U.S., Russia remove potential atom bomb material from Vietnam

[EC]

Via Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/02/us-nuclear-usa-vietnam-idUSBRE9610GT20130702

(Reuters) - The United States and Russia have helped ship out nearly 16 kilograms (35 pounds) of highly enriched uranium from Vietnam as part of a global campaign to reduce the use of nuclear fuel that could also provide material for bombs.

The move - making Vietnam the 11th country from which all highly enriched uranium has been removed in the last four years - was announced during a meeting in Vienna on how to prevent potential bomb ingredients from falling into the wrong hands.

There are about 1,440 metric tons of highly enriched uranium (HEU) and 500 metric tons of plutonium stockpiled and in nuclear arms globally, says the Nuclear Security Governance Experts Group (NSGEG) lobby group. Most of it is under military guard but some for civilian uses is less stringently secured.

Analysts say that radical groups could theoretically build a crude but deadly nuclear weapon if they had the money, technical knowledge and materials needed.

More at link.

This is a partnership I can agree with.