Russia has signed an agreement with Myanmar for the construction of a nuclear study centre that will include a low-powered reactor for research purposes and a waste facility, the Russian government said on Thursday in a statement.
The two countries are to cooperate on building "a nuclear centre, a 10-megawatt research reactor, two laboratories along with the required infrastructure, including a nuclear waste site," the statement said.

Russia has agreed to "supervise the building of the centre, provide technical and material assistance and provide nuclear fuel," it added.

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Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is run by a military regime which has been widely condemned for human rights abuses.


The Myanmar opposition has said it is against the reactor project, warning it could lead to nuclear arms proliferation in the region.
The United States, which has criticised Russia for providing nuclear technology to Iran, has not explicitly condemned the proposed Myanmar deal, but has called for safeguards to ensure that the country cannot use the research reactor for military purposes.


The Russian statement did not say when the project would be carried out, or how much it would cost. Bureau Report