US and Britain extended treaty on use of atomic energy for defense purposes

By Alimat Aliyeva

The United States and Great Britain have extended their treaty on the use of atomic energy for defense purposes, Azernews reports.

According to the document, Washington and London have "put into effect an amendment" to the 1958 Mutual Defense Agreement (MDA), which provides for cooperation in the "use of atomic energy for mutual defense purposes." The document allows the two countries to exchange equipment and classified information for defensive purposes.

"Today's amendment extends the validity of the treaty in its entirety, allowing us to continue long-term cooperation and strengthen the technical capabilities of the United States and Great Britain to respond to current and future threats," the document states.

According to the State Department, the document, its amendments, and cooperation between the two countries in the field of atomic energy "fully comply with the provisions of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)."

In 2014, the parties extended the validity of the MDA until December 2024.