US, Russia agree on nuclear detection plan
Saturday, June 2, 2007
THE United States and Russia have agreed on a plan to accelerate installation of radiation detection devices at 350 Russian border crossings to prevent nuclear smuggling, US officials said yesterday.
"This announcement is a major cooperative step in counter-proliferation work in Russia," which contains a major portion of the world's nuclear material, said Will Tobey, deputy administrator for defence nuclear non-proliferation at the National Nuclear Security Administration, a part of the US Energy Department.
"It will help us prevent smuggling into and out of the region," he told Reuters in an interview.
Russia identified more than 480 cases of illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive material in 2006. While US officials said these cases were not believed to involve weapons-grade nuclear material, the number of cases underscores the scope of the problem.
Another US official said the detection system could have an important application in efforts to prevent desperately poor North Korea, which last year tested its first nuclear device, from selling nuclear weapons or fuel.
"On the Russian border with North Korea we have detectors ... so we are able to monitor not only what is going into Russia, but also what might be coming out of North Korea," the official said.
North Korea also has land borders with China and South Korea.
Although US-Russian ties are increasingly tense over a number of major issues, Tobey said efforts to combat the threat of nuclear proliferation "is a bright spot of cooperation" with Moscow.
The two countries, which have the world's largest nuclear weapons arsenals, have been working to equip Russia's border crossings — including airports, seaports, railways and land crossings — with fixed portal radiation monitors and hand-held detection instruments since 1998.
Between 1998 and 2006, however, installations were completed at only 88 crossing points.
Under the new agreement, that pace will be greatly accelerated and Russia will share the cost, Tobey said.
By the end of 2007, the total border crossings outfitted with nuclear detection equipment is expected to be 200 and all of the 350 Russian crossings are to be equipped by 2011 — six years ahead of previous targets, he said.
Tobey said the US share is about US$140 million and the Russian cost, borne by the Russian Federal Customs Service, is about equal.
One feature of the new agreement is Russia's pledge to maintain the detection equipment after installations are complete.
Training for Russian customs officials is part of the programme.
US experts have long been concerned that Russian nuclear technology — fissile material and weapons — could be stolen or sold from Russian facilities, many of which are poorly secured and maintained. The United States has spent millions of dollars to try to remedy this problem.
Tobey declined to speculate on why so few border detection installations were completed in the past.Reuters
"This announcement is a major cooperative step in counter-proliferation work in Russia," which contains a major portion of the world's nuclear material, said Will Tobey, deputy administrator for defence nuclear non-proliferation at the National Nuclear Security Administration, a part of the US Energy Department.
"It will help us prevent smuggling into and out of the region," he told Reuters in an interview.
Russia identified more than 480 cases of illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive material in 2006. While US officials said these cases were not believed to involve weapons-grade nuclear material, the number of cases underscores the scope of the problem.
Another US official said the detection system could have an important application in efforts to prevent desperately poor North Korea, which last year tested its first nuclear device, from selling nuclear weapons or fuel.
"On the Russian border with North Korea we have detectors ... so we are able to monitor not only what is going into Russia, but also what might be coming out of North Korea," the official said.
North Korea also has land borders with China and South Korea.
Although US-Russian ties are increasingly tense over a number of major issues, Tobey said efforts to combat the threat of nuclear proliferation "is a bright spot of cooperation" with Moscow.
The two countries, which have the world's largest nuclear weapons arsenals, have been working to equip Russia's border crossings — including airports, seaports, railways and land crossings — with fixed portal radiation monitors and hand-held detection instruments since 1998.
Between 1998 and 2006, however, installations were completed at only 88 crossing points.
Under the new agreement, that pace will be greatly accelerated and Russia will share the cost, Tobey said.
By the end of 2007, the total border crossings outfitted with nuclear detection equipment is expected to be 200 and all of the 350 Russian crossings are to be equipped by 2011 — six years ahead of previous targets, he said.
Tobey said the US share is about US$140 million and the Russian cost, borne by the Russian Federal Customs Service, is about equal.
One feature of the new agreement is Russia's pledge to maintain the detection equipment after installations are complete.
Training for Russian customs officials is part of the programme.
US experts have long been concerned that Russian nuclear technology — fissile material and weapons — could be stolen or sold from Russian facilities, many of which are poorly secured and maintained. The United States has spent millions of dollars to try to remedy this problem.
Tobey declined to speculate on why so few border detection installations were completed in the past.Reuters
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