NNSA signs nuke security pact with NZ
UPI
May 10, 2007
(For personal use only)

The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration said Wednesday it had joined forces with New Zealand to fight global nuclear terrorism.

"Under an agreement signed with NNSA's Second Line of Defense program, New Zealand will provide approximately $460,000 for nuclear non-proliferation work in Ukraine," the NNSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Energy, said in a statement.

"The agreement facilitates cooperation between New Zealand and the United States as part of the G8 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction," the NNSA said.

"The international partnership was established in 2002 in Kananaskis, Canada, to support specific cooperation projects, initially in Russia, to address non-proliferation, disarmament, counter-terrorism and nuclear safety issues, including threats posed by vulnerable, high-risk nuclear and other radioactive materials," the agency said. "Originally designed as a 10 year program in which nations committed to raise up to $20 billion dollars to support such projects, the partnership is currently in its fifth year."

"Nuclear terrorism is a threat to all countries," said William Tobey, NNSA's deputy administrator for defense nuclear non-proliferation. "This partnership between New Zealand, Ukraine, and the United States greatly advances the international mission to counter nuclear and radiological threats. We appreciate New Zealand's generous support and contribution."

The NNSA said that New Zealand's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade would "fund radiation detection equipment on Ukraine's border with Russia to deter nuclear smuggling and fight the proliferation of nuclear and radiological material that could be used in weapons of mass destruction or for 'dirty bombs.'"

The NNSA has set up its Second Line of Defense program to strengthen the resources that other governments can deploy at border crossings, airports and seaports to install specialized radiation detection equipment and train officials to detect smuggled nuclear and other radioactive materials.