VIENNA, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. nuclear officials said Tuesday they signed a nuclear security agreement with the European Atomic Energy Community in Vienna.
A statement released by the National Nuclear Security Administration, part of the U.S. Energy Department, said the agreement is designed to promote greater cooperation in nuclear security and non-proliferation. The signing was part of a nuclear safeguards symposium at the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, in Vienna.
The statement said the agreement provides a framework for greater technical cooperation between the United States and Europe for nuclear safeguards, border monitoring, nuclear forensics, export controls and physical protection of nuclear materials facilities. The pact also calls for closer collaboration on research and development of nuclear security and non-proliferation technologies, and for enhanced coordination of outreach to third countries.
"Technical cooperation between the United States and Europe in nuclear security and non-proliferation reflects our shared commitment to preventing the proliferation of nuclear materials and technologies," said Mark Whitney, NNSA assistant deputy administrator for non-proliferation and international security. "This agreement is an important step in achieving President Obama's goal of securing vulnerable nuclear material, preventing nuclear smuggling, and strengthening the international nuclear nonproliferation regime."
