005 and the destruction of organophosphorous toxic agents will begin by the end of 2006. However, if the USA fails to provide the promised funds, Moscow will have to appeal to the Hague to extend the deadline again. The trouble is not that US Congressmen view the money as `assistance` and fail to understand that the destruction of toxic agents in Russia increases US security as well. The trouble is that the US has `discovered` that the destruction of chemical weapons is more expensive than its production. The US, although financially stronger than Russia, has also asked the OPCW to extend the deadline to destroy its own chemical weapons. /AH/210 End
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