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A long-stalled civilian nuclear cooperation agreement between Russia and the US entered into force Tuesday in a milestone for the "reset" in relations between the former Cold War foes. The so-called 123 Agreement came into effect with an exchange of diplomatic notes between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and US Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle in a ceremony in Moscow. The agreement, signed in 2008 but shelved amid acrimony over Russia's war with US ally Georgia, was revived by US President Barack Obama as part of his campaign to improve ties and bolster trade and security cooperation with Moscow. The agreement creates a legal framework for closer atomic cooperation between the US and Russia on civilian nuclear research, production and trade. It permits the transfer - subject to US licensing decisions - of non-restricted technology, material and equipment, including reactors and components for nuclear research and power production. The deal will also allow nuclear energy joint ventures between Russian and US companies, and it could potentially give Russia the right to reprocess spent nuclear fuel that originated in the US. It comes into force amid expectations that Russia will soon ratify the new START, a strategic nuclear arms limitation pact that won approval in the US Senate last month. Reuters |
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