8
had other, un-safeguarded sites, like India has.
13
In November 2001, Russia agreed to
build two new reactors for India based on a 1988 plan, which Russia argued fell under
NSG exemptions for existing agreements.
14
In 2001, Russia also decided to continue
with nuclear assistance to Iran.
15
However, in May 2004, Russia joined with the US in an
effort to retrieve highly enriched uranium from countries it supplied during the Cold War,
and in June, IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei said that Russian plans to have spent fuel at
new reactors in returned would minimize proliferation risks.
16
In two of the three areas in which critics predicted discord over nuclear arms
control, Russia cooperated instead, despite NATO expansion. Russian objections focused
on US nuclear policy, not NATO. In the third area, Russia has been less cooperative, but
even after the second round of NATO expansion, it has sought to alleviate proliferation
concerns by seeking to have spent fuel and previous HEU exports repatriated.
Conventional Arms Control
Critics feared that Russia would abandon cooperation with western states in other areas.
Mandlebaum, Evangelista, and the signers of the 1997 open letter to President Clinton
warned that the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty would be jeopardized by
13
“Russia Ships Nuclear Fuel to India.” Arms Control Today March 2001.
14
“Russia, India Conclude Nuclear Reactor Deal.” Arms Control Today Dec. 2001
15
Wade Boese, “Putin Reaffirms Arms Sales, Nuclear Assistance to Iran.” Arms Control Today
April 2001.
16
Steven Lee Myers, “Russia: Iran Project No Worry, Nuclear Chief Says.” New York Times, 30
June 2004, p.A6; Michael Adler, “UN nuclear watchdog chief gives thumbs up to Russia's Iran
nuclear ties." Agence France Presse – English June 29, 2004. On-line. Lexis-Nexis.
Convention