US and Russia sign plutonium deal
The United States and Russia today signed an agreement to eliminate of massive amount of nuclear material that could be used to fuel about 17,000 atomic weapons.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sealed the deal on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit in Washington.
Under the pact, the two countries have committed themselves to dispose of 68 metric tons of excess weapons-grade plutonium beginning in 2018.
The disposal will be inspected and monitored by experts and is aimed at ensuring that the stockpiles can never be used for weapons or other military purposes.
