NUCLEAR SMUGGLING STILL A PROBLEM.

Arguing that the issue of nuclearsmuggling had been overblown in the media, deputy nuclear energy minister LevRyabev nonetheless acknowledged that there were real problems, Rossiiskiyevesti reported May 11. He said that in the last 18 months Russian officialshad stopped 18 attempts to smuggle nuclear materials out of the country. Hegave no indication of the total number of smuggling attempts during thatperiod however. Ryabev said that the greatest danger of a leakage of suchmaterials was at depots in the military. There nuclear fuel for submarines is”stored much like potatoes,” and he noted that three officers are now ontrial in Severomorsk for attempting to steal nuclear materials from the navalsupply center there.

Us Complaints On Intellectual Property Recounted.