The United States of America handed over 230 handheld radiation detectors to Uzbekistan, the US Embassy in Tashkent said.
US Ambassador Pamela Spratlen and the First Deputy Chairman of the Uzbek State Customs Committee Jasur Aripov participated in a handover ceremony.
This transfer was made possible by a Memorandum of Understanding signed on 1 August 2017 between the United States and Uzbekistan.
The US diplomatic mission said that cooperation between the United States and Uzbekistan on nuclear and radiological nonproliferation is essential to ensuring a safer and more secure world. With this new equipment, the Uzbek Customs Committee will be better able to detect dangerous nuclear and radiological materials at border crossing points.
“US cooperation on a broad range of issues supports Uzbekistan’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, while increasing the country’s ability counter transnational security threats. Since 2001, the United States and Uzbekistan have been close partners in preventing the spread of dangerous nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological materials,” the US Embassy said.