Progress! Ukraine to give up highly enriched uranium, convert nuclear reactors

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/12/AR2010041202752.html?hpid=topnews

Ukraine to give up highly enriched uranium, convert nuclear reactors

By Scott Wilson
Washington Post staff writer
Monday, April 12, 2010; 3:05 PM


Ukraine announced Monday that it has agreed to give up its highly enriched uranium, at the start of a summit called by President Obama to focus on protecting the world's stockpiles of nuclear materials from terrorist organizations pursuing the bomb.

The announcement, made by White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, came soon after Obama's meeting with President Viktor Yanukovych of Ukraine. It was their first face-to-face meeting since Yanukovych's February inauguration.

Ukraine agreed to give up its roughly 90-kilogram stock of highly enriched uranium by the next Nuclear Security Summit scheduled to be held in the summer of 2012, much of it this year. In addition, Ukraine will convert its research reactors from highly enriched to low-enriched uranium, a complicated engineering task.

Gibbs said the United States has been working to secure the former Soviet state's highly enriched uranium for a decade, calling Monday's announcement "just the kind of step we want to see at this summit." He said the amount is sufficient to make "several nuclear weapons."

Gibbs said it has not been determined where Ukraine will send its stock, although the United States is a possible destination.

[dipsydoodle]

1. not been determined where Ukraine will send its stock

Russia is somewhat closer than the USA.

[babylonsister]

2. So it's bad news? Here's more info:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/world/13summit.html?hp

snip//

The main focus of Mr. Obama’s meeting is to obtain commitments from each of the 47 countries attending to lock up or eliminate nuclear material.

One such agreement was announced Monday with Ukraine which, after the fall of the Soviet Union, was, because of its remainder stockpiles of nuclear missiles and bombs, briefly the world’s third-largest nuclear power. It gave up the arsenal, but for the past 10 years had resisted surrendering its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, held at research reactors and another nuclear center.

The Nuclear Threat Initiative, a nonprofit group that studies proliferation, has estimated Ukraine’s stockpile at 163 kilograms, or roughly enough for seven weapons.

According to a senior administration official, under the deal announced Monday the United States will pay to secure the highly enriched uranium, which will likely be sent to Russia for conversion into low-enriched uranium for nuclear power plants. As part of the deal, the United States will also help supply Ukraine with new low-enriched fuel and a new research facility.

[dipsydoodle]

3. No not bad news.

I just wasn't aware of what appears to be the overall deal as explained in your second link. Good to see some teamwork here.

:hi:

[babylonsister]

5. You're right about the teamwork; it's great to see-finally!

:hi:

[FrenchieCat]

4. Yeah...I don't think we want to transport this stuff too far, if we can help it....

it is after all deadly stuff.

[dipsydoodle]

6. Obviously needs

Jack Bauer on the case wherever it goes. :rofl:

[Kdillard]

7. Extremely good news. k and r.

[Clio the Leo]

8. HOPEY CHANGEY STUFF!!!! WHOOHOOO! NT

[ensho]

9. good news - Ukraine doing some smart thinking

nt