Agreement on storage extended RUSSIA The Russian government has approved the Atomic Ministry’s proposal to prolong the term of an agreement signed with the American Defence Department on building a repository for fissionable materials recovered from nuclear weapons. The agreement involves US support totalling $412.6 million. The storage facility is designed to take in 25 000 containers and will be in service by 2001.
According to the original agreement, the US and Russia were supposed to share the cost of building the facility. To date, however, only the US has met its commitments. When the flow of dollars dried up temporarily last spring, all work stopped for three months.
Security will be tightened in spring when delivery of the equipment for installation begins. IAEA inspectors will then join the Americans on site.
