U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT LIFTS SANCTIONS ON ANATOLY KUNTSEVICH

WASHINGTON, April 2, 2004. (RIA Novosti correspondent Arkady Orlov) - John Wolf, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for nonproliferation, has decided to lift the 1995 sanctions that the United States imposed on Anatoly Kuntsevich, an academician who the U.S. accused of violating nonproliferation of chemical weapons agreements.

On Thursday, the U.S. Federal Register in Washington released information that Mr. Wolf had signed the appropriate documents on March 26, 2004.

According to the document, Mr. Wolf also confirmed to the U.S. Congress that Mr. Kuntsevich had stopped his previous activity because of the sanctions.

On March 26, Mr. Wolf also terminated sanctions that the United States imposed in 1999 against two Russian organizations: the Central Scientific Research Institute of Precision Engineering and the Volsk Machine Plant. These organizations were also accused of violating nonproliferation agreements.

On March 23, the U.S. Administration concluded that ending the sanctions was necessary because the Central Scientific and Research Institute of Precision Engineering and the Volsk Machine Plant are important for the national interests of the United States.

According to the register, on March 24, Mr. Wolf also lifted sanctions, imposed in 1998, against Europalas 2000, the Scientific and Research Institute of Graphite Structural Materials and MOSO. 1999 sanctions against the Scientific, Research and Design Institute of Energy Engineering were also lifted.

Ending these sanctions serves the United States' foreign policy and national security interests, the document says.