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Dear colleagues,
On June 13, 2001 the package of laws “On Amendments to Article
50 of the Law of the RSFSR “On Environmental Protection” and “On
Amendments and Addenda to the Federal Law “On the Use of Atomic
Energy”, allowing for wide-ranging imports of spent nuclear fuel
into Russia, aiming at its long-term conservation and burial,
were submitted to the Federation Council.
A great deal has been said and written about the danger posed
by adoption of this package of laws. There are grounds for thinking
that the depth of scientific and experts’ development of the laws
does not comply with the scope of ecological, economic and financial
risks related to their implementation. It is also well known that
most Russian citizens are extremely negative about the idea of
turning Russia into an international nuclear burial ground.
We think that in such conditions the adoption of this package
of laws by the State Duma was an extremely irresponsible step.
The lack of understanding of state problems of most deputies led
to a situation when laws that are vitally important for the future
of the country were adopted in haste, thereby ruling out the possibility
of a cautious review and also objective environmental and financial
expertise free of lobbyist interests.
Today, dear colleagues, you have the power to rectify the error
of the State Duma. If these laws are rejected, there will be a
chance to create a conciliatory commission and introduce vital
amendments to these laws on the basis of comprehensive discussions.
The statements by the legislative executive authorities of over
30 subjects of the Russian Federation against the approval of
the nuclear laws make us hopeful. Unfortunately, their position
may be neglected. The meeting of the Federation Council is scheduled
for June 29, 2001: the agenda excludes two key laws of the “nuclear”
package.
By trying to debar the Federation Council from decision-making
on such an important issue,the nuclear lobby is humiliating and
completely discrediting the upper chamber of the Russian parliament.
The members of the Federation Council cannot shirk its responsibility
for decision-making on an issue that will determine the health
and welfare of future generations of Russia’s citizens. We call
you to instruct in the Federation Council to demand the convocation
of an extraordinary meeting of the upper chamber before June 27
to reject the package of nuclear laws.
Head of the Yabloko faction
Grigory Yavlinsky
See also:
Address
to the members of the Federation Council on the adoption of the
package of laws on the imports of spent nuclear fuel into the
Russian Federation
The Yabloko faction
June 14, 2001
The Federation
Council should not deny responsibility for decision-making on
the import of nuclear waste into Russia
Press release, 20.06.2001
Nuclear
waste bill section of the web-site
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