Posted on 07/30/2002 6:56:45 PM PDT by knighthawk
MOSCOW (AP) — Improving ties between Russia and the United States faced a test Tuesday, as two high-level American officials arrived in Moscow days after President Vladimir Putin's government announced plans to step up cooperation with Iran and build six nuclear reactors there.
The visit by Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham and Undersecretary of State John Bolton were planned before Friday's approval by the Russian government of a 10-year plan to dramatically expand ties with Iran beyond its existing contract to complete a nuclear reactor at Bushehr.
The $800 million deal has been a sticking point in Russian-American relations for years because U.S. officials fear the cooperation could help Iran develop nuclear weapons. Russia insists there is no danger that could happen.
Russia's new cooperation plan takes the nuclear deal even further, envisaging a total of six Russian-built nuclear reactors in Iran — four at Bushehr and two at a yet-to-be-built plant in Akhvaz.
The government resolution, which has been approved by Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov but still must be signed by top Russian and Iranian officials, also calls for Russia to help Iran explore oil fields, launch communications satellites and build passenger jets.
It comes at a time of improved Russian-U.S. ties ushered in by Putin's westward-leaning policies and his support for the U.S. anti-terror campaign following the Sept. 11 attacks.
Bolton met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Mamedov as part of regular talks on nuclear arms cuts and proliferation issues.
Putin and President Bush signed a treaty in May to slash American and Russian nuclear arsenals by two-thirds.
On Sunday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said no specific mechanism or timetable has been set for implementing the treaty, which calls for each country to cut its nuclear arsenal to 1,700 to 2,200 warheads by 2012, from the 6,000 each is now allowed.
``We still have to decide how that should be done and when,'' the Interfax news agency quoted Ivanov as saying.
The Foreign Ministry said Mamedov and Bolton discussed that effort and other nonproliferation issues, as well as nuclear weapons cuts and anti-missile defense systems — a source of tension since Washington withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.
Bolton and Mamedov focused on preparations for the first meeting of a Consultative Group for Strategic Security whose establishment was agreed upon at the May summit and will take place in September in Washington, the Foreign Ministry said.
Bolton was due to leave Russia Thursday after meetings with Mamedov and other officials, including Nuclear Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev.
Abraham, who plans three days of talks, was also to meet Wednesday with Rumyantsev. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said Abraham's talks would focus on preparations for a Russian fuel and energy summit to be held in Houston in October, according to the Interfax news agency.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.