NAC Kazatomprom CJSC explains the situation concerning the scandal between Minatomprom and SCC of Russia

15.10.02 00:00
/IRBIS, October 15, 02/ - NAC Kazatomprom CJSC (Almaty), whose bonds are circulating under Kazakhstan stock exchange's (KASE) official "А" listing category, provided stock exchange with the press-release, in which there is explained the situation concerning the scandal between the Ministry of atomic industry of Russia and officials of the State customs committee of Russia (SCC). It is said in the message that the scandal began after troop-trains with reduced- enrichment uranium came from Angarsk electromechanical plant to Irkutsk. Afterwards the cargo was to go to Kzakhstan to Ulbinsk metallurgical plant, which is a subsidiary structure of NAC Kazatomprom CJSC, for uranium pellets production for nuclear assemblages (the so called heat-generating elements - HGEL), which were to come back to Russia. Kazakhstan was mentioned as the sending country of starting raw stuff in accompanying documents, but not Russia. In accordance with the mistake in declaration filling the cargo was stopped by East-Siberia customs. On October 9 of 2002 the State customs committee of Russia refuted the situation. "Our officials, most probably, formally examined the situation, having suspected contraband in long-standing and regular uranium transportation", - explained an employee of SCC Sergey Omelchenko. As regards the incident press-service of the Ministry of atomic industry of Russia stated that "it was the matter of possible incorrect filling of customs documents while exporting from Russia to Kazakhstan of reduced-enrichment uranium for pellets productionурана, which were used as fuel for atomic power stations. The HGELs are not useful for using in weapons of annihilation production". At the same time, publicity of the amount of exported uranium is a type of State secrets. And its divulging, according to officials of the Ministry of atomic industry of Russia, "entails a significant possible criminal case for the officials of East- Siberia customs". As the result the Ministry of atomic industry of Russia intends to institute criminal proceedings against the officials of the state customs committee for divulging of the state secret. It is also said in the press-release that supplies between Russia and Kazakhstan are made during 31 years, and the mistake in the customs declaration was made for the first time. [2002-10-15]