U.S. Department of State

Following is the text of a joint co-chair statement released at the conclusion of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism Plenary Meeting, held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, on June 29, 2010:

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Partner nations and official observers in the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) gathered in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, on June 29, 2010, for the GICNT Plenary Meeting. On behalf of all GICNT participants, the Russian and U.S. Co-Chairs thanked the UAE for hosting the meeting and for its strong nonproliferation and counterterrorism record. The Co-Chairs also conveyed their deepest gratitude to the growing list of 82 GICNT partner nations and four official observers for their resolve and dedication to turning the GICNT into a durable international institution.

Welcoming New Partners

The GICNT Plenary Meeting welcomed Mexico, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Argentina, and Thailand as the newest partners to the GICNT. The Co-Chairs are pleased to see this expansion in participation and are hopeful that additional nations will step forward to endorse the GICNT in support of our shared, vital mission.

Enhancing the Global Initiative

The GICNT Plenary Meeting agreed upon several items aimed at enhancing implementation of partner nations’ voluntary commitments as outlined in the GICNT Statement of Principles. These items included:

· Adoption of a revised Terms of Reference (TOR) that more clearly defines participant roles and responsibilities and establishes concrete mechanisms for GICNT implementation;
· Endorsement of the Russian Federation and the United States to continue to serve as GICNT Co-Chairs;
· Agreement to activate the Implementation and Assessment Group (IAG), which provides strategic oversight and coordination of future GICNT activities;
· Selection of Spain as the first IAG Coordinator; and
· Identification of nuclear detection and nuclear forensics as priority functional areas for the next year.

Reviewing Accomplishments

Partner nations briefed participants on key outcomes of GICNT exercises, workshops and conferences conducted since the 2009 Plenary Meeting. To date, partner nations have completed 35 activities aimed at building capacity to prevent, detect, deter, and respond to acts of nuclear terrorism.

The Republic of Korea presented on the April 2010 Washington Nuclear Security Summit. Partner nations observed that active participation in the GICNT supported multiple goals established at the Summit and appreciated that the Summit Communiqué and Work Plan specifically lauded GICNT contributions to global efforts to combat nuclear terrorism.

The Russian Federation also shared information on a seminar, “Prevention of Radiological Terrorism,” that it hosted for law enforcement authorities of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Counterterrorism exercises were also held within the framework of this seminar. Partner nations noted that this seminar highlighted the importance of strengthening the security culture at industrial sites where radioactive materials are stored and/or used.

Looking Forward

Over the next year, GICNT participants will actively contribute to the IAG’s plan of work and to the development of GICNT products such as core competencies, best practices, or model action plan documents, in the identified priority functional areas. Participants will do so by engaging in focused workshops, practical exercises, information sharing, and other forms of collaboration, including use of the Global Initiative Information Portal (GIIP). The Co-Chairs look forward to working with the new IAG Coordinator and all GICNT participants to implement the items agreed to at this Plenary Meeting. The GICNT will convene its next Plenary session in 2011 in Seoul, the Republic of Korea.