DATE=4/22/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40121
TITLE=BRITAIN / NUCLEAR FUEL-CQ
BYLINE=ANDRE DE NESNERA
DATELINE=LONDON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS DEFENDED ITS DECISION TO ALLOW
NUCLEAR MATERIAL FROM THE FORMER SOVIET UNION TO BE REPROCESSED
IN SCOTLAND.  BUT AS V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA REPORTS
FROM LONDON, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS ARE FURIOUS.

TEXT:  BRITISH OFFICIALS SAY PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR AGREED TO
TAKE THE FIVE KILOGRAMS OF HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM AND SPENT
NUCLEAR FUEL WHEN HE VISITED WASHINGTON SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.  THE
NUCLEAR MATERIAL IS CURRENTLY STORED IN A RESEARCH REACTOR
OUTSIDE TBILISSI, THE CAPITAL OF GEORGIA.

THE WEAPONS GRADE URANIUM IS  NOT  DANGEROUS AS SUCH.  BUT
AMERICAN AND BRITISH OFFICIALS SAY IF IT WERE STOLEN BY
TERRORISTS, IT COULD BE USED TO PRODUCE A NUCLEAR BOMB.

BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK DEFENDED THE MOVE, SAYING
THE UNITED STATES HAS ALREADY TAKEN 600 KILOGRAMS OF NUCLEAR
MATERIAL FROM KAZAKHSTAN.  SPEAKING ON BRITISH RADIO, HE REPEATED
THE POSSIBILE TERRORIST THREAT.

                       ///  COOK ACT  ///

         IF THIS MATERIAL WAS TO BE USED IN A NUCLEAR WEAPON IN
         THE MIDDLE EAST, THEN BRITAIN AND EUROPE WOULD GET FAR
         MORE THAN ONE PERCENT OF THE RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT AND
         THEREFORE, TAKING ONE PERCENT OF THE PROBLEM IS  NOT  A
         BAD BARGAIN, IN MY POINT OF VIEW.

                        ///  END ACT  ///

THE NUCLEAR MATERIAL IS TO BE SHIPPED TO A REPROCESSING PLANT IN
DOUNREAY, ON SCOTLAND'S NORTHERN COAST -- A PLANT CURRENTLY
UNDERGOING A REVIEW OF ITS SAFETY PROCEDURES.  THE EXACT DATE OF
THE ARRIVAL HAS  NOT  BEEN REVEALED.

MOST OF THE MATERIAL WILL BE USED TO MAKE MEDICAL ISOTOPES FOR
THE TREATMENT OF CANCER.  AND THE REST -- LESS THAN ONE KILOGRAM
OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL -- WILL BE REPROCESSED.

BRITISH ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS ARE OUTRAGED AT THE BRITISH
GOVERNMENT'S DECISION, SINCE RUSSIA, FRANCE, AND THE UNITED
STATES ALL REFUSED TO TAKE THE NUCLEAR MATERIAL.  THE GROUP
'GREENPEACE' DESCRIBED THE BRITISH MOVE AS "A DANGEROUS AND
ILL-CONCEIVED PLAN."

THE RESEARCH DIRECTOR FOR THE GROUP 'FRIENDS OF THE EARTH',
RICHARD DIXON, SAYS DOUNREAY IS  NOT  AN IDEAL PLACE FOR
DISPOSING OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL.

                       ///  DIXON ACT  ///

         AT THE MOMENT, IT HAS GOT TWO REPROCESSING FACILITIES,
         BOTH OF WHICH ARE SHUT DOWN.  THEY ARE JUST  NOT
         ALLOWED TO OPERATE AT THE MOMENT, AND THEY ARE STILL
         WAITING FOR PERMISSION TO RESTART.  IT HAS HAD ALL KINDS
         OF POLLUTION PROBLEMS.  IT HAS HAD AN EXPLOSION IN THE
         1970'S IN A WASTESHAFT.  THERE HAS BEEN MISMANAGEMENT,
         SO WE DO  NOT  KNOW WHAT IS IN SOME OF THE WASTE
         FACILITIES.  AND THERE HAVE BEEN 'HOT' PARTICLES,
         RADIOACTIVE PARTICLES, TURNING UP ON THE BEACH, ACTUALLY
         OUTSIDE THE SITE.

                        ///  END ACT  ///

///  OPT  ///   MR. DIXON ALSO QUESTIONS WHETHER THE SPENT
NUCLEAR FUEL SHOULD BE REPROCESSED.

                ///  OPT  //  2ND DIXON ACT  ///

         THERE IS A FRACTION OF THE WASTE THAT THEY WOULD INTEND
         TO REPROCESS AT DOUNREAY.  BUT WE DO  NOT  SEE THERE IS
         ANY NEED FOR THAT BECAUSE THERE IS ALREADY A GLUT OF
         URANIUM ON THE MARKET AND REPROCESSING CREATES A LOT
         MORE WASTE IN THE PROCESS.  SO WE THINK THAT THIS STUFF
         SHOULD BE STORED ABOVE GROUND, WHERE IT COULD BE
         MONITORED AND AT THE MOMENT, THIS IS THE ONLY KIND OF
         SOLUTION FOR THIS KIND OF WASTE.

                 ///  END ACT  //  END OPT  ///

RICHARD DIXON FROM 'FRIENDS OF THE EARTH' SAYS THERE ARE A LOT OF
FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD WHERE THE NUCLEAR FUEL CAN BE
STORED -- PLANTS WHICH ARE FAR SAFER AND BETTER REGULATED THAN
THE ONE IN DOUNREAY, SCOTLAND.  (SIGNED)

NEB/ADEN/JWH

22-Apr-98 11:30 AM EDT (1530 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.