Russia to import irradiated nuclear fuel from Uzbekistan
MOSCOW. Feb 3 (Interfax) - The Russian government has approved a draft agreement with the government of Uzbekistan on the one-time import of irradiated nuclear into Russia for temporary storage and processing and disposal of the resulting radioactive waste in Russia.
The government order, signed by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on January 29 and posted in the database of Russian legal acts on Monday, approves the draft agreement on the irradiated fuel from an IIN-3M research reactor that was submitted by state nuclear corporate Rosatom, has been endorsed by the Foreign Ministry and other relevant federal government agencies and preliminarily worked out with Uzbekistan.
Rosatom and the Foreign Ministry have been instructed to hold negotiations with Uzbekistan and, upon reaching an understanding, sign the agreement on behalf of the Russian government.
Under the draft agreement, the product of the processing of the irradiated fuel, including regenerated uranium, plutonium and radioactive waste, will not be returned to Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan will be responsible for ensuring safety during transportation until the irradiated fuel is handed over at the Tashkent airport, and Russia will be responsible for safety upon receiving the fuel.
The imported fuel and any nuclear material obtained from it cannot, under the draft agreement, be used "for any types of nuclear weapons and nuclear explosive devices, or for research and development of any types of nuclear weapons and nuclear explosive devices, or for any other military purpose."
