A DECISION CONCERNING THE REINFLATION OF SUBMARINE " KOURSK " COULD BE
MADE AT TOP " RUSSIE-UE "







The HAGUE, March 12.  (Corr. Ria " Novosti " Andrei Poskakoukhine).  A
concrete decision concerning the reinflation of the submarine " Koursk
" could be made during the node " Russia-UE " which will be taken
place this month has Stockholm.  In an interview accordee has RIA "
Novosti ", the secretary of the international foundation " Koursk "
Rio Praaning has releve that the dissensions between Russia and its
partners international with regard to the financing of the operation
of raising of the submarine could be rules there.

According to Rio Praaning, these differends originates in the
participation of Russia has the realization of the ecological program
of the European Union concerning the liquidation of the nuclear
dechets in the North-West of Russia.  (MNEPR).

The secretary of foundation A explains that the UE insisted that
before undertaking the remontee submarine which git on the marine
resources of Barents since aoOet 2000, an agreement is reached between
Russia and the European Union about this program.  According to
Neerlandais, the Russian part is prete has to associate the
reinflation of the " Koursk " with program MNEPR but before she wants
to receive a Western help for the financing of the operation and to
then harness herself with the environmental program.

Douma (Lower House of the Russian Parliament), has rappele Rio
Praaning, delays obtaining an agreement concerning program MNEPR but
of its dimension the UE declares that it is disposee has to help
Russia has to reinflate the " Koursk " as soon as Douma has gives its
downstream for this agreement.

Rio Praaning espere that at the time of the next meeting at the top "
Russia-UE " has Stockholm Vladimir Poutine will hold a speech which
will make it possible to arrive has a compromise between Russia and
its partners and to start within the times fastest the operation of
reinflation of the " Koursk ".

Rio Praaning thinks that if Vladimir Poutine declares that Russia
agrees for regler simultanement the question of the reinflation of the
submarine and that of the implementation of the programme of recycling
of the nuclear dechets, then the Occident will not await the end of
the procedure engagee has Douma about the adoption of program MNEPR
and will allot the necessary means immediately has the remontee of the
" Koursk ".

Sunday, the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Ilia Klebanov had
advertisement which the reinflation of the submarine had ete defers
has the end of the ete or at the beginning of the autumn because of
the delays occurred in the signature of the contract between the
central Engineering and design department " Roubine "
(Saint-Petersbourg), which had concu the submarine, and the
international consortium which will realisera the operation.  Ilia
Klebanov A evokes rencontrees difficulties here by the foundation "
Koursk " as regards collection of means.

In this respect, Rio Praaning pointed out that if none the parts made
efforts in order to arrive has a compromise, the " Koursk " will
remain on the marine resources of Barents ".  It has rappele that
opinion of the experts, the reinflation of the submarine must start
earliest possible in ete of this year, from July.  If the operation is
reportee has the autumn, then it will be heavier dangers, including
for the people who will realiseront it.  According to remarks' of the
secretary of the foundation, " there correctly remain only a few weeks
for preparer the remontee of the wreck " Rio Praaning, which
coordinates the collection of the means allocate by the Western
States, A declares that " or well the Western countries will pour the
50 percent of the sum necessary to finance the operation, or well
there will be no money of the whole ", having in sight that the sum in
question was not to be lower A 70 million dollars.  With regard to
Russia, it is disposee has to provide the other moitie, that is to say
35 million dollars.