By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart George W. Bush have expressed willingness to start bilateral and multilateral talks on access to civilian nuclear energy for countries complying with their non-proliferation obligations.
In a joint statement released Tuesday following informal talks at the US president's summer residence at Kennebunkport July 1-2, Putin and Bush reiterated an action plan to give access to the benefits of nuclear energy to a growing number of interested countries, while preventing them from building nuclear weapons.
While North Korea last October detonated a nuclear devise and has conducted a series of nuclear capable missile launch, Iran's running programme of enriching uranium has generated strong opposition by US and European countries.
The presidents said their efforts were based on initiatives already being implemented: Russia's proposal to establish a network of international centres on its territory to provide nuclear fuel services under UN safeguards, and the US global nuclear energy partnership proposal to develop innovative nuclear reactor and fuel cycle technologies.
They also urged countries to sign or ratify the 1997 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) additional protocol designed to strengthen and expand existing UN safeguards for verifying that non-nuclear states party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty only use nuclear materials and facilities for peaceful purposes.
Their initiatives envision financial aid for building nuclear power plants, advice on spent fuel storage, contain obligations to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies and other commitments and measures.
Moscow and Washington have also drafted a bilateral agreement on cooperation in the sphere, which is to be approved by the highest legislative bodies of the two countries within 90 days, after which it could be signed.