Two Nuclear Powers Agree to Promote and Develop Nuclear Energy Worldwide
Russia and the United States have agreed to work together to promote nuclear energy by making nuclear power available to other countries while reducing their stockpiles of nuclear weapons to the lowest levels possible.
Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and United States President George W. Bush view nuclear power as being essential to helping the world meet its demands for energy use and vow to do what they can to provide assistance to developing countries gain access to nuclear energy technologies that do not involve nuclear byproducts that can be used in the production of weapons.
The leaders both initialed a formal bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement and came up with 10 ways they would pursue their goals of making nuclear power possible for other countries. One such plan includes “facilitating the supply of a range of modern, safe and more proliferation resistant nuclear power reactors and research reactors appropriate to meet the varying energy needs of developing and developed countries.”
Both countries will assist financing for new nuclear programs and help states develop their own training programs, safety standards and regulations to get their energy programs up and running. Russia would provide the fuel and help with the development of nuclear waste management.
