William H. Moser, the U.S. Ambassador and Vayl Oxford, Director of the U.S. DoD Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) visited the sites of Semipalatinsk test Site where they were presented with the results of work on bringing the former STS to a safe state.
The first activities by the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the United States organizations on the elimination of nuclear testing infrastructure were carried out within 1996 to 2000 under the Agreement on Elimination of Infrastructure for Weapons of Mass Destruction. Within the framework of the Agreement, the whole infrastructure for nuclear tests conduction at STS was completely eliminated. The objects intended for underground testing were brought to a state preventing their usage for testing of nuclear weapons.
Since 2000 the operations have been carried out at the trilateral basis (RK-USA-RF), as a result of which test boreholes, containing residues of nuclear activity were securely preserved; “Kolba” containers were buried, special technological equipment from two tunnel objects were removed and transferred to RF, the operations on binding of residues of nuclear activity and strengthening of physical barriers at all planned tunnel objects were fully accomplished. Also in collaboration with DTRA representatives, the up-to-date three-level physical protection system was constructed.
The U.S. Ambassador and DTRA Director highly appreciated the results of collaborative operations and discussed current and future projects.
NNC RK