Canada and Russia in 24 million dollar deal to decomission nuclear subs

OTTAWA (AFP) Aug 04, 2004
Canada said Wednesday it had signed a 24 million dollar deal (18 million US dollars) to help Russia dismantle nuclear submarines, under a scheme devised to keep radioactive material out of the hands of terrorists.

"Spent nuclear fuel in Russian submarine reactors presents an international security risk and an environmental threat to the Arctic and Barents Sea," said Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew

The deal is part of the Group of Eight industrialised nations Global Partnership, which provides 20 billion dollars in funding to target vulnerable stocks of radioactive material in post-Soviet Russia.

Russia currently has 56 retired nuclear submarines in the Barents Sea region awaiting disposal.

Canada will help dispose of three Victor class submarines at first and over the next three years sign three new deals to provide a total of 116 million dollars to decommision 12 submarines.

Britain, Norway, Germany and the United States have already made contributions to dispose of Russian nuclear submarines.

WAR.WIRE