Iran publicly criticizes Moscow for reactor delays
Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Monday, March 12, 2001
NICOSIA — Iran, on the eve of the visit of its president to Moscow,
has criticized Russia for major delays in construction of the Iranian
nuclear reactor at Bushehr.
In an unusual move, a senior Iranian official said Russian contractors
have been deficient in the $800 million Bushehr project. The official,
identified as Atomic Energy Organization deputy chief Assadollah Sabouri,
said that after seven years of work the nuclear reactor remains only 50
percent complete.
The criticism comes at a time when the reactor deal is a sore spot in U.S. relations with both Russian and Iran.
The United States and Israel have accused Iran of using
Bushehr as a cover for a nuclear weapons program.
Iranian state television quoted Sabouri as blaming Russian management
and planning for the delays. Russia and Iran signed an agreement in 1994 to
complete the 1,000 megawatt Bushehr reactor, which was launched by Germany.
"Russian experts fully master nuclear technology, but their management
and planning is not on a level with their technical quality," Sabouri was
quoted by the television as saying.
The assertion by Sabouri bring out in the open what Western intelligence
sources report has been a simmering dispute between Moscow and Teheran over
Bushehr. The dispute involves both Russian delays in completing the reactor
and Iranian failure to heed its payment schedule.
Russian officials said Bushehr will be completed next year. But the
Iranian Atomic Energy Organization said completion is now scheduled for
2003. Iranian sources said the work could continue into 2004.
"Sabouri criticized the slow pace of the Bushehr power plant's
construction and said the contract to complete the first unit was signed in
January 1994," Iranian state television said. "But this unit has not been
commissioned after seven years."
Sabouri said the main systems for Bushehr would be installed over the
next year.
Monday, March 12, 2001
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