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United States and Singapore Governments Launch Effort to Detect Terrorist Shipments of Nuclear Material
Equipment Will Help Thwart Attempts to Smuggle Components for Nuclear Weapons and 'Dirty Bombs' through Seaports
Singapore -- The United States and Singapore Governments on March 10 signed a Declaration of Principles to deploy state-of-the-art equipment at the Port of Singapore to detect hidden shipments of nuclear and other radioactive material. This agreement will further strengthen their work together in the war on terrorism.
United States Ambassador to Singapore Franklin L. Lavin signed the cooperative agreement on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), together with Singapore's Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) Commissioner Lock Wai Han. "The United States and Singapore both recognize the need to remain vigilant against the threat posed by the trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive materials," said Ambassador Lavin. "The agreement we sign today is another example of the excellent cooperation in the overall relationship between the United States and Singapore, and will further our mutual international non-proliferation and anti-terrorist efforts."
Commissioner Lock Wai Han said, "Singapore's participation in the initiative demonstrates our commitmnt in safeguarding maritime security and the global trading system. Being an international maritime hub, Singapore views the enhancement of homeland and container security as an important response to the threats posed by terrorism."
The U.S.-Singapore agreement falls under the Department of Energy's (DOE) NNSA Megaports Initiative, which is designed to work with foreign governments to deter, detect and interdict illegal shipments of nuclear weapons materials. Singapore will be the first country in Southeast Asia to use this type of detection system in cooperation with the United States. The specialized radiation detection technology was developed by DOE laboratories as part of overall U.S. nuclear security efforts to guard against the proliferation of nuclear weapons material.
The Megaports Initiative complements the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Container Security Initiative (CSI), in which U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers team up with their counterparts at major shipping ports to help prevent terrorists from exploiting global containerized cargo bound for the United States.
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SINGAPORE
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY, SINGAPORE
10 MARCH 2005
Singapore -- The United States and Singapore Governments on March 10 signed a Declaration of Principles to deploy state-of-the-art equipment at the Port of Singapore to detect hidden shipments of nuclear and other radioactive material. This agreement will further strengthen their work together in the war on terrorism.
United States Ambassador to Singapore Franklin L. Lavin signed the cooperative agreement on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), together with Singapore's Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) Commissioner Lock Wai Han. "The United States and Singapore both recognize the need to remain vigilant against the threat posed by the trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive materials," said Ambassador Lavin. "The agreement we sign today is another example of the excellent cooperation in the overall relationship between the United States and Singapore, and will further our mutual international non-proliferation and anti-terrorist efforts."
Commissioner Lock Wai Han said, "Singapore's participation in the initiative demonstrates our commitmnt in safeguarding maritime security and the global trading system. Being an international maritime hub, Singapore views the enhancement of homeland and container security as an important response to the threats posed by terrorism."
The U.S.-Singapore agreement falls under the Department of Energy's (DOE) NNSA Megaports Initiative, which is designed to work with foreign governments to deter, detect and interdict illegal shipments of nuclear weapons materials. Singapore will be the first country in Southeast Asia to use this type of detection system in cooperation with the United States. The specialized radiation detection technology was developed by DOE laboratories as part of overall U.S. nuclear security efforts to guard against the proliferation of nuclear weapons material.
The Megaports Initiative complements the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Container Security Initiative (CSI), in which U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers team up with their counterparts at major shipping ports to help prevent terrorists from exploiting global containerized cargo bound for the United States.
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SINGAPORE
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY, SINGAPORE
10 MARCH 2005