WASHINGTON, D.C. - Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham today praised the successful collaborative mission to remove a significant quantity of highly enriched uranium from the Vinca Institute near Belgrade as "important forward progress for both U.S. and international nuclear nonproliferation efforts."

Working in conjunction with officials from the Department of State and International Atomic Energy (IAEA), experts from Department of Energy's Office of International Material Protection and Cooperation played a pivotal role in the removal Thursday of approximately 50 kg. of highly enriched uranium from the Vinca Institute. The DOE team from Oak Ridge National Laboratory monitored all technical aspects of the operation at Vinca, including development of the operational plan, verification of the material's type and weight, its packaging and safe transport.

"This type of international cooperation greatly reduces the risk that such material can be used as a terrorist weapon," Secretary Abraham said. "It is a model of how governments, the international community, and the private sector can work together to reduce the threat posed by these materials to the citizens of the world. International nonproliferation efforts are most successful when they are based on cooperative efforts like this one. I commend Russian Minister of Atomic Energy Alexander Rumyantsev for his personal commitment and his Ministry's critical cooperation in this operation."

Abraham noted that upon arrival in Dmitrovgrad, Russia, the material will be converted to low-enriched uranium under the Department's Material Conversion and Consolidation Project, thereby eliminating this material as a proliferation threat. In Dmitrovgrad, DOE technical experts will confirm the arrival of the material and the integrity of the shipment. In addition to providing key technical expertise and personnel, the Energy Department will spend approximately $400,000 on this operation.

"This U.S./Russian collaborative effort is dramatic evidence of the momentous progress we have made in our relationship," Abraham said.

The Vinca Project involved complex international and public-private cooperation. The governments of the United States and Russia reached an agreement with the government of Serbia, endorsed by the Yugoslav government, to work with the International Atomic Energy Agency to return the material to Russia. The private, Nuclear Threat Initiative played an important supporting role for this effort by providing funding to help address the safety and environmental issues presented by the spent nuclear fuel remaining at the Vinca Institute.

On August 7th, Abraham returned from his second mission to Moscow to discuss nuclear non-proliferation efforts between the United States and Moscow. In Moscow, he had a series of meetings with his Russian counterpart, Minister Rumyantsev, to further the expansion and acceleration of programs to account for and secure nuclear materials. Abraham and Rumyantsev will meet again to continue their talks at the upcoming International Atomic Energy Agency conference in Vienna on September 15-17.

Media Contact:Jeanne Lopatto, 202/586-4940