US, Jordan Agree on Plan to Combat Nuclear Smuggling

The U.S. and Jordan have agreed to enhance efforts to combat nuclear terrorism.

Secretary of State John Kerry and Jordan’s Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh signed a Joint Action Plan, on Monday. The State Department said the measure strengthens U.S.-Jordanian efforts to work to detect and prevent nuclear and radiological smuggling incidents.

The U.S. has similar agreements with 13 other countries, including Iraq, Ukraine and Lithuania.

State Department spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. may seek similar arrangements with additional countries.

“These are not issues that you want to take lightly,” said Kirby.

“You want to take the time that you need to get it right and to work out all of the permutations of it,” he said.

The U.S. partnerships with other countries on combating nuclear smuggling are designed to address concerns that “terrorist or other malicious actors” could acquire trafficked or smuggled nuclear material and use it to build weapons, the State Department said.

Kerry also met Monday with Jordan’s King Abdullah.

Kirby said they discussed a range of bi-lateral concerns including the U.S.-led coalition campaign against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria and the need for continued progress on efforts to find a political resolution for Syria’s crisis.