By Bruno Waterfield - 10th July 2006
Moscow is seeking G8 backing for an “international network” of facilities that could prevent nuclear weapons proliferation and develop civil atomic power as a energy source.
Russia hosts leaders from the US, France, Britain, Germany, Japan, Canada and Italy in St Petersburg this weekend.
Topping the agenda will be energy security and concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions – two issues that will be linked by Russia.
Russia is seeking support for commitments to atomic power as a “useful addition” to lessen dependency on fossil fuels.
And, Moscow is seeking an answer to international fears over nuclear weapons proliferation, as negotiations over Iran’s uranium enrichment programme hit a critical stage.
Vladimir Chizhov, Russian ambassador to the EU, has indicated proposals to create a controlled global trade in nuclear materials.
“There could be a network of international centres which would produce nuclear fuel elements on demand for countries that do not have a full production chain, including those we would rather not have a whole production chain,” he said on Tuesday.
Leaked draft G8 conclusions set out “a robust regime for assuring nuclear non-proliferation and a reliable safety and security system for nuclear materials and facilities”.
“Participation of developing countries in a ‘shared nuclear energy system’ through developing the network of international centres providing nuclear fuel services could be a viable option for reducing their energy poverty and bridging the energy gap,” state leaked proposals.
The US, Russia, China with Germany, France and the UK, representing the EU, are seeking to persuade Tehran to halt uranium enrichment with a package including transfers of civil atomic technologies.
The UN is concerned that Iran’s nuclear programme could lead to the development of atomic weapons, fears that surround the development of atomic power as a global alternative to fossil fuels.
The issue may also come to a head with G8 debate over a US deal allowing India access to nuclear technology despite Delhi’s development of atomic weapons and refusal to sign up to non-proliferation rules.
Chizhov believes that Russia’s idea – which echoes previous proposals from the US and International Atomic Energy Agency – could be a “tempting option rather than a binding obligation” for countries such as Iran.
“This would not deprive countries of their rights to a peaceful civil nuclear programme, it would give an option to do so on a more economically profitable business,” he said.
Russia’s hopes to swing the G8 behind the proposals or a firm declaration on the benefits of nuclear power may fall foul of European divisions.
While EU G8 members such as France or the UK are pro-nuclear, or lean that way, Germany and Italy are firmly against atomic power.
Draft G8 conclusions promote nuclear energy both economically and as an alternative to hydro-carbon fuels blamed for global warming.
“Those of us who have plans relating to the use and/or expansion of nuclear energy believe that its development will promote prosperity and global energy security, while simultaneously offering a positive contribution to the climate change challenge.”
The issue of Russian – especially Soviet nuclear technology – is also highly sensitive 20 years after the Chernobyl disaster.
Germany is unlikely to sign up to glowing endorsements of nuclear power or a new international system boosting the industry and giving Russia a central role.
“The problem in Germany is that it is not an issue of how to process nuclear fuel but a conceptual one of whether to use nuclear fuel at all,” said Chizhov.
The ambassador notes that EU-Russia agreement on nuclear technology transfers and atomic fuel reprocessing have been blocked – by Europe – since 1997.
But Chizhov observes after enlargement in 2004 18 Russian nuclear units entered the EU, “some were closed but all are supplied by Russian nuclear fuel”.
The issue is also at the heart of the EU’s debate over energy security and diversity of supply following disruption of Russian gas pipelines in early 2006.
The commission has put Brussels behind calls to change “the energy mix, including nuclear power where appropriate”.
European commission president José Manuel Barroso will attend the G8 summit, the EU executive has key trade and other negotiating powers.
Speaking on Tuesday, he acknowledged that EU divisions on nuclear technology could sink a G8 declaration on atomic power.
“Member states have different sensitivities but I do not think anyone objects to an open discussion.”
“Whether there will be enough consensus to make a statement I do not know, I could not bet on it,” Barroso told journalists.
“There is a debate going now and in the EU members states there divisions and some are strongly opposed… Our position is that debate is useful.”
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