WASHINGTON, May 23 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's nuclear energy chief has said he hopes that U.S. companies will lobby the opening of the U.S. market for Russian nuclear fuel supplies.
Sergei Kiriyenko, currently on a week-long visit to the United States that ends May 24, said he had discussed the issue with officials from more than 20 U.S. energy companies that generate more than 50% of electricity in the country and many of them had given the idea their full support.
"We are ready to supply goods and services, and the American companies that control this [electricity] market want to receive these goods," Kiriyenko said.
Restrictions on imports from Russia of low-enriched uranium have been in force since the Soviet era. Russia is currently allowed to operate on the U.S. market without a 116% import duty only through the USEC, a special intermediary agent, under the HEU-LEU Conversion program.
Kiriyenko also said that the signing of an agreement on cooperation in nuclear energy for civilian purposes was in the interests of both Russia and the U.S. and long-term partnership in this sphere should not be mixed up with other controversial issues.
The Russian official said that it would take about a year to prepare such an agreement but both parties were ready to start work on the document.
"We can do it [prepare the agreement] and nothing prevents us from doing it," Kiriyenko said.
