DATE=7/13/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251709
TITLE= RUSSIA / KAZAKHSTAN (L-ONLY)
BYLINE= ANDRE DE NESNERA
DATELINE= MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE LAUNCH OF A CARGO ROCKET CARRYING VITAL EQUIPMENT TO 
THE RUSSIAN "MIR" SPACE STATION HAS BEEN POSTPONED FOR A FEW 
DAYS.  THE DELAY IS DUE TO AN ONGOING DISPUTE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND 
KAZAKHSTAN OVER THE USE OF THE BAIKONUR COSMODROME, LOCATED IN 
SOUTHERN KAZAKHSTAN.  CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA REPORTS FROM
MOSCOW.

TEXT:  EXPERTS FROM RUSSIA AND KAZAKHSTAN ARE CONTINUING THEIR 
INVESTIGATION, TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED A RUSSIAN "PROTON"
ROCKET TO EXPLODE SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF JULY FIFTH FROM THE 
BAIKONUR COSMODROME.  THE ROCKET AND THE SATELLITE IT WAS 
CARRYING CRASHED TO THE GROUND.  NO-ONE WAS HURT.

FOLLOWING LAST WEEK'S MISHAP, KAZAKHSTAN GROUNDED ALL LAUNCHES 
FROM BAIKONUR PENDING THE RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION.  SOME 
KAZAKH OFFICIALS SAY THE DEBRIS SCATTERED AROUND THE KARAGANDA 
REGION POSES AN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD BECAUSE THE ROCKET WAS 
PROPELLED BY HIGHLY-TOXIC FUEL.

THE BAN HAS FORCED THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE LAUNCH WEDNESDAY OF A 
CARGO SHIP BOUND FOR THE RUSSIAN SPACE STATION "MIR."  // OPT // 
THE CRAFT WAS TO DELIVER FOOD, OXYGEN, FUEL AND A NAVIGATIONAL 
SYSTEM.  TWO RUSSIAN COSMONAUTS AND A FRENCH ASTRONAUT ARE ABOARD
THE RUSSIAN SPACE STATION.  // END OPT // 

THE DIRECTOR OF RUSSIA'S SPACE AGENCY -- YURI KOPTEV -- RECENTLY 
TOLD REPORTERS THERE IS ENOUGH FOOD AND SUPPLIES ON "MIR" TO LAST
UNTIL MID-AUGUST.  BUT HE SAYS IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE 
NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM TO BE SENT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. 

MR. KOPTEV SAYS THE NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM WILL ALLOW "MIR" TO BE 
CONTROLLED WITHOUT A PILOT ON BOARD AND MUST BE INSTALLED BEFORE 
THE THREE-MAN CREW LEAVES IN LATE AUGUST.  HE SAYS IT WILL TAKE 
THE CREW ABOUT ONE MONTH TO INSTALL AND CHECK THE NAVIGATIONAL 
SYSTEM -- SO IT IS ESSENTIAL THE CARGO SHIP BE LAUNCHED BY NEXT 
SUNDAY. 

IF THE NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM IS  NOT  SENT IN TIME, MR. KOPTEV SAYS
THE THREE-MAN CREW WILL HAVE TO EVACUATE.  //OPT// HE SAYS THERE 
IS ALSO A CHANCE THE 140-TON "MIR" SPACE STATION COULD COME 
CRASHING DOWN TO EARTH AT AN UNKNOWN PLACE NEXT MARCH OR APRIL. 
//END OPT//

BAIKONUR IS RUSSIA'S MAIN LAUNCH SITE -- BUT IT IS LOCATED IN  
KAZAKHSTAN, A FORMER SOVIET REPUBLIC.  FOLLOWING THE BREAKUP OF 
THE SOVIET UNION, KAZAKHSTAN AGREED TO LEASE BAIKONUR TO RUSSIA.

MANY COMMENTATORS IN MOSCOW SAY THE REAL REASON KAZAKHSTAN 
SUSPENDED LAUNCHES FROM BAIKONUR IS THAT RUSSIA HAS NOT PAID ITS 
BILL -- AND KAZAKH OFFICIALS WANT TO FORCE THE ISSUE.  UNDER 
TERMS OF AN AGREEMENT REACHED A FEW-YEARS AGO, KAZAKHSTAN HAS 
LEASED BAIKONUR TO RUSSIA FOR 20-YEARS AT THE ANNUAL SUM OF 
115-MILLION DOLLARS.  MOSCOW'S ARREARS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE MORE 
THAN 300-MILLION DOLLARS.

RUSSIAN AND KAZAKH OFFICIALS SAY FINANCIAL CONCERNS ARE BEING  
DISCUSSED -- AND THEY EXPECT THE BAIKONUR ISSUE TO BE RESOLVED IN
THE NEAR FUTURE.   (SIGNED)

NEB/ADEN/PCF/RAE

13-Jul-99 11:05 AM EDT (1505 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.