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24 May 2002

Fact Sheet: U.S.-Russian Cooperation on Nuclear Material Reduction

(Issued in conjunction with Bush-Putin summit May 24) (310)
Following is a White House fact sheet on U.S.-Russian Cooperation on
Nuclear Material Reduction issued in conjunction with the May 24
Moscow summit between President George W. Bush and Russian President
Vladimir Putin:
(begin fact sheet)
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
(Moscow, Russia)
May 24, 2002
FACT SHEET
U.S.-Russian Cooperation on Nuclear Material Reduction
President Bush and President Putin have agreed to establish a joint
experts group to examine means to eliminate more weapons-grade nuclear
material.
Both the United States and Russia have recognized that one important
means to keep nuclear weapons material out of the hands of hostile
nations or terrorists is to reduce the amount available. Under
existing agreements, the United States and Russia are committed to
reducing the amount of nuclear weapons-grade material, through the
elimination of 34 metric tons each of plutonium and through U.S.
purchase of 500 metric tons of Russian highly-enriched uranium for use
in commercial nuclear reactor fuel. More than 140 metric tons of
highly-enriched uranium has already been delivered under the latter
agreement.
These programs will eliminate enough material for almost 25,000
nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, President Bush and President Putin
agree that they should seek to do more. Therefore, a joint experts
group under Secretary of Energy Abraham and Russian Minister of Atomic
Energy Rumyantsev will examine near- and longer-term, bilateral and
multilateral means to reduce inventories of plutonium and
highly-enriched uranium still further.
The joint experts group will begin work immediately, and report its
findings to Secretary Abraham and Minister Rumyantsev within six
months. It will consult closely with industry to ensure that
commercial markets would not be adversely affected by any new
recommended initiatives to eliminate more weapons-grade plutonium and
highly-enriched uranium.
(end fact sheet)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)