UK and Canada Cooperate to Assist Russia in Destroying Chemical Weapons (Nov. 19, 2003 -- Moscow) The United Kingdom (UK) and Canada today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Moscow on co-operation to support Russia in destroying its chemical weapons (CW) stocks. Canada will provide some C$33M (£15M) which the UK will manage on its behalf to carry out work in Russia.  | | UK Ambassador Sir Roderic Lyne (left) and Canadian Ambassador Christopher Westdal (right) sign the Canada - UK Memorandum of Understanding in the presence of the Director General for the Russian Munitions Agency, Viktor Kholstov (standing). |
The Canadian funding will be used to finance the construction of an 18 kilometre railway which will transport munitions from the CW storage depot to the destruction facility at Shchuch'ye (Kurganskaya oblast). The project is part of the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction, launched in June 2002 by G8 leaders, that commits the G8 to raise up to US $20 billion to support cooperation projects, initially in Russia, aimed at preventing the acquisition of weapons and materials of mass destruction by terrorists or those who shelter them. "I warmly welcome this Canadian initiative as a further important step in strengthening international co-operation to destroy chemical weapons. It is a very positive development for the G8 Global Partnership against the spread of weapons and materials of mass destruction, which was launched at the G8 Summit in Canada in 2002," said Adam Ingram, UK's Armed Forces Minister. "The United Kingdom's willingness to facilitate Canada's first Global Partnership contribution at Shchuch'ye exemplifies the spirit of the Global Partnership", said Canadian Ambassador to Russia Christopher Westdal, who signed the MOU on behalf of Canada. "Our agreement with the UK, which is allowing Canada to make this significant contribution to Russian chemical weapons destruction before conclusion of our own legal agreement with Russia, demonstrates the shared commitment of our two countries to ensuring the earliest possible destruction of nerve agents at Shchuch'ye". "The UK and Canada have each already undertaken a number of projects to assist Russia in dealing with the legacy of the Cold War. This will be our biggest project yet in the field of chemical weapon destruction. We look forward to working in partnership with our Canadian and Russian colleagues in implementing this project," said Sir Roderic Lyne, the British Ambassador to Moscow, who signed the MOU on behalf of the UK. The project will be managed as part of the UK MOD's assistance programme, under the terms of the UK-Russia bilateral Treaty, and will be implemented by the UK's principal contractor, Bechtel Ltd. For further information, media representatives may contact: Elena Gaisina
Canadian Embassy in Moscow
Tel: : +7(095) 105-6020
www.globalpartnership.gc.ca Mr. David Arkley
British Embassy in Moscow
Tel.: 7 (095) 956 7358
David.Arkley@fco.gov.uk Backgrounder
Global Partnership Program and Canada-UK Cooperation AnnouncementAt the 2002 Kananaskis Summit, G8 Leaders united to launch the G8 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction. They agreed to raise up to US $20 billion to support cooperation projects, initially in Russia. The initiative addresses one of the most serious security threats facing our world today by preventing terrorist groups from obtaining weapons and materials of mass destruction (WMD) to carry out their campaigns. Assistance with Russian chemical weapons destruction is a key element of the G8 Global Partnership. Other priority areas include the dismantlement of decommissioned nuclear submarines, the disposition of fissile materials, and the employment of former weapons scientists. The UK has announced that it will contribute up to US$750M over the ten years of the Global Partnership, and that up to US$100M (c.£60M) of this could, in principle, be made available to assist Russia with the destruction of its chemical weapon (CW) stockpile, on top of the £12M announced in 2000. For its part, Canada has committed up to Can$1B (approximately US $750M) over the next ten years to the Global Partnership. Several states are committed to providing support to Russia to help meet its obligations to destroy its chemical weapons stocks, including Canada, the Czech Republic, Germany, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States as well as the European Union. Destruction of chemical weapons stocks is a key requirement of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), not least because of the risks of proliferation. Under the terms of the Convention, Russia is responsible for meeting the costs of its destruction activities. Joint Canada-UK Chemical Weapons Destruction AssistanceA priority for both UK and Canadian assistance is to support the construction of Russia's main chemical weapons destruction facility at Shchuch'ye, in the Urals. Shchuch'ye will be the main Russian facility for the destruction of lethal nerve agents, including over 4 million artillery munitions. This joint UK-Canada project, which will be carried out in close cooperation with the US and Russia, is a major step forward in implementing the G8 Global Partnership. UK Chemical Weapons Destruction AssistanceThe UK Government decided in 2000 to contribute up to £12M, phased over 3 years, for high priority chemical demilitarisation and biological non-proliferation projects in Russia. The UK's first project was the construction of the water supply for the Shchuch'ye destruction facility. This project was completed on budget in spring 2003 at a cost of some £2M. The UK's second project - the procurement of electricity supply equipment for a sub-station serving the Shchuch'ye CW destruction facility - is now underway. It is being jointly-funded by the UK, Norway, the EU and the Czech Republic at a total cost of some £8M. Canada Chemical Weapons Destruction AssistanceBefore the Global Partnership was formed, Canada contributed C$5.35 million to the construction of the chemical weapons destruction facility (CWDF) at Shchuch'ye, in Kurganskaya oblast. Past projects funded by Canada included construction of an access road to the site's industrial area, construction of a 10 kV power line to supply electrical power for the CWDF, and partial funding (together with Italy) of a 105km natural gas line that will supply gas service to the CWD. |
