President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping in France in November 2015.(Photo: Evan Vucci, AP)
WASHINGTON —<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Leaders from more than 50 countries join President Obama this week for talks on how to stop a nightmare: nuclear terrorism.
Delegates to the Nuclear Security Summit will also discuss plans<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to promote nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, but the recent attacks in Brussels put the spotlight on efforts by extremists to develop nukes.
"Terrorist organizations have a desire to get access to those raw materials," said<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for strategic communications.
Obama's meetings on Thursday and Friday also include sessions with the leaders of Japan, South Korea<span style="color: Red;">*</span>and China, agendas that include the threat posed by North Korea and its nuclear weapons.
The president and allies also plan to discuss the disputed<span style="color: Red;">*</span>nuclear deal with Iran. While Israel and many Republicans and have criticized the agreement, Rhodes and other officials said it will block the Tehran government from securing the means to make nuclear weapons.
Delegates to the Nuclear Security Summit gather Thursday for a working dinner, while plenary sessions take place on Friday.
The summit closes Friday afternoon with a news conference.
Officials said there is no way to quantify<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the likelihood of a nuclear attack by extremists, but the possibility cannot be discounted.
"A terrorist attack with an improvised nuclear device would create political, economic, social, psychological, and environmental havoc around the world, no matter where the attack occurs," said an administration statement on the nuclear summit, echoing comments Obama has made.
Nuclear policy has been a <span style="color: Red;">*</span>high priority for Obama, whose agenda<span style="color: Red;">*</span>includes disarmament, non-proliferation, security, and the development<span style="color: Red;">*</span>of peaceful nuclear energy.
Obama<span style="color: Red;">*</span>hosted the first Nuclear Security Summit in 2010, and they have been held every two years since.
"We continue the march toward the goal of a world without nuclear weapons," the administration said.
One notable absence from this year's summit: Russia.
Rhodes and American and Russian officials continue to work on nuclear anti-proliferation projects<span style="color: Red;">*</span>and that Russia's decision to skip the event is a missed opportunity for them.
"All they're doing is isolating themselves," Rhodes said.
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