Co-operative Support to the Russian Federation in the Field of Nuclear Safeguards. Progress and Evolution

In 1994 the Joint Research Centre started to co-operate with several Organisations in the Russian Federation (RF) in the field of nuclear materials accountancy and control (NMAC) This co-operation is passing through several phases, namely: exchange of information, demonstration, large scale implementation. The characteristics of the activities for each of the above phases are presented in the paper. The exchange of information provides the opportunity to present the experience gained in Western Countries in the implementation of nuclear safeguards and to learn about the problems encountered in the improvement of the present accountancy system. One of the practical result of this exchange of information is that one is in a position to formulate better the specific issues to be addressed in the cooperation between the different Organisations. In the demonstration phase, an important effort is provided to demonstrate the Western technology and methodology in a number of EU and RF facilities and laboratories. The large scale implementation of the improved NMAC has not yet started because the basic technical infrastructure has still to be put in place. Also, a clear legislation and distribution of responsibilities in the implementation of NMA and its control and verification is being defined However, important actions have already to be taken to prepare this phase properly. Some of these actions are being defined now in the framework of international co-operation projects.