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Russia offers to help Libya in pursuit of nuclear energy
Moscow (AFP) Dec 19, 2007 Russia offered Wednesday to help Libya in its pursuit of nuclear energy and announced a visit to the former pariah state this weekend by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, a report said. "We are ready to help Libya realise its enduring right to attain civilian nuclear (energy)," foreign ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said, according to the Ria Novosti news agency. Kamynin said Lavrov would visit Libya for two days from Sunday and would meet his Libyan counterpart Abdelrahaman Shalgham for discussions on a range of issues. "There will be an exchange of opinions on topical international and regional matters based on a joint working relationship at the heart of the UN," the spokesman said. Libya was one of five new members elected in October as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for 2008 and 2009. "We salute the participation of Libya in the work of the UN Security Council" where it brings "a contribution to the reinforcement of the non-proliferation regime and the maintenance of peace in Africa," Kamynin said. "We are ready to cooperate tightly with Libya at the heart of the UN Security Council, bearing in mind our shared policies towards a majority of international problems," the spokesman added. Libya was long accused by Western governments of seeking to acquire weapons of mass destruction. But in late 2003 Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi renounced all attempts to develop a non-conventional arsenal, clearing the way for the lifting of Western sanctions and the restoration of diplomatic relations. Russia is not the first European power to show it is keen to promote its nuclear know-how in Libya as foreign companies engage in fierce competition to make a profit in the north African country after its 20 years of isolation. France earlier this month announced plans to sell nuclear reactors to Libya and President Nicolas Sarkozy welcomed Kadhafi for a five-day visit to Paris. The visit drew fierce protests from rights groups as well as senior politicians who accused Sarkozy of betraying the human rights cause by bestowing international respectability on Kadhafi's Libya. Kadhafi, whose country was implicated in the 1988 bombing of a PanAm airliner over the Scottish town of Lockerbie and of a French passenger jet over Niger, has patched up relations with the West after renouncing terrorism. The United States gave its blessing to the nuclear energy deal between France and Libya, saying it expected its former foe to respect its decision to renounce weapons of mass destruction. The United States announced last year a full normalization of ties, lifting Libya from a State Department list of state sponsors of terrorism and raising diplomatic relations to the level of ambassadors. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Civil Nuclear Energy Science, Technology and News Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com
Iran sees Bushehr plant at full capacity in one year: official
Tehran (AFP) Dec 18, 2007Iran expects its first nuclear power plant will produce electricity at full capacity in around a year after passing a "critical stage" with the delivery of fuel from Russia, a top official said on Tuesday. |
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