Continued Cooperation between RSE NNC RK and DTRA

Today, the Roles and Responsibilities Framework was signed between the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Defense Threat Reduction Agency of the United States of America Department of Defense for security and sustainment capabilities at the former Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS). The signing ceremony took place in Kurchatov as a part of the visit of the Director of Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Ms. Rebecca Kimbal Cloudman Hersman to the RSE NNC RK.

The Parties intend to continue the cooperation to ensure the safety of STS territory including research, implementing technical and physical security measures and measures to deter and prevent unauthorized access to residues of nuclear activity (RONA) and associated sites, monitoring existing security infrastructure for vulnerabilities, and many others.

One of the projects is to operationalize an Emergency and Technical Center, which is constructed now at the RSE NNC RK base to support security of and response to the territory of the former STS territory as well as to provide the uninterrupted operation of security system under the financial support of DTRA.

For reference only.

This year, it is the 30th anniversary of the signing of an Umbrella Agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Kazakhstan Concerning the Destruction of Silo Launchers of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, Emergency Response, and the Prevention of Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Actually, it was this Agreement that paved the way towards the implementation of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program (Nunn-Lugar Program) in Kazakhstan and became the starting point for joint work between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the United States in the field of prevention of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Over the past 30 years, the RSE NNC RK together with DTRA has carried out unique work aimed at upgrading the security of the former STS and reducing the risk of RONA proliferation. Joint projects include the elimination of nuclear test infrastructure, securing nuclear materials, nuclear reactors, and facilities as well as upgrading security systems and emergency response.