MOSCOW, June 25 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Defense Ministry speaks out against nuclear complex enterprises privatization, said Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov answering the questions of the State Duma (Russian parliament's lower chamber) deputies during discussion of the CFE (Conventional Forces in Europe) Treaty ratification on Friday.
"The Defense Ministry objects point-blank to privatization or conversion of the enterprises involved in development, design or production of any nuclear forces", said Mr. Ivanov.
The defense minister pointed out that the government did not consider the issue of such enterprises privatization.
"We regularly increase the list of defense enterprises not subject to any privatization or conversion", the minister continued. He noted that some of the nuclear complex enterprises "had unique and excellent production and scientific potential".
The Defense Ministry insists that the nuclear complex issues should be supervised by this very ministry to prevent handover of the strategic enterprises to private owners, said Mr. Ivanov.
