U.S. Rescinds ‘123′ Nuke Cooperation with Russia

President George W. Bush intends to notify Congress that he has today rescinded his prior determination regarding nuclear cooperation with Russia.  That rescission news, according to a just-released statement released by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, might come to be regarded as the first diplomatic salvo of Cold War II.

Below is the text of Secretary Rice’s statement regarding the Bush Administration’s stance on the U.S.-Russia Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation (a.k.a., the “123 Agreement”):

The President intends to notify Congress that he has today rescinded his prior determination regarding the U.S.-Russia Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation (the so-called ‘123’ Agreement). As a result, there is no basis for further consideration of the Agreement under the Atomic Energy Act at this time.

The U.S. nonproliferation goals contained in the proposed Agreement remain valid: to provide a sound basis for U.S.-Russian civil nuclear cooperation, create commercial opportunities, and enhance cooperation with Russia on important global nonproliferation issues.

We make this decision with regret. Unfortunately, given the current environment, the time is not right for this agreement.

We will reevaluate the situation at a later date as we follow developments closely.

The statement comes only four months after the United States and Russia signed the bilateral agreement negotiated during 2007.  Since then, however, Russia launched a war in Georgia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia and furthered its ties with Iran by agreeing to build the Islamic republic’s first nuclear plant.

Below is an overview of the then-heralded agreement that was published May 6 — and still appears (as of this posting) — on the web site of the United States Embassy in Moscow:

Upon entry into force, this Agreement will create the necessary legal foundation for our cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy. It offers significant benefits to both countries. It will benefit U.S. industry by allowing U.S. and Russian companies to partner in nuclear joint ventures, and by permitting commercial sales of nuclear materials, reactors, and major reactor components by U.S. industry to Russia. The Agreement also will strengthen U.S.-Russian nonproliferation cooperation under bilateral programs and initiatives in civil nuclear energy, including the Declaration on Nuclear Energy and Nonproliferation of July 3, 2007, and in the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership.

Welcome to Cold War II everyone!

-- Bob McCarty Writes