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USA planning to send radioactive wastes back to uranium selling countries

Official: U.S. in Early Talks About Int’l Nuclear Leasing Arrangements, NYT. By HANNAH NORTHEY, August 23, 2011 Department of Energy officials have spent weeks trying to knock down reports that they have been interested in building a nuclear waste repository in Mongolia.

Now, the Obama administration is going a step further, disclosing that what DOE hopes to do is “lease” uranium from other countries, then return the spent fuel to the originating country.

A senior Obama administration official told Greenwire earlier this month that the government is in preliminary talks with several countries, including Mongolia, Japan and the United Arab Emirates, about setting up commercial nuclear fuel leasing arrangements.

In one example of how a fuel leasing arrangement could work, countries with uranium reserves could mine, enrich and fabricate the material and lease it to reactor companies abroad. Spent nuclear fuel would then be sent back to the originating country, the official said.

Discussions have not touched upon what those countries would do with the waste, the official said, but the United States hopes to prevent proliferation by providing alternatives to domestic enrichment and reprocessing capabilities…..

the commercial nuclear fuel leasing arrangements the administration official discussed seem to be consistent with what some U.S. officials want to see for the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC), formerly the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership.
The Obama administration scrapped parts of GNEP, which was part of the George W. Bush administration’s efforts to accelerate research and development on the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel in reactors (ClimateWire, Dec. 24, 2009). The partnership was seeking to create “cradle-to-grave fuel services” under a regulated market for enriched uranium, which would allow a few large countries to supply smaller ones with enriched uranium to burn in reactors, sparing them the billions of dollars needed to build facilities for uranium processing and disposal (Greenwire, Oct. 26, 2010……http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/08/23/23greenwire-official-us-in-early-talks-about-intl-nuclear-96182.html

August 25, 2011 Posted by | politics international, USA, wastes | Leave a comment

Cautious optimism of a nuclear thaw on the Korean peninsula

The Two Koreas’ Long Slog over Nuclear Weapons


Asia Sentinel,  by Lee Byong-chul   
, 19 AUGUST 2011 There is cautious optimism in Washington DC and other capitals about a possible nuclear thaw on the Korean peninsula since the visit of North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan to New York to discuss nuclear proliferation, and a later meeting in Bali between nuclear negotiators for both North and South Korea. 

The Bali meeting, on the side of a regional meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, was the first since disarmament talks collapsed in 2008. The two events have generated at least some hope that an armed and dangerous North Korea could somehow be controlled. They appear to be at one with a three-step plan by China for resumption of the Six-Party talks. They have been accomplished so relatively quickly and painlessly that they appear to suggest that step three – the resumption of the talks, is right around the corner. …http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3399&Itemid=182

August 19, 2011 Posted by | North Korea, politics international | Leave a comment

Japan and USA seek treaty to prevent having to pay international nuclear compensation

Japan eyes global nuclear compensation treaty – report,  Aug 14, 2011 Reporting by Chikako Mogi; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani, TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan is considering joining a U.S.-led global nuclear compensation treaty in a bid to fend off excessive overseas damage claims related to nuclear accidents, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Sunday, without citing sources.

The U.S., Morocco, Romania and Argentina have agreed to the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage, but the treaty needs at least five countries in order to go into effect.

The newspaper said Japan would start discussions with the United States in the coming week over the pact, which defines the rules for trials for damage claims in countries where accidents happen.

The move comes in the wake of a devastating accident in March at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which leaked radiation and exposed wide-ranging produces from vegetables, tea to water to excessive radioactive materials….http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE77D0C620110814

August 15, 2011 Posted by | Japan, politics international, USA | Leave a comment

Something hidden in USA – India nuclear technology deal

Government must clear mist about nuclear deal The New Indian Express, 11 Aug 11, “.…..S M Krishna’s latest statement in Parliament ….. His claim that new guidelines issued by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), banning transfer of nuclear enrichment and reprocessing (ENR) technologies to countries that do not sign Nuclear Proliferation Treaty do not negate NSG’s 2008 ‘clean waiver’ shows that the government continues to remain in a state of self-delusion. ……

As the gap between the prime minister’s assurances to Parliament before inking the nuclear deal and the reality keeps widening, it is clear that India was misled at the time of signing the deal. A bland, vague and simplistic statement from Krishna is not enough to dispel genuine concerns voiced by the Opposition as well as security experts that there was something hidden in the India-US civil nuclear deal. The government must now come out with a white paper on the subject and explain its position to Parliament and the people…http://expressbuzz.com/opinion/editorials/government-must-clear-mist-about-nuclear-deal/303299.html


August 12, 2011 Posted by | India, politics international | Leave a comment

Israel tried to drag USA into a war with Iran

How Iran defeated Obama. By Patrick Seale, The Diplomat 5 Aug 11“……..What is less well understood is that Obama was also defeated in another major area of foreign policy – relations with Iran. When he came to office he vowed to ‘engage’ with the Islamic Republic, but this admirable objective was soon supplanted by a policy of threats, sanctions and intimidation aimed at isolating Iran, subverting its economy and overthrowing its regime.

Israel and its friends led the campaign against Iran, demonizing it as a threat to all mankind, and forcing the United States to follow suit. Israel has repeatedly, and very publicly, threatened to strike at Iran’s nuclear facilities, and has done its best to drag the United States into war against it, in much the same way as pro-Israeli neo-conservatives at the Pentagon were alleged to have manipulated intelligence to push the United States into war against Iraq in 2003, with catastrophic consequences.

Why did they do it? Because they feared that, having survived the eight-year Iran-Iraq war, Saddam Hussein’s Iraq might just possibly pose a threat to Israel. It had to be destroyed. Tony Blair, Britain’s prime minister at the time, was foolish enough to tag along. The war totally discredited him…..”http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/05/how-iran-defeated-obama/

August 7, 2011 Posted by | Israel, politics international, USA | Leave a comment

Pakistan alarm at USA plan for seizing Pakistan’s nuclear weapons

Cat is out of bag, Pakistan Observer, 6 Aug 11, THE fear that were being expressed in the wake of American unilateral action in Abbottabad that Washington could also one day carry out similar operation against Pakistan’s nuclear assets have heightened after disclosure by the NBC News that the US military and intelligence operatives are debating, strategizing, gaming and potentially even conducting drills on entering Pakistan and seizing the nation’s nuclear weapons during a crisis. This is not a mere conjecture as former White House Deputy Counter-Terrorism Director Roger Cressey has also confirmed that the plan is highest priority of the US intelligence and White House. Continue reading →

August 6, 2011 Posted by | Japan, politics international | Leave a comment

USA to sell nukes to Saudi Arabia, despite its weapons ambitions?

The White House’s decision is already facing opposition from members of Congress who worry about sharing nuclear technologies with countries in today’s increasingly unstable Middle East. The concerns were further fueled by recent comments made by a senior member of the Saudi royal family that their country would seek to develop nuclear weapons if Iran did.

U.S., Saudis to Discuss Nuclear Agreement, WSJ, JULY 29, 2011,By JAY SOLOMON,WASHINGTON—The Obama administration plans to resume talks with Saudi Arabia about nuclear cooperation, according to senior U.S. officials, in a move aimed at boxing in Iran and keeping an eye on Riyadh’s strategic ambitions. Continue reading →

July 30, 2011 Posted by | politics international, Saudi Arabia | Leave a comment

Meeting between North and South Korea

Two Koreas meet to discuss nuclear issue, By Jack Kim and Andrew Quinn, SEOUL/NUSA DUA, Indonesia   Jul 22, 2011 (Reuters) – The nuclear envoys of South and North Korea met on the sidelines of an Asian forum in Bali on Friday, an official in Seoul said, in the first high level contact since tensions spiked on the Korean peninsula last year….. Continue reading →

July 24, 2011 Posted by | North Korea, politics international, South Korea | Leave a comment

India not giving in to USA pressure to change its Nuclear Liability Law

“Government cannot tinker with Liability Law”, THE HINDU, SANDEEP DIKSHIT, 22 JULY 11, India feels the civil nuclear logjam with the United States is out of the political realm because it will be difficult for the government to substantially tinker with its Liability Law despite suggestions to this effect by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a press conference here on Tuesday.

Ms. Clinton raised hackles here when she suggested that India get its Liability Law vetted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) so that it “fully conforms” to the international Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC) for Nuclear Damage.

Washington feels that two provisions in the Indian law have prevented two U.S. companies — GE and Westinghouse — from opening talks on setting up six civil nuclear plants each. The potential business opportunity is estimated at over $ 50 billion, the highest-ever for the two companies outside their home country.

……..we had a problem with her message,” said officials. Ms. Clinton had suggested India approach the IAEA to establish whether its Liability Law was in harmony with the CSC. “This is because the Americans were 100 per cent sure that the IAEA would suggest changes,” they added…..http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2282626.ece

 

July 22, 2011 Posted by | India, politics international | Leave a comment

Increasing nuclear collaboration by North Korea and Iran?

North Korea and Iran increase collaboration on nuclear missile, report claims, Telegraph UK, 22 July 11 North Korea and Iran are jointly working on weapons programmes designed to build a long-range missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, a leading British security think tank has said. Continue reading →

July 22, 2011 Posted by | Iran, North Korea, politics international | Leave a comment

India’s ambitious nuclear energy program might fall apart

N-deal with Japan in limbo, Ashok Tuteja/TNS, The Tribune, New Delhi, July 17

….Setback for India

n Tokyo has decided to suspend talks with India and four other countries concerning the sale of N-power equipment and technology after Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s recent declaration that he wants to phase out the use of nuclear energy.

n If the deal is called off, it will be a major jolt to India’s ambitious civil nuclear energy programme. India and Japan have been negotiating a nuclear agreement since June last year. Top officials of the two countries have so far held two rounds of talks.

n If Japan pulls out, American and French nuclear majors too would find it difficult to enter the Indian nuclear market. They can’t sell N-plant technology to India without the approval of the Japanese industry.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110718/main5.htm

 

July 19, 2011 Posted by | India, politics international | Leave a comment

Quiet dismantling of USA – North Korea nuclear project

Reactor parts secretly scrappedd, By Charles McMahon, seacoastonline.com, July 17, 2011,PORTSMOUTH — Behind a gated work area in the Pease International Tradeport, a project to dismantle key components of a nuclear reactor belonging to North Korea has been kept quiet over the past month. Continue reading →

July 19, 2011 Posted by | North Korea, politics international | Leave a comment

India wants, with Canada, to export nuclear reactors

India courting Canada for partnership to sell nuclear reactors, The Star, 17 July 11 OTTAWA — India is pursuing a potentially lucrative partnership with Canada to sell nuclear reactors in new markets, The Canadian Press has learned.

India’s ambitious aspiration, if realized, would represent a dramatic new phase in a landmark agreement it signed last year with Canada on civilian nuclear co-operation…..

A key technical aspect of the civil nuclear deal still has to be worked out before it is formally ratified by Canada. An independent monitoring system must be put in place that would prevent India from diverting the uranium to its nuclear weapons program.

Last year, Singh pledged that India would not exploit this new deal to repeat what it did in the early 1970s: use technology from a Candu reactor it purchased from Canada to develop a nuclear weapons program.

July 19, 2011 Posted by | India, politics international | Leave a comment

UN Security Council not taking action on allegations about Syria’s nukes

Security Council Agrees to Disagree About Syria Nuclear Program, IsraelNationalNews.15 July 11  The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Thursday brought its allegations of covert atomic work by Syria before the UN Security Council, but the 15-nation body took no immediate action, Reuters reported. Last September, IAEA said that Syria had refused to allow UN inspectors to visitDair Alzour, the nuclear facility that was meant to produce plutonium and which was bombed by the Israeli Air Force while still under construction in 2007.

The IAEA’s report expressed concern that should Syria continue to stonewall the investigation, “some of the necessary information may deteriorate or be lost entirely.”In June, the IAEA’s board of governors voted to report Syria to the Security Council over its behavior.

Reuters reported that during Thursday’s closed-door briefing by Neville Whiting, head of the IAEA safeguards department dealing with Syria and Iran, it was made clear that Syria had a secretnuclear plant.But despite this, Syria’s close allies Russia and China queried whether the Council should be involved, as the Syrian complex no longer exists…..http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/145741

July 15, 2011 Posted by | politics international, Syria | Leave a comment

India wants USA to agree to it enriching uranium

Hillary Clinton to visit India, nuclear waiver, AfPak tops agenda, The Economic Times, 8 July 11–– NEW DELHI: Amid anxieties about new guidelines of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), India will press the US for the transfer of sensitive technologies to enable full civilian cooperation when secretary of state Hillary Clinton comes to New Delhi for a strategic dialogue July 18.

Clinton will be on a three-day visit for the second strategic dialogue, with external affairs minister S.M. Krishna, said well-placed sources…. Continue reading →

July 8, 2011 Posted by | India, politics international | Leave a comment

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