Will The Atomic Multi-Vector Course Of Ukraine Influence The International Uranium Enrichment Centre?

For Russia this is a start of an important projecton constantly changing political powers
that promotes its regional and internationalconfiguration. Within this context the story of
significance within energy sphere, as the IUEC"Ukratomprom" establishment appears to be
should assure dual objective: to strengthen theillustratory. In December 2006 the Cabinet of
regime of nuclear weapon nonproliferation and toMinisters of Viktor Yanukovich issued a resolution
guarantee the availability of the "peaceful" nuclearon the establishment of the State Company
fuel cycle to the consuming countries. The"Ukratomprom" that was consequently closed
success of this project mainly depends on thedown in December 2007. In spring of 2008, after
ability of its participants to combine their interest"Ukratomprom" liquidation a new State Company
in harmony and proportion."Nuclear Fuel of Ukraine" was founded on its basis.
Apparently, the Government of Ukraine in thisThis new company will join the IUEC.
discrete moment has come to a conclusion thatOne can assume that these factors of instability
the participation within IUEC promotes energywill be imported into the IUEC to some extent,
sovereignty that is of principal priority as statedafter Ukraine gains the 10% share of the
the Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko onenterprise. And instability – is always an issue
February 10th. The participation within the projectof who will use and manage it.
will give Ukraine an opportunity to enrich uraniumThe slogans of uranium enrichment depoliticization
in Angarsk for the needs of its nuclear powerby the IUEC establishment are in general a cover,
industry that comprises about 50% of Ukrainianas the IUEC possesses too great potential of
energy reserves. Today the fuel for Ukrainiangeopolitical influence and hardly this energy lever
nuclear power plants is supplied by Russia, andwon’t be used in non-energy issues.
Ukraine strives to reduce its dominance withinIn general, Ukraine may become a Western
Ukrainian nuclear fuel market.influential agent within the IUEC. Mentioned
Ukraine intends to gain the same share in theinstability can be omitted and then used if needed,
IUEC as Kazakhstan, i.e. 10%. Consideringfor example against strengthening of Russia in the
post-Soviet history of the interrelations of RussiaCIS through nuclear power. And the IUEC is a real
and Ukraine in the sphere of energy, particularly inmechanism of the expansion of Russia’s
nuclear fuel supplies, the presence of Ukraine ininfluence within this area, as it is a new field for
the IEUC can produce another intrigue into theinteraction of the CIS countries in practice:
activity of the Angarsk centre, that will become asuccessful operation of the IUEC depends on the
field for geopolitical battles for sure.ability of raw materials provision and on the
Ukrainian nuclear fuel market is extremelyquantity of Parties consuming enriched uranium.
politicized on international and internal levels, inRussia needs to promote its cooperation with
addition it is so predictable as the situation withUzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kirgizia in the sphere of
gas supplies to and through Ukraine.uranium production, considering that Central Asia
Recently Ukraine has tried to mitigate Moscowsuffers from energy deficit; so the construction
with nuclear ostracism, demonstrating its ability toof NPP in this region is urgent.
attract fuel supplies for Ukrainian NPPs of theIn the given case it’s not about the necessity
American company Westinghouse, despite itsof refusal of the cooperation with Ukraine within
economic and safety invalidity. Firstly, Americanthe kind of natural enterprise as the IUEC, as
fuel will be more expensive than its RussianUkraine together with Kazakhstan and Russia is an
analogue, secondly its has been already provedinheritor of the Ministry of Medium Machine
with Czech and Finnish NPPs that it’s insecureBuilding, and the integral as known is bigger than
to use American fuel in soviet nuclear reactorsthe sum of its parts. But nevertheless Russia
due to technologic reasons.needs to develop mechanisms that would secure
Except for this diversifying compound, theit from inadequate steps of its partners, that can
situation of Ukrainian nuclear industry balancescover with the back of their Western masters,
together with the Party line, i.e. greatly dependsspeculating on "little and beautiful democracy".