the “Arab Spring” has pulled the plug on nuclear power for the Middle East
Arab Spring proves winter to nuclear ambitions Times Live, Sapa-dpa | 08 July, 2012 Along with lifetime presidencies, emergency laws, and personalised security forces, the Arab Spring uprisings of the past year have claimed another illustrious victim: nuclear energy.
“All the plans, all the agreements, all the studies; everything has stopped,” said Abdelmajid Mahjoub, director of the Arab Atomic Energy Agency (AAEA), a regional atomic energy body affiliated with the Arab League. Continue reading
United States, Russia, China, France, UK refusing to sign ASEAN Weapons Free Zone treaty
Nuclear states shun ASEAN treaty Supalak Ganjanakhundee, The Nation, Phnom Penh July 9, 2012 Powers won’t sign weapon-free accord this week Nuclear weapons states will not sign the protocol of the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapons Free Zone treaty (SEANWFZ) at this week’s Asean meeting as many of them still have reservations, Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul said yesterday.
Nuclear powers including the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom were supposed to sign the protocol when their representatives attended the Asean ministerial meeting in Cambodia this week. However, many of them voiced reservations to the group at
short notice over their rights and sovereignties in zones defined as “nuclearweapons free”. Continue reading
Sign of discreet progress in Iran nuclear talks
Iran nuclear talks: a thin, faint chink of light, byJulian Borger, 6 July 2012 guardian.co.uk Iranian negotiators have presented an uncompromising stance on paper but informally they hint a deal could still be done Continue reading
USA joining with China to develop thorium nuclear reactors
What’s not clear is what, exactly, the U.S. will get from the collaboration….
U.S. partners with China on new nuclear, By Mark Halper Smart Planet June 26, 2012 E Pluribus Thorium? U.S. Assistant Energy Secretary Peter Lyons and Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Jiang Mianheng have joined forces for thorium development. What’s in it for the U.S.?
The U.S. Department of Energy is quietly collaborating with China on an alternative nuclear power design known as a molten salt reactor that could run on thorium fuel Continue reading
Some respect entering in USA-Iran practical talks
Silver lining in Iran nuclear talks, Asia Times Online By Kaveh L Afrasiabi 27 June 12 Despite the deadlock at last week’s talks in Moscow between Iran and world powers on the former’s nuclear ambitions, it seems not all hope is lost.
The glimmer of progress lies in the support building for a technical agreement on a nuclear fuel swap, which is the subject of a technical follow-on meeting for July 3 in Istanbul, as well as in improved confidence-building measures between the US and Iran. Continue reading
Malaysian govt insists that Lynas might have to take its radioactive wastes back to Australia
The Temporary Operating License will only be issued after Lynas fulfils two new conditions imposed
AELB: Lynas committed to returning radioactive waste to AustraliaThe Malaysian Insider By Lisa J. Ariffin June 28, DENGKIL, June 28 — Lynas is committed to return all potentially harmful waste from its rare earths plant here to Australia despite its government’s firm refusal to take it in, Malaysia’s radiation regulator said today.
The Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) told reporters today the Australian miner would have to send home all residue that could not be turned into commercial products or if a location for a permanent disposal facility (PDF) here could not be determined or approved.
“Lynas will have 10 months to come up with a permanent disposal facility plan for its radioactive residue upon receiving its temporary operating license (TOL),” said Dr Noor Hasnah Mohamed Khairullah who is special adviser to the AELB director-general.
“If they fail to find a location for the PDF, or if the plan is not approved, then Lynas has to return the residues back to Australia. Continue reading
Russia resisting Israel’s push for military action against Iran
Russia’s FM warns against issuing ultimatums to Iran over its nuclear program WP, 22 June, MOSCOW — Russia’s foreign minister said Friday that Iran shouldn’t face threats over its nuclear program and that a quick settlement of the standoff over it isn’t realistic. Sergey Lavrov said the latest round of talks in Moscow this week between six world powers and Iran has been “quite useful,” even though there was no breakthrough. He said talks must continue without “any artificial deadlines or ultimatums.”..
. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is expected to face a strong Israeli demand to take a tougher line on Iran when he visits the Jewish state next week. Lavrov’s statement signaled, however, that Moscow will likely respond to Israeli calls for stronger action with its usual advice to be patient and continue talks..
.. The negotiators agreed to hold a low-level meeting on July 3 of technical experts in Istanbul, Turkey, before deciding whether there is enough common ground to hold another round of full-fledged political talks. A pause in negotiations may offer a new opportunity for Israel to argue that military force is the only way to stop Tehran from developing atomic weapons.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russias-fm-warns-against-issuing-ultimatums-to-iran-over-its-nuclear-program/2012/06/22/gJQArTgUvV_story.html
Suspend nuclear talks until sanctions against Iran are lifted
Iran to suspend nuclear talks until sanctions are lifted: website http://www.iranwpd.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=3735:iran-to-suspend-nuclear-talks-until-sanctions-are-lifted-website&Itemid=65 June 21 – An Iranian website close to moderate circles of the ruling establishment in Iran suggests suspending negotiations with the major world powers over country’s nuclear program until the sanctions are
lifted.
The website baztab.net which for its critical stance against the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is filtered, suggests that the West would continue talks with Iran to the very end and would use it to “persuade the public opinion of its peaceful intentions, saying it has been trying to settle its dispute with Iran through diplomatic ways however it remained no other alternative but attacking Iran.”
Baztab believes there would be no benefit to Iran to negotiate but also suffer from sanctions, “especially when it is also downgraded to experts’ meeting.”
“We have to change the game,” proposes the website adding: “Iran has to tell 5+1 and Catherine Ashton that in case of implementation of the sanctions against the central bank and seizing of oil purchase by EU, talks would be suspended.”
On June 28, the US will instate sanctions on companies working with Iran’s central bank; days later, on July 1, the European Union will launch an embargo on Iranian oil, which could knock out a third of the country’s revenue.
Time for a historic change – for RESPECT, in Iran nuclear talks
There has been a long, dark history of missed opportunities between Iran and the US in regards to this. In 2003, Tehran offered Washington a deal over issues ranging from security to its nuclear programme – Dick Cheney notoriously responded by saying that “we don’t talk to evil”.
Respect is crucial in nuclear talks with Iran http://www.guardian.co.uk commentisfree/2012/jun/15/respect-nuclear-talks-iran-p5 At P5+1 talks in Moscow, all sides must learn from past mistakes and recognise that fair exchange should be central to dialogue Hossein Mousavian and Mohammad Ali Shabani guardian.co.uk, 15 June 2012 After a decade, we are nearing an endgame on Iran’s nuclear file. The initial positive atmosphere during Tehran’s talks with the P5+1 (the five members of the UN security council plus Germany) in Istanbul in April had been lost by the next round of talks in Baghdad, in May.
In Istanbul all the players seemed to understand that the most important issue was trust – not the number of centrifuges in the Islamic republic’s possession. This was displayed through the announcement of EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, that negotiations would be held on the basis of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT, which recognises Iran’s right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes). Such mutual respect must be the basis of any dialogue, and future agreement. Continue reading
American companies still worried they might have to pay for accidents caused by their nuclear reactors in India
‘US concerned over India’s Nuclear liability law’ Zee News, 15 June 12, Washington: An Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) inked between Indian and American firms for setting up a nuclear reactor in Gujarat does not mean that America’s concerns over India’s nuclear liability law has been addressed, a top US official has said.
“No, it doesn’t mean that the issues with respect to the liability law are resolved,” Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake told reporters yesterday at a news conference. ….. The MoU committed both sides to negotiate an Early Works Agreement for the preliminary licensing and site development work associated with construction of the new Westinghouse reactors in Gujarat. At the same time there is an ongoing progress between General Electric-Hitachi and NPCIL on their Memorandum of Understanding. … http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/us-concerned-over-india-s-nuclear-liability-law_781953.html
Iran insisting on its right to enrich uranium
Tehran’s No. 1 demand for Iran nuclear talks in Moscow, In the buildup to next week’s Iran nuclear talks in Moscow, Tehran has demanded that Western powers formally acknowledge its right to enrich uranium. Christian Science Monitor, By Ariel Zirulnick, June 14, 2012 Heading into Iran nuclear talks next week, Tehran‘s top demand is that Western powers acknowledge its right to uranium enrichment, reports the Tehran Times. Continue reading
Russia’s Putin backs Iran’s nuclear developments
Putin says Iran has ‘absolute’ right to nuclear energy, Tehran Times, 8 June 12 TEHRAN – President Vladimir Putin calls Iran a close friend of Russia and says Iran has “absolute right” to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
In a meeting with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the fringes of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Beijing on Thursday, Putin also said, “Russia has always defended the rights of the Iranian nation in all international organizations and considers peaceful use of nuclear energy as the absolute right of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The remarks by Putin come as Iran and the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany) are preparing to hold nuclear talks in Moscow on June 18-19…. http://tehrantimes.com/politics/98558-putin-says-iran-has-absolute-right-to-nuclear-energy
China against North Korea having nuclear weapons
Chinese paper urges Beijing to oppose N. Korea’s nuclear power claim, SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) –– A leading Chinese newspaper has urged Beijing to oppose North Korea’s nuclear power status proclaimed in its revised constitution.
The Global Times, an English-language Chinese newspaper under the People’s Daily, said in its June 2 editorial that any legalization of North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons can stimulate South Korea and Japan, and prod Taiwan to demand its right to nuclear arms,
triggering a chain reaction of nuclear armament in Northeast Asia……
The Global Times editorial is the first unofficial response from China, as the Beijing government has kept mum on the issue so far. Continue reading
China not such a nuclear threat to USA
China nuclear no ‘direct threat’: US commander http://www.brecorder.com/general-news/172/1195339/, MAY 31, 2012 China’s nuclear weapons do not pose a “direct threat” to the United States, the man in charge of America’s arsenal said Wednesday in calling for greater dialogue with the Chinese military. “We would like to have routine contact and conversations with China’s military,” said General Robert Kehler, head of Strategic Command or STRATCOM, which oversees America’s nuclear deterrence operations around the globe.
“We think there would be tremendous benefit to that in both China and the United States, in particular to help us avoid some misunderstanding or some tension in the future.” Kehler said that although the United States and Russia account for roughly 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons, dealing with the Chinese on the matter will become increasingly important. “I do not see the Chinese strategic deterrent as a direct threat to the United States. We are not enemies,” he said. “Could it be? I suppose if we were enemies it could be and therefore we at least have to be aware of that.”
It looks as if USA and Israel are murdering Iran’s nuclear scientists
The undeclared war on Iran’s nuclear program, PAUL KORING TEHRAN— Globe and Mail May. 25, 2012 Over the past 28 months, assassins have targeted at least five Iranians scientists or engineers, men linked by Western intelligence agencies to the country’s controversial nuclear program….
No group or nation has claimed responsibility for any of the attacks on Iranian scientists. The killings are clearly part of a deliberate campaign. Some in the West see them as justified in the broader effort to deny a nuclear arsenal to Iran’s bellicose leaders…… Continue reading
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