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U.S., Kazakhstan to expand cooperation in nuclear safeguards, security

01 December 2011 18:56 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The United States and Kazakhstan have agreed to expand cooperation in nuclear safeguards and security, the U.S. Embassy to Kazakhstan said in a press release issued Thursday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced Thursday the signing of an Implementing Arrangement with the Government of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and New Technology (MINT) to promote increased cooperation in nuclear safeguards and security, said the press release.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman and Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of MINT Bakhytzhan Dzhaksaliyev signed the arrangement to expand bilateral cooperation in key nonproliferation areas.

According to the release, the Implementing Arrangement will provide a framework for expanded technical cooperation in nuclear material safeguards and security, containment and surveillance of nuclear materials, nuclear safety and waste management, nuclear forensics, and information management. It will also provide the framework for enhanced coordination of training and outreach to third countries.

"The Implementing Arrangement is an important next step in our cooperation with Kazakhstan that advances our joint interest in ensuring the highest possible standards for nuclear material safeguards and security," Poneman was quoted as saying in the release.