Curtains for Chernobyl

-- IT MAY finally be curtains for Ukrain
notorious Chernobyl nuclear PCN
station. Ukrainian President Lea
Kuchma told a European Commun
(EC) delegation in mid-April that
country would shut down 2 nuc
reactors still functioning at the
by AD 2000. EC officials are elated
this development. "This is the first
that the Ukrainian authorities
clearly announced a date for the
and full closure of the Chernobyl SO
said French environment minister
Michel Barnier.

The decision
has broken a stale
mate that has
been existing between Ukraine and
Western nations
foriong.Then
however, a cal
Ukrainian Western office
admit that th6 agreement to shut d
the plant w s contingent on
offe Istern aid than have I
made so far Ukraine has set its
on a gas-fired plant to replace
Chernobyl plant Chernobyl's dive
Sergei Parashin, says Ukraine will
propose solitting the cost of the
new plant among Ukraine and 18 countries, with each side providing about
US $200 million.