Israel Matzav

Putin: Bushehr to launch this summer

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged Russia to delay the launch, but Russia's foreign minister responded that Moscow will put the reactor online.

"The first reactor at Iran's nuclear power plant in Bushehr is to be launched already in the summer," Putin said.

He didn't mention an exact launch date or add any other details during his meeting with nuclear officials in the southern city of Volgodonsk.

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Clinton on a visit to Moscow on Thursday warned Russia against launching the plant until Tehran proves that it's not pursuing atomic weapons.

"If it reassures the world, or if its behavior is changed because of international sanctions, then they can pursue peaceful, civil nuclear power," Clinton said when asked about Russian intention to launch Bushehr.

"In the absence of those reassurances, we think it would be premature to go forward with any project at this time, because we want to send an unequivocal message to the Iranians," she said at a briefing following her talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Lavrov immediately responded that Russia still intends to launch the plant.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:21 AM