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Radiological Weapons: Russia and U.S. Agree to Secure Radioactive Material Russia and the United States have agreed to work more closely together to tighten security of radioactive materials, top U.S. and Russian officials said yesterday in Washington (see GSN, May 6). Terrorists could use such materials to construct dirty bombs that would spread radiation, U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said after three days of talks with Russian Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev. The two countries agreed to establish a task force to study related issues and recommend ways to increase security (see GSN, May 7). “Perhaps the most important step we took this week was an agreement to work together to protect the security of radiological sources that might be used to develop so-called dirty bombs,” Abraham said. “Both countries have become concerned with radiological materials that, while not capable of causing a nuclear explosion, would be very suitable for use in so-called dirty bombs,” he added. Many devices — including beacons, medical equipment and radiography tools — use radioactive materials, Reuters reported (Reuters/Planet Ark, May 10). Progress on Iran, But No Resolution The two officials made progress regarding U.S. opposition to Russian assistance with a nuclear power plant in Iran, Rumyantsev said (see GSN, May 6). The issue remains a “sensitive topic,” but “we are close to finding a solution,” he said. The light water nuclear reactor Russia is building in Iran cannot be used to produce material for nuclear weapons and “is not a source of proliferation of nuclear material,” Rumyantsev said. The United States remains concerned about Russian assistance to Iran, but “we had positive discussions,” Abraham said (H. Josef Hebert, Associated Press/Yahoo.com, May 9). Other Agreements In addition, the United States will resume buying plutonium-238 from Russia for the U.S. space program, Abraham said. The two countries agreed to accelerate work to protect nuclear materials in Russia, he added. “We now expect to complete the work of protecting some 600 tons of fissile material by 2008 — a full two years earlier than we expected at this time last year.” Russia and the United States also agreed “to conduct periodic review of our cooperation,” Abraham said (U.S. State Department release, May 9).
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