Russia Would Dismantle Retired Russian Nuclear Subs, if...

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Russia Would Dismantle Retired Russian Nuclear Subs, if...

The AP World has reported that officials from Russia and Norway on May
26 signed an agreement covering measures to protect the environment
while dismantling Russia's retired submarines. The measures include
Norway's paying for the construction of a U.S$30-million
waste-processing plant scheduled for 1998 start up. 

Norway, the AP reported, has long expressed concern over the state of
mothballed Russian nuclear submarines in Arctic ports, which, Norway
says, pose a serious threat to its fishing industry. 

The AP reported that the Russian government has been unable to fund
modern facilities for processing spent nuclear fuel from the submarines'
reactors. The wire service also said that Russia even lacks funds to
unload the fuel from some remaining 75 of 100 decommissioned
subs requiring fuel removal.

Russia's President Boris Yeltsin was quoted in the AP report as saying,
"We must solve the financial issue. If it's solved by Norwegian credits,
we will immediately start dismantling the submarines."  Norway has
promised U.S$35 million to assist in the cleanup of the Russian Navy's
northern bases. 

Reportedly, however, Norway's contribution would cover only a small
fraction of several billion dollars required to decommission the subs. 
Before 1992, Russia dumped the nuclear waste at sea.