| THE HAGUE, May 23
(Itar-Tass) -- Russia will
continue the destruction of chemical weapons from late June of this
year, upon completing the prophylactic work at the facilities, Viktor
Kholstov, the deputy head of the Federal Industrial Agency, told
Itar-Tass.
He recalled that under its
international
obligations in the framework of the Convention on the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons Russia was to destroy by April 29, 2007 twenty percent
of its grade one chemical weapons stockpiles, which makes up 8,000
tonnes of toxic agents. Russia has completed the second stage ahead of
schedule, destroying 8,500 tonnes of toxic agents by April 29.
"We do not presently aim to speed up
weapons
destruction, as we must now carry out work to assess the state of
equipment, to verify how it functions and to conduct prophylactic work.
This work is in progress," Kholstov said. He said chemical weapons
destruction would be continued in late June at two facilities - at
Kambarka, Republic of Udmurtia, and at Maradykovo, Kirov region.
"The construction of other facilities
for the
implementation of the program is in full swing," Kholstov said. "The
construction of facilities in Leonidovka, Penza region, is underway. It
will start operating in mid-2008. The reorganization of the control
system for the construction of the facility at Shchuchye, Kurgan
region, is being completed," he said.
Kholstov said the essence of the
reorganization is
that the United States, which is building the bulk of the industrial
part of the project, delegates the functions of the customer to the
Russian Federation represented by the Federal Industrial Agency, while
retaining the function of financing. "I believe we will begin work on
the new scheme shortly, in June. There exist all the required
arrangements," he said. The facility at Pochep, Bryansk region, is
under construction. First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov visited
the place on May 3. The facility at Kizner, Republic of Udmurtia, will
also be built,’Δω he said.
The second stage of the national
program for
chemical weapons destruction has been completed. Russia embarks on the
third stage, to destroy 45 percent of its chemical weapons stockpiles
by 2010. All the stockpiles should be destroyed by April 29, 2012.
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