AFP
Russia, Iran may sign nuclear fuel deal
Wed Jul 16 23:38:38 2003
208.152.73.113

Russia, Iran may sign nuclear fuel deal by end of July: Rumyantsev
Wed Jul 16, 6:40 AM ET
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030716/wl_mideast_afp/russia_iran_nuclear_1

MOSCOW (AFP) - Moscow and Tehran are very close to signing a key deal on the return of atomic fuel from Iran's first nuclear reactor, paving the way for the Russian-built facility to go on line, Russian Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev revealed.

"The document could be signed by the end of July," Rumyantsev was quoted by ITAR-TASS news agency as saying Wednesday.

Russia is building the nuclear plant in Bushehr despite Western worries that Tehran is using the power station project to develop a clandestine nuclear weapons program.

Numerous delays on signing the atomic fuel contract -- which has been ready since last August -- have been seen as concessions to those concerns.

Rumyantsev said the natural resources ministry was examining an environmental study required under Russian law, adding that "the final hurdle" had been cleared.

"The fuel is being stored at a chemical factory in Novosibirsk. The first 11 loads of 500 kilograms (half a tonne) each will be shipped to Iran in a cargo jet after the Russian-Iranian signing of the protocol on the return of nuclear fuel," ITAR-TASS quoted Rumyantsev as saying.

He said the first shipments would likely be sent to Iran in the middle of next year.

Bushehr is due to go on line by 2005.
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1NP -CIA chief faces intelligence grilling
MSNBC, July 16, 2003
MORE NEWS HERE....
http://www.1nuclearplace.com/

The WMD Shell Game

Step right up ladies and gentlemen, step right up, the name of the game is to follow the biochem weapons. How about you, sir? Win a nice shiny new Empire in the middle east for your neocon sweethearts! Just lay a few batallions down on the table and point your artillery where you think they're hidden! The Iraq shell? Oh, no, so sorry, sir, would've sworn that's where they were m'self! Tell you what, though, double or nothing, and (just between us) I bet they're nextdoor here in Syria.
http://www.nowarblog.org/archives/001324.html