Russians not cooperating with U.S. nuclear inspections

H. Joseph Hebert, Associated Press

Published March 25, 2003
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. programs to help safeguard Russia's nuclear and biological weapons materials are being severely hampered by the lack of access to Russian sites, a congressional report says.

The report released Monday by the General Accounting Office said that although the United States has spent $1.8 billion over the past decade to help Russia improve security at these sites, nearly two-thirds of Russia's nuclear material still may not be adequately protected.

In many cases progress has been stymied because Russia continues to bar U.S. officials from many sites, despite a more liberal access agreement reached in September 2001, the GAO reports.

"Russia is not providing needed access to many sites . . . [and] there is little reason to believe this situation will change in the near future," the GAO said.

As for protection of Russia's dangerous biological pathogens, the GAO said after four years of effort, little progress has been made in addressing security at 49 Russian sites where the two countries have collaborative programs to improve safeguards.

The Defense Department, which leads that program, "has limited information on the location and security" of many of these sites where Russia continues to store pathogens such as anthrax, smallpox and the plague, the report said.

Since 1992, the United States has spent $1.8 billion on various programs to try to reduce the risks that terrorists might obtain Russian nuclear material or some of its chemical or biological agents.

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printed from Russians not cooperating with U.S. nuclear inspections on 2004-05-25 23:54:09