Russian concern over security of its chemical arms
Date: 10-Mar-03
Country: RUSSIA
Author: Andrei Shukshin
"Today we simply have new security requirements," said Sergei Kiriyenko, an envoy of President Vladimir Putin who supports the U.S.-led war on terror and has been cracking down on separatist guerrillas in Russia's Chechnya region.
Kiriyenko, who also heads a commission overseeing destruction of the chemical weapons, told reporters security levels at storage sites met long-standing guidelines but were now outdated and more money was needed to sort out the problem.
"Those norms and standards were not meant for a terrorist war," he said, speaking after a meeting of the commission.
Russia has the world's biggest arsenal of nerve gas and other toxic agents, but chronic cash shortages have hampered attempts to destroy it. Theft of arms and ammunition is commonplace in Russia.
Kiriyenko said Moscow was committed to upgrading storage depots to boost inadequate security.
"The commission demands that more money be spent on security, even if it means cutting spending in other areas," he said.
Some security upgrades would be paid for by funds released by Washington.
G7 leading industrialised states pledged at their 2002 summit to give Russia $20 billion over the next 10 years to neutralise dangerous weaponry.
The first weapons destruction plant opened last year and Moscow hopes to start building two others in the coming months.
Kiriyenko said the Russian Munitions Agency running the storage depots had failed to provide proper security.
"According to the government programme, security measures are adequate, but that programme was adopted before September 11 (and) before the Nord-Ost tragedy," he said, referring to a theatre siege in Moscow last October in which Chechen guerrillas took some 800 people hostage.
Security forces stormed the building but 129 hostages were killed.
The guerrilla raid in Moscow raised concern about protection of the chemical weapons arsenal in Russia.
Putin at the time ordered tighter security but Kiriyenko said checks had still found gaps.