MOSCOW, July 3 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian and U.S. presidents have said they are ready to start bilateral and multilateral talks on access to civilian nuclear energy for countries complying with their non-proliferation obligations.
In a joint statement adopted following informal talks at the American president's summer residence at Kennebunkport July 1-2 and published Tuesday, Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush reiterated an approach they said would give access to the benefits of nuclear energy to a growing number of interested countries, while also preventing them from building nuclear weapons.
The world has been worried by Iran and North Korea's nuclear ambitions. Tehran has insisted it only conducts nuclear research for power generation, and Pyongyang conducted its first nuclear bomb tests last October.
The presidents said their efforts were based on initiatives already being implemented: Russia's proposal to establish a network of international centers on Russian territory to provide nuclear fuel services under UN safeguards, and the U.S. Global Nuclear Energy Partnership proposal to develop innovative nuclear reactor and fuel cycle technologies.
They also urged countries to sign or ratify the 1997 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Additional Protocol designed to strengthen and expand existing UN safeguards for verifying that non-nuclear states party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty only use nuclear materials and facilities for peaceful purposes.
Their initiatives also envision financial aid for building nuclear power plants, advice on spent fuel storage, contain obligations to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies and other commitments and measures.
Moscow and Washington have also drafted a bilateral agreement on cooperation in the sphere, which is to be approved by parliaments within 90 days, after which it could be signed.
