Gibbs: Ukraine to get rid of high enriched uranium

[April 20, 2010]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House says Ukraine is announcing it will get rid of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, enough to build several nuclear weapons, by 2012.

Robert Gibbs, spokesman for President Barack Obama, made the announcement in a briefing shortly before the U.S. leader was to open a nuclear nonproliferation conference attended by the leaders of 47 countries.

Gibbs said the Ukrainian decision marks the conclusion of several years of effort by the United States on that front. Obama had just finished a meeting with new Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich when the announcement was made.

[Associated Press]

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