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Iran says Bushehr NPP construction 95% complete

Iran Materials 11 September 2007 16:23 (UTC +04:00)

( RIA Novosti ) - The Bushehr nuclear power plant being built by Russians in Iran is 95% complete, and Tehran is not delaying its completion, the country's vice president said Tuesday.

"The Bushehr NPP is 95% built, but the construction contractor [ Russia's Atomstroyexport] has said that due to financial difficulties, problems have arisen in the construction," said Vice President Gholamreza Aghazadeh, who also heads Iran's Atomic Energy Organization.

Aghazadeh said a Russian-Iranian committee is currently holding talks on the issue.

Earlier Russian nuclear officials said the construction would be completed no earlier than fall 2008.

The completion of the plant, being constructed under a 1995 contract, came under threat in February 2007 after Russia complained of funding shortfalls. Moscow said Tehran had only covered 60% of the required funding by the fourth quarter of 2006, and completely stopped payments in mid-January. Iran denied any funding problems, and accused Russia of delaying tactics.

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