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U.S. issues warning as Russia ships nuclear reactor to Iran

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Sunday, November 18, 2001

MOSCOW Ñ The United States has responded to reports Iran is preparing for the delivery of its first nuclear reactor by again warning Russia to end its help to Iranian weapons of mass destruction programs..

A 317-ton nuclear reactor was placed on a freighter which left St. Petersburg Friday. The reactor, which is destined for Iran's nuclear plant at Bushehr, was completed in the Izhora factory in the Russian city.

The Bush administration issued the warning in the wake of a summit between President George Bush and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin noted for good chemistry between the two leaders.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said relations between Moscow and Washington will be affected unless Russia ends WMD help to Iran. Powell said Washington is highly disturbed by the Russian effort to build Iran's nuclear facilities and intermediate-range missiles.

"The light-water reactor of the WWER type, built at St. Petersburg's Ishora plant over a course of three years, will be assembled [after arrival in Iran]," Viktor Koslov, an official of the official Atomstroiexport nuclear construction company, said.

Russian officials said the body of the cylindrical reactor would arrive in Bushehr in about a month, Middle East Newsline reported. The reactor is scheduled for completion by the end of 2003.

Powell did not elaborate on any U.S. reaction to continued Iranian nuclear help to Russia. U.S. officials said the nuclear help has been used to develop Iranian weapons.

Last week, Iran and Russia were reported to have signed an agreement on military and defense cooperation.

Over the weekend, Israel and the United States discussed Russian aid to Iran's nuclear program. The discussions were held during a two-day strategic dialogue held in Tel Aviv.

Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said Iran could obtain nuclear weapons capability by 2004.

In 1995, Moscow and Teheran signed an estimated $800 million contract for the construction of the Bushehr reactor. After the arrival of the nuclear reactor, Iran and Russia are set to launch negotiations over the purchase of a second reactor by Teheran.

"We are glad the three-year-long work on the reactor construction is over and thank the plant workers for their labor," Mohammed Reza Zahertar, a representative of the Iran Atomic Energy Organization, said.

The first power-producing reactor in Bushehr is scheduled to go into service in December 2003, he said, adding that Russia and Iran were planning talks next month on the construction of a second reactor of the same type for Bushehr.

The Iranian-Russian nuclear cooperation has been discussed between Washington and Moscow as well as between the United States and Israel.

Western diplomatic sources said the Bush administration has offered Moscow incentives to end the cooperation.

"We believe that Iran uses Bushehr as a cover for obtaining sensitive technology to advance their nuclear weapons program," State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said. "We think Iran's clandestine efforts to acquire weapons grade material poses a threat."

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