The Bush administration announced Dec. 27 that the United States would increase its support of Russian efforts to destroy chemical weapons.  The policy could accelerate efforts to build a high-tech destruction facility at Shchuchye, in Russia’s Kurgan region.

The U.S. Congress last month approved $35 million to start building the facility after the House Armed Services Committee had ended its opposition to the funding earlier last year.  In return for the funds, U.S. lawmakers required certain conditions such as financial contributions from other countries and information from Russia about its chemical stockpiles (see GSN, Dec. 20).

Russia so far has allocated $50 million for access roads and other infrastructure related to the project (Mike Allen, Washington Post, Dec. 28).

The United Kingdom agreed Dec. 20 to provide $17 million over the next three years for chemical and biological nonproliferation programs in Russia (see GSN, Dec. 12).  The agreement includes funds for constructing water supply infrastructure at the Shchuchye facility (Jane Merrick, Press Association, Dec. 20).

Meanwhile, Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Avdeyev met with Swiss diplomat Franz Von Daeniken last month to discuss further cooperation to destroy Russia’s chemical weapons (Natalya Lenskaya, ITAR-Tass, Dec. 20).

About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines

HOME  |  CONTACT US  |  GET INVOLVED  |  SITE MAP

Back to top