Global Security Newswire

The United States and Armenia yesterday signed a 28-step action plan to help the former Soviet state improve its capabilities to prevent smuggling of nuclear or radioactive materials, the U.S. State Department announced (see GSN, Dec. 1, 2005).

The agreement calls for Armenia to whenever possible implement steps on its own "to prevent, detect and respond effectively to attempts to smuggle nuclear or radioactive materials," according to a press release.  Washington would step in as needed with U.S. support or aid from other sectors of the international community.

The United States has signed similar agreements under the Nuclear Smuggling Outreach Initiative with Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Ukraine.  Additional deals are planned with another 20 nations considered to be at particular risk for smuggling of nuclear materials.

Eight other nations and three international organizations have so far agreed to assist nations involved in the program (U.S. State Department release, July 14).

Trafficking of nuclear materials has increased significantly since the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Associated Press reported.  Georgian authorities in June 2003 foiled an attempt to bring six ounces of highly enriched uranium into Armenia (Associated Press/Jerusalem Post, July 14).