Year
1996
Abstract
In 1993 the Euratom Safeguards Directorate initiated a cooperation with Gosatomnadzor of Russia and with Minatom of Russia in the field of nuclear materials accountancy and control (NMAC). The objectives of this cooperation are to contribute to the upgrade and computerization of the NMAC system in the Russian Federation on all levels: installation (site), regional headquarters (Gosatomnadzor), enterprise headquarters (M.inatom) and national system. Familiarization exercises to become acquainted with the Euratom NMAC system including visits to nuclear installations in the European Union, have been carried out and Russian experts have been working in Luxembourg on the design of a fiture Russian computerized NMAC system. Seminars have been organized to intensifj’ this familiarization. From mid-1994 onwards, concrete projects have been initiated, which include the establishment of separate NMAC systems for Minatom and for Gosatomnadzor’s regional headquarters, and the establishment of procedures for and the canying out of inventory takings and verifications. Practical problems encountered concern mainly the customs questiom language barrier and the complexity of the Russian fhel cycle. The results of the cooperation are certainly encouraging, but it has to continue for a considerable time to achieve the desired objectives.