Russia to contribute $6.5 million to global nuclear security

UNITED NATIONS, November 3 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is planning to contribute $6.5 million to the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund (NSF) in 2010-2015, Russia's envoy to the UN said.

The NSF is a voluntary funding mechanism established by the International Atomic Energy Organization (IAEA) to support, among others things, the implementation of nuclear security measures to prevent, detect and respond to nuclear terrorism.

"Russia has made a decision to allocate a large voluntary contribution to the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund - $1.5 million in 2010 and $1 mln annually in 2011-2015," Vitaly Churkin told a meeting of the UN General Assembly on Monday, adding that he hooped the money would contribute to the strengthening of the system of nuclear safety.

The official also said that Russia contributed 23.6 mln rubles (over $800,000) to the IAEA Technical Cooperation Fund in 2009 and would continue making voluntary contributions in line with prior agreements with the IAEA.

In addition, Moscow contributed $10 mln to the Chernobyl Shelter Fund (CSF) in 2009 and will allocate another $7 mln to the fund next year, Churkin said.

The CSF was established in 1997 at the EBRD to assist Ukraine in transforming the existing shelter over Chernobyl's destroyed unit 4 to a stable and environmentally safe state.