Anniston Star
March 5, 2003

Russia halts its chemical weapons destruction

By Jason Landers
Star Staff Writer
03-05-2003

Russia halted disposal activities Monday at its only chemical weapons destruction plant.

The government issued a stop order for the neutralization facility amid growing environmental concerns from the Kremlin and rising criticism from Washington.

American taxpayers are financing a sizeable portion of Russia's chemical, biological and nuclear disposal programs.

The reason for the funding initiative is that reducing Russia's massive stockpiles reduces the threat that the weapons will fall into unfriendly hands.

"It is essential for the war on terrorism," said Paul Walker of Green Cross U.S.A., a non-profit group founded to promote global environmental responsibility.

To date, the United States has spent, or is in the process of spending, about $400 million to destroy chemical weapons in the former Soviet state.

Congress has been reluctant to part with the money, though, ever-critical of a Russian program that is even more behind schedule than sluggish demilitarization efforts in the U.S.

Russia has about half the world's chemical weapons but has only one operational disposal facility. By contrast, the U.S. has 40 percent of the worldwide stockpile and will have nine demilitarization facilities.

As news of the halt order filtered across the Atlantic, the Department of Defense was busy finalizing a $168 million aid package that will fund a second Russian disposal plant. It is the first time in three years the U.S. has financed chemical weapons disposal operations in Russia. At the time of this report, Army officials couldn't say whether the aid package had been sent.

Designs for the second facility, which will be in Siberia, are nearing completion. Construction should begin soon after Russia receives the money, said Barry Knapp, an Army spokesman in Aberdeen, Md.

"The whole thing behind that was to build the facility and hand the key over to the Russians," Knapp said.

Those with ties to Russia's demilitarization efforts see the renewed U.S. funding as a leap forward. The halt order, they say, is a temporary step back.

"My expectation is this (the shutdown) will be resolved fairly quickly and that they will move forward and get on with the destruction process," Walker said.

Russian officials stopped operations Monday at the Gorny plant, saying the facility lacks the proper regulatory licenses. They also cited growing concerns about the emissions produced from treating secondary wastes at the neutralization plant. And, they said the operation was improperly storing the hazardous by-products associated with neutralized blister agent.

Neutralization utilizes chemicals to destroy nerve and blister agent, similar to the way baking soda and water eats away acid buildup on a corroded car battery. Russian law prohibits incinerating the weapons, the Army's preferred method of destroying roughly 80 percent of the U.S. stockpile.

The Gorny facility started neutralizing the blister agents mustard and lewisite in December 2002. That facility was built with heavy financial backing from Germany.

"This is a surprise to everybody involved," said Glen Browder, a former 3rd District Congressman with strong ties to the Russian demilitarization program. "It is unclear how such a key facility would lack the proper license because this is a high-profile program."

Browder, who represented the district from 1989 to 1997, travels periodically to Russia as an unofficial ambassador of chemical demilitarization. He got involved in the issue because one of the U.S. stockpiles is near Anniston.

His trips to Russia are funded with some assistance from Green Cross. Browder said he doesn't profit from the trips.

"My job is to keep the Russians informed about what we are doing in the U.S., and especially make them aware that the U.S. Congress and the American people expect results," Browder said. "I feel like I can help as an unofficial intermediary between the U.S. Congress, the American people and the Russians."

Browder said the shutdown is not a major setback. "But it is a big surprise."

According to the Associated Press, Russian officials discovered the problems during an inspection last month.

Like the U.S., Russia pledged to destroy its stockpile by 2007. It has asked for a five-year extension on that deadline. Based on current trends, the U.S. likely will apply for the same extension.