Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

EU eyes "broad nuclear partnership agreement with Russia"

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Berlin, Dec 22, IRNA -- The European Union is aiming for a "broad nuclear partnership agreement with Russia" in a bid to lower greenhouse-gas emissions, the European Commission announced in Brussels on Tuesday.

"The Council of the European Union adopted today (Tuesday) a mandate authorizing the Commission to negotiate a partnership agreement for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy between the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the Russian Federation," the European Commission said in a press statement.

"Russia is one of the main global suppliers of nuclear materials and equipment. It is also a key supplier of nuclear fuel and related nuclear fuel cycle services to nuclear power plant operators in the EU," it added.

The European Commission which views Russia as a key source of energy, technology and fuel, will now be in charge of negotiating a new nuclear cooperation deal with Russia.

There are presently 146 operational nuclear power stations in the EU of which many of those, in the bloc's former Communist states, were built using Soviet technology.

In Russia, there are 40 nuclear power plants operating or under construction.

Meanwhile, some 44 additional Russian nuclear installations are planned up to the year 2030.

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End News / IRNA / News Code 857874