Washington, DC – Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-CA), chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today welcomed the announcement by Belarus that it would eliminate its stockpile of highly-enriched uranium, and congratulated Secretary of State Clinton and the Obama Administration for this accomplishment.

“There is no greater security threat today than the specter of a terrorist group obtaining nuclear weapons-useable material. Al Qaeda has sought this for years, and there are cases every year of smugglers attempting to sell enriched uranium on the black market. This agreement will remove one possible source for such material. It also illustrates the critical role that principled and effective diplomatic engagement can play in halting the proliferation of nuclear materials.”