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Reuters
Saturday, February 17, 2001; Page A32

Russia has shipped nuclear fuel to the Tarapur power reactors in India in violation of its obligations as a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the United States said yesterday.

The shipment raises serious questions about Russia's commitment to preventing nuclear proliferation, the State Department said in a statement. The department added that this will be an important item on the Bush administration's agenda for talks with Russia.

The United States regrets the shipment and calls on Russia to cancel its supply arrangement with India, the statement added.

The statement said that as a member of the 39-nation supply group, Russia is committed not to cooperate with the nuclear program of any country where the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) does not supervise comprehensive safeguards on all the country's nuclear facilities.

The Tarapur reactors near Bombay are under IAEA safeguards. But some other Indian nuclear facilities are not, and the country is pursuing a nuclear weapons program.

The statement said that at a meeting in December, an overwhelming majority of the members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group said they were concerned about Russian plans to ship the nuclear fuel to India.

"We join other nuclear suppliers in calling on Russia to cancel this supply arrangement and live up to its nonproliferation obligations," it said.

"Russia's disregard of its Nuclear Suppliers Group commitments, together with its sensitive nuclear assistance to Iran, raises serious questions about Russia's support for the goal of preventing nuclear proliferation," it added.

"Russia's provision of sensitive technologies will be an important item on the U.S.-Russian agenda of the Bush administration," the statement said.