29.08.2017-04.09.2017 • No: 127 7

THE SOVIET NUCLEAR LEGACY: URANIUM TAILINGS IN CENTRAL ASIA After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the transboundary rivers, and its tributaries that action plans. Between 2010 and 2012, as part newly independent states of Central Asia have supply water from upstream Tajikistan and of the $8.4 million World Bank-funded pro- confronted a number of unresolved issues to downstream Uzbekistan and ject, 150,000 cubic meters of waste were related to the Soviet legacy of Weapon of Kazakhstan. Earthquakes or floods near relocated from one of Kyrgyzstan’s most Mass Destruction (WMD) development uranium tailings may result in landslides in accident-prone tailings in Mailuu-Suu and programs. One of the most serious problems areas along these rivers leading to contamina- reburied in a safer location. A global recogni- that has public health, environmental and tion of water by radionuclides and toxic tion of the problem came with the adoption of security risk dimensions is the presence across substances from radioactive waste dumps. the UN General Assembly resolution No. the region of former uranium production and This would be a major catastrophic event that 68/218 on December 20, 2013. The document storage facilities such as abandoned uranium would affect all the Central Asian countries calls upon the international community to mines, related uranium tailings and waste rock damaging their population’s health, environ- assist the Central Asian states in resolving the dumps. These sensitive unprotected sites ment and national economies. The Ferghana issue and emphasizes the importance of contain highly hazardous radioactive and Valley, the agricultural center of the region regional cooperation. toxic wastes, which were byproducts of shared by Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbeki- In June 2015, the European Bank for Recon- uranium mining and reprocessing. Over the stan, would be hit especially hard by envi- struction and Development (EBRD) estab- years, the Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, ronmental consequences of such an emergen- lished the “Environmental Remediation Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan played cy situation. Account for Central Asia” at the request of the an important role in the Soviet military- Another factor that is often overlooked is a European Commission. This account is re- industrial complex hosting a large uranium potential security threat posed by poorly garded as a vehicle to channel international industry that extracted local uranium and guarded and unprotected radioactive waste efforts towards finding long-lasting solutions processed uranium transported from Eastern storage sites. Radiological security threats in to the uranium legacy problem, and in 2016, Europe. Uranium tailings that had emerged as Central Asia stem from the fact that after the the European Union contributed €16.5 million a result of inadequate Soviet waste storage break-up of the Soviet Union the regional to make the fund operational. The money will practices were not properly maintained in the states lost control over part of radiation be used to finance remediation of high- 1990s and have become a source of grave sources used for industrial, medical, and priority sites such as Mailuu-Suu and Min- concern for the Central Asian region and the research purposes. Such sources contain Kush in Kyrgyzstan and Taboshar in Tajiki- international community. According to UN highly radioactive materials, including ce- stan. In January 2017, the EBRD signed experts, uranium production residues in sium-137, strontium-90, cobalt-60, and iridi- relevant framework agreements with Kyrgyz- Central Asia amount to 800 million tons, um-192. According to some reports, a certain stan and Tajikistan, and rehabilitation works while the International Atomic Energy Agen- amount of radioactive sources was buried in in these countries are set to begin in 2017 in cy (IAEA) estimates that this quantity ap- uranium tailings and other radioactive dumps. collaboration with the IAEA and . A proaches one billion tons. If highly radioactive materials from these sites major challenge for international donors will The majority of uranium waste sites are fall into wrong hands, they can be used to be to ensure transparency of the remediation located close to the densely populated areas, manufacture radiological dispersal devices, or projects and improve accountability of the and communities living near them are insuffi- the so-called “dirty bombs”. That is one of the participating Kyrgyz and Tajik government ciently aware of immediate and long-term region’s most serious security risks related to institutions. As for the two remaining states, health dangers. Humans and livestock are nuclear terrorism. Dirty bombs do not have Uzbekistan cooperates with the IAEA to exposed to elevated background radiation and enough power to inflict mass casualties or procure laboratory equipment, arrange train- radionuclides, as well as toxic heavy metals serious destruction. However, they can cause ing of staff and conduct onsite exercises, as such as lead, arsenic and cadmium, as people radioactive contamination of large territories, well as explores ways to work with the collect scrap metal at such radioactive dumps, leading to public health risks, environmental EBRD, while Kazakhstan as the most ad- graze cattle on contaminated lands, use pol- degradation and lost economic opportunities. vanced Central Asian economy is expected to luted water and eat unsafe local dairy products Most uranium tailings located in the region address the issue on its own. and meat. Although there are no cases of are in a dire state and require significant Nevertheless, cross-border cooperation be- acute radiation sickness, regional health remediation and rehabilitation activities. In tween the Central Asian states is needed to officials report that uranium and toxic wastes late 1990s and 2000s, the Central Asian promote effective and efficient remediation of are the cause of high incidence of different countries lacked financial, technical and uranium tailing sites in accordance with cancer types and a rising number of other regulatory resources, such as specialized international safety standards and practices. In illnesses. The health effects also include equipment, infrastructure, practical regula- this regard, the parties can use the provisions higher rates of birth anomalies, miscarriages tions, trained and experienced personnel, to of the Central Asian Nuclear Weapon Free and stillbirths in the affected areas. In fact, solve the issues associated with Soviet-era Zone (CANWFZ) Treaty. The treaty preamble negative health effects of uranium tailings are radioactive wastes. Sporadic measures taken states that one of the CANFWZ purposes is poorly studied, and more medical field moni- at the national level and limited support from “promoting cooperation in the environmental toring and observation missions are necessary. various countries and international donors rehabilitation of territories affected by radio- At the same time, local residents should be were not sufficient. Regional efforts received active contamination”, and Article 6 specifi- educated about existing and potential risks a major boost after the International Forum on cally deals with the Soviet nuclear legacy. through public-awareness campaigns. Radioactive Waste Management in Central Establishing a cooperative mechanism in the It is also important to note that uranium Asia held in on June 29, 2009 that CANWFZ framework would enable its mem- tailings are situated in the areas that are prone issued a joint declaration calling for coopera- ber states to pursue a more coordinated policy to natural disasters in the immediate vicinity tion in addressing the issue of uranium tail- in such areas as safety and security of uranium of the Syr Darya, one of the region’s major ings and for urgent transition to concrete tailings and radioactive waste disposal. Written by Dauren Aben, Eurasian Research Institute, Kazakhstan

is 32% more compared to the 7-month Politics, Foreign Affairs and Security  The Head of the Revolutionary Guards’ Air Defence of Iran, Farzad period of 2016.

 The President of Turkmenistan, Esmaili, reported that the country’s  The Turkish Statistical Institute report- Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, decreed home-grown air defense system, name- ed that the trade turnover between Iran to appoint the Deputy Chairman of the ly, the Bavar-373 system, designed to and Turkey stood at $5.32 billion dur- Cabinet of Ministers, Orazmyrat match the Russian S-300 was tested. It ing the first half of 2017, which is Gurbannazarov, as interim Deputy is planned that Iran's first long-range 10.9% increase compared to the same Prime Minister for Economic Affairs. missile defense system is set to be op- period of 2016. The trade turnover be- erational by March 2018. tween the two countries reached Byashimmyrat Hojamammedov, who . previously held this position, was dis- Economy, Finance and Energy $873.89 million in June 2017. In June missed for health reasons. 2017, the exports of Turkey to Iran  During his official visit to ,  The Managing Director of Pars Special reached $250.5 million, while the im- the President of Russia, Vladimir Energy Economic Zone for Customs ports reached $623.392 million. Putin, and the Prime Minister of Hun- Affairs of Iran, Ahmad Pour Heidar,  The Head of the Kyrgyz National gary, Viktor Orban, discussed further reported that the South Pars oil and gas Energy Holding, Aibek Kaliev, report- prospects for strengthening trade and fields exported over 17.8 million tons ed that Uzbekistan paid off $9.3 mil- of gas condensates since last year, economic cooperation between the two lion to Kyrgyzstan for electricity for which is 31% growth. The value of the countries. During his visit to Hungary, the autumn-winter period of 2017- exported gas condensates reached $6.9 the President of Russia also held a 2018. It was also stated that the water meeting with the President of Mongo- billion. The goods were exported to , Japan, South , India, level in the Toktogul reservoir of 19.6 lia, Khaltmaagiin Battulga. The parties billion cubic meters allows the export discussed plans for further expansion Hong Kong, Indonesia, Turkey, Egypt, UAE and Kuwait. of electricity to the neighboring coun- of cross-border trade. tries. The total amount of Kyrgyzstan’s  The Kazakh Energy Minister, Kanat  During his official visit to , the exports to Uzbekistan should amount Bozumbayev, and the U.S. Deputy President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rah- to 1.2 billion kWh at 2 cents per 1 mon, and the President of China, Xi Secretary of Energy, Dan Brouillette, signed an agreement in Astana to co- kWh. Jinping, discussed the ways to boost operate on nuclear energy. According  Turkmenistan’s Parliament adopted the economic cooperation between the two to the agreement, the and Law on cotton growing, which defines countries under the Belt and Road Ini- Kazakhstan will work together to ad- the legal, economic and organizational tiative focusing on the development of vance civil nuclear power recognizing basis of cotton-growing in the country transport, energy, ports and network in- its importance as a zero-emissions and regulates relations related to the frastructure. As a result of bilateral source for electricity. turnover of raw cotton and cotton talks, the two Presidents signed a Joint  On the sidelines of the 9th BRICS products. In 2017, over 545,000 hec- Statement on establishing a compre- Summit, Russia’s oil company Rosneft tares were allocated for cotton and it is hensive strategic partnership. Moreo- and China’s energy company Huaxin planned to harvest 1,050,000 tons of ver, during the visit, a series of cooper- raw materials in Turkmenistan. signed an agreement on strategic coop- ation documents, including a bilateral eration and a long-term contract for oil cooperation plan, and agreements on Society and Culture supplies. The documents were signed science, agriculture, energy, infrastruc- by Rosneft’s Chief Executive Director,  On September 2, Uzbekistan marked ture, human resources and media, were Igor Sechin, and Huaxin’s President, the Day of Remembrance of Islam Ka- signed. Chen Qiutu. The agreement provides rimov, the first President of the coun-  On the sidelines of the 9th BRICS the implementation of joint production try. Samarkand hosted a ceremony of Summit held in Xiamen, the leaders of projects in Western and Eastern Siberia opening a monument for Islam Kari- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South and envisages cooperation between the mov. The current President of Uzbeki- Africa discussed prospects for two companies in areas such as oil re- stan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev opened the strengthening their strategic partner- finery and petrochemistry, trade in oil monument. ship in priority areas such as trade and and oil products.  According to the Global Firepower investment, politics and security giving  Kazakhstan inaugurated a Low En- rating for 2017, the Uzbekistan’s army their attention to the situation in the riched Uranium (LEU) Bank backed by outstripped all other countries of the Middle East and the Korean Peninsula the International Atomic Energy Agen- Central Asian region in terms of the and the fight against international ter- cy (IAEA) and located at the Ulba strength of the armed forces. Uzbeki- rorism. The parties also exchanged metallurgical plant in the city of Ust- stan ranked 48th out of 133 countries in views on the work of the key BRICS Kamenogorsk. The facility will store the list, while Kazakhstan is on the instruments, namely, the New Devel- up to 90 tons of LEU and will serve as 55th place. The army of Turkmenistan opment Bank and the Contingent Re- a last-resort mechanism to provide con- ranked 86th, Kyrgyzstan - 108th, while serve Arrangement. fidence to countries to obtain LEU for Tajikistan took 112th place in the rat-  The Foreign Ministry of Russia report- the manufacture of fuel for nuclear ing. ed that the U.S. authorities seized power plants in cause of an unforeseen,  The opening ceremony of the new buildings of the Russian Consulate non-commercial disruption to their training and methodology center for General in San Francisco and the Trade supplies. sustainable development goals (SDG) Representation in Washington. Moreo-  The Chinese Customs Administration took place at the Institute of Interna- ver, the access to the building of the reported that the trade turnover be- tional Relations in the Turkmen For- Trade Representation’s branch in New tween Iran and China stood at $20.8 eign Ministry. The creation of the cen- York was also closed for the Russian billion in the first seven months of ter is aimed at educating young people representatives. The U.S. State De- 2017. It was also noted that China's on the importance of SDGs. The cere- partment announced that the decision exports to Iran in the 7-month period mony was attended by the Head of to close three Russian diplomatic prop- amounted to $10.428 billion, which is UNICEF in Turkmenistan, Shaheen erties was made in response to Russia's 21.3% increase year-on-year, while Nilofer, who launched the center on order to dismiss the U.S. diplomatic China’s imports from Iran reached behalf of all UN agencies. staff in the country. $10.433 billion worth of goods, which

Prepared by Lidiya Parkhomchik, Hayal Ayca Simsek, Daniyar Nurbayev