Georgia, U.S. Sign Deal to Combat Nuclear Smuggling

Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili and U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John Tefft signed an agreement on February 2 to combat illicit trafficking in nuclear or radioactive materials either through or within the territory of Georgia.

Targeted areas for assistance include strengthening Georgia?s Nuclear Regulatory Agency, patrolling of border areas between established points of entry, border police aviation, maritime patrol and coordination center, and international cooperation on nuclear forensics.

?The signing of this document represents a crucial milestone in the cooperative efforts of the U.S. and Georgian governments to battle the threat of nuclear terrorism,? the U.S. Embassy said in a press statement.

The signing of the agreement, which according to the U.S. Embassy has been in the making for several months already, comes a week after the Georgian government revealed that last year that it foiled a uranium smuggling operation from Russia into Georgia via breakaway South Ossetia.

?We invite everyone, especially our neighbors, join in such cooperation. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related materials has become one of the major challenges for international security,? Gela Bezhuashvili, the Georgian Foreign Minister, said after signing the agreement.

He said that despite ?significant progress,? difficulties still remain with regard to the existence of abandoned radioactive sources on Georgian territory.

?Another serious challenge is the transit of these dangerous materials through the uncontrolled territories in breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. These territories are beyond the control of the central authorities; therefore, the threat of using these regions for nuclear smuggling is increasing,? Bezhuashvili added.

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