Speech by State Secretary Kim Traavik
Stockholm, 21 May 2003

MNEPR agreement - signing ceremony

Today's long-awaited signature ceremony has been four years in the making.

Unsafe storage of nuclear waste and radioactive materials in North-western Russia has long been cause for great concern on the part of the Norwegian Government.

Hence, we are gratified and relieved that the MNEPR Agreement is, finally, in place.

Clearly, the Agreement is a landmark achievement.

It will pave the way for a new era in nuclear safety cooperation between the Russian Federation and its partners.

It will provide a solid basis for broad and determined efforts to deal more effectively with the potentially disastrous nuclear legacy of the Soviet Union.

Much has been done in recent years. The US non-proliferation and risk reduction programmes have been particularly important. Let me pay tribute in this regard to the foresight, dedication, and leadership of Senator Richard Lugar and former Senator Sam Nunn.

Since the mid-nineties Norway has spent in excess of 100 million USD on nuclear safety measures in Russia, in exceptionally close and constructive cooperation with Russian authorities.

But while much has been accomplished, much more remains to be done.

Vast quantities of nuclear waste continue to be stored under unsatisfactory conditions in North-western Russia.

These materials represent a serious environmental challenge. But they also represent a proliferation hazard.

Nuclear safety has become an integral part of our common fight against terrorism and the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

We know that the Russian Federation is committed to preventing fissile materials and nuclear waste from falling into the hands of terrorists or other criminals.

Yet the very accessibility of some of the sites and installations in question is such that the possibility cannot be excluded.

Hence, removing this risk by providing for safe handling and storage of spent fuel and nuclear waste is an urgent requirement.

Against this backdrop, we are gratified to note that the global awareness of this problem has grown significantly.

Last year’s decision by the G 8 group of countries to launch the 20 billion USD Global Partnership is a particularly momentous development.

Norway supports the objectives of the 10+10 over 10 program. We are ready to link up with it and to contribute actively to its success.

The opening up by the EU of a nuclear window in its Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership is yet another heartening development.

We welcome a strong EU engagement in nuclear safety in North-western Russia, in addition to the important contributions made by individual EU member states.

As a Northern Dimension partner, we have supported and will continue to support the ND Environmental Partnership Trust Fund.

Nuclear safety and clean-up is complicated and costly. It requires concerted and broad international action.

For four years, the lack of a multilateral framework agreement providing the legal underpinnings of nuclear safety cooperation has been a major obstacle to progress.

Today, that obstacle is being removed. Now we must lose no time in putting the Agreement to work and generate practical results.

While the possibilities are virtually endless, we must focus initially on the most pressing problems.

For our part we will give priority to the following three problems:

First, there is an urgent need to start dismantling multi purpose nuclear submarines. These vessels are generally in particularly bad condition. They also fall outside the scope of existing American programs.

As a pilot project, we have decided to fund the dismantlement of two multi-purpose submarines. We urge others to follow our example.

Second, there is an equally urgent need to clean up Andreyeva and Gremikha. As a first step, the infrastructure of the sites has to be upgraded. At Gremikha there are some 15 nuclear submarines awaiting dismantlement. We are ready to team up with others to deal with this pressing problem.

Our third nuclear safety priority relates to the nuclear-powered lighthouses scattered along the Russian coastline, some 150 in the Murmansk and Archangel regions alone.

These lighthouses are accessible and thus vulnerable to theft. In the wrong hands the batteries could be used to manufacture "dirty bombs". We have replaced five of the nuclear batteries with solar technology and intend to continue this program. Again, we urge others to join us.

Chair,

Today is a day of jubilation. The proverbial window of opportunity has been opened. We must make the most of it. We in Norway remain committed to doing our share.