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CNN Live At Daybreak

More Nuclear Concerns

Aired August 29, 2003 - 05:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: More nuclear concerns. Traces of weapons grade uranium were found at an Iranian nuclear facility this week. Russia is now denying the uranium is linked to them.
Our Moscow bureau chief, Jill Dougherty, reports on the controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At St. Petersburg's giant machine building firm, Power Machines Group, the dispute over Iran's nuclear program is as real as the giant equipment these workers make. Turbines, electrical generators, this massive equipment is made by skilled technicians and exported around the world.

VALERY TEENTYEV, POWER MACHINES GROUP (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Electricity doesn't allow sloppiness. You need a fine hand and careful approach.

DOUGHERTY (on camera): This is called a rotor. It's part of a steam turbine destined for India and it's exactly the kind of steam turbine the company shipped to Iran to be used in the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

(voice-over): Since 1995, Russia has been helping Iran to build the Bushehr plant, a deal worth at least $800 million to Moscow. Both countries say it is purely for civilian purposes. But the U.S. says Iran could use that technology to build a bomb. The head of the Russian company building Bushehr denies that.

VIKTOR KOZLOV, ATOMSTROIEXPORT (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): It is impossible to derive raw materials for nuclear weapons from the material that we will be supplying to Iran.

DOUGHERTY: Russia will be supplying the nuclear fuel for Bushehr. But under pressure from the United States, Moscow urged Iran to sign a new agreement, requiring Tehran to return all spent fuel to Russia. The countries are poised to sign it in September. Now, the United States is telling Russia go slow, don't help Iran until it agrees to more intrusive U.N. inspections of its nuclear sites.

In St. Petersburg they're worried. Turbines destined for another country, Iraq, got caught up in diplomatic wrangling and the crates have been sitting in the factory for two years.

ALEXANDER RYABTSUN, POWER MACHINES GROUP (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): We have to open them, refurbish the equipment. It costs us more than $1.5 million and two and a half month's work.

DOUGHERTY: Iran must abide by all international regulations, Russia and company officials say, and the Bushehr power plant does. Therefore, they argue, it should go forward.

Jill Dougherty, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Get the details on Iran's nuclear program on our Web site. We've got an interactive gallery on Iran's nuclear facility. The address, cnn.com/world.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired August 29, 2003 - 05:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: More nuclear concerns. Traces of weapons grade uranium were found at an Iranian nuclear facility this week. Russia is now denying the uranium is linked to them.
Our Moscow bureau chief, Jill Dougherty, reports on the controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At St. Petersburg's giant machine building firm, Power Machines Group, the dispute over Iran's nuclear program is as real as the giant equipment these workers make. Turbines, electrical generators, this massive equipment is made by skilled technicians and exported around the world.

VALERY TEENTYEV, POWER MACHINES GROUP (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Electricity doesn't allow sloppiness. You need a fine hand and careful approach.

DOUGHERTY (on camera): This is called a rotor. It's part of a steam turbine destined for India and it's exactly the kind of steam turbine the company shipped to Iran to be used in the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

(voice-over): Since 1995, Russia has been helping Iran to build the Bushehr plant, a deal worth at least $800 million to Moscow. Both countries say it is purely for civilian purposes. But the U.S. says Iran could use that technology to build a bomb. The head of the Russian company building Bushehr denies that.

VIKTOR KOZLOV, ATOMSTROIEXPORT (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): It is impossible to derive raw materials for nuclear weapons from the material that we will be supplying to Iran.

DOUGHERTY: Russia will be supplying the nuclear fuel for Bushehr. But under pressure from the United States, Moscow urged Iran to sign a new agreement, requiring Tehran to return all spent fuel to Russia. The countries are poised to sign it in September. Now, the United States is telling Russia go slow, don't help Iran until it agrees to more intrusive U.N. inspections of its nuclear sites.

In St. Petersburg they're worried. Turbines destined for another country, Iraq, got caught up in diplomatic wrangling and the crates have been sitting in the factory for two years.

ALEXANDER RYABTSUN, POWER MACHINES GROUP (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): We have to open them, refurbish the equipment. It costs us more than $1.5 million and two and a half month's work.

DOUGHERTY: Iran must abide by all international regulations, Russia and company officials say, and the Bushehr power plant does. Therefore, they argue, it should go forward.

Jill Dougherty, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Get the details on Iran's nuclear program on our Web site. We've got an interactive gallery on Iran's nuclear facility. The address, cnn.com/world.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com