Ukraine may join Russian uranium enrichment centre

MOSCOW, June 19 (Reuters) Ukraine is interested in joining an international uranium enrichment project being set up by Russia to give developing nations the chance to build nuclear power stations, Russia's atomic energy agency said today.

The centre was proposed by President Vladimir Putin last year as a way to allow countries to develop civilian nuclear power without setting up their own enrichment cycles.

Russia is basing the centre at a Soviet-built nuclear research plant in Angarsk, more than 5,100 km from Moscow. A Ukrainian delegation visited the plant today after a visit to Ukraine earlier this year by Russian nuclear chief Sergei Kiriyenko.

''During the consultations with the Ukrainian side they confirmed their interest in participating in the project to create an international uranium enrichment centre,'' Russia's atomic energy agency (Rosatom) said in a statement.

Ukraine joins Kazakhstan and Russia in the project and Rosatom is searching for other partners. Armenia has held discussions with Russia about the project.

Russia, which is reorganising its atomic sector, wants to take a larger part of the booming world market for nuclear products.

Nuclear power is again in vogue because of high oil prices and concerns over carbon dioxide emissions.

World powers are trying to stop proliferation of nuclear technology to states that could try to build nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear programme.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited the Angarsk Chemical Electrolysis Plant, where the enrichment centre will be based, earlier this year.

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