DOE, ROSATOM Sign Joint Statement on Strategic Directions of U.S.-Russian Nuclear Cooperation

VIENNA, AUSTRIA – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the signing of a Joint Statement on the strategic directions of U.S.-Russian nuclear cooperation with the State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and ROSATOM Director General Sergey Kirienko signed the Joint Statement at the conclusion of bilateral consultations at the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference in Vienna, Austria.

“Today’s statement marks an important milestone in our relationship with Russia while advancing our joint interest in nonproliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy,” said Secretary Chu. “This Joint Statement reflects both our nations’ commitment to supporting the safe and secure expansion of civil nuclear energy. With the entry into force of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the United States of America for Cooperation in the Field of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, a new era has begun that offers significant opportunities to expand cooperation between the two countries on a broad range of areas in civil nuclear energy, scientific and technical collaboration, and nuclear security.”

This Joint Statement recognizes that the U.S. and Russia have together actively and consistently demonstrated leadership in the nuclear sphere, particularly in the areas of nuclear disarmament, nonproliferation, and counterterrorism.

DOE and ROSATOM specifically highlight civil nuclear cooperation, and in light of the events at Fukushima, both countries acknowledge the importance of additional cooperation on nuclear safety research. The Joint Statement outlines DOE and ROSATOM plans to collaborate on commercial, security and scientific cooperation and reaffirmed the intention to establish a framework to support the expansion of interaction between U.S. and Russian nuclear laboratories, institutes, and sites, on the broad range of scientific and technical topics.

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