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The Journal of South Asian
Non-Proliferation and Security April 2010 Editorial Staff |
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SASSI‘s South
Asia Security Brief is an online compendium of security related publications.
It is a periodic compilation of news, official statements, and expert analyses
related to South Asian security issues.
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Supporting
worldwide understanding of South Asian security, non-proliferation, arms
control and disarmament issues. A Product of the South Asian
Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI) CONTENTS
NUCLEAR
ENERGY / SECURITY OFFICIAL
STATEMENTS (NUCLEAR) OPINION
/ EDITORIAL CENTRAL ASIA FEDERALLY
ADMINISTERED TRIBAL AREAS (FATA) INDO-PAK TENSION KASHMIR
ENERGY
/ CLIMATE MIDDLE
EAST MISSILES NUCLEAR
WEAPONS NUCLEAR
TERRORISM
April 9, 2010 Officials from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE)
Office of Nuclear Energy today participated in a ceremony in Ukraine to mark
the insertion of Westinghouse-produced
nuclear fuel into a nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Nuclear
energy for all, weapons for none April 13, 2010 | Opinions|
S.M. Hali Every
US president is obliged to review its nuclear policy at least once during his
occupation of office. The current incumbent, President Obama, presented his
2,200 page policy changes titled Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) on April 6,
2010. India
to set up centre for N-energy applications April 14, 2010 India
would set up a Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership, Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh told the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington. Korea,
US to Tackle Nuclear Energy Pact April 15, 2010 South
Korea and the United States have agreed to begin negotiations to revise a
bilateral pact on the use of nuclear energy as early as possible, South
Korean officials said Wednesday. Gilani charms Obama
Brings US nuclear energy close to Pakistan April 18, 2010 | Comments
| Zahid Malik Many
Pakistanis in Washington DC are getting shocked and extremely worried about
fast deteriorating law and order situation in Pakistan. “A stage of
helplessness and hopelessness has come,” remarked Mr. Mahmood, driver of my
limousine, who took me and veteran journalist, Mr. Mahmood Sham, to a mosque
called Darul Hijra, for Zohr prayers. Saudi
Arabia set to establish civil nuclear energy centre April 19, 2010 Saudi
Arabia, the world's largest oil supplier, is set to establish a civil nuclear
and renewable energy centre to help meet demand for power as it pushes
forward with economic expansion plans. Singapore
to start feasibility study into nuclear energy April 19, 2010 As
more countries seek to explore the use of nuclear energy for civilian
purposes, the international community faces a dilemma: How does it juggle a
nuclear non-proliferation regime while acknowledging the right of countries
pursuing nuclear energy and technology for peaceful uses? There are still
about 20,000 nuclear warheads in the world, many of them on trigger alert,
Singapore noted in its statement at the International Disarmament and
Non-Proliferation Conference in the Iranian capital of Tehran, which ended
yesterday. Braka
picked to be site for nuclear power plants April 23, 2010 Abu
Dhabi’s nuclear energy company has picked a remote stretch of beach west of
Ruwais as its preferred site for the country’s first nuclear power stations. Putin
Proposes Russia, Ukraine Nuclear Energy Merger April 27, 2010 Russian
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin proposed creating a nuclear power holding
company with Ukraine as the two former Soviet republics rebuild ties. China
to build two nuclear reactors in Pakistan: Report April 29, 2010 China
on Thursday acknowledged that it will build two new nuclear reactors in
Pakistan in a deal that could re-ignite concerns about proliferation and
safety of atomic materials in Pakistan. AERB's
directive to Delhi University on radiation sources April 30, 2010 The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board
(AERB) has asked the Delhi University to suspend all activities involving the
use of radiation sources. AREVA
And Fresno Nuclear Energy Group Ink MOU For Clean Energy Park April 30, 2010 AREVA and the Fresno Nuclear Energy
Group, LLC (FNEG) have announced that they have signed a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) to develop the country's most advanced Clean Energy Park
near Fresno, California, including nuclear and renewable generation.
President
Gul leaves indelible imprints April 1, 2010 THE four-day State visit of Turkish President Abdullah Gul
to Pakistan has afforded another opportunity to the two brotherly countries
to take their already cordial and close relations to new heights…. April 1, 2010 Just like the water in the Mangla and Tarbela dams, the
recent round of talks between the Indus Water Commissions of Pakistan and
India have reached dead level… Bhutto:
a controversial legacy April 5, 2010 April 4, 2010, This day marks 31 years to the day when
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged at the behest of a military dictator. Bhutto
founded the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in 1967…. April 7, 2010 Like a slap in the face, Monday’s terror attacks left a
harsh sting on our claims of staying two steps ahead in curbing the
militants. Targeting a rally of ANP in Timergarah, Lower Dir, celebrating the
renaming of NWFP as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, a suicide bomber killed close to 50
people… April 8, 2010 The killing of 73 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men
in Chhattisgargh state by Maoist insurgents is a stark reminder that, despite
all its claims of development and progress, trouble is brewing in India…. April 13, 2010 The government and all the political parties in parliament
have achieved a historical breakthrough with the passage of the 18th
Amendment Bill in the National Assembly. As soon as the Senate passes the
Bill, it will become an Act…. April 14, 2010 The key objective of the Nuclear Security Summit being
held in Washington is the safety of nuclear materials globally. This
gathering of 47 countries is President Obama’s effort to address the issues
surrounding nuclear weapons in today’s world… April 15, 2010 Violent protests in Hazara and political point scoring by
PML-Q on the new name of NWFP, i.e. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, have cast a shadow of
doubt on the smooth sailing of the Constitutional (18th Amendment) Bill
through the Senate…. April 16, 2010 The draft bill approved by the standing committee of the
National Assembly to replace the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) with a
National Accountability Commission (NAC) contains useful clauses, but several
gaping holes have been left open, which must be filled before it could be
hoped that the new mechanism will be a departure from the past…. April 19, 2010 Kohat was struck with tragedy on Saturday as two suicide
bombers attacked an IDP camp as a group of internally displaced persons (IDP)
were waiting to get themselves registered and receive aid handouts… April 20, 2010 In the wake of the UN Investigation Commission’s findings,
action is being taken against some officials named in the report with
statements from the government that everybody named will be investigated.
Acting swiftly, the government has moved to examine the indicted…. April 21, 2010 Speaking on the occasion of signing of the Constitution
(18th Amendment) Bill, President Asif Ali Zardari said that it had closed the
doors on dictators taking over, but further he added, “mishaps can take
place”.….. April 22, 2010 The National Summit on Energy held in Islamabad was the
first visible effort of the government to bring together all stakeholders on
the table to find a solution to the aggravating energy crisis…. April 23, 2010 One of the founding members of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, the
notorious sectarian outfit, is reportedly going to be set free soon after 13
years. Malik Ishaq, self-confessed hitman of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, who
himself admitted to a local Urdu daily in October 1997 that he had been
“instrumental in the killing of 102 people”, will be a free man if reports
are to be believed…. The
shadow of the Establishment April 28, 2010 At independence, Pakistan inherited an over-developed
colonial state structure, a relatively weak political class, and a fragmented
society from the British. April 28, 2010 In fresh charges against the former dictator, property
gifted by the then Indonesian President Soekarno, in the shape of the
Chancery building in Jakarta, was sold for a measly amount on Musharraf’s
directives….
AJK
judicial crisis worsens as two ‘chief justices’ hear cases April 6, 2010 LAHORE: The judicial crisis in Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK)
intensified on Monday as the deposed AJK Supreme Court (SC) chief justice
(CJ) and the acting CJ both began working as the top judge…. AJK
judicial crisis multiplies April 8, 2010 LAHORE: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Raja
Zulqarnain Khan has filed a reference with the Supreme Judicial Council
against acting AJK Supreme Court Chief Justice Manzoorul Hassan Gillani and
AJK High Court Chief Justice Mustafa Mughal – a development that could
further degenerate the judicial crisis in the region… Shutdown
in IHK against conviction of six Kashmiris April 14, 2010 By Iftikhar Gilani :NEW DELHI: Life came to a stand still
in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) on Tuesday in protest against the conviction of
six Kashmiris in the 1996 Delhi market blasts… AJK
govt to accept Kashmir Council’s decision on deposed chief justice April 19, 2010 LAHORE: Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) President Raja Zulqarnain
Khan and Prime Minister (PM) Raja Farooq Haider have decided to accept the
Kashmir Council’s decision about dysfunctional AJK chief justice Riaz Akhtar
Chaudhry… Police
scuttle ‘militant’seminar in IHK April 22, 2010 SRINAGAR: Police in Indian held Kashmir (IHK) said they
had detained on Wednesday the organiser of a seminar that was to be addressed
by phone by Pakistani militant leaders, including one blamed for the Mumbai
attacks…. Three
Kashmiris get death for Delhi bombings April 23, 2010 NEW DELHI: A New Delhi court sentenced three members of a
Kashmiri rebel group to death on Thursday for their role in the 1996 bombings
at a busy market in the Indian capital that killed 13 people, news reports
said. Mohammed Naushad, Mohammed Ali Bhatt and Mirza Nissar Hussain — all
members of the Jammu-Kashmir Islamic Front (JKIL)….. AJK
PM, Farooq Naik discuss quake victims’ rehabilitation April 29, 2010 ISLAMABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister
Raja Faooq Haider called on Senate Chairman Farooq Naik at the Parliament
House on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing developmental projects for the
reconstruction and rehabilitation of the areas and victims affected in the
2005 earthquake…. IHK
police gave IB 35 suspicious cell numbers 5 days before 26/11 April 30, 2010 NEW DELHI:
In yet another charge on India’s premier intelligence agency Intelligence
Bureau (IB) sitting over sensitive inputs that could have averted the 26/11
terror attack on Mumbai, a private TV network claimed that the Indian-held
Kashmir (IHK) police had handed over to the IB 35 cellular phone SIM card
numbers for immediate monitoring five days before the attack….
Obama
focusing on ties with Pakistan, India, Afghanistan’
WASHINGTON:
President Barack Obama is devoting considerable time to US relations with
Pakistan, Afghanistan and India in order to strengthen security and advance
mutual goals in the vitally important region, White House spokesman Robert
Gibbs said on Tuesday. “Obviously the president, as you know and as many of
you have seen, has spent considerable time on our relationships with
Afghanistan, Pakistan and India in order to see security strengthened and our
mutual goals worked on in an important region in the world,” Robert Gibbs
said. France
urged to do more in Afghanistan
NEW YORK: President Nicolas Sarkozy can order more
French troops to Afghanistan to return the favors he got during his U.S.
trip, says a New York Times editorial. Sarkozy "got nearly everything he
could have hoped for from his visit to the United States this week" and
now "he needs to return the favor by significantly increasing French
combat strength in Afghanistan," the editorial said. Military Corps established to strengthen security in Taliban stronghold
LASHKAR
GAH, Afghanistan: Afghanistan Defense Ministry on Thursday formally
inaugurated a new Corps in Taliban hotbed Helmand province as part of efforts
to stabilize security in the restive southern region. "With the
formation of Corps 215 security would be strengthened in Helmand,"
Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak in his opening remarks said.
Flanked by top U.S.-NATO commander General Stanley McChrystal, the Afghan Defense
Minister said, "The priority of this Corps is to protect security and
ensure peace in Helmand and neighboring provinces." U.S.
shift from Iraq to Afghanistan presents massive logistical operation for Army
As the
United States draws down troops in Iraq and reinforces them in Afghanistan,
the Army is pushing to complete the largest movement of military materiel
since World War II, a massive logistical operation involving nearly 3 million
pieces of equipment. The operation, dubbed Nickel II after the code name for
Gen. George S. Patton's celebrated repositioning of an entire Army corps
during the 1944 Battle of the Bulge, began last June and is now about 35
percent complete, said Lt. Gen. William G. Webster Jr., commander of the
Third Army, Patton's former unit. In a briefing for Pentagon reporters from
his headquarters in Kuwait, where equipment from Iraq is sorted, Webster said
some of the gear is being refurbished for use in Afghanistan and some
returned to the United States for use in training. Afghanistan:
NATO Vows to Find Captured American
The
release of a video showing an American soldier held by Afghan insurgents only
inspires further efforts to find him, the NATO command in Afghanistan said
Thursday. The Taliban posted a video Wednesday of a man identified as Pfc.
Bowe Bergdahl, who was captured in Afghanistan in June. It shows him pleading
to be sent home and saying the war in Afghanistan is not worth the human
cost. Rear Adm. Gregory Smith said using Private Bergdahl “as a means of
propaganda is a deplorable act and only fuels our efforts to find him and
bring him home.” Afghanistan-Pakistan
Situation Dominates Singh-Obama Talks
Visiting
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met Sunday night with U.S. President
Barack Obama and reportedly discussed a wide range of issues, including
Washington's policies towards Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as bilateral
matters. Singh, who arrived in Washington earlier in the day to attend the
two-day Nuclear Security Summit being hosted by the U.S. President, was
accompanied by National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon, Foreign Secretary
Nirupama Rao and Indian Ambassador Meera Shankar. The U.S. team comprised
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel
and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns. Australia
Faces Backlash Over Freeze on Accepting Refugees from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan
Australia
could face legal action over its decision to suspend processing asylum claims
from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. The government says that security in both
countries is improving and asylum seekers are increasingly being sent home.
Australia's Labor government says Sri Lanka and Afghanistan have become more
secure in recent months. As a result, asylum applications from those
countries will now be frozen for up to six months. The move will not affect
asylum seekers currently in Australia but will apply to new arrivals. And it
will not affect those coming from other countries. U.S.
doubles special forces in Afghanistan: report
LOS
ANGELES: The Pentagon has more than doubled the number of highly trained
special forces in Afghanistan to hunt down Taliban leaders, a newspaper
report said on Thursday. "The secretive buildup reflects the view of the
Obama administration and senior military leaders that the U.S. has only a
limited amount of time to degrade the capabilities of the Taliban," the
Los Angeles Times noted. With the new buildup, there will be more of the
special operations forces in Afghanistan than there were in Iraq at the
height of the U.S. troop buildup there in 2007, the paper quoted a defense
official as saying. "Although we will have less general purpose forces
than we had in Iraq, we will have more special forces," the unidentified
official said. McChrystal:
too many contractors in Afghanistan
PARIS:
The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan said Friday that the coalition
depends too much on private-sector contractors, and insisted his forces are
keeping close watch on the flow of Taliban fighters who are training in Iran.
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, during a four-day visit to France, said the
coalition in Afghanistan has become too dependent on private contractors in
the effort to stabilize the country. "I think we've gone too far,"
McChrystal said at France's IHEDN military institute. "I actually think
we would be better to reduce the number of contractors involved."
Alternatives could include increasing the number of troops "if
necessary," or "using a greater number of Afghan contractors, or
Afghans to help with the mission," he said. McChrystal said the use of
contractors was founded upon "good intentions," such as to limit
military commitments or to save money for governments. US
military deaths in Afghan region at 957
As of
Friday, April 16, 2010, at least 957 members of the U.S. military had died in
Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of
Afghanistan in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count. The AP
count is two more than the Defense Department's tally, last updated Friday at
10 a.m. EDT. At least 745 military personnel have died in the Afghan region
as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers. 3
Italian aid workers freed in Afghanistan
KABUL:
Afghan authorities released three Italian medical workers who had been
detained for a week, clearing them of allegations they were part of a Taliban
plot to kill a provincial governor, Italian and Afghan officials said. The
Afghan intelligence service said the three Italian as well as five Afghan
employees of the Italian aid group Emergency were freed Sunday because they
were no longer believed to be part of the plot. A sixth Afghan employee
remained in custody. The nine Emergency employees were taken into custody
April 10 after Afghan and British forces found explosives and handguns in an
Emergency hospital in the southern Afghan province of Helmand. NATO
OKs plan to return command to Afghans
TALLINN, Estonia: NATO countries have approved a plan
to give control of Afghanistan's security back to the country's government, a
NATO spokesman said. The transition, which is to begin this year, would
enable U.S. President Barack Obama to fulfill his promise to start
withdrawing U.S. troops by July 2011. NATO, which approved the plan in
Estonia Friday, wants a formal agreement with the Afghan government in July,
The New York Times reports. Amid
outrage over civilian deaths in Pakistan, CIA turns to smaller missiles
The CIA
is using new, smaller missiles and advanced surveillance techniques to
minimize civilian casualties in its targeted killings of suspected insurgents
in Pakistan's tribal areas, according to current and former officials in the
United States and Pakistan. The technological improvements have resulted in
more accurate operations that have provoked relatively little public outrage,
the officials said. Pakistan's government has tolerated the airstrikes, which
have killed hundreds of suspected insurgents since early 2009, but that
support has always been fragile and could quickly evaporate, U.S. and
Pakistani officials said U.N.
shuts Kandahar mission as security worsens
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan: The United Nations said on Tuesday
it had shut its mission in Kandahar and evacuated many foreign staff from the
southern Afghan city, in a sign of worsening security before a major U.S.
offensive. Hours after the announcement, suspected Taliban infiltrators blew
up tankers at a fuel depot outside the city, near the airfield that serves as
the biggest NATO base in the province, killing four people and wounding at least
30.
France
Poses Questions on NATO Missile Shield April 1, 2010 France's defense minister yesterday seemed to question the need for a
NATO missile shield that would be intended to counter possible missiles
launched from Iran, Agence France-Presse reported. Russia
Ships Air Defenses to China April 2, 2010 China has received 15 Russian S-300 air-defense batteries that could be
used against cruise missiles and airplanes, Reuters reported today. Missile
Shield Still Being Discussed, Russia Says April 5, 2010 A high-ranking Russian official said Friday that Moscow would persist in
talks with the United States on plans for missile defense apart from the
inking of a successor accord to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty this
week in Prague, Agence France-Presse reported. Two
Suspected of Exporting Missile Tech to Iran April 7, 2010 German federal prosecutors announced today that they had filed charges
against two men suspected of illegally providing Iran with equipment that could
be employed in the production of long-range, nuclear capable missiles, Agence
France-Presse reported. Medvedev
Offers to Work With U.S. on Missile Defense April 9, 2010 Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev said yesterday that his country wants to collaborate with the United
States on building a system for worldwide missile defense, RIA Novosti
reported. Missile
Tracking Device Tested April 13, 2010 Lockheed Martin Corp. spotted and followed the movements of multiple
airborne targets from a Navy test site in New Jersey using an experimental
device designed to help integrate the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense and
Anti-Air Warfare systems, the defense contractor announced yesterday. Syria
Gave No Scud Missiles to Hezbollah, Foreign Ministry Asserts April 15, 2010 Syria today rejected Israeli allegations that it provided Scud missiles
to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Associated Press reported. Missile
Shield to Completely Cover Europe by 2018, U.S. Says April 16, 2010 A high-level U.S. Defense Department official said yesterday that the
Obama administration intended within eight years to provide full missile
shield coverage of Europe against possible ballistic missile threats from Iran,
Reuters reported. Indian
Ballistic Missile to be Tested by March 2011 April 16, 2010 India intends to conduct a test launch of its new Agni 5 ICBM by March of
next year, the Pioneer newspaper reported today. Hezbollah
Refuses to Address Scud Missile Claims April 19, 2010 A senior Hezbollah official said Friday he would not address claims made
by Israel that the Lebanon-based militant organization possessed Scud missiles,
the Associated Press reported. Pentagon
Says U.S. Could be Within Reach of Iranian Missiles by 2015 April 20, 2010 A U.S. Defense Department report released yesterday indicated that Iran
could in five years possess a ballistic missile that could reach the United
States, Reuters reported. Syria
Pressed on Alleged Scud Missile Transfer April 20, 2010 The U.S. State Department yesterday called in with Syria's senior
diplomat in Washington to discuss Israeli allegations that Damascus had
supplied Scud missiles to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the New York Times reported. Syria
Warned Scud Missile Transfer Could Start War April 22, 2010 The United States has warned Syria on at least five occasions since
February that supplying Scud missiles to Hezbollah in Lebanon could spark a
regional war, the State Department's point man for the Middle East said
yesterday. April 22, 2010 Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi yesterday refuted a U.S. claim that
his nation could develop missiles able to reach the United States, Agence
France-Presse reported yesterday. No
Evidence of Scud Missile Transfer Seen by U.S. April 23, 2010 The U.S. intelligence and defense establishments have become increasingly
skeptical toward Israeli claims that Syria supplied Scud missiles to the
Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah, government sources told Reuters
yesterday. Hezbollah
Receiving Missiles From Syria, Gates Says April 28, 2010 U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his Israeli counterpart yesterday
asserted that Syria was equipping Lebanese-based militants with missiles of
"ever increasing capability," Reuters reported. Scud
Claim Tied to Regional Concerns, Experts Say April 29, 2010 Israel's claim that Syria has supplied the
Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah with Scud missiles are tied to broader
regional matters, especially Iran's nuclear program and the Middle East peace
process, experts said in an Agence France-Presse report yesterday. Hezbollah
Leader Opts For Ambiguity on Scud Question April 30, 2010 Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah declined to refute or affirm
Israeli allegations that his militant organization is in possession of Scud
missiles supplied by Syria, Reuters reported yesterday.
US
calls for four-month Jerusalem building freeze April 1, 2010 The United States wants a four-month
Israeli building freeze in occupied east Jerusalem, one several US demands
aimed at reigniting dormant peace talks, media reports said on Wednesday. Blast
in Yemeni prison allows 40 prisoners to escape April 2, 2010 A
bomb exploded in a prison in the southern Yemeni province of Dalea on
Thursday, injuring four inmates and allowing around 40 prisoners to escape, a
government official said. Obama
doubtful on Middle East peace April 14, 2010 Barack Obama, the US
president, has admitted that Washington's power to influence stalled
negotations between Israel and the Palestinians in limited. A
Policy Shift On Middle East? April 18, 2010 This past week, President
Obama said that reducing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a "vital
national security interest to the United States." It was an explicit connection
that demonstrates a subtle but important policy shift for the White House.
Host Guy Raz talks about that shift with Robert Malley, Middle East program
director with the International Crisis Group. Israeli
‘apartheid’ targets two-state deal: Erakat April 15, 2010 Palestinian chief
negotiator Saeb Erakat charges that Israel has become an “apartheid regime”
worse than during South Africa’s darkest hours and is doing its utmost to
sabotage any two-state peace. April 15, 2010 US President Barack Obama
on Tuesday said his administration wanted to see all countries sign the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, including Israel. Hamas,
Fatah join ranks to call for prisoners’ release April 18, 2010 Hamas and Fatah closed
ranks on Saturday to mark Palestinian Prisoners’ Day on Saturday, in the
first joint initiative by the bitter rivals since the latter was routed from
Gaza in 2007. Israeli
defence minister says occupation must end April 20, 2010 Israel must recognize
that the world will not put up with decades more of Israeli rule over the
Palestinian people, the country’s defence minister said in unusually frank
remarks Monday. Israel
and Palestinians differ over prisoner’s death April 23, 2010 Palestinian authorities
said on Thursday a Palestinian prisoner who died in solitary confinement in
an Israeli jail had been beaten, an allegation Israel dismissed as unfounded. Fresh
bid to relaunch Middle East peace talks April 25, 2010 Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian leader, could visit Washington next month
to discuss new peace talks with Israel, aides said yesterday, as he
considered a major climbdown over Jewish settlements. Iranian
patrol jet buzzed US aircraft carrier: military April 30, 2010 An Iranian navy patrol plane buzzed a US aircraft carrier in
international waters of the Gulf of Oman last week but nothing came of the
incident, a senior US military officer said on Thursday.
U.N.
Powers to Begin Iran Sanctions Talks, U.S. Says April 1, 2010 China
yesterday pledged to join the four other permanent U.N. Security Council
member nations and Germany in negotiating a fourth U.N. sanctions resolution
aimed at pressuring Iran to halt its disputed nuclear activities, U.S.
Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said. Russian
Leaders Seen in "Lockstep" During START Talks April 1,
2010 As Russia
negotiated a new nuclear arms control treaty with the United States over the
past year, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin worked closely to eliminate any gap between their positions on the
pending deal, Foreign Policy magazine reported yesterday. North
Korea "Already Has Nuclear Weapons," Clinton Says April 1, 2010 U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton on Tuesday verbally characterized North Korea as a nuclear-armed
state in an apparent break from the United States' traditional stance on the
matter, the Korea Times reported. More
Nuclear Scientists Needed in U.S. April 5,
2010 The United
States is contending with a growing lack of nuclear scientists and engineers
at a time when their skills are expected to be increasingly needed to oversee
the continued working order of the nation's strategic stockpile and to track
the status of nuclear weapons programs overseas, the Boston Globe reported
Saturday. Tactical,
Reserve Nuke Cuts Seen on U.S. Agenda April 6,
2010 The United
States plans to seek negotiations with Russia on limiting battlefield nuclear
weapons following ratification of a recently completed treaty governing
deployments of larger, longer-range nuclear armaments, the Associated Press
reported yesterday. Nuclear
Posture Review Adopts Varied Approach to Updating Warheads April 7,
2010 The U.S.
Defense Department's long-awaited Nuclear Posture Review endorses three
different approaches to modernizing aging warheads, but the politically
cautious path it attempts to carve could still prove controversial. Obama
Hopeful for New START Pact's Prospects in Senate April 9, 2010 U.S. President Barack Obama expressed optimism
yesterday that the Senate would move quickly to ratify a new nuclear arms
control treaty with Russia, the Associated Press reported. Pakistan
Prepares to Produce New Nuke Material April 12,
2010 Pakistan
is gearing up to produce greater amounts of fuel that could be used in a new
line of nuclear weapons, threatening to spark a nuclear arms race with
regional rival India and challenging U.S. nonproliferation efforts, the New
York Times reported yesterday. Ukraine
Agrees to Eliminate Highly Enriched Uranium Stock by 2012 April 13, 2010 U.S. President Barack Obama’s nuclear security summit
kicked off yesterday with an announcement that Ukraine would dispose of its
stockpiles of weapon-grade uranium. Ban on
Iranian Weapons, Nuclear Imports Floated at U.N. April 15, 2010 The Obama administration yesterday urged five other
world powers to endorse measures permitting the interdiction of weapons bound
for Iran as well as deliveries that could support the Middle Eastern nation's
disputed nuclear efforts, the Washington Post reported. Russia
Could Pay $3B to Eliminate Surplus Plutonium April 16,
2010 Russia has
predicted that eliminating surplus weapon-usable plutonium under a deal inked
this week with the United States could cost as much as $3 billion, RIA
Novosti reported yesterday. Export
Controls Could be Loosened in U.S. April 21,
2010 The Obama administration
yesterday called for U.S. export regulation updates aimed at improving the
country's ability to supply military gear to its allies, the New York Times
reported. China
Details Nuclear Strategy April 22,
2010 China's nuclear weapons
policy seeks to discourage atomic aggression from other countries by
maintaining the smallest arsenal adequate for the task, a former Chinese army
officer wrote today in his nation's top military newspaper. Lawmakers
Warn of NPT Review Conference Failure April 23,
2010 The upcoming Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty review conference will be a failure unless the United
States convinces the international community to take a stronger stand against
the Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs, a bipartisan group of
lawmakers said this week. Iranian
Nuclear Insiders Providing More Information April 26,
2010 U.S. and other Western
intelligence services have seen an increase in the amount of insider
information being made available about Iran's nuclear activities as the
Middle Eastern nation's political climate has worsened, the Washington Post
reported yesterday. Iranian
Anti-Sanctions Drive Meets U.S. Resistance April 27,
2010 The Obama administration
yesterday indicated it would maintain its push for the quick adoption of a
fourth U.N. Security Council sanctions resolution over Iran's disputed
nuclear activities, even as Tehran has worked to rally opposition to the
proposed penalties among the council's 15 member nations, Agence
France-Presse reported. "New
START" Pitched to Senators on Security Merits April 28,
2010 Obama administration
officials courted influential senators yesterday on the anticipated national
security benefits of a U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control treaty inked earlier
this month, Foreign Policy magazine reported. Indian
Reactor Sites Opened to IAEA Monitoring April 29,
2010 India has opened 10 of its
nuclear reactors to International Atomic Energy Agency inspections aimed at
preventing the facilities from supporting the nation's nuclear-weapon
program, the Press Trust of India reported yesterday. Ratifying
"New START" Means Cranking up Mechanisms of Cold War Arms Control April 30,
2010 When President Obama sends
New START to the Senate in early May in hopes of ratification this year, its
arrival will stimulate brain synapses and muscle memories that have atrophied
since the end of the Cold War. Indonesia
Prepares to Join Test Ban Treaty April 30,
2010 Indonesia plans in the near
future to join the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the Xinhua News
Agency reported today.
Summit
leaders reaffirm commitment to suppression of nuclear terrorism April 13,
2010 WASHINGTON:
Leaders attending the Washington Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) on Tuesday
reaffirmed their commitment to the suppression of nuclear terrorism, vowing
to work together to make relevant international convention more effective. In
a seven-page work plan, the participants said they recognized the importance
of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear
Terrorism as an important legally binding multilateral instrument addressing
threats posed by acts of nuclear terrorism. Proposal
targets nuclear terrorism April 13, 2010 More than 40 nations agree to a plan to keep fissile
material away from militants. The leaders of more than 40 nations agreed
Tuesday to a voluntary but far-reaching program to prevent thousands of tons
of weapons-grade nuclear materials from falling into the hands of terrorists. N-terrorism gravest threat to
global security: White House April 13,
2010 Washington:
Warning that nuclear terrorism poses the gravest threat to global security,
the White House on Tuesday said al-Qaeda is working hard to acquire atomic
arms and asked the international community to collectively address this
"serious" issue.
"Al-Qaeda is especially notable for its longstanding interest in
weapons-usable nuclear material and the requisite expertise that would allow
it to develop a yield-producing improvised nuclear device," John
Brennan, Deputy National Security Advisor for Counter-terrorism and Homeland
Security, said. Nuclear Terrorism
and Nuclear Intimidation April 14,
2010 No
rational person can disagree with the argument that one of the biggest
threats the world might face is nuclear weapons falling into the hands of a
terrorist group or a criminal organization. This was the central topic of the
nuclear security summit hosted by US President Barack Obama. But at the same
time, no one can argue that nuclear security can be reduced to the issue of
terrorism alone because that would be simplifying matters to a large degree. Nuclear
terrorism: 'It's real' April 14,
2010 WASHINGTON:
NUCLEAR terrorism is no longer an improbable threat, but a disaster which can
realistically happen if stronger preventive efforts are not adopted, Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned on Tuesday. Mr Lee, who arrived in Washington
on Sunday to attend a global summit on nuclear security, stressed in
particular that the global trading system must be strengthened so as to
prevent illegal nuclear cargo from slipping through, with dire consequences. Terrorism: The nuclear
summit's 'straw man' April 16,
2010 American
President Barack Obama gathered 47 national delegations for the first Nuclear
Security Summit (NSS) in Washington on April 12 and 13. It was the largest
gathering of world leaders in Washington since the close of World War II. The
scale of the summit was meant to impress the gravity of the subject matter. Reinforce
measures against nuclear terrorism April 16,
2010 The
leaders of 47 nations have adopted a joint communique at the Nuclear Security
Summit, hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington, agreeing to
strengthen the security of nuclear materials and promote international
cooperation to reduce the threat of nuclear terrorism. Waking
up to a nightmare of nuclear terrorism April 16,
2010 Until this
week, there had been a culpable complacency about the dangers of nuclear
terrorism and an unpardonable unwillingness to take firm enough action
against it, writes Geoffrey Lean. 'Let me tell you about a nightmare I have,”
said Bernard Feld, one of the team that built the first atomic bomb. “The
mayor of Boston sends for me for an urgent consultation. He has received a
note from a terrorist group, telling him they have planted a nuclear bomb
somewhere in the centre of the city. The
threat of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism April 21,
2010 WITH each
increasing provocative incident such as the exposition of the new hi-tech
uranium enrichment mechanism, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, supported
by the Revolutionary Guards, takes another step towards world isolation and
ultimately possible military confrontation with the United States, its allies
and partners. Nuclear
terrorism and nuclear weapons April 21,
2010 In some
circles, ‘nuclear terrorism’ is linked to the acquisition, possession,
proliferation and utilization of nuclear weapons by terrorists. However, for
the victims of a nuclear attack, it does not matter whether the perpetrator
is a terrorist organization, or a state that possesses nuclear weapons. A
nuclear attack is nuclear terrorism. 'Pakistan
may let Taliban use its nuclear weapons against India' April 23,
2010 Pakistan
may let surrogate Taliban use its nuclear weapons to do its "dirty
work" against India in the event of escalation of tension between the
two South Asian neighbours over Kashmir, a top US non-proliferation expert
has suggested. Bob Graham, head of US Commission on the Prevention of WMD
(Weapons of Mass Destruction) proliferation and terrorism painted such a
scenario at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on nuclear terrorism
on Thursday. Nuclear
Terrorism Seen Overshadowing Other WMD Threats April 23,
2010 Some
proliferation analysts worry that U.S. President Barack Obama's high-profile
effort to thwart a nuclear strike by a rogue actor is diverting attention
from the more probable threats of chemical and biological terrorism, the Wall
Street Journal reported yesterday. Despite the devastation a nuclear attack would
unleash, the probability of extremists acquiring nuclear-weapon material and
then assembling and transporting a nuclear bomb remains relatively low,
proliferation specialists said. U.S.
seems to be taking the lead in fight against nuclear terrorism April 26,
2010 Iranian
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Sunday that the sanctions the United
States and Western powers are pushing on the nation of Iran are “inappropriate.”
“Imposing sanctions is an incorrect move because the punishment of a country
that has not committed any wrong is tantamount to lowering the stature of the
U.N. Security Council (UNSC),” Mottaki told reporters Sunday in Vienna.
“Sanctions and punitive measures should be based on logic, law, justice and
the commitment to act.” Nuclear Terrorism:
Threat to the Public or to Credibility? April 29,
2010 During a
recent trip to Prague, where he signed a new arms control treaty with Russia,
President Barack Obama declared that nuclear terrorism is “the most immediate
and extreme threat to global security.” Though the unique destructive power
of nuclear arms justifies his concern regarding their spread and potential
use, this grave assessment regarding the imminent threat of nuclear terrorism
does not appear to stand up to scrutiny, and might even set the stage for
weaker international non-proliferation resolve in the future. April 30,
2010 Is nuclear
terrorism as dramatic a danger as it is being made out to be? The idea that
nuclear material could be used in a terrorist attack is no doubt frightening,
and in theory it cannot be ruled out. The malevolence of terrorist attacks in
total disregard for human life shows the lengths to which their perpetrators
can go. The ready supply of suicide bombers shows the intensity of terrorist
motivation. But, even so, was US President Barack Obama justified in
organising the big Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on April 12/13, with
leaders from 47 countries present?
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