- MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's
plans to finish an atomic reactor in Iran are back on track after a pause
that followed a tough new resolution on Iran by the U.N. nuclear watchdog,
Russia's top atomic official said Monday.
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- Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) passed a resolution that deplored Iran's failure to declare sensitive
nuclear technology which could be used to make bomb-grade uranium.
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- "A certain pause in Russia's cooperation with Iran
happened because of an IAEA board meeting where this new resolution on
Iran was passed," Alexander Rumyantsev, head of the Atomic Energy
Agency, was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.
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- "But the question of construction of the Bushehr
power plant in Iran has never been revised."
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- The row between Iran and the IAEA prompted industry insiders
to suggest Russia, wary of U.S. criticism of its nuclear ties with Iran,
could ditch the $800 million project altogether.
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- Iran later vowed to continue to cooperate with the IAEA
as long as Washington, which accuses Iran of seeking atomic arms, does
not push its case up to the U.N. Security Council.
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- "Technical cooperation with Iran on construction
of the Bushehr nuclear power plant is continuing, and I do not see any
reason why we should limit this cooperation," Rumyantsev said.
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- Russia, a veto-wielding permanent member of the U.N.
Security Council, has been locked in months of tough talks with Iran over
the project.
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- The first generating unit of the 1,000-megawatt plant
was originally due to have begun full operation in 2003. But as negotiations
dragged on, the launch was rescheduled to 2006.
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- Rumyantsev said "a number of financial issues"
had yet to be settled, but did not elaborate.
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- He did not say whether a key bilateral deal requiring
Iran to return spent nuclear fuel to Russia -- a measure aimed to alleviate
some U.S. concerns -- would be signed during his visit to Iran over coming
months.
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- "The Iranian side wants a few months to study what
other countries normally do when it comes to returning spent nuclear fuel,"
he said. "They have, however, said they are in principle ready to
sign this document."
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