OREANDA-NEWS. June 28, 2012. On the 27th of June, 2012, a U.S. delegation led by Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman visited Russian Federal Nuclear Center VNIIEF in Sarov. The visit was in the framework of the 20th anniversary of the cooperation between nuclear weapons laboratories of the USA and Russia.

The visit goal was to discuss prospects of the cooperation in the field the peaceful use of atomic energy. A delegation of Rosatom was headed by Deputy Director General of ROSATOM for International Cooperation Nikolay Spasskiy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia was represented by Ambassador-at-Large Eduard Malayan.

During the visit the meeting participants toured to the Institute of Nuclear Radiation Physics and Institute of Experimental Gas Dynamics and Explosion Physics. They had a meeting with the management and specialists of the nuclear center, and were given presentations on RFNC VNIIEF works for the nuclear industry and on the use of supercomputer technologies in support of intensification of hydrocarbons mining.

Summing up the visit, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman noted that the meeting was a historic event. The science, scientific basis of the nuclear center produces a great impression, he said. The important task we solve together with ROSATOM is the creation of a structure which would enable scientists of the two countries to continue the cooperation, Poneman continued, saying that having an intergovernmental agreement which determined the cooperation framework, scientists of both countries could jointly continue the work and solve complex problems, i.e. respond to challenges associated with the threat of acts of nuclear terrorism. Large experience has been accumulated in the field of the civil use of atomic technologies and both countries are interested in the development fast reactor technologies and advanced fuel developments, Poneman said. This is the direction where we can successfully move together, he concluded.