WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) made this statement on news the Russian Federation has suspended its participation in the Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement.

“Today’s news of Russia abandoning one of the most important underpinnings of our non-proliferation regime is just another example of how President Obama will be leaving office with the world a much more dangerous place than it was when he was elected.

“Russia leaving the Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement means that the gross incompetency of this Administration leaves the fate of 34 metric tons of Russian weapons grade plutonium in doubt.

“This adds to a legacy of failure on nuclear issues that includes an ever belligerent North Korea -- continuing to test nuclear weapons and delivery systems without any fear of consequence -- and an Iranian regime that is able to secure assurances that they don’t need to comply with an agreement that under the most optimistic of scenarios would allow them to become a nuclear threshold state.

“President Obama and his Department of Energy’s deliberate assault on the MOX program and South Carolina need to stop immediately. As it is, our next president will inherit a mess.”

######