President Yeltsin has said Russia will immediately start dismantling its old submarine fleet in the north of the country, if Norway helps meet the cost.

Mr Yeltsin made his offer during a state visit to Russia by King Harald of Norway.

There's been no official Norwegian reply so far.

Norway has already promised to earmark thirty-five million dollars for cleaning up operations as Russian nuclear submarines are scrapped.

Norway has long expressed concern about what it says is an environmental threat posed from the Russian fleet in the Barents Sea.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
 

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