Moscow Times
October 15, 2003
Chemical Weapons
MOSCOW (AP) -- The government's
draft budget for 2004 earmarks only half the funds needed for chemical weapons
disposal, and the shortfall threatens further delays in the disposal of the
world's largest chemical stockpile, a senator said Tuesday.
Viktor Ozerov, chairman of the defense and security committee in the Federation
Council, said the draft budget allocates 5.36 billion rubles ($179 million)
for chemical weapons, while 11.58 billion rubles are required.
The program has been underfunded for the past several years, and the shortfall
is expected to total more than 60 percent by 2004, Ozerov said.
As a result, Russia will not
be able to live up to its most recent pledge to dispose of 20 percent of
its chemical weapons by 2007.