Nonproliferation News – October 7, 2009

EAST ASIA

1. French envoy calls for substantial nuclear talks
Associated Press
October 7, 2009
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iURO8fOyWVOA0ytFlaAGuC9F7R9wD9B680L80
 

The French special envoy on North Korea said Wednesday there should be "real and concrete discussions" if international talks on Pyongyang's nuclear programs resume.

2. Russia welcomes N.Korea’s willingness to return to six-part talks
RIA Novosti
October 7, 2009
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20091007/156381974.html
 

Russia welcomes North Korea's recent announcement that it is willing to return to the six-nation talks on ending its nuclear weapons program, Moscow's envoy to the talks said on Wednesday.

3. N. Korea Signals Return to Nuclear Talks
Washington Post by Blaine Harden
October 7, 2009
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/07/AR2009100700583.html
 

Between a hello hug on Sunday at Pyongyang airport and a goodbye on Tuesday, North Korea's leader and China's prime minister raised expectations that the North might return to the nuclear disarmament talks it abandoned last spring.
 

4. Europe could participate in compensation for N. Korea’s denuclearization: French envoy
Yonhap News by Tony Chang
October 7, 2009
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/northkorea/2009/10/07/88/0401000000AEN20091007007600315F.HTML

France's special envoy for North Korea said Wednesday that European countries could possibly take part in the international community's compensation process for North Korea when the communist country ultimately decides to give up its nuclear program.

MIDDLE EAST

5. Egypt Opposition wants to make ElBaradei president
Gulf Times
October 7, 2009
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=318704&version=1&template_id=37&parent_id=17

Whether President Hosni Mubarak runs for re-election in 2011 or gives way to his son Gamal, an opposition party sees UN nuclear watchdog head Mohamed ElBaradei as a strong contender for Egypt’s top job.

6. Iran says some countries offer it nuclear fuel
Reuters by Parisa Hafezi
October 7, 2009
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE5961TJ20091007
 

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that some countries had offered to provide Iran with uranium enriched to 20 percent for use as nuclear reactor fuel, the official IRNA news agency reported.
 

7. Admadinejad calls Geneva talks a “step forward”
AFP by Jay Deshmukh
October 7, 2009
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jGIDijBU8B-4aPwBmpO9VNHd6kAw
 

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in his first comment on last week's talks in Geneva between Iran and six major powers, said on Wednesday that they were a "step forward".
 

8. Iran FM accuses US in nuke scientist disappearance
Associated Press by Ali Akbar Dareini
October 7, 2009
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jsj6AFS8SM3LZGDC59bXZETTNg6QD9B68GLG0
 

Iran's foreign minister accused the United States on Wednesday of involvement in the disappearance of an Iranian nuclear scientist in Saudi Arabia earlier this year.

SOUTH ASIA

9. The reality is that India will remain outside the NPT
The Hindu by Siddharth Varadarajan
October 7, 2009
http://beta.thehindu.com/opinion/interview/article30065.ece#
 

In the second and concluding part of his interview to The Hindu , International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei speaks about the prospects for nuclear disarmament and the logic behind the international community’s decision to lift restrictions on nuclear sales to India.

10. Billions in U.S. aid sparks debate in Pakistan
Associated Press by Nahal Toosi
October 7, 2009
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hkiMxbHNH0BqgpWA2ZG6VD6wVTmAD9B674F82
 

Pakistani leaders jousted Wednesday over a multibillion-dollar U.S. humanitarian aid bill that the ruling party praises as a lynchpin to strengthening democracy here but that opponents say will lead to greater American interference in Pakistani affairs.

RUSSIA/FSU

11. New U.S. missile defense plans pose no threat to Russia-Lavrov
RIA Novosti
October 7, 2009
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20091007/156382046.html
 

The new U.S. missile shield plans present no risks for Russia, and favorable conditions are now emerging for bilateral dialogue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.

MISCELLANEOUS

12. Chavez jokes about atomic bomb
Sydney Morning Herald
October 7, 2009
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/chavez-jokes-about-atomic-bomb-20091007-gmqx.html
 

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is poking fun at Washington's misgivings over a possible transfer of nuclear materials between Venezuela and Iran.

OPINION

13. Analysis U.S. leery of direct talks with NKorea
Associated Press by Robert Burns
October 6, 2009
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hqVsvaS4WO_7LXrY6kWGS5B6IB_AD9B5SKLG0
 

North Korea's suggestion that it may return to nuclear negotiations could open the way to its first talks with the Obama administration, but there are warning signs that the North has no intention of fully disarming.

14. Is the U.S. Preparing to Bomb Iran?
ABC News by Jonathan Karl
October 6, 2009
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-preparing-bomb-iran/story?id=8765343
 

Is the U.S. stepping up preparations for a possible attack on Iran's nuclear facilities?

15. Israel will wait
Foreignpolicy.com by Will Sparks and Geoff Porter
October 6, 2009
http://eurasia.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/10/06/israel_will_wait
 

As the world focuses on the diplomatic tug of war over Iran's nuclear program, Israel lives with the worrying hum of all those centrifuges spinning just a thousand miles to the east. Yet, Benjamin Netanyahu's government knows that if Israel launches airstrikes, there's a limit to how much damage can be done and how long Iran's progress can be delayed. It therefore has to persuade the Obama administration -- and anyone else who might help slow Iran's march -- to see the risks from Iran as Israel sees them.

16. The coming war with Iran Real question is not if, but when
Petroleumworld (Previously Printed in the Washington Times)
October 7, 2009
http://www.petroleumworld.com/ed09100701.htm
 

War with Iran is now inevitable. The only question is: Will it happen sooner or later? Tehran's recent missile tests and war games suggest that the apocalyptic mullahs have reached the same conclusion.

17. Lee Administration must change now obsolete N. Korea policy: Editor
The Hankyoreh
October 7, 2009
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_editorial/380587.html

An important situational change in the North Korea nuclear issue has taken place over the past two days during the high-level meeting between North Korea and China. Meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao two days ago, Kim Jong-il, Commissioner of North Korea’s National Defense Commission said North Korea is prepared to accede to multilateral talks, including the six-party talks, as progress in bilateral North Korea-U.S. talks has continued.