MOSCOW - Russia is opposed to a military nuclear program for Iran and will cooperate with Tehran "solely in civil nuclear development," President Vladimir Putin said Friday ahead of a historic visit to Israel.
"We work solely in the sphere of civil nuclear, in the nuclear energy sector," Putin said in an interview to Israel's First channel, whose text was provided by the Kremlin press service.
"We work under complete control of international organisations, with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) first of all," Putin said, adding that Russia obtained the right for the nuclear waste to be repatriated back from Iran in "order to make sure our partners do not use our cooperation in military purposes."
"Our position on nuclear non-proliferation is consistent and strict -- we are categorically against proliferation of nuclear weapons and categorically against any kind of military nuclear programs in Iran," the president assured.
However, "Iran must not feel itself discriminated insofar as modern scientific achievements and technologies are concerned," he added.
Israel and the United States, concerned that Iran could use a civilian nuclear power program as cover for clandestine efforts to develop the capacity to build nuclear weapons, are vocal opponents of Russo-Iranian cooperation in constructing a nuclear power station at Bushehr, in south Iran.
Putin is due to visit Israel on Wednesday and Thursday, in the first visit by a Moscow leader to the Jewish state.
04/22/2005 21:29 GMT