An effective freeze on new transfers of enrichment and reprocessing equipment and technologies to any more countries for a year was agreed by the G8 leaders at their recent summit held June 8-10 at Sea Island, Georgia. The freeze will continue at least until the next summit, which takes place in the United Kingdom next year, when final rules for technology transfer are to be set out. The aim is also to develop measures that will ensure that those countries that do meet their obligations have access to nuclear materials, equipment, and technology, including nuclear fuel and related services. The freeze is part of an action plan on nonproliferation issued by the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United States. The plan expands existing efforts—such as the Global Partnership, set up at the G8 Kananaskis (Canada) Summit two years ago—whose aim is to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and WMD-related materials, as well as the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), launched by President Bush in May 2003. It also includes measures to strengthen the powers of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
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