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Putin Signs Russian Space Cooperation Laws

Posted on: Monday, 24 May 2004, 06:00 CDT

Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS

Moscow, 24 May: Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed federal laws on Russia's cooperation with Australia, Italy, Belgium, Germany and the European Space Agency [ESA] in the field of space research, Putin's press office said today, adding that these laws were adopted by the State Duma on 28 April and approved by the Federation Council on 12 May.

The leading document of this series, a bilateral agreement between the Russian government and the ESA on cooperation and partnership in research and use of space for peaceful purposes, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Kislyak, concerns the scientific, technical and industrial aspects of space cooperation. According to him, the agreement "makes it possible to jointly implement large-scale long-term programmes and projects in the field of basic and applied space research and remote probing of the earth from space". He explained that it also covers "weather forecasts, space communications, manned space flights and use of space transport systems, in particular the launch of satellites from the Kourou launch site (in French Guiana)".

For his part, the head of the Federal Space Agency, Anatoliy Perminov, said the total cost of work on the Soyuz-ST project comes to 344m euros, of which 121m euros are allocated directly to pay for the work of Russian industry. "As from 2006, 30-40 launches are envisaged within a 10-year period," he said.

Perminov also pointed out that it is planned to carry out cooperation in the creation of promising booster rockets in three main areas, namely reusable liquid-fuel rocket engines working on liquid oxygen and hydrocarbon fuel, reusable engines and experimental reusable spacecraft.

The significance of the agreement is that its implementation will make it possible for Russia to take part in ESA space programmes without actually investing funds.

In addition, the document settles all issues related to measures for the protection of technology, protection of intellectual property, copyright, and the use of scientific and technical information and confidential business information and equipment. Perminov also noted that the agreement would help to settle the corresponding customs mechanisms of such exchanges between the Russian and European space departments.

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