MEXICO JOINS THE G8 GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP AGAINST THE SPREAD OF WEAPONS AND MATERIALS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

• Mexico becomes the 25th member of the G8 Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction. It is the first country in Latin America to join.

• The Global Partnership allows for cooperation and the exchange of information on best practices and success stories in implementing disarmament, non-proliferation, counter-terrorism and international security programs.

 The Mexican government is pleased to announce that Mexico has joined the G8 Global Partnership against the Proliferation of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction after receiving the unanimous support of the 24 participating States. Mexico’s membership is illustrative of its record of complete commitment to nuclear nonproliferation. It is the first Latin American country to join the group.

Mexico's entry is part of a comprehensive national strategy to assist in the global efforts on international security and nonproliferation, and represents an opportunity to gain access to a group that is important for cooperation and policy coordination in the field.

The Global Partnership is an effort begun in 2002 during the G8 Leaders Summit in Kananaskis , Canada. It aims to prevent the acquisition or development of materials, equipment and technology related to nuclear, chemical, radiological or biological weapons by non-State actors.

Mexico's participation in the group will improve Mexico’s technical cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in nuclear security and the physical protection of nuclear materials, and will contribute to strengthening the regime established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540, the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (CWC), and the Convention on the Prohibition of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons (BWC). It will also contribute to fulfilling the commitments made by Mexico during the Nuclear Security Summit.

Mexico joins the following in the Global Partnership: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland , Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, United Kingdom, , Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United States.

For further information: http://www.partnershipforglobalsecurity.org /