Russia, U.S. Disarmament Said to Slow Down
Disputes between Russia and the United States over funding and lucrative contracts are hampering an international effort to destroy the world’s largest chemical weapons arsenal, experts said Wednesday. With a commitment to destroy 44,000 tons of chemical weapons by 2012, Russia has eagerly courted foreign funding. More than 20 countries – including members of the Group of Eight – have pledged money for the program, which has been beset by shortfalls. Western countries have spent hundreds of millions of dollars but only a fraction of that money has been channeled through the Russian government with most going directly to contractors – the vast majority of them non-Russian.Full Story