Russia denies strong-arm tactics over nuke deal

Russia is seeking to distance itself from the controversy over the Zuma Government’s nuclear deal, denying it was party to attempts to rig the contract worth more than R1trn. In an interview with the Sunday Times, the Russian ambassador to Pretoria, Mikhail Petrakov, reportedly rejected claims that his government had strong-armed former President Jacob Zuma and former Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson to guarantee the contract for eight power stations, and said Moscow had intended to go through the ‘proper procedures’ to compete for the deal. Petrakov said there were attempts to ‘vilify’ Russia and create fear about its activities. He said President Vladimir Putin had stated in March 2013 that Russia’s intention was to help SA develop its nuclear energy industry, which included construction of nuclear power plants and research reactors, and designing and manufacturing SA’s own nuclear power equipment. ‘For us it was never about grabbing a contract, rather a mutually beneficial venue of co-operation,’ Petrakov is quoted as saying.