4th Global Initiative To Combat Nuclear Terrorism

Notice to the Press
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
June 11, 2008

Fourth Meeting of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism Madrid, Spain, 16-18 June, 2008

The 71 partners of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (Global Initiative) will meet in Madrid, Spain on June 16-18 for the fourth political meeting. This plenary level meeting will focus on deepening partner nations' understanding of the scope of the Global Initiative.

By further encouraging Partner nation's activities with local governments and the private industry, partners will be able to strengthen support at varied levels to combat nuclear terrorism. In Madrid, Partner nations will also discuss the important role that exercises have in improving partner capacity to combat the threat of nuclear terrorism.

This meeting will also emphasize the value of further integrating the counterterrorism and counterproliferation communities with a special emphasis on deterrence, nuclear detection, and denial of terrorist safe haven. Partners of the Global Initiative will be joined by officials from the European Union, the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as industry representatives.

In Madrid, the partners of the Global Initiative will also welcome new nations. Recent endorsements of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism include: United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Malta, and Ireland. With the additions of Malta and Ireland, all European Union members are now Global initiative Partners.

The Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism was launched jointly by U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 15, 2006. Three previous plenary level meetings were held in Rabat Morocco (October 30-31, 2006), Ankara Turkey (February 12-13, 2007), and Astana Kazakhstan (June 11-12, 2007).

For additional information on the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, please refer to: www.state.gov/t/isn/c18406.htm.

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Released on June 11, 2008

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