MOSCOW. Nov 21 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia will not cancel the chemical weapons scrapping program even if the USA does not restore its finance under the auspices of various agreements, Russian Ammunition Agency Director General Zinovy Pak told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
If it happens Russia will specify the program and plan its implementation differently but will implement its obligations in accordance with the program anyway, Pak said.
Pak also said that he did not know all details of negotiations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush. Though there are official reports which claim that the U.S. Congress voted in favor of leaving Russian debts to the USA there in Russia and use them for the program needs. "We insist on the fact that the USA should provide money for the construction of the chemical weapons scrapping installation in the town of Shchuchye starting from 2002," Pak added.
Concerning the transportation of chemical ammo by railway, Pak said that series of events to provide security to the transportation was developed. The developments include those in the research, research and production spheres as well as preparation of special letter trains and modernization of several parts of railway.
The transportation will happen from the Udmurtian autonomous republic to the Kurgan region where the scrapping installation is located and will envisage artillery chemical ammo. The ammo is tough in shape and contains no explosive substances. "The ammo is so tough that even if emergency situation occurs the ammo will not be damaged," Pak stressed. Though the security measures will be taken anyway and every train will be supported by a security battalion.