China and the United States finished hammering out technical
details on their mega-port initiative late May, marking a crucial
step in the two countries' goal to stop the illegal transportation
of radioactive materials, said sources with the Chinese Foreign
Ministry on Wednesday.
China and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding
on the mega-port plan in November 2005 with technical talks
beginning in February, 2006.
The mega-port initiative, as a cornerstone of China-US
anti-terrorist cooperation, seeks to halt the illicit
transportation of nuclear and other radioactive materials by
equipping ports with state-of-the-art detection systems, stated a
press release from the foreign ministry.
"The representatives from China's General Administration of
Customs and General Administration of Quality Supervision,
Inspection and Quarantine and US Energy Ministry held fifth round
of technical talks late May, agreeing on the 11 annexes of the
memorandum," according to the press release.
The accomplishment of technical talks means that the project may
now enter a phase of concrete implementation, it said.
(Xinhua News Agency June 6, 2007)
