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MINATOM IS PREPARED TO ILLEGALLY IMPORT NUCLEAR WASTE FROM US TO RUSSIA

Press Release by Anti-nuclear Campaign of Socio-Ecological Union, and Nuclear Information and Resource Service

MOSCOW, Russia, 8 February 1999 -- The Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy (Minatom) is attempting to begin negotiations for the illegal import of nuclear wastes from the US, although their has so far been no response from the American side. This became known today after the Anti-nuclear Campaign released a letter from the Russian Minister of Atomic Energy Yevgeni Adamov to US Energy Secretary Bill Richardson. This letter contains a proposal to send spent fuel from American nuclear power stations to Russia for reprocessing and long-term storage. The Minister adds that it would be possible to examine different possibilities, both with and without return of reprocessing wastes.

Regardless of Minatom's discussion of such possibilities, Russian law strictly prohibits import of foreign radioactive wastes to Russia with the goal of reprocessing without return of reprocessing wastes to the country of origin (as regulated by the Resolution of the Russian President No. 773, from June 29, 1995).

The Russian State Duma is currently considering an amendment to the Law on Environmental Proetection, which for all intents and purposes allows import of foreign radioactive wastes to Russia for long-term storage or disposal.

However, even if this amendment with its disastrous consequences is adopted THE ACTIONS OF THE MINISTRY OF ATOMIC ENERGY WILL NOT BE LEGAL!

"Russia will become the commercial dustbin for both Eastern and Western nuclear wastes," said Vladimir Sliviak, coordinator of the Anti-nuclear Campaign of the Socio-Ecological Union. "Although the Minister openly states his intention to violate the law, environmental protection organs have not made any attempt to interfere with the planned crime against the country and its people, despite the advanced warning," he added.

For more information and copies of the document, contact:

In USA: Michael Marriote at Nuclear Information and Resource Service, Washington DC <nirsnet@igc.org>

In the rest of world: Vladimir Slivyak, Alisa Nikulina at Anti-nuclear Campaign of Socio-Ecological Union <ecodefense@glasnet.ru>
278-4642 or 776-6546 in Moscow

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