Post by maruf on Oct 13, 2004 12:04:13 GMT -5
This is a bit old but,
Is this because they feel HT is getting closer to the State?
Original location: www.suntimes.co.za/zones/sundaytimesnew/basket7st/basket7st1095137170.aspx
US, Russia on secret mission
Tuesday September 14, 2004 06:46 - (SA)
WASHINGTON - The United States and Russia carried out a secret operation last week to remove weapons-grade uranium from the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan, whose government is facing growing Islamist unrest, the Energy Department has announced.
But the removal also coincided with escalating criticism of President George W. Bush by his democratic rival, Senaon secret mission tor John Kerry, who has accused the administration of being lax in confronting the spread of nuclear material around the world.
Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said the one-day operation implemented last Thursday was crucial for enhancing international security.
"The recovery, return and eventual elimination of this highly enriched uranium are an important milestone in our campaign to reduce this dangerous material worldwide," he said in a brief statement.
The operation targeted 11 kilograms of enriched uranium fuel, including highly enriched uranium that could be used for manufacturing nuclear weapons, that was brought to Uzbekistan during Soviet times, officials said.
The material was used in a Russian-designed 10-megawatt multi-purpose research reactor installed outside the Uzbekistan capital, Tashkent, the officials pointed out.
But they did not disclose the nature of the research. During the operation, the uranium was loaded into two specialised containers supplied by Russia, taken to a airport outside of Tashkent, and airlifted under guard to a secured nuclear facility in the Russian city of Dmitrovgrad.
The Russians have agreed to blend down the material into low-enriched uranium that can be used in power plants.
The whole procedure, including the loading of the fuel into the canisters, was monitored by inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency and US technical experts, the officials said.
As part of the fuel removal deal, the Uzbek government also has agreed to convert its research reactor for use of low-enriched uranium fuel that cannot be used in weapons production.
The Dmitrovgrad facility is a partner in a US-financed initiative designed to stem the spread of nuclear materials and technology around the world, according to the Energy Department.
"It was only with the strong co-operation of the Uzbeks and Russians that we were able to successfully complete this important international security mission," Abraham pointed out.
The operation marked the fifth shipment of uranium to Russia from its Soviet-era allies and partners. Over the past year, the United States repatriated a total of 48 kilograms of highly-enriched uranium to Russia from Romania, Bulgaria and Libya, according to US officials.
The same amount of the fuel was brought back from a research reactor near Belgrade, Serbia, in August 2002.
The removal comes as Uzbekistan is facing escalating violence that local authorities blame on Muslim extremists associated with Hizb ut-Tahrir, a group that aspires to create an Islamic state in Central Asia.
Last July, suicide bombers set off explosives outside the US and Israeli embassies in Tashkent, killing four Uzbek security guards.
Thirty-three people went on trial in Uzbekistan last week on charges of carrying out a string of terror attacks in March and April that left at least 47 people dead.
AFP
Is this because they feel HT is getting closer to the State?
Original location: www.suntimes.co.za/zones/sundaytimesnew/basket7st/basket7st1095137170.aspx
US, Russia on secret mission
Tuesday September 14, 2004 06:46 - (SA)
WASHINGTON - The United States and Russia carried out a secret operation last week to remove weapons-grade uranium from the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan, whose government is facing growing Islamist unrest, the Energy Department has announced.
But the removal also coincided with escalating criticism of President George W. Bush by his democratic rival, Senaon secret mission tor John Kerry, who has accused the administration of being lax in confronting the spread of nuclear material around the world.
Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said the one-day operation implemented last Thursday was crucial for enhancing international security.
"The recovery, return and eventual elimination of this highly enriched uranium are an important milestone in our campaign to reduce this dangerous material worldwide," he said in a brief statement.
The operation targeted 11 kilograms of enriched uranium fuel, including highly enriched uranium that could be used for manufacturing nuclear weapons, that was brought to Uzbekistan during Soviet times, officials said.
The material was used in a Russian-designed 10-megawatt multi-purpose research reactor installed outside the Uzbekistan capital, Tashkent, the officials pointed out.
But they did not disclose the nature of the research. During the operation, the uranium was loaded into two specialised containers supplied by Russia, taken to a airport outside of Tashkent, and airlifted under guard to a secured nuclear facility in the Russian city of Dmitrovgrad.
The Russians have agreed to blend down the material into low-enriched uranium that can be used in power plants.
The whole procedure, including the loading of the fuel into the canisters, was monitored by inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency and US technical experts, the officials said.
As part of the fuel removal deal, the Uzbek government also has agreed to convert its research reactor for use of low-enriched uranium fuel that cannot be used in weapons production.
The Dmitrovgrad facility is a partner in a US-financed initiative designed to stem the spread of nuclear materials and technology around the world, according to the Energy Department.
"It was only with the strong co-operation of the Uzbeks and Russians that we were able to successfully complete this important international security mission," Abraham pointed out.
The operation marked the fifth shipment of uranium to Russia from its Soviet-era allies and partners. Over the past year, the United States repatriated a total of 48 kilograms of highly-enriched uranium to Russia from Romania, Bulgaria and Libya, according to US officials.
The same amount of the fuel was brought back from a research reactor near Belgrade, Serbia, in August 2002.
The removal comes as Uzbekistan is facing escalating violence that local authorities blame on Muslim extremists associated with Hizb ut-Tahrir, a group that aspires to create an Islamic state in Central Asia.
Last July, suicide bombers set off explosives outside the US and Israeli embassies in Tashkent, killing four Uzbek security guards.
Thirty-three people went on trial in Uzbekistan last week on charges of carrying out a string of terror attacks in March and April that left at least 47 people dead.
AFP