US, Russia secretly removed uranium from Uzbekistan

But the removal also coincided with escalating criticism of President George W. Bush by his democratic rival in the November 2 election, Senator John Kerry, who has accused the White House of being lax in confronting the spread of nuclear material around the world.

Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said Monday the one-day operation, implemented last Thursday, was crucial for enhancing international security.

"The recovery, return and eventual elimination of this highly-enriched uranium are an important milestone in our campaign to reduce this dangerous material worldwide," he said in a brief statement.

The operation targeted 11 kilograms (24.2 pounds) of enriched uranium fuel, including highly-enriched uranium that could be used for manufacturing nuclear weapons, that was brought to Uzbekistan during Soviet times, officials said.

The material was used in a Russian-designed, 10-megawatt, multi-purpose research reactor installed outside the Uzbekis|an capital, Tashkent, the officials pointed out.

During the operation, the uranium was loaded inside two special Russian containers, taken to an airport outside of Tashkent and airlifted under guard to a secured nuclear facility in the Russian city of Dmitrovgrad.

The Russians have agreed to blend down the material into low-enriched uranium that can be used in power plants.