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Disarmament DiplomacyIssue No. 24, March 1998New Russian Civilian Agency to Scrap Nuclear Submarines, Chemical WeaponsOn 11 March, Russia's Defence Minister Sergeyev stated that President Yeltsin had "fully approved the decision" to take responsibility for disposing of retired Russian nuclear submarines and its chemical weapons stockpile away from the Defence Ministry, establishing a new, civilian-run, separately funded agency. Sergeyev said the responsibilities constituted "inappropriate functions" for his Ministry, and placed a particularly acute financial strain on the already financially-hampered armed forces.Report: Yeltsin - civilians can junk weapons, Associated Press, 11 March. © 1998 The Acronym Institute. |