Canada signs agreements with Russian
Federation
Foreign
Affairs Minister Bill Graham today announced the conclusion of two
agreements that will see Canada assist the Russian Federation in dealing
with the remnants of the Cold War. Both agreements were signed during
Minister Graham's working visit to Moscow.
"Over
the past two years, Canada and the Russian Federation have attained a new
level in our bilateral relations," said Minister Graham. "The
agreements signed today represent our increasing efforts to work together
to improve global security."
The
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Canada-Russian Federation
Cooperation in the Field of the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy will help
facilitate current and future commercial activities in the nuclear sector,
which will be of mutual benefit. The MOU complements the existing Nuclear
Cooperation Agreement, which provides the overall framework for
cooperation in nuclear matters. Russia's Minister of Atomic Energy,
Alexander Rumyantsev, signed the MOU on behalf of the Russian Federation.
The
Canada-Russian Federation Agreement on Chemical Weapons Destruction will
provide $5 million to aid Russia in destroying its stockpile of chemical
weapons. The Canadian contribution will be directed toward the
construction of the Russian Chemical Weapons Destruction Facility in the
town of Shchuch'ye, in the Kurganskaya Oblast. Dr. Zinoviy Pak of the
Russian Munitions Agency signed the agreement on behalf of the Russian
Federation.
These
two agreements will complement the important work that Canada has been
spearheading in the G8 with respect to the Global Partnership Against the
Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction.
New agreements between Canada and the
Russian Federation
The
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Canada-Russian Federation
Cooperation in the Field of the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy will help
facilitate current and future commercial activities in the nuclear sector,
which will be of mutual benefit. The MOU complements the existing Nuclear
Cooperation Agreement, which provides the overall framework for
cooperation in nuclear matters.
This
MOU is a follow-up to the MOU on Cooperation in the Field of Peaceful Use
of Nuclear Energy, signed in April 1996, which expired at the end of 2001.
Under
the current MOU, Canada and Russia will consider it a priority to develop
cooperation in dry spent fuel storage, esalination technology, accident
prevention planning measures, advanced reactor technology development, and
radioisotope production for medical applications, among other areas.
The
MOU represents the shared commitment by Russia and Canada on the use of
nuclear power as a safe and cost-effective source of energy that can make
a significant contribution to a sustainable energy supply mix for those
countries that decide to use it. It is also a reflection of both
countries' commitment to the provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty.
This
MOU will help facilitate mutually beneficial economic ventures involving
Canadian and Russian industries in areas such as medicine, agriculture,
radioisotope production and nuclear power generation, provided that such
cooperation is only for peaceful, non-explosive purposes.
The
Canada-Russian Federation Agreement on Chemical Weapons Destruction
provides $5 million to assist Russia in carrying out its program related
to the destruction of its stockpile of chemical weapons. Russia is
obligated to destroy its stockpile under the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The
general purpose of the Agreement is to aid Russia to completely and
expeditiously destroy its Soviet Union-era inventory of deadly chemical
weapons and toxic agents, all of them potential weapons of choice for
terrorist groups.
This
Agreement was negotiated following the February 14, 2002, announcement in
Moscow by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien that Canada would provide
aid to the Russian Federation in destroying its stockpile of chemical
weapons.
The
Canadian contribution will be directed toward the construction of the
Russian Chemical Weapons Destruction Facility in the town of Shchuch'ye,
Kurganskaya Oblast. Shchuch'ye is one of three destruction facilities
currently being built in the Russian Federation. When operational, it will
be the sole facility in Russia destroying all chemical weapons containing
the most toxic nerve agents, including sarin and VX.