US, Mexico team up against nuclear smuggling

Washington (Platts)--16Apr2007

The US and Mexico signed an agreement Monday under which the US will
provide advanced radiation detection equipment to Mexico, which will be
installed at four seaports, in an attempt to combat nuclear smuggling, the
Department of Energy said.

DOE said that the four ports account for nearly 90% of the shipping
container traffic in Mexico.

A DOE spokeswoman, Julianne Smith, said the "Megaports Agreement" calls
for a US-Mexico partnership on the project. Smith said it was too early to
project the total cost of the project or when the installations might occur.

The agreement advances cooperative efforts under the 2005 Security and
Prosperity Partnership of North America, a trilateral initiative involving the
US, Canada, and Mexico that focuses on collaboration in trade, import and
export controls, immigration, and security, DOE said.