DATE=9/2/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA/U-S/PLUTONIUM (L)
NUMBER=2-266083
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

// Re-running w/clarification in introduction ///


INTRO:  U-S Vice President Al Gore and Russian Prime 
Minister Mikhail Kasyanov have formally signed (EDS: 
Friday (9-1), both in Moscow by Russian P-M, and in 
Washington by VP Gore) an agreement for each country 
to destroy 34 tons of weapons-grade plutonium.  Moscow 
correspondent Eve Conant reports the agreement calls 
for both countries to convert the plutonium into a 
form that  cannot  be used for nuclear weapons.


TEXT:  With the final signing, the two nations have 
brought into effect a deal that will destroy a total 
of 68 tons of weapons-grade plutonium, enough to make 
thousands of nuclear weapons.

The deal was first agreed in Moscow between Russian 
President Vladimir Putin and U-S President Bill 
Clinton during their summit meeting in June.

U-S officials have estimated it will take up to 20 
years to complete the project.  The disposal 
facilities for the plutonium must be ready to start 
functioning by the year 2007, with a minimum disposal 
rate of two tons per year.  The Russian disposal plan 
is estimated to cost more than one-point-seven-billion 
dollars.  The U-S program is expected to cost 
approximately four-billion dollars.

All 34 tons of the Russian weapons-grade plutonium is 
to be converted into fuel for use in civilian nuclear 
power reactors.  However, both Russian and Western 
environmentalists argue Russia should not be allowed 
to use the plutonium as fuel, but should instead 
dispose of it as waste.

According to the deal, none of the fuel produced by 
weapons-grade plutonium can leave Russia without 
consent of the United States.  The process will be 
monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency 
and both sides have agreed to make the process fully 
transparent.  In the past, Western leaders and 
environmentalists had questioned Moscow's commitment 
to safely store the weapons-grade plutonium and to 
keep it from being sold abroad.   (Signed)

NEB/EC/DW/JP




02-Sep-2000 19:29 PM EDT (02-Sep-2000 2329 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.