Statement by Former Senator Sam Nunn

Co-Chairman, Nuclear Threat Initiative

on the Bush-Putin “Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism”
July 15, 2006

This is a significant breakthrough in global efforts to keep nuclear weapons and materials
out of terrorist hands. I commend Presidents Bush and Putin for this initiative, which
shows a strong commitment to preventing nuclear terrorism -- the greatest threat we face.

The hardest step for terrorists to take to detonate a nuclear weapon is getting their hands
on nuclear material. This is the easiest step for us to stop. Every subsequent step in the
process --making a bomb, smuggling it into the country -- gets easier for the terrorists and
harder for us. That's why the chain of nuclear security is only as strong as its weakest
link. With nuclear weapons materials in more than 40 countries, global cooperation is
critical.

The success of this initiative will depend on:

• Continued high-level leadership, focus and engagement like what we are seeing
from Presidents Bush and Putin today;
• An expansion of this coalition to make it truly global and comprehensive and to
also include security of all nuclear weapons programs, and
• Support from legislatures around the world to provide funding and support to
dramatically accelerate this work.

All the right words are there, and these statements are very encouraging to those of us
who have been in this arena for a long time. As we have seen in the past, there can be a
big gap between words and deeds, a big gap between pledges and programs, and a big
gap between goals and accomplishments.

These gaps must be filled by determined, focused leaders. Presidents Bush and Putin
have chartered the course – now every day, every week, every month for the rest of their
terms in office, they must assign clear responsibility and demand accountability from
their respective governments.

I am pleased to see the emphasis on the important role of the International Atomic
Energy Agency, which will be an essential part of this effort. I also support the
announcement by Presidents Bush and Putin that our two nations will engage in an effort
for the development and expansion of nuclear energy to include cooperation on a series
of steps to assure that all countries in compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty will have access to nuclear fuel and technology.
I also commend Undersecretary Robert Joseph, his team and their Russian counterparts
for their role in creating this initiative.

The world is in a race between cooperation and catastrophe. Cooperation made a big step
forward in St. Petersburg today.

CONTACT: Cathy Gwin

202-270-5942 (cell)
gwin@nti.org