VZCZCXRO9100
PP RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHMO #1449/01 1540808
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030808Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3606
INFO RUEHLN/AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG 5378
RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 3261
RUEHYG/AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG 3616
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUEAEPA/HQ EPA WASHINGTON DC
RUEANFA/NRC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 001449 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/PRA: NYOUNG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KNNP PREL MNUC ENRG KRAD SENV PGOV KDEM RS
 
SUBJECT:  RUSSIA'S ROSATOM AND ENVIRONMENTAL/NUCLEAR WATCHDOG GROUPS 
TALK PAST EACH OTHER 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  The International Forum-Dialogue on "Nuclear 
Power, Society and Safety" held April 21 and 22 hosted by Rosatom 
State Corporation in Saint Petersburg featured Rosatom Director 
 
General Kiriyenko's affirmation the current Federal Targeted Plan 
(FTP) will continue as planned, but that economic realities such as 
electricity consumption rates could change it.  Kiriyenko stated 
that he expects the U.S. Congress to ratify the U.S. - Russia 
Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation (123 Agreement) in the 
fall.  Neither Rosatom nor local/regional activists listened to the 
other, with the Head of Bellona Foundation in Russia declaring the 
forum an exercise in "smoke and mirrors."  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Forum's stated intent was to bring Rosatom's senior 
leadership together with members of local, regional and Russia-wide 
environmental and nuclear watchdog groups to discuss the societal 
impact and safety of Russia's "nuclear renaissance," and related 
nuclear themed topics.  Forum attendees included representatives 
from Rosatom, the French Embassy, and Finnish and Swedish nuclear 
industry.  A few attendees from Russian environmental and nuclear 
watchdog groups were scattered throughout the audience, with Sergey 
Baranovsky, President of the Russian Green Cross and Alexandr 
Nikitin, Head of Bellona (Russia) the most notable non-Rosatom 
attendees. 
 
Kiriyenko:  FTP, Economic Reality, the 123 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Sergey Baranovsky, President of Rosatom-supported Green 
Cross, opened the forum and introduced Kiriyenko.  Rosatom Director 
General Sergey Kiriyenko delivered the opening address to around 125 
Rosatom employees and activists from several Russian regions. 
Kiriyenko delivered a well-rehearsed set of comments, saying that 
the current Federal Targeted Plan (FTP) will continue as planned, 
but with some possible variances based on electricity consumption 
rates.  He also indicated that regional construction rates could be 
different, as southern Russia's growing demand for electricity might 
accelerate construction plans for that region.  As he often says, 
Kiriyenko told attendees that "nuclear [power] is the only 
alternative source of electricity with the capability and climate 
impact to meet the needs of the future."  He qualified this comment 
by saying that "if fewer nuclear plants were constructed, there 
would be more money available for research into next generation 
reactors."  (Comment:  In recent press interviews, Kiriyenko has 
consistently left open the possibility that economic reality could 
cause changes to the FTP.  But he always stops short of defining 
what changes might be in the offing.  End Comment.)  Kiriyenko said 
that Rosatom had signed "a number of agreements with leading 
international companies, including Germany's Siemens and that 
further agreements may be signed.  (Note: On May 12, 2009 Rosatom 
signed an agreement with Toshiba.  End Note.)  Kiriyenko also stated 
that he expects the 123 Agreement to be ratified by the U.S. 
Congress in the fall. 
 
Rosatom Says there is an Information-sharing role for Greens 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) With a nod to environmentalists, Kiriyenko asserted that 
Rosatom "sees a role for the greens."  Rosatom "did not see this 
role before, but now understands that letting people know what is 
going on will benefit Rosatom."  He stated that regional information 
centers had either been built or were planned everywhere there are 
nuclear reactors in Russia.  An internet data base showing radiation 
levels across Russia will be available even to "those outside of 
Russia."  Noting that citizens' requests for information will make 
Rosatom's plans more transparent, Kiriyenko did not specify how this 
would be done.  As Kiriyenko concluded his remarks, a small group of 
protestors unfurled a large pink banner that read "Rosatom is 
conducting brainwashing here."  When his security team went over to 
remove the banner and its holders, Kiriyenko intervened and told 
them to leave it.  (Comment:  The timing of the "protest" and 
Kiriyenko's reaction gave the impression that the incident was 
staged.  End Comment.) 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Plenary speakers including Duma Deputy Konstantin Zaitsev; 
Director of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of 
Chemical Technology (VNIIChT) Valentin Shatalov; and Counselor to 
Rosatom's Kiriyenko/member of the Public Council Vladimir Grachev, 
made presentations on nuclear legislation, spent nuclear fuel (SNF), 
the "green" side of nuclear power and depleted uranium.  During the 
question and answer session it was obvious that neither side was 
listening to the other.  Kiriyenko parried, avoided, or ignored each 
question posed.  For example, when a Tomsk activist asked why a 
nuclear plant will be built over the objections of the local 
 
MOSCOW 00001449  002 OF 002 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  The International Forum-Dialogue on "Nuclear 
Power, Society and Safety" held April 21 and 22 hosted by Rosatom 
State Corporation in Saint Petersburg featured Rosatom Director 
General Kiriyenko's affirmation the current Federal Targeted Plan 
(FTP) will continue as planned, but that economic realities such as 
electricity consumption rates could change it.  Kiriyenko stated 
that he expects the U.S. Congress to ratify the U.S. - Russia 
Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation (123 Agreement) in the 
fall.  Neither Rosatom nor local/regional activists listened to the 
other, with the Head of Bellona Foundation in Russia declaring the 
forum an exercise in "smoke and mirrors."  End Summary. 
 
populace, Kiriyenko answered that Rosatom doesn't do its own 
environmental surveys, that the governor would pressure Rosatom to 
build sooner rather than later, and that the questioner should 
organize a referendum to get the legislature to tell Rosatom to 
stop.  Kiriyenko implied that even if there was a referendum against 
construction, Rosatom would send in "experts" to attempt to change 
the minds of those who did not agree. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) After Kiriyenko's departure, the remaining day-and-a-half 
of the forum interspersed speakers from Rosatom, environmental 
groups and local "action" committees.  Rosatom representatives 
continued their presentations, claiming nuclear power as a "green" 
alternative, outlining continuing nuclear submarine decommissioning, 
and addressing radioactive waste management issues.  Tomsk activists 
detailed actinide pollution from the local electro-chemical combine. 
 Activists from the Murmansk region as well as from Kostroma, a city 
approximately 200 kilometers north-east of Moscow, made strongly 
anti-nuclear presentations.  High ranking Rosatom officials were 
generally not in the room when a non-Green Cross presenter was 
speaking.  (Note:  Rosatom generously funds the Green Cross and uses 
it as a source for pro-Rosatom environmental annoumcements.) 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Aleksandr Nikitin, the head of Bellona Foundation in 
Russia, told ESToff he was pessimistic regarding Rosatom's 
engagement of local or regional groups.  He said the new information 
access mentioned by Kiriyenko is neither new nor better, as it is 
actually more restrictive than those laws already on the books.  He 
stated that the Rosatom positions being put forth in the Forum 
regarding local activists, referendums, and polls were merely "smoke 
and mirrors".  Nikitin said "Rosatom tells the locals to organize, 
hold referendums, etc., knowing the results will have no weight or 
value in the end."  Nikitin put these points to the forum organizers 
and Rosatom leadership during a question and answer session.  He 
compared the U.S. Freedom of Information Act system, local 
referendums and environmental policies with the centralized and 
controlled system in Russia.  Referring to Kiriyenko's admonition 
encouraging referendums, Nikitin he said this method is "not 
supported by Russian law."  When Igor Konyshev, Director of 
Rosatom's Department on Interaction with NGOs and Regions and the 
chair of this portion of the forum, attempted to cut Nikitin off, 
Nikitin chided, "Don't lie and say we need a referendum.  The new 
law says that nuclear power plants are a secret and can't be openly 
discussed."  At that point he was "asked" to be seated. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Although the many mid- and high-level speakers effectively 
summarized Rosatom's positions on a variety of issues, neither side 
could have been satisfied that this forum established a true 
dialogue between Rosatom and civil society.  The two sides didn't 
actually listen to one another; they just stated their well known 
positions and went on their separate ways.  The real purpose may 
have been to provide a fig leaf for Rosatom when dealing with their 
international customers, by showing how "sensitive" they are to 
Russia's environmental and anti-nuclear organizations. 
 
RUBIN