Global Security Newswire

The United States and Uzbekistan have modified an Uzbek research reactor to use low-enriched uranium in place of highly enriched fuel that could be seized for use in a nuclear weapon, the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration said yesterday (see GSN, April 20, 2006).

The reactor at Uzbekistan's Institute of Nuclear Physics was converted with U.S. funding and guidance under a 2005 U.S.-Russian agreement to modify reactors in other nations to use low-enriched uranium and repatriate weapon-usable uranium to the United States and Russia.

The United States plans to assist in modifying 73 additional reactors before 2018 as part of a Bush administration effort to reduce civilian use of highly enriched uranium.

Funding for the conversion was provided through the Global Threat Reduction Initiative, which has already completed several shipments of highly enriched uranium to Russia from Uzbekistan.

"This successful reactor conversion is another example of the international community working cooperatively to reduce the threat of nuclear terrorism," said NNSA nuclear nonproliferation chief William Tobey in a press release.

"Reducing the use of highly enriched uranium for civilian purposes and continuing to work closely with our international partners remain a strong focus of our commitment to advance our nonproliferation and international security goals," he added (U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration release, March 19).