MOSCOW Ñ The United States is trying to block Russia's latest plan
to sell
another five nuclear reactors to Iran.
A U.S. delegation has been discussing the issue with Russian officials
in Moscow this week and was said to have offered several proposals to stop a
new deal to supply nuclear reactors to Iran. Diplomatic sources said one
proposal was to approve a Russian oil and natural gas pipeline to Western
Europe that would guarantee Moscow billions of dollars in annual revenue.
U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, a member of the U.S. delegation,
acknowledged Russia's plans to sell another five nuclear reactors to Iran
over the next decade. Russia is completing construction of its first nuclear
reactor at Bushehr, a project estimated at $800 million.
"The expansion of Russian nuclear cooperation with Iran remains an issue
of utmost concern to us," Abraham said. "It has been raised to the highest
levels, we are in the middle of sensitive discussions on this matter."
It was the first expression of high-level U.S. concern over approval of
a Russian government plan to sell additional nuclear reactors to Moscow.
During the talks in Moscow, U.S. officials played down Russia's decision to
expand nuclear cooperation with Iran.
"We have long been concerned that Iran's only interest in nuclear civil
power, given its vast domestic energy resources, is to support its nuclear
weapons program," Abraham told a news conference at the end of the talks in
Moscow. "For that reason, we have consistently urged Russia to cease all
nuclear cooperation with Iran, including its assistance to the reactor in
Bushehr."
Diplomatic sources said the United States has not focused its efforts in
stopping the Russian construction of the 1,000 megawatt reactor in Bushehr.
Instead, Washington has urged Moscow to end future nuclear reactor sales and
impose strict controls on operations of the Bushehr plant. This would
include pressing Iran to agree to a more intrusive inspection regime by the
International Atomic Energy Agency.
Russian analysts said Moscow's intentions to sell five more reactors to
Iran is meant to improve its bargaining conditions in talks with the United
States. The analysts said they doubted whether Moscow would conclude such a
deal.
In Washington, U.S. officials agreed that Russia could change its mind
regarding nuclear sales to Iran. They said Washington would pursue further
talks with Moscow.
"The Russians have told us they're still considering the issue, and we
will continue our intensive dialogue with senior Russian officials to
address proliferation concerns," State Department deputy spokesman Philip
Reeker said.
