Russia retreats from nuclear cleanup pact
(MENAFN) President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree formally ending Russia's participation in the Multilateral Nuclear and Environmental Program (MNEPR) and its associated protocol. The decree, published on the Russian legal information portal on Saturday, marks the official withdrawal from the international framework aimed at spent nuclear fuel safety and radioactive waste management.
The MNEPR, which was initially signed in 2003, was a collaborative initiative involving Russia and several OECD member countries. Its purpose was to address the disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines and atomic maintenance ships in Russia’s northwest, as well as manage nuclear waste cleanup at various storage sites. Other participants included Belgium, the UK, Germany, the US, and various EU countries, alongside the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Atomic Energy Community.
However, cooperation under the MNEPR framework stalled between 2015 and 2017. A proposal to withdraw from the agreement was introduced to Russia's State Duma last month, with lawmakers suggesting that the move would not have significant socio-economic or financial repercussions.
The MNEPR agreement allowed any party to exit with a 90-day notice to both the Russian Foreign Minister and the OECD Secretary General. This decision is in line with efforts by Russian officials, including Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Matvienko, to review and potentially end outdated or unfavorable international agreements.
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