Uzbekistan and Russia have failed to reach an agreement on cooperation in the enrichment of uranium at the international center in Angarsk, a government source told Interfax. "Uzbekistan has its own vision of the matter and it does not coincide (with Russia’s) on many issues," he said.

Uzbekistan does not plan to join the international center soon, he said, but did not rule out that it might consider the mater later. Russia suggested Uzbekistan work with it to produce and enrich uranium through the international center in Angarsk in July. The main objective of the international center is to provide non-nuclear countries guaranteed access to enriched uranium to be used as fuel for nuclear power plants, without granting access to the technology for enrichment that has dual application in civilian and defense industries. The center will be set up as a joint stock company.

It will be a two-tiered structure with an intergovernmental agreement defining the rights and obligations of countries participating and a special joint venture set up to allow consumers of enrichment services to help manage the center, define its market strategy, and distribute profit. Ukraine in June confirmed it plans to become a participant of the center to be set up at the Angarsk Electrolysis-Chemical Combine in Irkutsk region. Uzbekistan has the world’s seventh largest uranium resources. It has 27 fields in Kyzylkum region with total uranium reserves estimated at 55,000 tons.