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Iran’s plea for trust in nuclear talks

In the upcoming talks, we hope that all sides will return to the negotiating table as equals with mutual respect; that all sides will be committed to comprehensive, long-term dialogue aimed at resolving all parties’ outstanding concerns; and, most important, that all sides make genuine efforts to reestablish confidence and trust.

Iran: We do not want nuclear weapons Washington Post, By Ali Akbar Salehi,  April 12 Ali Akbar Salehi is foreign minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Forty-five years ago, the United States sold my country a research reactor as well as weapons-grade uranium as its fuel. Not long afterward, America agreed to help Iran set up the full nuclear fuel cycle along with atomic power plants. The U.S. argument was that nuclear power would provide for the growing needs of our economy and free our remaining oil reserves for export or conversion to petrochemicals.

That rationale has not changed. Still, after the Islamic Revolution in our country in 1979, all
understandings with the United States in the nuclear field unraveled. Continue reading →

April 13, 2012 Posted by | Iran, politics international | Leave a comment

USA military bases in Australia – making Australia a nuclear target?

If too closely aligned with the US, Australia will be associated with any mistakes. US actions, mounted from Australia, will implicate Australia. In the Cold War US joint intelligence facilities were a target for Soviet nuclear weapons……

Australia needs to be careful that it does not make inevitable the future that it should fear the most. Current decisions are being made without public debate or discussion. Once made they will be difficult to reverse.

We must not get too close to the US, BY: PETER LEAHY  The Australian April 12, 2012 “……. there can be too much of a good thing, especially if it involves putting unnecessary pressure on China. By substantially increasing its
close relationship with the US, Australia may unduly complicate its relationship with China. Care needs to be taken to ensure that Australia is not caught between the US, as security guarantor, and China as economic underwriter.

As a sovereign nation Australia should maintain the ability to say no to the US and separate itself from its actions. This will require careful thought and deft diplomacy……By agreeing to the US Marine Corps and potentially more extensive air and naval access requests, Australia has confirmed that it is firmly in the US security camp……. Continue reading →

April 12, 2012 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, politics international, USA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Compromise offer by Iran on uranium enrichment

Iran’s nuclear chief floats compromise on enrichment issue ahead of talks with world powers, Washington Post, By Associated Press,  April 8, TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s nuclear chief signaled Tehran’s envoys may bring a compromise offer to the talks this week with world powers: Promising to eventually stop producing its most highly enriched uranium, while not totally abandoning its ability to make nuclear fuel.

The proposal outlined late Sunday seeks to directly address one of the potential main issues in the talks scheduled to begin Friday between Iran and the five permanent Security Council members plus Germany…… http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/irans-nuclear-chief-floats-compromise-on-enrichment-issue-ahead-of-talks-with-world-powers/2012/04/09/gIQAcyJP5S_story.html

April 11, 2012 Posted by | Iran, politics international | Leave a comment

Sri Lanka will raise safety objections to India’s Koodankulam and other nuclear reactors

Sri Lanka concerned over radiation from India’s nuclear plants, Economic Times,  9 APR, 2012,   COLOMBO: Sri Lanka today expressed concern over possible impact of radiation from India’s nuclear power plants located in the southern region, as it prepares to raise the issue with global atomic watchdog IAEA.

The official raising of concern with the International Atomic Energy is to be made in September, the power and energy minister Champika Ranawaka said. “We respect the right of India to have nuclear power stations. But our concerns are on the possible radiation affects they could have on Sri Lanka. We have already written a letter”, Ranawaka said…… Sri Lankan energy officials say at least three nuclear plants are located on the southern coast of Tamil Nadu which is separated from the island by a narrow strip of sea…… Koodankulam nuclear plant in India’s Southern coast is just 250 km from Sri Lanka’s northwest coastal town of Mannar.

Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Authority does not possess adequate facilities to face a threat of nuclear accident. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/sri-lanka-concerned-over-radiation-from-indias-nuclear-plants/articleshow/12594324.cms

April 11, 2012 Posted by | ASIA, India, politics international, safety | Leave a comment

Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) recognise Iran’s right to nuclear energy

BRICS nations recognize Iran’s right to peaceful use of nuclear energy, http://www.tehrantimes.com/component/content/article/96476 Tehran Times , 29 March 12,  TEHRAN – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the leading emerging economies in the world which are known as the BRICS, on Thursday recognized Iran’s right to peaceful use of nuclear energy consistent with its international obligations, the Hindu Business Line reported. Continue reading →

March 30, 2012 Posted by | Iran, politics international | Leave a comment

Attack on Iran would not prevent its nuclear development

Iran could recover from attack on its nuclear sites within six months, says U.S. report U.S. congressional report says Israel and U.S. do not know exact location of Iran nuclear facilities, which may be dispersed in such a way that an Israeli attack would not be successful. By Haaretz , 28 March 12, Continue reading →

March 29, 2012 Posted by | Iran, politics international, weapons and war | Leave a comment

No definite actions decided on by Nuclear Security Summit

no specific reduction targets [for enriched uranium and plutonium]

The Nuclear Security Summit has no legally binding force to get other countries to reduce nuclear materials. It must rely on the voluntary pledges of participating countries to abide by the communiqué.

Another weakness of the communiqué is that it states no mechanism to verify the commitments made by each country.

Nuclear Security Summit Ends Without Clear Targets, http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/03/28/2012032800852.html  The Chosunilbo, 28 March 12,
The Seoul Nuclear Security Summit ended Tuesday with the leaders of 53 countries unanimously adopting a communiqué that encourages nations to take all possible steps and cooperate to secure vulnerableweapons-grade fissile material by 2014.    President Lee Myung-bak, who chaired the summit, told reporters its main achievement was steps to
reduce highly enriched uranium and plutonium, which are key to preventing nuclear terrorism. Continue reading →

March 28, 2012 Posted by | 2 WORLD, politics international | Leave a comment

General agreement that Iran is nowhere near having the nuclear bomb

Intel shows Iran nuclear threat not imminent, Business Recorder, MARCH 24, 2012   The United States, European allies and even Israel generally agree on three things about Iran’s nuclear program: Tehran does not have a bomb, has not decided to build one, and is probably years away from having a deliverable nuclear warhead. Continue reading →

March 26, 2012 Posted by | Iran, politics international, weapons and war | 1 Comment

USA’s missile defense system a threat to Russia

Medvedev calls missile defense a threat to Russia  By Will Englund, Washington Post,  March 23  MOSCOW — Three days before his meeting with President Obama at a nuclear security summit in South Korea, the outgoing Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, reiterated his objections Friday to NATO’s missile defense plan, saying it would undermine nuclear parity and demanding written proof that Russia is not the ultimate target. Continue reading →

March 24, 2012 Posted by | politics international, Russia, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Iran, North Korea, dominate concerns at nuclear summit

Obama to Discuss North Korea, Iran  By CAROL E. LEE and JAY SOLOMON, MIDDLE EAST NEWS   March 21, 2012,   WASHINGTON—North Korea and Iran are expected to dominate President Barack Obama’s trip to South Korea this weekend, as concerns mount about Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and Pyongyang’s preparations for a satellite launch the U.S. and its allies said they believe is largely for military purposes. Continue reading →

March 22, 2012 Posted by | North Korea, politics international | Leave a comment

Easy to see why Australian company Lynas puts its rare earths plant in Malaysia

Let’s de-politicise the Lynas issue — Stop Lynas Coalition, The Malaysian Insider  March 21, 2012  “…….Lynas loves to boast that their project is approved in Australia also.  Given Australia’s high environmental standard, if it is approved in Australia, why would Malaysians reject it? However, Lynas hid from the public that the Australian proposal was approved under extremely stringent conditions.

The table shows the conditions under the Australian proposal [6] compared to LAMP.

Regardless of what justification the government gives, any person of general intellect can deduce that LAMP is shifted to our shores because Lynas wants to dump its waste here. How can our government inflict such indignity on the very people it is elected to protect?…

[6] “Proposed rare earths mining and beneficiation at Mt Weld, Laverton and secondary processing at Meenaar, near Northm”, Ashton Rare Earths Ltd, August 1992.    http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/lets-de-politicise-the-lynas-issue-stop-lynas-coalition

March 22, 2012 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, Malaysia, politics international, Uranium | Leave a comment

Israel agrees that Iran has not decided to develop nuclear bomb

[includes video]  Israel: Iran Nuclear Bomb Construction Not Yet Decided On, Huffington Post,18 Mar 12,   JERUSALEM (AP) — Despite saber-rattling from Jerusalem, Israeli officials now agree with the U.S. assessment that Tehran has not yet decided on the actual
construction of a nuclear bomb, according to senior Israeli government and defense figures. Continue reading →

March 19, 2012 Posted by | Iran, Israel, politics international | Leave a comment

Iran offers full transparency in return for nuclear power assistance

VIDEO Iran Official Offers ‘Permanent Human Monitoring’ of Nuclear Sites    http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/iran-official-offers-human-monitoring-nuclear-sites/story?id=15930677#.T2Ow4cWPX_M  abc News,   15 March 12, A high-level advisor to Iran’s supreme leader said his country is ready to allow “permanent human monitoring” of its nuclear program in exchange for Western cooperation but also warned Iran is prepared to defend itself against military strikes.

Mohammad Javad Larijani, who serves as Secretary-General of Iran’s Human Rights Council and key foreign policy advisor to Ayatollah Khamenei, said the West should sell Iran 20 percent enriched uranium and provide all the help that nuclear nations are supposed to provide to countries building civilian nuclear power plants. He also said the U.S. and the West should accept his country’s right to continue what Iran calls its peaceful nuclear program.

In return for cooperation from the West, he said, Iran would offer “full transparency.”…..
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/iran-official-offers-human-monitoring-nuclear-sites/story?id=15930677#.T2Ow4cWPX_M

March 16, 2012 Posted by | Iran, politics international, Resources -audiovicual | Leave a comment

Americans prefer diplomacy – not an attack on Iran

Concern About Broader War Dampens Support for Iran abc News, By Julie Phelan, Mar 14, 2012    Broad concern about wider war in the Middle East is dampening public support for U.S. or Israeli military strikes against Iran’s nuclear development sites, with Americans by wide margins preferring diplomatic efforts or economic deterrence instead.

Eighty-four percent in this ABC News/Washington Post poll suspect that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons, basically unchanged since late 2009. As then, the preferred approaches are direct diplomatic talks between the U.S. and Iran, backed by 81 percent, and an increase in international economic sanctions, supported by three-quarters.

Many fewer, 41 percent, support a U.S. bombing effort, with 53 percent opposed, again similar to 2009. Support for Israeli strikes is virtually identical, with 42 percent in favor and 51 percent opposed. Israel has threatened such strikes; President Obama, while not ruling out military action, has urged allowing more time for sanctions to work, a position criticized by some of his Republican opponents.

RISK OF WAR – Reluctance to support air strikes stems mostly from a broad concern that they could trigger a larger war in the Middle East. Nearly nine out of 10 in this poll, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates, see a risk of broader war if Israel were to bomb Iran; three-quarters call it a “major” risk.

Among those who perceive a major risk of war, just 32 percent support Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear sites, and 35 percent back U.S. bombing efforts. Those who perceive little or no risk of sparking a regional war are far more supportive of air strikes – 76 percent support action by Israel, 64 percent by the United States…… http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/03/concern-about-broader-war-dampens-support-for-iran-attack/

March 15, 2012 Posted by | politics international, USA | Leave a comment

With nuclear power plans, France gets control of UK energy policy

UK nuclear plans ‘put energy in French hands’, BBC News, 13 March 12, By Richard Black, BBC News Government plans for nuclear power risk handing control of the UK’s climate and energy policies to France, according to four senior environmentalists,

Energy giant EDF and reactor builder Areva, big players in the UK’s plans, are largely French government-owned. Continue reading →

March 14, 2012 Posted by | France, politics international, UK | Leave a comment

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