Germany will not export to Russia nuclear waste for reprocessing, Germany's Environment Minister Juergen Trittin stated in an interview to the Munich weekly Focus.

He also urged other countries to make the same decision, NTV television reported. The main aim of bills recently passed by Russia's Duma approving exports of foreign-made nuclear fuel to Russia is to earn money. "There is no means to preserve nuclear waste that could be safe and cheap at the same time", the minister emphasized. Any way, according to American officials, more than 90 percent of the potential imports would need U.S. approval, because most of the world's nuclear fuel includes material of U.S. origin. The Russian parliament approved the controversial proposal that permits the import of other countries' nuclear waste for reprocessing last week. The meeting was accompanied by a protest picket outside the Duma's building. The Russian Atomic Energy Ministry says significant sums - some $20 billion - could be earned over the next 10 years, which could be used to clean up Russian regions polluted by radioactive waste from the Soviet-era nuclear programme. Members of the Russian Academy of Science spread an open letter addressed to Duma's deputies urging them not to pass the decision on the matter and to try to find other solutions for the existing pollution problems. The same letter was sent to the Russian President. Other opponents also worry the nuclear waste import risks making Russia the world's nuclear dump, and doubt whether the money will be used as promised. The bill must still pass the upper house, the Federation Council, and be signed by President Vladimir Putin. But despite strong public opposition, it is likely to be approved.