U.S. AND EU IN WMD FIELD TRAINING EXERCISES WITH ARMENIA AND GEORGIA
By: Mark Rockwell
Government Security News
http://www.gsnmagazine.com/node/26787?c=cbrne_detection
July 18 2012
The U.S. Departments of State, Defense and Energy and the European
Commission participated in a series of field training exercises with
the Republics of Armenia and Georgia from July 9-13, 2012.
The exercises, said the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
used realistic scenarios to demonstrate and strengthen internal,
bilateral and international notification and response procedures
activated in the event of illegal trans-border movement of weapons
of mass destruction (WMD)-related materials.
The governments of Armenia and Georgia collaborate with the U.S.
Department of Energy's Second Line of Defense Program, the U.S.
Department of Defense's International Counterproliferation Program
and Proliferation Prevention Program, the U.S. Department of State's
Export Control and Related Border Security Program and the European
Commission Joint Research Centre to prevent the illicit trafficking
of WMD, WMD-related items, and advanced conventional weapons.
The exercises, said NNSA, strengthen the collaboration and build on
existing protocols of the Georgian and Armenian governments for cross
border communication and coordination procedures in response to the
detection of the movement of nuclear and other radioactive materials.
"The field training exercises represent a significant milestone in
the U.S., EU, Armenia, and Georgia's shared efforts to combat nuclear
terrorism," said Anne Harrington, NNSA's deputy administrator for
Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation. "The radiation detection efforts in
Georgia and Armenia demonstrate the need to work with our partners in
the international community to reduce the risk of nuclear terrorism,
President Obama's key nuclear security objective," she said.
The exercises follow the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South
Korea, in March, where world leaders, including representatives from
both Georgia and Armenia, reaffirmed commitments to international
nuclear security. U.S. and EU cooperation with Armenia and Georgia,
said NNSA, reflects a shared commitment to preventing nuclear and
other WMD-related materials from falling into the hands of terrorists,
smugglers and proliferators.
By: Mark Rockwell
Government Security News
http://www.gsnmagazine.com/node/26787?c=cbrne_detection
July 18 2012
The U.S. Departments of State, Defense and Energy and the European
Commission participated in a series of field training exercises with
the Republics of Armenia and Georgia from July 9-13, 2012.
The exercises, said the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
used realistic scenarios to demonstrate and strengthen internal,
bilateral and international notification and response procedures
activated in the event of illegal trans-border movement of weapons
of mass destruction (WMD)-related materials.
The governments of Armenia and Georgia collaborate with the U.S.
Department of Energy's Second Line of Defense Program, the U.S.
Department of Defense's International Counterproliferation Program
and Proliferation Prevention Program, the U.S. Department of State's
Export Control and Related Border Security Program and the European
Commission Joint Research Centre to prevent the illicit trafficking
of WMD, WMD-related items, and advanced conventional weapons.
The exercises, said NNSA, strengthen the collaboration and build on
existing protocols of the Georgian and Armenian governments for cross
border communication and coordination procedures in response to the
detection of the movement of nuclear and other radioactive materials.
"The field training exercises represent a significant milestone in
the U.S., EU, Armenia, and Georgia's shared efforts to combat nuclear
terrorism," said Anne Harrington, NNSA's deputy administrator for
Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation. "The radiation detection efforts in
Georgia and Armenia demonstrate the need to work with our partners in
the international community to reduce the risk of nuclear terrorism,
President Obama's key nuclear security objective," she said.
The exercises follow the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South
Korea, in March, where world leaders, including representatives from
both Georgia and Armenia, reaffirmed commitments to international
nuclear security. U.S. and EU cooperation with Armenia and Georgia,
said NNSA, reflects a shared commitment to preventing nuclear and
other WMD-related materials from falling into the hands of terrorists,
smugglers and proliferators.