RUSSIAN NUCLEAR REGIONALISM

The PIR Center, in cooperation with the Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, is conducting a project which intends to explore the intersection of the problems of nuclear nonproliferation in the light of federal reform in Russia. The project started on October 1, 2000 and is planned for two years.

The project examines decision-making mechanisms relating to nuclear infrastructure at federal and regional levels.

The project studies legal basis for the activities of nuclear facilities, relations among the military and local authorities, social situation and trends. Legal, economic, political and military problems of nuclear regionalism are analyzed in a number of selected regions: the Russian north-west, Urals, Siberia, Far East, Central, South and Volga regions.

The research team composed of Russian and US experts in the field pays particular attention to the role of regional leaders in the implementation of the CTR and MPC&A programs, export control efforts, and programs to counter brain drain.

Within the framework of the project, PIR staff members visited some Russian regions, including Krasnoyarsk, Murmansk, Sarov, St. Petersburg, Tomsk, etc.

The project seeks to assess the new developments in those areas and develop recommendations, if necessary, to adjust the ongoing programs so that they better address the new realities in Russian domestic politics.

In the framework of the project a joint PIR-MIIS seminar on Russian "Nuclear Regionalism" and US Policy took place in Washington on March 19, 2001. Among the participants were representatives of Russian and American think tanks, private foundations and US governmental bodies.

The tentative results of the project were reflected in the series of reports disseminated among the US and Russian decision-making communities, legislators, and experts.

On September 20, 2001, the PIR Center held an extended meeting of its Research Council on "Regional Aspects of Restructuring the Russian Nuclear Complex: Problems and Prospects".

Sergei Zagidullin, Deputy Chairman of the Duma`s Committee for International Affairs, made an opening address to the seminar. In his report "Regional Dimension of Nuclear Security. The Role of the State Duma and the Legislature" he emphasized that "The role of the State Duma in resolving the regional problems should be reassessed. This results from the process of general strengthening of the vertical of power, which leaves no doubts about methods and terms of management and development of the Russian nuclear complex. Under these circumstances, the State Duma should further enhance the legislation, so that gray zones of vague responsibility sharing may be eliminated."

Director of the PIR Center Vladimir Orlov made a report on "Nuclear Factor in the Context of Political Relations between the Center and the Russian Regions" and gave an overview of the joint project and its tentative results.

Other speakers were PIR Senior Research Associate Dmitry Evstafiev, PIR Junior Research Associate Dmitry Kovchegin and Director of the CDI`s Moscow office Ivan Safranchuk.

A monograph "Nuclear Regionalism in Russia: Managing Fissile Material and the Weapons Complex Under the New Federalism" will be published in English within the framework of the project. Among the authors are researchers of the Russian and foreign institutions – the PIR Center, the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, the Georgia Tech, etc. The book will study the relations between the Center and the regions, as far as nuclear policy is concerned, and will be designated for policymakers, experts and foreign public.

The project team includes Vladimir Orlov, Director of the PIR Center, Col.-Gen. (ret.) Yevgeny Maslin, Senior Research Associate, Dmitry Evstafiev, Research Associate, Dmitry Kovchegin, Junior Research Associate.

For additional information contact Marsalina Tsyrenjapova at tsyrenjapova@pircenter.org or by phone (095) 234-0525 and fax (095) 234-9558.