Cuba  finished, May 2001, the construction of a Biotechnology Center in Teheran. Cuba served as the source of technology, selling of equipment, and project management for the Center.

Iran has bought the best fruits of the CIGB, recombinant protein production technologies in yeast and Escherichia coli, as well as the large scale purification protocols for both soluble and insoluble proteins synthesized in or excreted by them.

Cuba obtained from Iran, for the turnkey project $550 million dollars. The Center has over 80,000 square meters, and a working area of 65,000 square meters. The Center has facilities such as:

A biotherium, barrier zones, white rooms, for research with sensitive and lethal bio agents, mass spectrometers, infrared and ultraviolet electron and scanning microscopes, gamma counters, DNA synthesizers. Also, and very important, downstream fermenters, drying and milling machines, centrifuges, which can guarantee research and development of bioweapons, such as bacteria and virus agents. The process of weaponizing anthrax, for example, can be done at these facilities. A few grains of the freeze-dried bacteria are kept in a stopper vial. Then, a small amount of a nutrient medium is put into the vial. A mother culture is created. With tiny pipettes, the mixture is drawn out of the vial and a small amount is transferred into several slightly larger bottles. The bottles are left to incubate in a thermostatic oven for two days. This process, up to this point, is very similar to the one to make a vaccine. A seed stock in a standard vial will swell to billions of microorganisms after 48 hours, but it will take weeks of brewing to produce the quantities required for weaponization.

Once the culture emerges from the oven, it is siphoned off into large flasks. The flasks are taken into a special room, where they are connected to air-bubbling machines, which turn the liquid into a light froth. The bacteria then grow more efficiently. Each new generation of bacteria is transferred into larger vessels, until is vacuum pressure into fermenters. The substance is incubated for two days in the fermenters, until it reaches maximum concentration. At this stage, the process is passed through a centrifuge to be concentrated as much as thirty times further. However, we do not have a weapon yet. The pathogen has to be mixed with special additives to stabilize it over a long period. Then, the weapon is ready.

Smallpox virus can also be produced at the Center. Tissue cells are obtained from animals or humans. The tissue is kept alive outside its natural habitat in cell lines and stored at very precise temperature. Cells are obtained from the kidneys of green monkeys or from the lungs of human embryos. A special combination of amino acids, vitamins, salts, and sera, distilled with de-ionized water, is crucial for the process.

Iran can use these technologies to create bioweapons of massive destruction. Iran, with Cuba’s assistance is capable of producing a bacteria known as Pseudomonas. The pathogen is not usually lethal to humans, but it is an excellent battlefield weapon.

Sprayed from a single airplane flying over enemy lines, it can immobilized an entire division or incapacitate special forces hiding in rugged terrain otherwise inaccessible to regular army troops-precisely the kind of terrain in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and similar terrorist regions.

Besides Cuban scientists, at least there are about ten scientists from the Biopreparat Russian Center working in Iran. The New York Times reported in December 1998 that the Iranian government dispatched a few scientific advisors attached to the office of the presidency in Moscow to recruit former scientists from the Russian program.

In May, 1997, more than one hundred scientists from Russian laboratories, including Vector and Obolensk, attended a Biotechnology Trade Fair in Teheran. Iranians visited Vector, In Russia, a number of times, and had been actively promoting exchanges.  A vial of freeze-dried powder takes up less space than a pack of cigarettes and is easy to smuggle past an inattentive security guard.

The Soviet Union spent decades building institutes and training centers in Iran and Cuba. For many years, the Soviet Union organized courses in genetic engineering and molecular biology for scientists from Cuba and Iran. Some forty scientists from both countries were trained annually.

In 1997 Russia was reported to be negotiating a lucrative deal with Iran and Cuba for the sale of cultivation equipment including fermenters, reactors, and air purifying machinery from Cuba to Iran, using Russian brokers.

It is estimated that Cuba receives approximately $ 250 million/year from Iran since July 2001 for the technical assistance to operate the Center, and for the supply of essential materials and instruments.

Bejucal Base, other Cyber bases and Iran

Bejucal Base

Located in Bejucal, La Habana, Cuba. 20 square mile area. Cost: $ 750 millions. Built by the Russians from 1994 to 1997. Workforce: 1,100 engineers, computer scientists, technicians, staff.  It has three groups of antennas/satellites. First group to listen to general USA telecommunications. Second group to listen to pre designated phones and computers.  Third group with the voice recognition capacity.  It has 2 HPCs given by PRC.  Operated now with the cooperation of PRC’s military personnel. It used to work with Russian  satellites. Now it operates with PRC’s satellites. It can interfere USA computer networks, and affect power systems, telecommunication systems, emergency systems, financial activities, and several other critical infrastructures.

Paseo Between 11 and 13, La Habana.

Dedicated to transmission and reception of radio waves. Estimated cost: $60 millions. Radio and TV Marti interference headquarters are located here. Capacity to interfere radio telecommunications in USA, mainly in airports and strategic places.

Cojimar Electronic Complex

Located in La Habana del Este.  Estimated Cost: $20 millions. Work on electronic experiments, such as HERF.

Wajay Electronic Base

Located in Wajay, La Habana. Estimated Cost: $15 millions. Weather change research. Radio interference. More than 100 very high antennas.

Santiago de Cuba Electronic Farm

Very similar to the Wajay farm. Located in Santiago de Cuba, extreme east of Cuba. EstimatedCost: $10 millions. 80 very high antennas

Cuba has provided Iran with sensitive intelligence from the Bejucal Base. Also, Cuba has provided important services, like the jamming of TV signals transmitted to Iran from the United States. It is estimated that Cuba gets approximately $ 100 million dollars /year since mid 1998 to  present date for  intelligence information, services, and training of Iranian engineers and technicians at the Bejucal Base.

APPENDIX I

(Wire Service from May,2001)
www. khamenei. de/news/2001
May 01

Cuban President Fidel Castro met with the Supreme Leader (10.5.2001) Tehran, May 10 - The visiting Cuban President Fidel Castro met with the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei on Wednesday. In the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed the Islamic Republic of Iran regards any struggle and resistance against the arrogance as righteous. Touching on vast commom ground between Iran and Cuba in various areas including standing up to the US, Ayatollah Khamenei said the Iranian nation feels attached to the Cuban nation because of its resistance against the US bullying behaviour since this is considered a value according to Islamic principles. Ayatollah Khamenei noted religion should be at the service of man and his needs, expressing regret that Christian Leadership is indifferent towards justice as man's most important need. "Religious thought is one based on a profound philosophy and strong logic and the reason for the US hostility towards the Islamic Republic of Iran is the practical effects of the Islamic thought in the world," the Supreme Leader told the Cuban presiden t. Ayatollah Khamenei stressed the role of the Islamic thought in filling the spiritual vacuum in the world today and the special importance Islam attaches to justice. The Supreme Leader remarked the key to the steadfastness of the Islamic Revolution of Iran is people's belief in Islamic concepts and thought. On his part, Fidel Castro expressed delight over his visit to Iran, which he described as the world's spiritual center. Castro told Ayatollah Khamenei that his remarks on Islam and religious concepts have greatly impressed him. Castro termed the bullying practices of the West, specially the US, as uncivilized despite superficial propaganda. "The Iranian and Cuban nations can cooperate with each other to ground the US," he concluded.

Ayatollah Khamenei, Fidel Castro Meet (9.5.2001)Tehran, May 9, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei met with the visiting Cuban President Fidel Castro Wednesday afternoon. Ayatollah Khamenei in the meeting referred to the foundations of the Iranian nation's Islamic beliefs and the role their strong belief in God played in their firm resistance against the global arrogance, particularly the US hegemony. "It is based on such beliefs and mentality that the Islamic Republic of Iran regards any resistance against arrogance in the world as a righteous move," said the Iranian Supreme Leader.

Highlighting the numerous commonalties between Iran and Cuba, including resistance against the US global hegemony, Ayatollah Khamenei said, "our resistance against the US hegemony is based upon our Islamic beliefs, since in Islam, resistance against injustice is a value. The Iranian leader elaborated that the main objective of religions is being at the service of the mankind and fulfillment of the people's needs. He said that Islamic logic is today capable of answering the mankind's demands of the day. Ayatollah Khamenei meanwhile criticized the Christian churches of the day for remaining often silent or indifferent when they encounter injustice, while observing justice is the highest need of the mankind. The supreme Iranian leader further remarked that the Islamic mentality has eliminated the spiritual gap from which the mankind suffered today. He also stressed the utmost importance that Islam attaches to observing justice at all circumstances and under any condition. Ayatollah Khamenei added, "authentic religious thoughts are based on a deep philosophy and a strong logic and the main reason why the US administrations are at odds with the Islamic Republic of Iran is the practical effects of the Islamic mentality on the world masses' minds. He also said that the secret of the Islamic

Revolution's successful resistance against the US pressures is the people's religious mentality, based on which "we consider the American regime as an arrogant power, seeking a unipolar world, to which we seriously object." Reiterating that the American regime is weak and extremely vulnerable today, the Ayatollah stressed, "the US grandeur is quite fragile today and if that objective is materialized, it is a great service rendered to the mankind, including the American nation." Ayatollah Khamenei assured Fidel Castro that Iran and Cuba can achieve that goal, hand in hand.

During the meeting, attended also by Iran's President Seyed Mohammad Khatami, President Castro expressed his heartfelt delight over his presence in Iran, which he said is a valuable, divine country.

Fidel Castro said that Iran is the center of spirituality in the world today and told Ayatollah Khamenei that his words on Islam and religious values had deeply impressed him. Terming the western approach towards different civilizations and religions as discriminating, Castro said in the West high budgets are allocated to projects aimed at deviation of the mankind's minds from the sheer truths and realities.

Castro denounced the Western hegemony and said that the West, and particularly the US administrations, despite their vast propaganda, acts in a totally uncivilized manner. He agreed with Ayatollah Khamenei on the point that the US is extremely weak today, adding, "we are today eye-witness to their weakness, as their close neighbors." The Cuban President further stressed, "we are not scared of America today, and the Cuban nation is stronger than ever in the past, forty years after the victory of its revolution."

He once again agreed with Ayatollah Khamenei on the point that Iran and Cuba can hand in hand defeat America. The 74-year-old Cuban leader, (presently 77 years old) leading a ranking delegation of officials and businessmen, arrived here Monday night on his first-ever visit to Tehran for a three-day stay. His visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran is mainly aimed at expanding ties between the two nations, in addition to drafting the future scheme of the G-77 of developing nations, whose presidency is currently held by Tehran. Castro has already held talks with President Mohammad Khatami and Parliamentary Speaker Mehdi Karroubi. The two countries have always enjoyed strong cordial relations and Cuba has always backed the Islamic Republic's stances at international scenes.
 

APPENDIX II

Iran’s Nuclear Program

Why would Iran, a country that has some of the world’s largest reserves of fossil fuels, need an extensive, multibillion-dollar program of nuclear development? The determination of this country to build nuclear power plants has aroused wide suspicion.

What is it like to live in a world in which the materials and technology for making nuclear weapons are freely traded? We are in the midst of finding out. Earlier this year, investigators determined that Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan sold some of the technologies he used to build Pakistan’s nuclear bomb to several governments that had long sought atomic bombs, including Iran. Clearly, the threat of the casual use of nuclear weapons and of nuclear terrorism has been catapulted from the abstract to the alarmingly concrete.

A series of revelations and new findings during last year has left little doubt that Iran has been secretly engaged in an extensive program aimed at making and working with material that can be used in nuclear weapons. The Iranians have been assembling the nuclear wherewithal with a speed and determination not seen since the heyday of Iraq’s nuclear weapons programs of the 1980s.

Iran’s quest-biological center and nuclear development-occurring in a region radically transformed by global terrorist networks and suicide tactics, which are fueled by deep-rooted hatreds, tests the will of the international community to block development of WMDs.

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong II started to barter the country’s advanced missile technology for nuclear know-how. Reportedly, it has sent missiles to Cuba, via Iraq. Also, so many North Korean missile scientists are in Iran today that a beach resort was built for them.

It is the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, that must determine whether drastic international action is necessary-a job that is stretching its resources and resourcefulness to the limit. Since the 1991 Gulf War, the agency has been quietly transforming itself, as fast as a bureaucracy of 2200 can, to burnish a reputation tarnished by its failure in the 1980s to detect Hussein,s once – huge secret nuclear weapons program, as well as its failure not only to alert the international community regarding the Juragua nuclear plant defects in Cuba, but providing Cuba with over $18 million between 1992-1998.

Effective handling of the Iran case will depend heavily on cooperation between the IAEA and the United States.  IEAE director Mohamed ElBaradei and President George Bush met on March 17, 2004, to lash out differences and strategize.

The IAEA’s key findings about Iran are in reports released in March 2004 and November 2003, with the next important one due this month. In November, the IAEA concluded that Iran’s nuclear program consists of practically everything needed to fuel a reactor or in effect to produce materials for bombs, including uranium mining and milling, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, and heavy water production.

Furthermore, following up allegations firs made by IRANIAN DISSIDENTS the year before, Iran has now acknowledge that it has been developing, for 18 years, a uranium centrifuge enrichment program, and, for 12 years, a laser enrichment program. Iran has conducted some nuclear activities secretly because they are under economic embargo and subject to preemptive strikes, they have received much assistance, paid by Iran, from Planta Mecanica, in Cuba.as far as aluminum cylinders to enrich uranium.

The critical elements of Iran’s nuclear program include not just the enrichment plants at Natanz but also plants that started being built on July, 2004, a 30-40 MW natural-uranium-fueled, heavy-water research reactor, with all associated equipment. This plant has been already finished.

This situation is more dangerous than ever, not only because of Cuba’s geographic proximity to the United States, but because terrorist groups like Osama Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda and Hezbollah, led by Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah are pursuing apocalyptic ends.

 

APPENDIX III

Types of Uranium

Natural uranium- uranium that contains 99.3% of the isotope uranium-238 and 0.7 % of the fissionable isotope uranium-235

Low enriched uranium- uranium that contains the isotope uranium 235 in a concentration less than 20% and higher than 0.7%. Most commercial reactor fuel has been enriched to 3-5% of uranium 235

Highly enriched uranium- uranium that contains the isotope uranium-235 in a concentration above 20%. Highly enriched uranium is used in research reactors, naval propulsion reactors, and weapons.

Depleted uranium-uranium with less than 0.7% of the isotope uranium-235

What is Uranium enrichment?

Uranium enrichment is a critical step in transforming natural uranium into nuclear fuel or weapon grade uranium. Enrichment is the process of increasing the concentration of uranium 235 while decreasing the concentration of uranium 238.

Aluminum-clad cylinders or rods are essential in the production of enriched uranium

Cuba

Since the early 1980s, Cuba started an intensive search for atomic minerals in its territory. The objective was to provide these materials to the nuclear industry of Cuba. The department is the DMBA, Departamento de Materiales Basicos. The department found uranium at the Northwest of Pinar del Rio, called the Hierro-Mantua ore.

Later, in the early 1990s, Cuba was able to obtain Yellow Kake (55% U308). One of the two experimental nuclear reactors in Cuba is located at the CIN, Centro de Investigaciones Nucleares, of Pedro Pi, Southwest of La Habana. This reactor is capable of converting U238 to Uranium 235 or Plutonium 239, basic primary components of an atomic bomb.

There are reports that the Soviet Union delivered in 1991, 70 pounds of enriched uranium to Cuba for the Juragua reactor. This amount is sufficient to build 5 atomic bombs.

Due to international regulations, Iran cannot purchased aluminum clad rods in the world market. Neither has Iran the manufacturing facilities in place to produce them. However, Cuba does.

Cuba has a large manufacturing plant-Planta Mecanica- that has the capacity, technology, and raw material to manufacture these kind of specialized aluminum rods, so much needed by Iraq to develop its nuclear weapon capabilities. Fuel element assemblies methods include welding, swaging, pinning, including box-type elements and cylindrical element assemblies.

Planta Mecanica is located north and west of the city of Santa Clara, in the center of Cuba. For the last few years its production has been dedicated to specialized needs for the biotechnology industry, as well as the nuclear related industry. Planta Mecanica has been a key factor in the development of Cuba’s biotechnology industry, as well as in assisting Iran with the equipment and machinery needed to develop its biotechnology industry, and that Iran cannot purchase in the world market.

For the last two years, a large part of Planta Mecanica production facilities has been dedicated to produce aluminum rods.

Conclusion:

Iran and Cuba have been involved in terrorist activities, where Cuba has been paid by Iran with dollars and oil. Cuba has been selling the oil in the world market. Cuba, Venezuela and Iran Pose A GREAT THREAT TO THE SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES

INTRODUCTION

Natural uranium- uranium that contains 99.3% of the isotope uranium-238 and 0.7 % of the fissionable isotope uranium-235

Low enriched uranium- uranium that contains the isotope uranium 235 in a concentration less than 20% and higher than 0.7%. Most commercial reactor fuel has been enriched to 3-5% of uranium 235

Highly enriched uranium- uranium that contains the isotope uranium-235 in a concentration above 20%. Highly enriched uranium is used in research reactors, naval propulsion reactors, and weapons.

Depleted uranium-uranium with less than 0.7% of the isotope uranium-235

What is Uranium enrichment?

Uranium enrichment is a critical step in transforming natural uranium into nuclear fuel or weapon grade uranium. Enrichment is the process of increasing the concentration of uranium 235 while decreasing the concentration of uranium 238.

Aluminum-clad cylinders or rods are essential in the production of enriched uranium

What is nuclear power?

Nuclear power taps the ultimate source of energy which powers the universe and its myriads of stars like our Sun. Nuclear engineers deliberately arrange to split certain atoms-this is called nuclear fission. When this happens, some matter gets destroyed, liberating huge amounts of energy. This energy mostly ends up as heat from which you can make steam to drive turbines and generators (referred to in sections above), and make electricity in power stations.

By careful design using material like uranium, engineers ensure that neutrons collide with uranium atoms, breaking them apart into unequal size halves. This yields energy and more neutrons and is called nuclear fission. Repeat this, and you have even more neutrons. If the uranium is the right type-uranium 235, a potent heat-releasing but controllable chain reaction starts up. This is what powers reactors.

Reactors use a low grade of U-235 which can not sustain the atomic bomb type reaction. This is why reactors contain tons of uranium, whereas a bomb needs only a few kilograms. Because reactor grade uranium, most of which is uranium 238 which is not fissile, contains only 1 to 2% U-235, neutrons have to be slowed or they simply bounce off other uranium atoms.

Engineers slow down the neutrons with a moderator which increases the likelihood of them smashing another U-235 atom to continue the reaction. The moderator can be graphite or ordinary water, designated pressurized Water reactors, PWRs, the most commonest reactor type around the world. In PWRs, the water slows the neutrons and also cools the core. Powerful pumps cycle the hot water out of the reactor core into enormous steam generators.

Since the early 1980s, Cuba started an intensive search for atomic minerals in its territory. The objective was to provide these materials to the nuclear industry of Cuba. The department is the DMBA, Departamento de Materiales Basicos. The department found uranium at the Northwest of Pinar del Rio, called the Hierro-Mantua ore.

Later, in the early 1990s, Cuba was able to obtain Yellow Kake (55% U308). One of the two experimental nuclear reactors in Cuba is located at the CIN, Centro de Investigaciones Nucleares, of Pedro Pi, Southwest of La Habana. This reactor is capable of converting U238 to Uranium 235 or Plutonium 239, basic primary components of an atomic bomb.

There are reports that the Soviet Union delivered in 1991, 70 pounds of enriched uranium to Cuba for the Juragua reactor. This amount is sufficient to build 5 atomic bombs.

Due to international regulations, Iran cannot purchased aluminum clad rods in the world market. Neither has Iran the manufacturing facilities in place to produce them. However, Cuba does.

Cuba has a large manufacturing plant-Planta Mecanica- that has the capacity, technology, and raw material to manufacture these kind of specialized aluminum rods, so much needed by Iraq to develop its nuclear weapon capabilities. Fuel element assemblies methods include welding, swaging, pinning, including box-type elements and cylindrical element assemblies.

Planta Mecanica is located north and west of the city of Santa Clara, in the center of Cuba. For the last few years its production has been dedicated to specialized needs for the biotechnology industry, as well as the nuclear related industry. Planta Mecanica has been a key factor in the development of Cuba’s biotechnology industry, as well as in assisting Iran with the equipment and machinery needed to develop its biotechnology industry, and that Iran cannot purchase in the world market.

For the last two years, a large part of Planta Mecanica production facilities has been dedicated to produce aluminum rods.

Cuba and Venezuela have started cooperation in nuclear development. Venezuela is about to purchase a 27 Mwatts reactor from Argentina. Cuba has sent to Venezuela nuclear engineers and physicists, to assist in the development of an infrastructute on nuclear power.

This new incursion on the nuclear development is a real threat for the security, not only of the United States, but all Latin America.

Meltdowns

How can radioactivity be released from a nuclear power plant? The only way that potentially large amounts of radioactivity could be released from a nuclear plant is by melting of the fuel in the reactor core. The fuel that is removed from a reactor after use and stored at the plant site also contains considerable amounts of radioactivity. To melt the fuel requires a failure in the cooling system or the occurrence of heat imbalance that would allow the fuel to heat up to its melting point, about 5000 degrees F.

It might seem that all that is required to prevent fuel from overheating is to promptly stop, or shut down, the fission process at the first sign of trouble. Although reactors have such fast shutdown systems, they alone are not enough since the radioactivity decay of fission fragments in the fuel continues to generate heat that must be removed even after the fission process stops. Therefore, reactors should have redundant decay heat removal systems. In addition, emergency core cooling systems should be provided to cope with a series of potential accidents, caused by ruptures in, and loss of coolant from, the normal cooling system.

There are two broad types of situations that might potentially lead to a melting of the reactor core: the loss of coolant accident (LOCA) and transients. In the event of a potential loss of coolant, the normal cooling water would be lost from the cooling systems and core melting would be prevented by the use of the emergency core cooling systems( ECCS). However, melting could occur in a loss of coolant if the ECCS were to fail to operate.

The term transient refers to any one of a number of conditions which could occur in a plant and would require the reactor to be shut down. Following shut down, the decay heat removal systems would operate to keep the core from overheating. Certain failures in either the shutdown or the decay heat removal systems also have the potential to cause melting of the core.

The water in the reactor cooling systems is at a very high pressure (between 50 to 100 times the pressure in a car tire) and if a rupture were to occur in the pipes, pumps, valves, or vessels that contain it, then a blowout would happen. The specific LOCA initiating events have been identified as:

The water in the reactor cooling systems is at a very high pressure (between 50 to 100 times the pressure in a car tire) and if a rupture were to occur in the pipes, pumps, valves, or vessels that contain it, then a blowout would happen. The specific LOCA initiating events have been identified as:

A. Small pipe breaks

B. Large disruptive reactor vessel ruptures

C. Gross steam generator ruptures

D. Ruptures between systems that interface with the cooling system

Studies have indicated that a core meltdown in a large reactor would likely lead to a failure of the containment. Therefore, the containment integrity is very important.

Fuel melting accidents release more than 200 different radioactive substances, of which, 54 are very dangerous. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NRC, which oversees the United States’ nuclear power plants, says exposure should not exceed 25 millirem per year, while the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, has set a standard of 15 millirem, with ground water levels not to exceed 4 millirem.

Aroutine chest X-ray contains 6 millirem. Dosages above 30,000 millirem are known to cause cancer, and levels of 400,000 millirem can cause death in days. Another international unit used is the curie. For example, the nuclear accident at Chernobyl, the worst nuclear accident to date, spewing about 100 million Curies, or 4x10^18 becquerels, of radioactive material into the environment. By contrast, the Three Mile Island released only some 15 Curies.

International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA)

Since 1958, the IAEA, in promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, has been providing nuclear technical assistance to its member states through projects that supply equipment, expert services, and training. Currently, more than 90 countries receive nuclear technical assistance, mostly through over 1,000 projects in IAEA’s technical cooperation program.

The United States is a member of IAEA and its major financial contributor.  IAEA is providing nuclear technical assistance to Cuba in 10 program areas, including general atomic energy development, the application of isotopes and radiation in medicine, agriculture, and nuclear safety. Most of the assistance, however, has been for Cuba’s partially constructed nuclear power reactors.

IAEA spent about $12 million on nuclear assistance projects for Cuba since 1963 through 1996. About 75% of the assistance Cuba received through these projects consisted of equipment, radiation related instruments, and laboratory equipment. The rest was in the area of general atomic energy development. IAEA recently approved an additional $1.7 million for nuclear technical assistance projects for Cuba for 1997  through 1999.

In addition, IAEA spent about $2.8 million on training Cuban nationals and research contracts for Cuba. The United States contributes about 40% of the total funds of the agency for such projects. IAEA is assisting Cuba in developing the ability to conduct assessments of the nuclear power reactors and in preserving or “mothballing” the reactors while construction is suspended.

Nuclear Waste Disposal

The disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear power plants is a very serious problem. Nuclear waste can be generally classified as either low level radioactive waste or high level radioactive waste. Low level nuclear waste usually includes material used to handle the highly radioactive parts of nuclear reactors, like cooling water pipes and radiation suits, and waste from medical procedures involving radioactive materials. Low level waste is comparatively easy to dispose of.

High level radioactive waste is generally material from the core of the nuclear reactor. Most of the radioactive isotopes in high level waste emit large amounts of radiation and have extremely long half-lives, some larger than 100,000 years, creating long time periods before the waste will settle to safe levels of radioactivity. Radioactive wastes, being highly toxic, can destroy or damage living cells, causing cancer and possibly death depending on the quantity and length of exposure. In addition, radioactive material can be mutagenic, thereby transmitting biological damage into the future.

Every 12-24 months the reactor of a nuclear power plant is shut down and the oldest fuel assemblies, which have released their energy but have become intensely radioactive as a result of fission, are removed and replaced. The fuel which has been consumed is known as “spent” nuclear fuel, SNF. Spent nuclear fuel can be dissolved in a chemical process called “reprocessing”, which is used to recover desired radionuclides.

If SNF is not reprocessed prior to disposal, it becomes the waste form without further modification. The only commercial reprocessing facility to operate in the United States closed in 1972. Since that time, no commercial SNF has been reprocessed in the United States. Where are the wastes stored now?

Today, most SNF is stored in water pools or above-ground in dry concrete or steel canisters at more than 70 commercial nuclear-power reactor sites across the nation. Also, waste is stored underground in steel tanks at four Federal facilities in Idaho, Washington, South Carolina, and New York. Plans are to store SNF at Yucca Mountain repository in Nevada.

All high level radioactive waste must end its journey in long term storage. The waste must not be allowed to escape to the outside environment by any foreseeable accident, malevolent action, or geological activity. This includes accidental uncovering, removal by groups intending to use the radioactive material in a harmful manner, leeching of the waste into the water supply, and exposure from geological movement activity.

The extreme lethality of a freshly removed spent fuel bundle is such that a person standing within a meter of it would die within an hour. The hazards associated with transportation, in particular the possibility of accidents, are very serious. Therefore, the minimization of handling and transporting spent fuel is a desirable objective.

Cuba has nuclear waste since 1993.

Conclusion:

Iran and Cuba have been involved in terrorist activities, where Cuba has been paid by Iran with dollars and oil. Cuba has been selling the oil in the world market. Cuba, Venezuela and Iran Pose A GREAT THREAT TO THE SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES