Note from the Counter-proliferation Unit,
FCO, to the Chairman
BACKGROUND NOTE ON G8 "10 PLUS 10 OVER
10" INITIATIVE
1. At the 2002 G8 summit at Kananaskis in
Canada, Leaders announced the creation of the Global Partnership
against the spread of weapons and materials of mass destruction.
They pledged to provide up to $10 billion (from the US) and $10
billion (from the other G8 countries) over 10 years, hence the
"10 plus 10 over 10" tag. The Prime Minister announced
that the UK would make available up to $750 million to fund projects
in pursuit of the Partnership's aims.
2. The Global Partnership's aim is to address
the nuclear, chemical and biological legacies of the former Soviet
Union. Projects have been carried out in Russia in the first instance,
with the possibility of expansion to other countries in the future.
G8 leaders agreed that initial priorities were the destruction
of chemical weapons, the dismantlement of decommissioned nuclear
powered submarines, the disposal of fissile materials and the
employment of former weapons scientists.
3. Before the announcement of the Global
Partnership the UK had been involved in various projects to deal
with the nuclear legacy of the FSU including transporting nuclear
weapons from Belarus, accepting nuclear material from Georgia
to reduce the risk of diversion, and assisting in decommissioning
nuclear power plants and in the physical protection of nuclear
materials. The Global Partnership resulted in an expansion of
that work.
4. Work is carried out by individual countries
in bilateral or multilateral projects. There is no centrally managed
fund or programme. Projects are co-ordinated multilaterally by
the G8 Global Partnership Working Group and various specific groups
such as the Multilateral Plutonium Disposition Group and the Shchuch'ye
Chemical Weapons Destruction Facility Co-ordination Group. The
IAEA's Contact Expert Group also has a role in sharing information
on projects and future plans of donor countries.
5. The programmes are carried out under
legal agreements between donors and recipients to cover tax exemption,
access to sites, transparency and liability provisions. There
are several agreements under which the UK work is carried out.
These include multilateral agreements such as the Multilateral
Nuclear Environmental Programme for the Russian Federation (MNEPR)
and the Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership Fund managed
by the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD),
together with bilateral agreements such as the UK-Russian Federation
agreement on Chemical Weapons destruction and the UK-Russian Federation
Supplementary Agreement on the co-operation in the peaceful uses
of nuclear energy We now are well into the implementation phase
of our work under the Global Partnership following the signing
of legal agreements with Russia for nuclear legacy and chemical
weapons destruction we have made significant progress. Future
funding levels will depend on our ability to demonstrate success
and effectiveness in our current projects.
6. The UK project work is managed by DTI
and MoD, although the policy lead remains with the FCO. DTI manages
the nuclear programme that includes submarine dismantlement, nuclear
safety, the physical protection of nuclear materials and the retraining
and re-employment of ex-weapons scientists in Russian Closed Nuclear
Cities. MoD manages the chemical and biological weapons programme
that includes assisting in a US-led programme to construct a chemical
weapons destruction facility in Shchuch'ye. Recent developments
in the UK programme include ordering equipment for the Shchuch'ye
Chemical Weapons Destruction Facility and signing contracts for
two Submarine Dismantlement Projects in NW Russia, Spent Nuclear
Fuel storage at Murmansk, and Clean-up projects at Andreeva Bay.
The UK and Canada have also signed a memorandum of understanding
under which Canada will provide C$33 million for construction
of a railway at Shchuch'ye, which the UK will manage on Canada's
behalf. The First Annual Report, published in December 2003, provides
excellent background on the UK's contribution to the Global Partnership.
7. The US holds the G8 Presidency in 2004
and has announced four goals for the Global Partnership for announcement
at the Sea Island Summit. The UK has supported these goals.
(a)
To reach the $20 billion goal. Current pledges amount
to approximately $17 billion.
(b)
To resolve outstanding implementation issues. Some
bilateral agreements are yet to be signed, and many are signed
but not ratified. There have been some problems with transparency
and access, but most have now been resolved.
(c)
To make progress on project implementation. Progress
has been slow in some areas, mainly due to unsigned agreements
and implementation issues. As these are being resolved, work can
continue. In this respect the UK has made good progress, as our
programme pre-dates the partnership and through the constructive
working relationships built up between UK and Russian colleagues.
(d)
To expand participation to include more donors and
recipients. Expansion to include more donors is universally accepted.
The US has proposed formally including Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,
Georgia in the partnership as recipients, as well as Libya and
Iraq. The UK supports expansion, but there is no G8 agreement
to date.
8. The UK will continue to promote the Global
Partnership actively during our G8 Presidency in 2005.
Counter-Proliferation Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
March 2004
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