Questions Still Linger About Russia's Kursk Tragedy
ASIEH NAMDAR, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with one of the worst maritime disasters in recent history, and the questions it has raised. What exactly happened onboard the nuclear submarine Kursk and could the deaths of 118 sailors aboard been prevented? Norway, which played a big role in the rescue effort, says lower-level Russian officers were slow to give essential details about the sophisticated Kursk. Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken full blame for the disaster that has outraged many Russians. Hans-Wilhelm Steinfeld is Moscow bureau chief for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, and he joins us on the phone from Moscow. Hans, what role will Norway play in determining the cause of this tragedy?</s>HANS-WILHELM STEINFELD, MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF, NRK: It is a little bit early to say. Criminal investigations are underway here in Russia to try to sort out the reason for this tragedy. Last night, the Norwegian admiral of northern Norway said that the Russians by inertia actually placed the fate of the Norwegian divers in danger, and he really had to square with them. Today, Russia's minister of defense says that a substantial amount of theories that might explain it -- this is a step back from a more self assured version the Russian authorities carried through the air earlier, claiming that they were convinced that a foreign submarine clashed with Kursk. It seems now that this version is challenged and notably in the more critical part of the Russian press. Now, in the course of 10, 14 days, Norwegian divers may be the first ones to go into the hole of Kursk, and they may become the first ones actually to see and carry to a solid information as to the reason for why this submarine nose dived and everyone was killed.</s>NAMDAR: Hans, clearly Norway has been very critical of Russia for this entire operation. Is this going to affect the relationship between the two countries?</s>STEINFELD: The Russians have spent the last three months blasting Norway because of the military radar complex we have in the far north. However, it was also built in cooperation with the USA. Obviously, the efforts of the Norwegian divers have brought some relaxation in these relations now, and of course, there are a lot of people here who -- also Russians -- hope that we may come and step forward when it comes to corporation in the Arctic. There exists a treaty between the USA, Norway and Russia to try to secure the Arctic against nuclear radiation and pollution. And next week, an assistant secretary of state from Norway goes to Murmansk, it may be the first visit to Murmansk after this tragedy and, of course, the hope is that we may get out of the stormy situation when it comes to cooperation stemming the dangers of nuclear pollution in the far north.</s>NAMDAR: Hans, very quickly, can you tell me what you think this will do for Russian President Vladmir Putin politically? He had a lot of support and he's lost a lot of that.</s>STEINFELD: Already, severe criticism against authorities under way. Russia's former minister of defense, Igor Ideynov (ph), have blasted the authorities because they did not respond quicker; among other things, they did not respond to Western proposals to assist them. Putin obviously has to worry that he was not really quick into this matter, he was washing his hands in the warm waters of the Black Sea having his vacation there when he should have been washing his hands in a much colder water, namely, the Barents Sea.</s>NAMDAR: Thank you very much, that was Hans-Wilhelm Steinfeld from the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.