The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation recognize that developing of proliferation-resistance reactors and fuel cycle technology, preventing the further accumulation of separated civilian plutonium, reducing existing stockpiles of this material, consolidation of spent fuel from the third countries, geological repositories will reinforce their efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation.

In light of this initiative, both Governments intend to cooperate to advance research and development of new nuclear power reactors and fuel cycle technologies that enhance proliferation resistance and look forward to involving other countries in this endeavor, as appropriate. These new technologies must also enhance the safety of nuclear power plants, support environmental goals, and meet economic requirements.

They are in agreement that the prevention of a further buildup in the global stock of plutonium separated from spent civil reactor power fuel and, accordingly, the reduction of this stock, will strengthen the nuclear weapons nonproliferation regime.

Supporting the global nuclear weapons nonproliferation regime, halting the further accumulation of civil plutonium, demonstrating leadership and strengthening our collaboration, both Governments intend, beginning on XX XX XX, not to reprocess spent civil reactor fuel in their countries. The cessation of the reprocessing of spent civil reactor power fuel will continue as long as may be necessary, but for at least 20 years. After that, without prejudice to the possible future use of plutonium, in a fuel cycle with enhanced proliferation resistance, the rate of any plutonium in a fuel cycle with enhanced proliferation resistance, the rate of any plutonium separation will be brought in balance with consumption such that the stocks of separated plutonium will be reduced. Intended that energy production from such nuclear power reactors will be achieved without final plutonium separation.

In conjunction with this moratorium, the U.S. intends to cooperate to establish a dry storage facility in Russia for the civil power reactor spent fuel. This facility will meet strict environmental, safety, and health requirements, and shall incorporate appropriate standards of nuclear materials protection, control and accounting. The reprocessing of spent fuel from naval reactors, research reactors, and experimental reactors, as well as the processing of limited quantities of materials for safety reasons and for radioisotope production, will not be subject to this moratorium.

Both countries intend to increase research collaboration on long-term solutions that address the world-wide accumulations of plutonium-bearing nuclear spent fuel and the management of radioactive waste. This will include further developing the science basis for repositories, exploring other possibilities to manage spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste, and researching the issues associating with consolidation spent fuel from third countries in Russia, including environmental and safety issues. The Governments look forward to involving other countries in this endeavor, as appropriate.

Both Governments have agreed to issue the appropriate instructions to develop a Joint Action plan for this cooperation by 1 October 2000, and the requisite implementing agreements.

Tuesday April 11 8:56 PM ET

Russian Proposes Nuke Waste Import

By ANDREW KRAMER,
Associated Press Writer

MOSCOW (AP) - The Ministry of Atomic Energy said Tuesday it wants to import 20,000 tons of nuclear waste to Russia to boost the country's economy, but parliament would first have to cancel a law forbidding most of such imports.

Under the proposed program, countries exporting nuclear waste to Russia would pay $21 billion over 10 years. Most of the waste would be spent fuel rods from civilian nuclear power plants in Europe and Asia, Minister of Atomic Energy Yevgeny Adamov said.

The expected earnings are nearly equal to Russia's entire federal budget in 1999.

``The deal is extremely beneficial for (the ministry), and we are intending to carry it out,'' Adamov said.

Deputy Minister Valentin Ivanov said the plan is at a stage of ``market research'' to study global demand among countries eager to unload their waste, and lobbying parliament. About 200,000 tons of nuclear waste is now stored at temporary sites worldwide.

The ministry plan proposes recycling the waste at the Mayak facility in the Ural Mountains.

The process extracts usable nuclear material for new fuel rods while improving safety by reducing the material's potential to be used in weapons, said Ivanov, the ministry's top nuclear scientist.

The spent fuel would travel across European Russia or Siberia by rail in armored wagons.

Both Russian and foreign environmental groups object to the plan, which has been under discussion for several years, saying Russia is already awash in nuclear waste from domestic sources.

``This is an extremely dangerous and cynical deal to generate billions of dollars which will add to the enormous environmental problems that already exist in Russia,'' Greenpeace nuclear campaigner Tobias Muenchmeyer said in a press release.

A 1992 law forbids importing nuclear materials from foreign countries other than former East Bloc nations with existing contracts.

Russia now imports spent fuel rods from Ukraine, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Hungary for reprocessing, a system established during Soviet times.

Meanwhile, Adamov said his ministry plans to make $550 million reprocessing Soviet bomb-grade material into civilian reactor fuel this year under a U.S.-sponsored program begun in 1993. The program aims to reduce available bomb-grade material and reduce the risk of theft.

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