Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear energy company, may invite Argentina to participate in the construction a nuclear research and technologies center in Bolivia, Rosatom said recently.
"Participation of Argentinian partners in this project is possible," Rosatom Director General Sergei Kiriyenko said.
Kiriyenko said collaborative efforts have been ongoing.
"We are working with Argentina," Kiriyenko said. "You know, 18 months ago we signed a corresponding agreement. We have never stopped this work. Some members of our delegation will fly from here to Buenos Aires to continue negotiations," Kiriyenko said.
Kiriyenko, however, said the ball may be in Bolivia's court.
"As you heard, (Bolivian President Evo Morales) said today the government is making the decision to establish a national agency," Kiriyenko said. "This is because the difficulty is that Bolivia has not a management authority that should become our partner in creating the (nuclear research and technology center)," Kiriyenko said. "All of the agreements were signed by the energy minister so far, but the president of Bolivia made a decision to create a special agency in Bolivia," Kiriyenko said.
Kiriyenko said Morales is planning a short period of review and promised that it would not take more than two weeks.
"The most pressing for us is to sign a survey contract because the site survey should start as quickly as possible," Kiriyenko said. "We agreed such a contracted survey will be signed by the end of March. While the whole package of contracts should be signed by the end of June according to our agreed schedule, the first contract for survey must be signed in March."
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