MOSCOW, March 15 (RIA Novosti) - The United States officially invited Russia Wednesday to participate in the development of next-generation nuclear energy systems.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman extended the invitation to join the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) during his meeting in Moscow with Sergei Kirienko, the head of Russia's Federal Agency for Nuclear Power.
"The sides discussed energy security issues, approaches toward creating mechanisms of non-discriminatory access of new countries to inexpensive nuclear energy under strict adherence to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and anti-terrorism measures at nuclear facilities," the agency said.
Bodman and Kirienko agreed that U.S.-Russian cooperation within the framework of International Atomic Energy Agency projects and the GIF forum was important for the development of next generation nuclear energy systems.
The GIF is an 11-member nuclear energy research and development consortium established in January 2000 to develop innovative nuclear energy system concepts to meet future energy challenges. GIF members include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Euratom, France, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the U.S., with the OECD-Nuclear Energy Agency and the IAEA as permanent observers.
