The Marshall Islands government is strongly criticising a United States budget cut which will affect a long-term radiological monitoring programme in the country.
In a letter to the US Department of Energy, the Marshalls ambassador to Washington, Banny deBrum, said he was deeply troubled by the 60-percent cut of one-and-a-half-million-US-dollars.
Mr deBrum says the energy department's unilateral action will undermine the trust Marshall Islanders have in the US, built up over several meetings that developed a joint response to the nuclear test-related needs of Marshall Islanders.
The United States exploded 67 nuclear weapons on the Bikini and Enewetak atolls for 12 years from 1946.