Iran nuclear fuel deal stalled over fee-Russia
By Melissa Akin
LONDON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - A deal that would clear the way for Iran to start up its Russian-built Bushehr nuclear power plant has been delayed over Moscow's fee for taking back Russian-made spent fuel, Russia's nuclear chief said on Tuesday.
"We have told them they have to pay for spent fuel, just like fresh fuel," Alexander Rumyantsev, head of Russia's Atomic Energy Agency, told Reuters after an informal meeting with U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham.
Rumyantsev on Tuesday rejected earlier reports that said the Iran agreement could be signed as early as January, adding Russia and Iran had until mid-year to finalise the agreement.
Russia's civilian nuclear industry has commercial agreements to re-import and dispose of spent fuel sold to foreign clients, mostly ex-Soviet bloc states with Moscow-built nuclear power plants.
With Iran accused by the United States of seeking nuclear weapons, Russia and Iran have promised the United States they will sign a deal to remove spent fuel from Iran before the Bushehr plant is switched on.
Washington wants to prevent the potential use of spent fuel in a bomb. It has urged Moscow to scrap the Bushehr project entirely as a proliferation risk.
Some diplomats say Russia is stalling on the spent-fuel re-import deal with Iran to keep Washington friendly while hedging its bets with the Islamic Republic.
The agreement must be signed in time to start shipping fresh fuel to Iran for the scheduled launch of Bushehr in early 2006, Rumyantsev said.
Some legal hurdles, included possible successors to the two countries' agents, Russian nuclear fuel producer TVEL and the Iranian Atomic Energy Agency, and the pricing of Russia's re-import services, had been dealt with, he said.
Rumyantsev said the final cost to Iran would be based on future market rates. If the station is switched on according to schedule, the first batch of spent fuel would return to Russia in 10-12 years time, he said.
((Reporting by Melissa Akin
Reuters messaging: melissa.akin.reuters.com@reuters.net;
Email melissa.akin@reuters.com
Tel +44 207 542 8798))