Putin Rejects US Claims on Iran-Russia Nuke Cooperation

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Tehran Times - May 25, 2002
http://www.tehrantimes.com/Description.asp?Da=5/25/02&Cat=2&Num=038

Putin Rejects Washington's Claims on Iran-Russia Nuke Cooperation, 
Says Iran Singled Out Unjustly for Its Use of Nuclear Energy

TEHRAN -- Russian President Vladimir Putin, talking in a joint news
conference with his visiting U.S. counterpart George W.

Bush in the Kremlin Friday, rejected Washington's claims that
Moscow's nuclear cooperation with Iran could lead to Tehran's
development of weapons of mass destruction.

"The nuclear cooperation between Iran and Russia does not undermine
the non-proliferation treaty," Putin said, according to IRNA.

He suggested that Iran was being singled out unjustly for its use of
nuclear energy.

Washington is claiming that Russian assistance to Iran to construct a
nuclear energy plant in the Persian Gulf port of Bushehr may enable
the Islamic Republic to acquire weapons of mass destruction.

Both Tehran and Moscow have repeatedly rejected these claims, with
Iran opening the plant to regular supervision of the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which has confirmed its intention for

Putin defended Moscow's nuclear cooperation with Iran and dismissed
U.S.  fears it could help the Islamic Republic develop weapons of
mass destruction.

Putin and U.S. President George W. Bush, who signed a landmark
nuclear disarmament treaty at their Kremlin summit, appeared at odds
over Iran after Bush said his Russian counterpart shared his worries

"I worry about Iran and I'm confident that Vladimir Putin worries
about Iran, and that was confirmed today," Bush told a joint press
conference after three hours of talks.

But Putin stoutly defended Russia's contract to build a nuclear power
plant at Bushehr, denying it would help Tehran to develop
weapons-grade plutonium that could be put to military use.

"Russia's cooperation with Iran does not harm the non-proliferation
process. ... our cooperation with Iran is limited to energy, it only
has an economic character," Putin said.

Putin also suggested that the role played by Western companies in
building up nuclear programs in countries suspected of trying to
acquire weapons of mass destruction was greater than their Russian co

"The missile and nuclear programs of those countries in large part
are developing on the basis of technology provided by Western firms,"
he said.

A top Russian government official said Friday that Iran would not be
able to use Russia's nuclear cooperation program for military ends.

"Iran cannot and will not use for any ends enriched nuclear fuel" at
the Bushehr nuclear power plant, and this fuel will be shipped back
to Russia once used, the ITAR-TASS news agency quoted Deputy Nu.
 
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