U.S., Russia and U.K. Share Nuclear Security Best Practices
October 15, 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. – National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) officials met this week with their counterparts from the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation to share best practices for managing and securing nuclear materials. Exchange of nuclear security best practices was highlighted at the Nuclear Security Summit in April, and is among the commitments participating states agreed to in the Summit's Action Plan.
The two-day exchange in Budapest, Hungary, was sponsored by NNSA’s Material Protection, Control and Accounting (MPC&A) program and was the fifth in a series of annual best practices meetings between NNSA and Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom), and the third to include experts from the U.K. Ministry of Defence and Atomic Weapons Establishment.
“In order for us to successfully improve the security of nuclear materials in our respective countries, it is important for us to meet and learn about creative solutions to the common challenges we face,” said Ken Baker, Principal Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation. “These meetings provide us with an opportunity to work collaboratively to improve nuclear security, and they play an important role in NNSA’s efforts to implement President Obama’s nuclear security agenda.”
The trilateral meetings are designed to bring technical experts from a broad range of nuclear material security backgrounds together with high-level managers, to improve mutual understanding of the challenges each country faces and to facilitate discussion on lessons learned.
"This workshop, and the continued high level cooperation, reflects our shared commitment to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and keep these weapons out of the hands of terrorists," said Brad Peterson, NNSA's Chief of Defense Nuclear Security. "President Obama has repeatedly stressed the danger of a nuclear weapon falling into the wrong hands, so we are reconfirming our commitment to working together to prevent this nightmare scenario from becoming reality."
NNSA’s MPC&A program works in Russia and other countries to secure and eliminate weapons-usable material. By securing materials at their source, the NNSA strengthens the first line of defense against nuclear theft and terrorism.
For more information on NNSA’s MPC&A program, click here.
Established by Congress in 2000, NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science in the nation’s national security enterprise. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, reliability, and performance of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing; reduces the global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the U.S. and abroad.
