§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is preventing the International Science and Technology Centre which is being set up in Russia to fund and co-ordinate the peaceful employment of former Soviet military scientists from becoming operational.
§ The Minister of State, Department: for Education (Baroness Blatch)The International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC) became operational in February 1994.
In November 1992, the partners in the ISTC the USA, Japan, the EC and the Russian Federation signed an agreement to go ahead with the centre. The agreement required ratification by all parties. By the end of 1992 all parties had done so with the exception of the Russian Federation, which has still not ratified the agreement. In November 1993, in order to allow the, agreement provisionally to enter into force., the partners in the ISTC signed a protocol permitting the provisional application of the agreement to establish the ISTC, prior to the formal ratification by the Russian Parliament. This protocol was approved by all parties by February. 1994. The first meeting of the Governing Board of the ISTC will take place in Moscow on 17 March.