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Azerbaijan not to Make Concessions for Russia in Cargo Delivery for Busher Nuclear Power Station

Politics Materials 15 May 2008 16:57 (UTC +04:00)
Azerbaijan not to Make Concessions for   Russia in Cargo Delivery for Busher Nuclear Power Station

Azerbaijan, Baku, 15 May / corr Trend E.Babayev / Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry stated that all cargos will be transported via the territory of the Country in accordance with the laws of Azerbaijan and international legal norms. "It is impossible to speak about concessions in this regard," the Ministry's Press Secretary, Khazar Ibrahim, briefed the media on 15 May.

Georgiy Karasin, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, told journalists in Baku on 14 May that Baku and Moscow agreed upon details of delivery of Russian cargo for Busher nuclear power station via the territory of Azerbaijan.

The cargo of Russian AtomStroyExport containing heat-insulating facilities intended for Busher was detained at Azerbaijan's border with Iran on 29 March.

In accordance with the international requirements regarding the control of exported cargo, the Azerbaijani customs service required Russia to get a permission of Cabinet of Ministers to pass the country

In its turn AtomStroyExport said that this was not a dual-purpose cargo, let alone nuclear materials and the delivery had been designed in accordance with international rules.

German companies commenced the construction of Bushehr nuclear power station in 1975. After the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the capture of the US Embassy in Teheran and USA's embargo on the supply of high-tech equipment to Iran, the companies annulled the contract.

In January 1995, ZarubezhAtomEnergoStroy and Iran's Nuclear Power Organization signed a contract in Teheran to complete the construction of the first bloc of the station. Russia was also committed to supply one reactor of VVEP 1000, nuclear fuel for it and train Iranian specialists. The deal was estimated to US $ 1bln and the budget of the contract on supply of VVEP -1000 comprised US $850mln.

In February 1998 Russia and Iran agreed that Russia would not only assist in the construction of the nuclear power station, but fully complete the construction of the station. The construction will end on 8 June 1999, whilst the term of commencement of the Busher NPS was postponed for several times.

"Each country should follow internal laws and norms of international law. In future, permission for cargo deliveries will be provided within the law, not paying attention to what country transports the cargo," he said.

The correspondent can be contacted at: [email protected]

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