Russia Will Be Given Money to Utilise Scrapped Submarines

An agreement on the Multilateral nuclear environmental programme for Russia will be signed in Stockholm on May 21st at the foreign ministers' level.

This programme envisages allocation of funds to Russia for realisation of environmental projects in the country's Northwest, primarily, in the Murmansk and Arkhangelsk regions, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Vladimir Chizhov, stated at a press conference on Monday. The projects are aimed at utilising atomic submarines, the Deputy Minister explained.

The agreement is expected to be signed by Russia, the USA, Norway and the EU member-states, Mr Chizhov said.

Vladimir Chizhov spoke on Monday at parliamentary hearings in the Federation Council /the Parliament's upper chamber/, which were devoted to Russia's national interests and experience in international co-operation in the north of Europe.

At the end of the hearings the participants passed some recommendations. For example, they find it possible to consider Russia's joining the Northern Council. They believe Russia's membership in this organisation will help balance its foreign economic relations and open new opportunities to attract investment to Russia's northern regions.