Nuclear Nonproliferation: Status of U.S. Efforts to Improve Nuclear MaterialControls in Newly Independent States

摘要

Safeguarding nuclear material that can be used directly in nuclear explosives hasbecome a primary national security concern for the United States and the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union. The how the newly independent stated control their direct-use materials. The Ranking Minority Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, and the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the House Committee on National Security requested that GAO review U.S. efforts to help the newly independent states strengthen their nuclear material controls. GAO'S report addresses (1) the nature and extent of problems with controlling direct-use nuclear materials in the newly independent states; (2) the status and future prospects of U.S. efforts to help strengthen controls in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakstan, and Belarus; and (3) the executive branch's consolidation of U.S. efforts in the Department of Energy (DOE). The scope of GAO'S review included direct-use nuclear material controlled by civilian authorities in the newly independent states and direct-use material used for naval nuclear propulsion purposes. GAO did not review the protection, control, and accounting systems used for nuclear weapons in the possession of the Ministry of Defense in Russia. U.S. officials believe there to be relatively better controls over weapons in the custody of the Ministry of Defense than over material outside of weapons.