§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by which(a) governments and (b) organisations it was decided to send (i) surplus highly enriched uranium from Libya to Russia and (ii) nuclear technology components and missiles to the United States following the decision of Libya to halt its programmes of weapons of mass destruction. [168728]
§ Mr. MacShaneOn 19 December Libya declared that it intended to dismantle completely and verifiably its weapons of mass destruction programmes, and to limit the range of Libyan missiles to under 300 kms.
The UK and US offered full support to Libya in helping to declare its programmes to the relevant international bodies, as well as assistance in dismantling Libya's WMD programmes.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the United States' and Russian Governments assisted Libya with the removal of High Enriched Uranium (HEU) fuel stored at the Tajura research reactor facility. IAEA inspectors monitored and verified the packing of the HEU for transport and removal on 8 March. The HEU was airlifted from Libya to the Russian Federation.
Russia agreed to take back the HEU. The fuel-removal was funded by the United States Department of Energy under a co-operative US-Russia-IAEA 1147W programme called the Tripartite Initiative, which addresses safety and proliferation risks. The Tripartite Initiative returns fresh and spent fuel from Russian designed reactors abroad.
Following discussions between the UK, US and Libya, it was agreed that sensitive nuclear technology and missile components should be removed to a secure location in the United States. This was done in close cooperation with the IAEA. There is no equivalent international organisation in the area of missile technology.