Moscow Urges Agreement on Multilateral Nuclear Environmental Programme

Moscow urges that an agreement on the Multilateral Nuclear Environmental Programme in the Russian Federation /MNEPR/ be signed as soon as possible, reads a statement the Russian foreign ministry circulated Thursday.

Co-operation under the programme aims to resolve the problem of processing fuel waste from the decommissioned nuclear submarines and radiation waste.

Russia attaches great significance to the programme and programme-related contacts since they are going to improve radiation security in Europe and the Russian northern regions' environment, reads the statement.

"The soonest signing of the MNEPR agreement will foster practical implementation of the G-8 leaders' agreements on Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction," says the foreign ministry.

In late February, Moscow hosted another round of talks on a draft agreement on the MNEPR. The talks involved delegations from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Great Britain, the United States, Italy, Russia, of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, according to the ministry.

Russia gave every heed to the would-be donors' wishes. Among other things, it exempted them from VAT, notes the foreign ministry.

The conferees then agreed on almost the entire package of documents, including those indemnifying the donors from civil responsibility for possible damage, says the Russian foreign ministry.