DATE=  11/10/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-222448

TITLE=CUBA/NUCLEAR (L-O)

BYLINE=BILL RODGERS

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  A WASHINGTON RESEARCH ORGANIZATION SAYS A CUBAN NUCLEAR 

PLANT UNDER CONSTRUCTION POSES NO THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES, 

BUT COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD IF IT IS COMPLETED.  CORRESPONDENT 

BILL RODGERS REPORTS THIS ASSESSMENT CAME AFTER A TEAM OF EXPERTS

VISITED THE PLANT ON CUBA'S SOUTHERN COAST LAST MONTH.



TEXT:  AMERICAN NUCLEAR PHYSICIST THOMAS COCHRAN SAYS THE 

RUSSIAN-DESIGNED JURAGUA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IS THE MOST ADVANCED

REACTOR OF ITS SIZE BUILT BY RUSSIA.  



BUT MR. COCHRAN, WHO VISITED THE PLANT LAST MONTH, TOLD REPORTERS

(MONDAY) IN WASHINGTON HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THE REACTOR'S CONTROL 

SYSTEMS ARE AS GOOD AS THOSE BUILT IN WESTERN NATIONS.  HE SAID 

THE PLANT COULD POSE A SAFETY HAZARD IF IT IS COMPLETED.



                      /// COCHRAN ACT /// 



         THE SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH THIS PLANT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH 

         POOR CONSTRUCTION, POOR QUALITY-CONTROL, LACK OF WESTERN

         SAFETY AND CONTROL EQUIPMENT, A POOR REGULATORY PROGRAM 

         IN CUBA, SO ALL THESE HUMAN FACTOR ELEMENTS ARE OF 

         LESSER QUALITY THAN WHERE YOU WOULD SEE ANYWHERE IN THE 

         WEST.



                         /// END ACT ///



BUT MR. COCHRAN ADDED THE PLANT WOULD NOT POSE A THREAT TO THE 

UNITED STATES -- NOR DOES HE BELIEVE IT WOULD SUFFER AN ACCIDENT 

SIMILAR TO THE CHERNOBYL DISASTER OF 1986, IN WHICH RADIATION WAS

RELEASED OVER A WIDE AREA OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION. 



MR. COCHRAN TRAVELLED TO CUBA UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE 

WASHINGTON-BASED RESEARCH ORGANIZATION "CENTER FOR DEFENSE 

INFORMATION".  OTHER DELEGATION MEMBERS AGREED WITH MR. COCHRAN'S

ASSESSMENT -- ADDING IT APPEARS UNLIKELY CUBA WILL EVER COMPLETE 

ITS NUCLEAR PLANT BECAUSE IT CANNOT FIND THE ONE-BILLION-DOLLAR 

INVESTMENT NEEDED TO FINISH THE PROJECT.



                         // REST OPT //



THE GROUP, WHICH LAST VISITED CUBA IN 1995, MET WITH CUBAN 

OFFICIALS, INCLUDING TOP MILITARY OFFICERS.  DELEGATION MEMBERS 

SAID THEY FOUND A GENERAL HOPELESSNESS AMONG THESE OFFICIALS 

ABOUT A POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENT IN RELATIONS BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND 

HAVANA.  THE DELEGATION CALLED FOR BOTH GOVERNMENTS TO TAKE STEPS

TO EASE TENSIONS.   (SIGNED) 



NEB/WFR/RAE



10-Nov-97 2:56 PM EST (1956 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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