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New U.S./U.K.collaboration to tackle nuclear and radiological threats

DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM News Release (2008/034) issued by The Government News Network on 18 February 2008

New collaboration between the UK and United States will widen the geographical scope of efforts to address nuclear and radiological security and proliferation threats, Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks announced today.

As part of the programme, an initial £2m is being put into initiatives designed to secure high-risk nuclear and other radioactive materials and combat their illicit trafficking.

The Government today also published the fifth Annual Report on the Global Threat Reduction Programme, detailing progress made on reducing the threat of proliferation of dangerous nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical materials. Specific progress has been made by the UK in assisting chemical weapon destruction in Russia.

Energy Minister, Malcolm Wicks said:

"Joining forces with the US will provide further impetus to our threat reduction projects. Our first joint initiative will be a new project to enhance long-term security of highly active spent radioactive sources in Ukraine and we are already in discussion with Ukrainian and the US about how best to move this forward."

The collaboration was also welcomed by the US Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.

NNSA Administrator, Thomas D'Agostino said:

"We appreciate the opportunity to work together with our allies and other countries to advance our common international security goals. These partnerships allow NNSA to make even more progress toward strengthening nuclear security and countering the threat of nuclear proliferation."

The partnership builds on the success of the UK's existing Global Threat Reduction Programme. Significant progress for the year included management of the stockpiles of spent nuclear fuel from decommissioned submarines in NW Russia, further progress on construction of a key chemical weapons destruction facility, redirection of former WMD scientists and the implementation of a programme on enhancements to security of nuclear materials.

FCO Minister, Kim Howells said:

The UK is continuing to deliver on its range of international security and non-proliferation objectives. Our range of projects, the majority of which are focused in the FSU with funding of over £36m per annum, continue to deliver tangible benefits for UK and global security. The annual report highlights the progress of our work on projects from management of 30 tonnes of spent nuclear fuel in NW Russia to assistance towards the irreversible closure of weapons grade plutonium production reactors in Russia and Kazakhstan."

The Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Bob Ainsworth said:

"In the past two months, MOD has placed contracts worth some £12m for construction and procurement projects in support of the chemical weapon destruction facility at Shchuch'ye in Russia. We have now placed contracts with a total value of over £75m on behalf of UK, Canada and a dozen other international donors. These projects will be completed over the next few months, and help Russia to bring this key facility into operation by about the end of this year."

Notes for editors

1. The UK Global Threat Reduction Programme 2007 annual report is available online at http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/non-proliferation/global-threat-reduction/ar-english/page40802.html

2. The report reviews the UK's progress over the past year in establishing, implementing and completing a substantial portfolio of projects and programmes - mainly in the Russian Federation and other Former Soviet Union countries, to help tackle nuclear, radiological, chemical and biological security threats. The work is part of the international effort initiated at the 2002 G8 Summit at Kananaskis, Canada, to enhance strategic stability consistent with international security objectives and in support of multilateral non-proliferation regimes.

3. Further details about the programme and projects can be found at http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/non-proliferation/global-threat-reduction/index.html

4. BERR is responsible for implementing the nuclear elements of the UK Government's Global Threat Reduction Programme.

5. The Global Threat Reduction Programme is aimed at the non-proliferation of weapons or materials of mass destruction through the establishment of cooperative threat reduction projects with key partner nations.

6. The Global Threat Reduction Programmes includes the UK contribution to the Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction Programme, a $20b ten year programme agreed at the G8 Summit at Kananaskis, Canada in 2002 to address the nuclear, chemical and biological legacies of the Former Soviet Union, initially Russia.

7. At Kananskis, the UK committed up to $750 million over ten years to fund projects in pursuit of the Partnership's aims.

8. The Ministry of Defence is responsible for implementing the chemical weapons destruction and biological elements.

9. The Global Threat Reduction Programme is overseen by a UK Ministerial Oversight Board led by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

10. The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform helps UK business succeed in an increasingly competitive world. It promotes business growth and a strong enterprise economy, leads the better regulation agenda and champions free and fair markets. It is the shareholder in a number of Government-owned assets and it works to secure, clean and competitively priced energy supplies