May 6, 2008 (LPAC)--Russian Atomic Energy agency head Sergei Kiriyenko and outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Russia William Burns finally signed the U.S.-Russia civilian nuclear energy agreement on May 6, after 10 months of sabotage by the U.S. side. The agreement was initialed by Presidents George Bush and Vladimir Putin last July, when they met at Kennebunkport, but it was held up by U.S. attempts to force Russia to abandon its nuclear cooperation with Iran. It didn't work for Al Gore, and it didn't work this time, either.

Provided it isn't blocked by Congress, the agreement would allow Russian and U.S. companies to cooperate on commercial nuclear plants, would give the U.S. access to advanced Russian nuclear technology, would allow Putin's international fuel bank proposal to go ahead, and would open up U.S. spent fuel for Russian reprocessing.