DATE=4/21/96
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-33050
TITLE=SUMMIT CHERNOBYL
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  AMONG DEVELOPMENTS AT THE NUCLEAR SUMMIT WAS A RENEWED 
PROMISE FROM UKRAINE TO SHUT DOWN THE CHERNOBYL POWER PLANT BY 
THE YEAR 2000.  BUT AS PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS FROM MOSCOW, A 
COMBINATION OF HARSH ECONOMIC REALITIES AND POLITICAL 
SENSITIVITIES COULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO TURN THAT PLEDGE INTO 
REALITY. 

TEXT:  UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE FROM THE G-SEVEN LEADERS MEETING IN
MOSCOW DURING THE WEEKEND, UKRAINE RESTATED ITS COMMITMENT TO 
SHUT DOWN THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR STATION.  EARLIER, THE 
INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES PROMISED MORE THAN THREE-BILLION DOLLARS
IN AID TO HELP UKRAINE WITH THE EXPENSE.

BUT THE UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN LESS THAN STRAIGHT-FORWARD 
ABOUT ITS INTENTIONS.  ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PROMISE TO SHUTDOWN 
THE PLANT WAS MADE NOT BY UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT LEONID KUCHMA, WHO 
ATTENDED THE SUMMIT, BUT BY FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC.  THE
FRENCH LEADER HAS BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT OF EFFORTS TO ENSURE THE 
TIMETABLE IS MET FOR SHUTTING DOWN THE SITE OF THE WORLD'S WORST 
NUCLEAR ACCIDENT.

ON THE EVE OF THE SUMMIT, THE UKRAINIAN LEADERSHIP INDICATED MORE
AID WAS NEEDED TO HELP WITH THE CHERNOBYL SHUTDOWN.  A DOCUMENT 
SUBMITTED TO THE G-SEVEN LEADERS LAID OUT STEP-BY-STEP FINANCIAL 
NEEDS, SUGGESTING THE THREE-BILLION DOLLARS ALREADY COMMITTED WAS
NOT ENOUGH.

ENVIRONMENT GROUPS MONITORING SUMMIT DEVELOPMENTS SAY THE 
UKRAINIAN PLEDGE TO CLOSE CHERNOBYL APPEARS TO BE MORE THEATER 
THAN SUBSTANCE.  THOMAS COCHRAN OF THE U-S BASED NATURAL 
RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL CALLS IT BLACKMAIL.

                       /// COCHRAN ACT ///

         UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT IS USING THESE REACTORS AS LEVERAGE
         TO GET WESTERN AID.  THEY SEE THE POSSIBILITY OF WESTERN
         AID, AND WHY SHUT THEM DOWN WITHOUT GETTING THE AID.  
         WHY NOT USE THESE AS LEVERS TO SQUEEZE MORE MONEY OUT OF
         THE WEST.

                         /// END ACT ///

DURING THE MOSCOW SUMMIT, FRENCH PRESIDENT CHIRAC REPEATEDLY 
EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OTHER CHERNOBYL-TYPE 
REACTORS STILL IN OPERATION.  EXPERTS DISAGREE ABOUT WHETHER 
DESIGN FLAWS IN THESE REACTORS CAN BE CORRECTED. 

A G-SEVEN SUMMIT FOUR-YEARS AGO CALLED FOR THE SHUT DOWN OF OLD 
SOVIET-DESIGNED REACTORS.  BUT AT THE MOSCOW SUMMIT, THE 
CONSENSUS AMONG WESTERN COUNTRIES SEEMED TO BE CLOSING THE 
REACTORS WAS TOO EXPENSIVE.  THE CURRENT RECOMMENDATION IS TO 
REPAIR THEM, SOMETHING THAT WOULD COST NEARLY 25-BILLION DOLLARS.

ENVIRONMENTALIST THOMAS COCHRAN DISAGREES WITH THE REPAIR 
STRATEGY.  HE CALLS IT A DANGEROUS STEP BACKWARD.

                     /// 2ND COCHRAN ACT ///

         AT THE SUMMIT, THE LEADERS PUNTED (GAVE UP).  THEY ARE 
         NO LONGER CALLING FOR THE SHUTDOWN OF THESE REACTORS.  
         THE RUSSIANS HAVE TAKEN THE POSITION THESE REACTORS DO 
         NOT HAVE ANY UN-CORRECTABLE DESIGN FLAWS AND WITH A 
         LITTLE AID FROM THE WEST THEY CAN BRING THEM UP TO THE 
         HIGHEST SAFETY STANDARDS.  THAT IS TOTALLY INACCURATE.

                         /// END ACT ///

AS FOR UKRAINE'S PLANS TO SHUT DOWN THE TWO NUCLEAR REACTORS 
CURRENTLY OPERATING AT CHERNOBYL BY THE YEAR 2000, MR. COCHRAN 
AND OTHERS HAVE THEIR DOUBTS.  HE SAYS UNLESS THE WEST COMES UP 
WITH SUBSTANTIALLY MORE THAN THE THREE-BILLION DOLLARS PLEDGED SO
FAR, A STRUGGLING FORMER SOVIET STATE SUCH AS UKRAINE MAY FIND IT
DIFFICULT TO DO WITHOUT THE ENERGY CHERNOBYL PRODUCES.   (SIGNED)

NEB/RAE

21-Apr-96 2:55 PM EDT (1855 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.