ESTONIA: PALDISKI: RUSSIANS DISMANTLE NUCLEAR REACTORS

(29 Jul 1995) Russian/Eng/Nat
When Russia withdrew its troops from the Baltic States, it left behind an environmental mess that could cost up to four (b) billion US dollars to clean up.
The former Soviet submarine base at Paldiski in Estonia is one of the worst affected areas.
But the Russians won't promise to clean up when they finish dismantling its two nuclear reactors.
But a promise of two (m) million U-S dollars by the U-S government will go a long way towards helping Estonia finally overcome the painful legacy of its Soviet past.
Paldiski nuclear submarine base is located on a windswept peninsula just 35 kilometers from the Estonian capital, Tallinn.
It's a relic of the five decades of Soviet military occupation.
Russian troops left last August but the base is still under Russian guard as workers remove fuel rods from the two nuclear reactors.
They have until the end of September to complete dismantling the reactors.
The authorities have now decided to construct a sarcophagus around the reactors as they are too cumbersome to dismantle - but they claim that there will be no danger.
SOUNDBITE: (In Russian)
"I think that we will fully complete our work within the agreed period. In accordance with the agreement between the Russian and Estonian governments, the base will be handed over to the Estonian side in a safe condition."
SUPER CAPTION: Yuri Maslov - Chief engineer Paldiski
The Russians must give up control of Paldiski by the end of September.
But the Estonian government is anxious to begin a full cleanup of the area, fearing that the 30-year-old storage tanks may leak into the Baltic Sea.
They are also skeptical that the Russians will leave the base in a safe condition.
SOUNDBITE:
"The Russians removed the fuel rods but not the control rods which are the most radioactive. So we have still some high radioactivity in Paldiski which must be removed and the Russians have refused to do that."
SUPER CAPTION: Dr Endle Lippma - Minister for European Affairs
Estonia's environmental industry estimates that it could cost in the region of four (b) billion US dollars to clean up all the environmental waste left behind by Russia's military.
They have appealed for Western aid in the cleanup operation and a Finnish company is at present working to purify the waters around the base.
SOUNDBITE:
"We are re-establishing Paldiski as a peaceful Estonian town, a harbour for peaceful uses. That is the future of Paldiski."
SUPER CAPTION: Dr Endle Lippma - Minister for European Affairs
And a pledge of two (m) million U-S dollars by the U-S government will go a long way towards helping Estonia finally overcome the painful legacy of its Soviet past.
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