AP World Politics
Serbia sends unused nuclear fuel to Russia Thu Aug 22, 1:12 PM ET By ALEKSANDAR VASOVIC, Associated Press Writer
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia - Fearing a possible terrorist attack, Serbian police sealed off nearly half the capital early Thursday while unused nuclear reactor fuel was transported to the airport, where it was sent to Russia.
Helicopters hovered over the city as heavily armed police officers guarded the 35 kilometer (22 miles) route from the Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, just outside Belgrade, to the airport.
Such heavy security was aimed at preventing a possible terrorist attack, said Dragan Domazet, Serbia's Minister for Technology, Science and Development. Serbia is the larger Yugoslav republic.
The amount of fuel transported "could be used for the development of at least two nuclear weapons," he said. The shipment included 6,000 rods, each 11.3 centimeter (4.45 inches) long and measuring 3.7 centimeters (1.46 inches) in diameter.
The Soviet Union gave the fuel to the Vinca institute in 1976 for research purposes.
The transport to the airport took about six hours and was "the most difficult for us in years," a ranking police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press.
"We were vigilant and ready to cope with any potential assailant including Bin Laden himself," the officer said.
The cargo did not pose any environmental threat because "these bars are completely harmless until they burn in a reactor," Domazet said.
The Vinca nuclear reactor was developed in early '50s as a part of former Yugoslavia's national nuclear program. It was closed and partly decommissioned in early '80s.
Following the ouster of former President Slobodan Milosevic ( news - web sites) in 2000, the new Serbian authorities launched a program aimed at reducing environmental hazards. Removing toxic and nuclear materials is part of the program.
Domazet said that the removal of nuclear fuel was organized in cooperation with international organizations and the U.S. government, which donated dlrs 10 million for the program to decommission Vinca.
_________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com