NTI Co-Chairman Sam Nunn Statement on the Successful Removal of All Highly Enriched Uranium from Poland

At the 60^th
IAEA General Conference, U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz announced
the successful repatriation of 61 kilograms of Russian-origin highly enriched
uranium (HEU) from the Maria research reactor located in Poland.  Over a ten-year period, more than 700
kilograms of highly enriched uranium was removed from Poland. According to the
U.S. Department of Energy, this removal makes Poland the 31^st
country, plus Taiwan, to completely remove their HEU.

 “I congratulate the Government of Poland for their long-term commitment
and cooperation in removing all highly enriched uranium from their
country.  I also want to commend the U.S.
Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration team who worked
persistently over ten years to encourage and help remove all fresh and spent
highly enriched uranium fuel from Poland. 
Thanks to these efforts over multiple administrations and cooperation among nations, the
world is a safer place.  I would also like
to add my appreciation to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the
Russian Federation for their participation in this important operation.  Cooperation among nations is essential to strengthen
global security. ”

 Related NTI content:

The Case for Highly
Enriched Uranium-Free Zones, a paper by Miles A. Pomper, Andrew J. Bieniawski,
and Elena Sokova