21 June 2006
Jamaica Teams with United States To Secure Ports
U.S. program installs radiation monitors to detect smuggled nuclear cargo
Washington -- The United States says Jamaica is joining international efforts to prevent smuggling of nuclear and other radioactive materials by ship.
Officials of the Jamaican government, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the National Nuclear Security Administration signed a declaration of principles June 20 that will bring two U.S. security programs to Jamaica. Those programs are NNSA's Megaports Initiatives and CPB’s Container Security Initiative, according to a June 20 NNSA release.
NNSA Administrator Linton Brooks called the megaports program "critical for U.S. national security and the national security of our international partners." Cooperating with Jamaica, he added, will enhance international nonproliferation efforts.
"Preventing the smuggling of illicit nuclear weapons and radiological materials" is the highest priority of the Customs and Border Patrol, said Commissioner Ralph Basham. He termed the container security program "a brilliant idea" that helps facilitate trade and security.
In the megaports program, NNSA installs radiation detection equipment to enhance a host nation’s capability to detect and interdict illicit shipments of nuclear and other radioactive materials at its ports. Just knowing that such equipment is installed has a deterrent effect on would-be smugglers, NNSA says.
Under the Container Security Initiative, U.S. officers from both Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement will work with their Jamaican counterparts to identify suspicious or high-risk ocean cargo containers destined for the United States.
This is the third joint declaration of principles accomplished by the two U.S. agencies. The previous bilateral arrangements were done with Oman and Honduras, the NNSA says. Government officials from other countries in Europe, Asia, South America, the Middle East and the Caribbean are also in active discussions with the United States to have radiation detection systems installed at key port facilities.
According to the NNSA, the Container Security Initiative is already operational in 44 ports in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and North, South and Central America.
Approximately 75 percent of cargo containers headed to the United States originate in or are transshipped from CSI ports.
The Megaports Initiative is operational in six countries, and at various stages of negotiations or implementation with approximately another 30 countries. Similar partnerships already exist with the Netherlands, Greece and other nations.
For more information about U.S. nonproliferation efforts, see Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.
The NNSA press release is available on its Web site.
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
