News

To further the ongoing Lithuania-U.S. cooperation and activities in capacity building in the field of nuclear security, Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the second experts’ meeting on cooperation on nuclear security on June 22. At the meeting, the U.S. representatives acquainted Lithuanian experts with the draft joint action plan that they drafted taking into consideration the information provided by Lithuanian institutions at the previous meeting about their activities, the available equipment, devices and possible needs.

The joint action plan is an agreement between Lithuania and the U.S. on joint activities and possible assistance projects to combat smuggling of nuclear materials.

Experts from institutions of both countries discussed the U.S. offers regarding the bilateral cooperation potential in the field of nuclear security and complemented the projects with comments and proposals. Negotiations on these projects are to continue in the nearest future.

Lithuania actively supports initiatives of international nuclear security that were designed with an aim to join efforts to ensure that radioactive materials would not fall into the hands of terrorists and smugglers.

The U.S. leadership that was established during the nuclear security summit on April 13-14, 2010, in Washington D.C., is of particular importance in this field.

Lithuania was invited to participate in the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit that was held on 26-27 March this year. At the Summit, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano promised to provide all the necessary assistance and support to the recently established Centre of Excellence for Nuclear Security. The centre will be part of the IAEA’s network of centres of excellence for nuclear security. The main objective of such centres is the development of in-service training and exercises in the field of nuclear security for employees of competent institutions, and the strengthening of interaction and cooperation.