Russia, Kazakhstan to set up Thermonuclear Research Centre "Tokamak"

Russia and Kazakhstan intend to set up an experimental thermonuclear research centre in Kazakhstan, the Russian Atomic Energy Ministry reported. The Tokamak centre will be put into operation before the end of 2006.

The centre will be used to study interaction between elementary particles and carry out other kinds of research, the ministry informed. Its construction is envisaged in the protocol of the Kazakh-Russian nuclear expert group signed in Moscow last week.

"The protocol stipulates that works on Tokamak will start already this year, necessary documents will be drawn and separate units of the centre will be modeled," according to the ministry.

The work on the project will be controlled by the IAEA, which complies with the international agreements on non-proliferation of high nuclear technologies, the ministry emphasized.