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House of Representatives ratifies Belarusian-Russian agreement on nuclear plant behind closed doors

The House of Representatives on Thursday approved the ratification bill for a Belarusian-Russian agreement for cooperation in the construction of Belarus' first-ever nuclear power plant.

Reporters were barred from the sitting at which the agreement was ratified.

Explaining the move to have the bill debated and approved behind closed doors, the lower chamber's press office said that the matter raised at the sitting involved "national security interests."

Under the agreement, Belarus and Russia are to take measures to ensure that the first unit of the plant is to be put into operation in 2017 and the other a year later.

Russia is to provide a loan to Belarus for the project, as well as supply nuclear fuel to the plant throughout its operation. Spent fuel is to be returned to Russia.

According to the agreement, Belarus pledges not to use nuclear waste and other materials for developing nuclear weapons or for "achieving any other military purpose."

The concentration of uranium-235 in nuclear materials supplied by Russia to Belarus should not be raised to 20 percent and more. Under the agreement, nuclear materials cannot be enriched or processed by Belarus without Russia's consent. //BelaPAN