Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010, Global Security Newswire

Argentina intends to soon rejoin the small circle of nations with uranium enrichment capabilities following yesterday’s rededication of an at omic facility shuttered in the 1980s, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, May 26).

"In Nov. 11, a first sample of enriched uranium will be obtained, at which point, Argentina will join the group of 10 countries producing enriched uranium" for civilian purposes, President Cristina Kirchner said at the ceremony for the relaunch of the uranium enrichment site in Rio Negro province.

Enrichment capabilities can be used to produce atomic reactor fuel as well as nuclear-weapon material.

The facility operated from 1982 to 1983 but halted service due to reduced prices for its product and negative public sentiments, according to officials (Agence France-Presse/Spacewar.com, Oct. 25).