Russia may stop Bushehr nuclear plant only under UN resolution

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, September 20, 2003

Russia may stop Bushehr nuclear plant only under UN resolution

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Russia could stop building the first reactor of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran if the United Nations (UN) Security Council passes a resolution imposing sanction against Tehran, a spokesman for the Russian Nuclear Energy Ministry said on Friday.

The unnamed official made the statement responding to media comments that "Russia could stop the construction of the nuclear power plant in Bushehr if Washington gives weighty proof of Iran's developing nuclear weapons," Itar-Tass reported.

"The information of this kind must be thoroughly checked by experts of the IAEA, even if it comes from Washington," the spokesman stressed, adding that after the check, the information must become a subject of discussion in the UN.

He stressed that Russia is cooperating with Iran in the nuclear project in accordance with all rules and requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) only in the field of peaceful use of the technology for generating electric power.

He noted that construction of the first energy unit of the nuclear power plant is proceeding on schedule and more than 80 percent is ready.

Russia, a steadfast cooperator with Iran in the construction of an 800-million-dollar nuclear power plant in Iran's coastal city of Bushehr, has urged Tehran to sign the additional protocol to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which would allow IAEA experts to pay snap visits to all of Iran's nuclear sites.

The Russian official's statement came out while Moscow was hosting an international conference on nonproliferation Friday.

US Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow, who was present at the conference, said Friday that Washington expects Russia to freeze the construction of the nuclear power plant in Bushehr until Iran joins the additional protocol on IAEA safeguards.

Vershbow called Iran's policy with regard to its nuclear program "deception," saying that Tehran's explanations about its nuclear program are illogical and do not meet the requirements of the NPT, according to Interfax.

The US ambassador hinted that "a few unanswered questions" still remain about Russia's assistance to Iran on nuclear and missile technologies, which may hinder the Russian-American space and nuclear cooperation that has improved steadily in recent years,Interfax said.

The senior US diplomat expressed his hope that the upcoming summit meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President George W. Bush will discuss the ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and how to convince Iran to abandon all plans to develop nuclear weapons.

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