The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is awarding a contract to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) for an effort entitled “TRACK II Nuclear Treaty Verification Technology Dialogues.”
The scope of this effort is to support a set of formal dialogues with the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Science Group to address complex and evolving science and technology (S&T) challenges.
The effort includes implementing current and emerging applications and approaches, and provision of confidence building measures to assure reciprocal information gathering and implementation.
The NAS and the Soviet Academy of Sciences began cooperating on scientific matters of mutual interest in the late 1950s. NAS’ Committee on International Security and Arms Control (CISAC) began its security dialogue with the Soviet Academy in 1981, when prominent academy members in both countries who had access at the highest levels of their governments concluded that the lack of government-to-government communication on nuclear weapons issues served neither countries interests.
From the Cold War to the present day with the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) as its partner, CISAC has helped to promote mutual understanding. CISAC stays in close contact with U.S. leadership on nuclear issues, explores issues at the frontiers of what the governments can do on an official basis, and develops opportunities for bilateral cooperation.
The topics of the CISAC dialogue meetings in this project have been developed between the NAS and RAS groups with suggestions and consultations with their governments, and focus on key security questions on the path toward verifiable reductions of nuclear arms, a strengthened nuclear nonproliferation regime, and a better secured world nuclear enterprise to prevent nuclear terrorism.
Source: FBO.gov