U.S., Russia must keep Iran away from uranium cookie jar

Combined, Russia and Iran control about 50 percent of the world's natural uranium reserves. At a hearing entitled "Russia, Iran and Nuclear Weapons: Implications of the Proposed U.S.-Russia Agreement", Chairman Howard L. Berman (D-Calif.) expressed his concerns that Iran
is enriching uranium faster than sanctions are being applied to prevent this. The proposed civil nuclear cooperation agreement between U.S. and Russia would reduce Iran's incentives to expand its own uranium enrichment which would be used to make reactors or bombs.

Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Flo.) noted that the House adopted the Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007, prohibiting the submission to Congress of a nuclear cooperation agreement with any country assisting Iran's nuclear programs, by a vote of 397 to 16. However, the administration ignored this and went ahead with the agreement.

Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) testified but was exempted from questioning. Markey opposed the nuclear cooperation agreement saying it aided construction and fueling of the Bushehr nuclear reactor and was part of President Bush's Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) program which plans to 'reinvigorate civilian nuclear reprocessing'. Markey noted that the Bush Administration
itself does not believe Russia's proliferation activity has stopped.

Unlike Markey, John C. Rood, acting under Secretary of State, was questioned by no less than 12 committee members. When asked by Senator Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) as to whether he would sign the so-called 123 Agreement (section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act) if it was modified, Rood would
not give a straight answer. Rood supported the agreement and gave assurance that the steps Russia has put in place in its agreement with Iran mitigated America's own concerns