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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)


March 2004 Russia Special Weapons News



  • U.S., Russian Nuclear Risk Watch Officers Begin Exchange Program Washington File 30 Mar 2004 -- It has been almost 17 years since the United States and the then-Soviet Union agreed to establish centers in each country that would regularly exchange information aimed at reducing the risk of nuclear war.
  • Russia: Nuclear Warship Docked After Navy Chief Voices Safety Concerns RFE/RL 25 Mar 2004 -- One of Russia's leading warships, the nuclear-powered "Peter the Great" missile cruiser, has been temporarily docked following critical remarks by the Russian navy chief regarding the ship's maintenance. Vladimir Kuroyedov said the cruiser was in such poor condition that the possibility of a nuclear accident could not be ruled out. He later retracted the statement, prompting some observers to speculate his comments were motivated more by politics than safety concerns.
  • Nuclear fuel repatriation protocol with Iran to be signed soon IRNA 24 Mar 2004 -- A Russian-Iranian protocol on the return of spent nuclear fuel from Bushehr nuclear power plant will be signed in Tehran or in Moscow in the near future, Iran`s Ambassador to Russia Gholam-Reza Shafei told Tass in an interview on Tuesday.
  • Russian official says no obstacle in completing Bushehr power plant IRNA 19 Mar 2004 -- A Russian nuclear official said here Friday that Russia is determined to continue cooperation with Iran on completion of the under-construction Bushehr nuclear power plant.
  • Russia test-fires strategic missiles from submarine PLA Daily 18 Mar 2004 -- Russian Northern Fleet nuclear submarine Novomoskovsky on Wednesday successfully test-fired two RSM-54 ballistic missiles, Interfax news agency reported.
  • U-S / RUSSIA /IRAN VOA 18 Mar 2004 -- U-S lawmakers and State Department officials in Washington today (Thursday) discussed the future of relations with Russia following the country's recent re-election of incumbent president Vladimir Putin. Despite concerns about the state of democratic institutions in Russia, U-S officials are optimistic that Russia and the United States will still work closely together on strategic issues - including Russia's controversial involvement in Iran's nuclear program.
  • Construction of Bushehr plant faces difficulties - Russia IRNA 17 Mar 2004 -- Head of the Federal Service for Nuclear Supervision Andrei Malyshev said the construction of the nuclear power plant in Bushehr faces organizational and financial difficulties.
  • Cooperation with IAEA to close Iran`s nuclear dossier - Lavrov IRNA 17 Mar 2004 -- Iran`s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the sole way of closing the Iranian nuclear dossier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.
  • RUSSIA / FOREIGN POLICY VOA 17 Mar 2004 -- Russia's new foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, says Russia and the United States will continue to be what he called strategic partners. But in his first news conference since taking office he was also sharply critical of U-S policy on Iraq.
  • DoD Continues Efforts To Reduce WMD Proliferation Threat AFPS 16 Mar 2004 -- The Defense Department continues to work with Russia, former Soviet states, and other countries to prevent the proliferation of deadly weapons of mass destruction and to keep them out of terrorists' hands, a senior DoD official told a Senate Armed Services Committee panel last week.
  • RUSSIA / ELECT VOA 15 Mar 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised to press ahead with social, economic and political reforms, after securing a resounding victory in Sunday's national election. But the election is drawing criticism from opposition challengers and international observers, who say it was not genuinely democratic.
  • RUSSIA / ELECTION VOA 14 Mar 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to be re-elected easily to a second four-year term in Sunday's presidential election. The only uncertainty of the poll was whether enough voters would turn out to make the election legal. But early turnout is strong.
  • Russia: Moscow, Qatar In Heated Standoff Over Yandarbiev Assassination RFE/RL 12 Mar 2004 -- Tensions are rising between Russia and the Persian Gulf state of Qatar, which are engaged in a heated standoff over the fate of two Russian special agents detained in connection with last month's assassination of former Chechen separatist President Zelimkhan Yandarbiev. Moscow says the two men are innocent and is demanding their release. But Qatar -- which recently passed legislation mandating the death penalty in all murder cases -- is standing firm.
  • U.S., Russian Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers to Host Staff Exchange Washington File 04 Mar 2004 -- The State Department has announced that its Nuclear Risk Reduction Center will host two Russian Watch Officers March 22-26, while the Russian Center will in turn host U.S. Watch Officers in April.
  • Russia may supply floating nuclear power plants to India IRNA 04 Mar 2004 -- Russia can supply floating nuclear power plants to India, Deputy Atomic Energy Minister Vladimir Asmolov said on Thursday.
  • Russia: Moscow Failing To Abide By Key CFE Treaty RFE/RL 02 Mar 2004 -- One of the most important tools in cutting back the arsenals and armies of the Cold War is the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE). Signed in 1990, the CFE sets limits on the weapons and military personnel a country can deploy. But one signatory, Russia, has failed to comply with the treaty regarding its own troop deployments in Moldova and Georgia.
  • Putin: Military Must Fix Flaws Exposed In Exercises RFE/RL 01 Mar 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin today urged the military to identify and correct the errors that occurred in last month's military exercises, which were observed by the president.
  • 2nd round of Beijing talks "ease tension": Russian official PLA Daily 01 Mar 2004 -- A high-ranking Russian official said on Sunday that the second round of six-party talks held in Beijing on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear problem "have somewhat eased the tension."



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