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US hails progress of nuclear security co-op with Russia
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-24 10:53

WASHINGTON -- The United States on Tuesday welcomed the completion of nuclear weapons material security upgrades under the Bratislava Initiative with Russia, saying it would improve the international security.

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President George W. Bush received on Tuesday a joint report from both sides announcing the completion, said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino, adding that the president congratulated all participators for their hard and vital work.

"The completion of the Bratislava Initiative nuclear material security upgrades, and the ongoing work in related areas, significantly improve US, Russian, and international security," the spokeswoman said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

On February 24, 2005, Bush and then Russian President Vladimir Putin announced from Slovakia's Bratislava a series of measures to prevent nuclear terrorism and proliferation.

The measures included upgrading the physical security of nuclear material, accelerating the conversion of research reactors from highly enriched uranium fuel to low enriched uranium, enhancing the security culture of those responsible for guarding nuclear material, and improving emergency response capabilities.

The two countries also agreed to continue cooperation on security upgrades of Russian nuclear facilities and to develop a plan of work through and beyond 2008.