DATE=4/24/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-230218
TITLE=U-S / GEORGIA NUKE (S-ONLY)
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE UNITED STATES IS HAILING THE COOPERATION OF THE 
BRITISH AND GEORGIAN GOVERNMENTS IN MOVING A SHIPMENT OF HIGHLY 
ENRICHED URANIUM FROM A REACTOR IN GEORGIA TO A SECURE STORAGE 
SITE IN SCOTLAND. VOA'S DAVID GOLLUST HAS DETAILS FROM THE WHITE 
HOUSE.

TEXT: ABOUT FIVE KILOGRAMS OF HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM WERE 
INVOLVED. OFFICIALS HERE SAY THERE HAD BEEN NO SPECIFIC THREAT 
THAT THE MATERIAL -- WHICH COULD BE USED IN A NUCLEAR DEVICE -- 
WAS ABOUT TO BE ACQUIRED BY A ROGUE STATE OR TERRORISTS.

BUT THEY SAID SECURITY AT THE GEORGIAN SITE WAS POROUS, WITH 
THEFTS OF VEHICLES AND OTHER ITEMS FROM WITHIN THE COMPOUND BEING
REPORTED. WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN MIKE MCCURRY CALLED IT A POWERFUL
-- POSITIVE EXAMPLE -- OF HOW COUNTRIES CAN WORK TOGETHER TO  
LESSEN THE DANGERS OF NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION:

                     ///MCCURRY ACTUALITY///

         THE OPERATION REFLECTS THE CONTINUING COMMITMENT OF ALL 
         THREE GOVERNMENTS TO INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND 
         NON-PROLIFERATION GOALS.  IT'S THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF
         INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO SAFEGUARD SURPLUS NUCLEAR 
         MATERIALS.

                       ///END ACTUALITY///

THE URANIUM WAS FLOWN IN A U-S MILITARY TRANSPORT FROM THE 
REACTOR NEAR TBLISI TO SCOTLAND, WHERE IT IS TO BE REPROCESSED 
INTO MEDICAL ISOTOPES. (SIGNED)

NEB/DAG/KL

24-Apr-98 4:35 PM EDT (2035 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.