MOSCOW. Nov 1 (Interfax-AVN) - European nations provide substantial aid to Russia in implementation of the federal purpose-oriented program of chemical weapons destruction, Director General of the Russian Ammunition Agency Zinovy Pak said on Friday.
"Of all European nations, Germany provides the highest volume of aid to Russia. It has organized an effective campaign of assistance to Russia in the destruction of chemical weapons, providing both funds and personnel. In particular, German experts assemble equipment at the scrapping facility in Gorny, the Saratov region, supervise the assembly and do other work," Pak told Interfax-Military News Agency.
He recalled that Germany was willing to contribute to the construction of another chemical weapons destruction facility in the town of Kambarka in Russia's internal republic of Udmurtia.
"This is especially important taking into account that experimental facilities are being assembled in Gorny in order to test the technology, while Kambarka is a large-scale arsenal keeping over 6,000t of poisonous gases subject to destruction. German recommendations and donor aid will be extremely necessary there," Pak said.
Germany has transferred DEM68.3m (USD34.78m) to Russia since 1993 for chemical weapons scrapping. It continues providing aid this year, transferring EUR5.5m (USD5.48m).
Pak praised Finland's gratuitous assistance that amounts to nearly EUR1m (USD995,800).
"I hope that cooperation with Great Britain will continue. By signing an agreement, we secured Britain's support to the construction of the facility in Shchuchye, the Kurgan region. Italy has provided us real aid in its accommodation, too," Pak said.
"We value active assistance of the countries that understand that chemical weapons stocks in Russia pose a threat to both local residents, citizens of the Russian Federation, and all residents of the planet," the director general said.
He noted that this approach was very important in a situation when international terrorism was scaling up its activities and its apologists were threatening to use chemical weapons to reach their goals.