vol.11 no 21 november 01, 2019 11 no 21 nov 15, 2019.pdf · Š second nuclear plant at tn’s...

Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest1 Nuclear, Missile&

Space Digest

Indian Pugwash Society

No.1, Development Enclave,Rao Tula Ram Marg, Near USI , Delhi-110010

Email: [email protected]

Tel. No (91-11) 2671-7983 Fax No. (91-11)2615-4192

Volume 11, Number 21 A Fortnightly Newsletter from the Indian Pugwash Society November 15, 2019

Convenor

Amb. Sujan R. Chinoy

Executive Council

Cdr. (Dr.) Probal K. Ghosh

Air Marshal S. G. Inamdar(Retd.)

Dr. Roshan Khanijo

Amb. R. Rajagopalan

Dr. Rajesh Rajagopalan

Shri Dinesh KumarYadvendra

Contents

A. India

� Isro’s Space Shuttle-Like Reusable Launch Vehicle Will Attempt Its FirstLanding In Karnataka

� Second nuclear plant at TN’s Kudankulam stops operation

� India to add 20,000 MW of nuclear power generation capacity over nextdecade: DAE Secy

� Department of Atomic Energy organizes a Curtain Raiser programme tomark the Centenary Celebrations of Dr Vikram Sarabhai

� Chandrayaan-2: Nasa Moon orbiter photographs Vikram landing site,images being analysed

� India plans expansion of nuclear fleet, says DEA chairman

� This is how Indian astronauts will be trained for Gaganyaan in Russia

� Delay impact: Gujarat seeks tariff cut for power from Kakrapar N-units

� Tarapur, India’s 2nd most powerful nuclear plant built with US help,completes 50 yrs today

� No cyberattack on Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, say officials

� NPCIL admits malware attack at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant

B. China

� Initial research on rocket ends successfully

� People hail “Two Bombs, One Satellite” founders for inspiring generationsof Chinese scientists

� China prepares for space station construction

� J-20 jets showcase missiles

� China launches new communication technology experiment satellite

� China and South Korea to work together for denuclearisation of KoreanPeninsula

� Nation makes breakthrough in space plane project

� China’s Chang’e-4 probe resumes work for 11th lunar day

� Experts call on China to deepen investments in nuclear technology forpeople’s wellbeing

� Regretting China’s absence at key space forum in US

� China takes step forward with plans for aerospace plane that could outdothe space shuttle Liu Zhen

� Brazil narrows field to China, Russia, France for Angra 3 nuclear partner

� Chinese scientists’ pursuit of cosmic rays opens windows on universe

Volume 11, Number 21 November 15, 20192

� China to launch Chang’e-5 lunar probe in 2020

� China shores up recovery of reusable rockets

� Third Long March-5 rocket transported to Hainan

� China builds world’s largest manned submersible

� China plans more space science satellites

� China’s Shandong Province aims to build key nuclear power base

� China criticizes US decision to deploy missiles in Asia-Pacific

C. Pakistan

� Pakistan playing pivotal role in region’s peace, security: Foreign Minister

� Global watchdog keeps Pakistan on terrorism financing ‘gray list’

� Pakistan Minister Warns Of Nuclear War With India To Stifle Opposition

� Countries backing India will be hit by missile: Nuclear war threat by Pakistani minister

D. USA

� Exclusive: U.S. carried out secret cyber strike on Iran in wake of Saudi oil attack:officials

� EnergySolutions adds TMI-2 to decommissioning projects

� US regulator accepts SHINE’s radioisotope operating licence application

� U.S. energy secretary says cabinet-level group will boost domestic uranium mining

� 3D printing is helping to tackle nuclear waste

� Trump says U.S. Energy Secretary Perry to step down at end of the year

� U.S. Military To Replace 1970s Floppy Disks Controlling Nuclear Missiles

� Permit issued for San Onofre decommissioning

� SMRs expand energy choice, says Perry

� U.S. gives firms time to wind down deals with COSCO unit hit by Iran sanctions

� Tankers sail after U.S. allows sanctions-hit COSCO unit to wind down oil deals

� U.S. says talks progressing with Saudi on possible nuclear program

� U.S. Treasury’s Mnuchin says U.S. will ramp up pressure on Iran

� US confirms nuclear energy talks with Saudi Arabia

� U.S., Gulf countries impose joint Iran-related sanctions on 25 targets

� U.S. monitoring reports of North Korean missile launch: State Department

� Exclusive: U.S. to renew waivers allowing non-proliferation work with Iran - sources

Europe

E. France

� France worried by new phase in Iran’s breaching of nuclear pact

� The untapped potential of nuclear under the Paris Agreement

� Why France is eyeing nuclear power again

F. UK

� ‘Sinister yet pathetic’: how the UK was primed for nuclear war

� Way clear for geological disposal planning, British regulators say

G. Germany

� Germany shipping depleted uranium to Russia

H. Russia

� Russia removes U.S. diplomats from train near secret test site accident: Ifax

� Russia, UAE extend MoU on cooperation

Nuclear, Missile & Space Digest3

� Nuclear deterrence ready: Putin presides over mega missile exercise involvingsubmarines, bombers & ground launchers

� Oil, diamonds and nuclear power: Russia eyes Africa business

� Last Soviet leader Gorbachev urges Russia, U.S. to hold nuclear talks

� Russian Subs Live-Fire Ballistic Missiles in Nuclear Combat Drill

� Russia, Serbia to build nuclear research centre

� Russian nuclear submarine aborts ballistic missile test

� Problem For Russian Navy Missile Submarine

� Ethiopia, Russia extend cooperation in nuclear energy

� Russia lands nuclear bombers in Africa as Putin hosts continent’s leaders

� Russia Is Importing Toxic Nuclear Waste From Germany, Greenpeace Warns

� Russia’s Rosatom, Rwanda sign deal to build nuclear science center

� Kursk II-2 core catcher arrives on site

� Inside Rwanda, Russia nuclear deal

� Russian Nuclear Scientist Jailed for Mining Bitcoins at Secret Lab

� Russia’s Putin, Hungary’s Orban to discuss TurkStream pipeline, nuclear energy

� Russian Nuclear Sub Test-Fires New ICBM

� Russia plans next two nuclear icebreakers

� Russian Submarines Hone Stealth Skills in Major North Atlantic Drill – NorwegianIntel

� Russian accident-tolerant fuel completes first tests

West Asia

I. Iran

� Iran has acted prudently by reducing nuclear commitments: Kamalvandi

� Russia: Revocation of Iran nuclear deal to fuel regional tensions

� William Burns and Jake Sullivan call Trump’s decision to quit nuclear deal ‘foolish’

� Zarif: EU has so far been unable to fulfill JCPOA commitments

� IAEA mum on Iran’s Illicit Nuclear Activities in Germany

� Rezaee warns govt. against delay to take fourth nuclear step

� U.S. extends sanction waiver for Iraq to continue gas, electricity imports from Iran

� Advisor says EU-planned INSTEX lacks locomotive engine

� Rouhani: Iran to continue resisting against foes’ plots, pressures

� Iran ready to take fourth nuclear step: MP

� Iran to operate new part of Arak reactor within next 2 weeks

� Iran says to take next nuclear step if remaining parties fail to honor obligations

� Iran-EU joint training workshop on nuclear emergency cases kicks off in Luxemburg

� Jack Straw says U.S. must return to nuclear deal

� Europeans, others talking to Tehran on a mechanism to save JCPOA, Iran says

� Iranian MP: Talks over FATF meaningless under sanctions

� Poll: Majority of voters are deeply concerned about Iran obtaining nuclear weapons

J. Turkey

� Turkey holding 50 US nuclear bombs ‘hostage’ at air base, report says

� No longer the obedient NATO ally, Erdogan floats nuclear option

K. Saudi Arabia

� Saudi Arabia: Iran exploited nuclear deal revenue for terror funding

� Saudi Arabia in talks with 5 vendors to build its first nuclear power reactors


L. Israel

� Former PM Olmert Slams Netanyahu for Strategic Failure on Iran

East Asia

M. North Korea

� Denuclearization dialogue leads to more North Korean warheads

� ‘N. Korea wants innovative approach from US for nuke talks’

� NK media slams S. Korea over missile tests, weapons development plans

� ‘Act wisely’: North Korea warns US of tough talks as year-end deadline nears

� ‘Kim Jong-un was told by father to never give up nukes’

� S. Korean authorities warned against military buildup

� North Korea tells U.S. not to ignore year-end deadline on Trump-Kim friendship -KCNA

� KAPPC chief warns against US’ anti-DPRK moves

� North Korea fires unidentified projectile: South Korea military

� North Korea projectiles were short-range, South Korean military says

� North Korea launches two suspected missiles after warnings to Washington

� North Korea says it conducted successful test of multiple rocket launchers

N. South Korea

� New ambassador vows to seek ‘constructive role’ from US in resolving tesions withJapan

� NK leader’s idea of denuclearization matches that of US: Moon

� Kori-1’s dismantling to be litmus test of Moon’s post-nuclear policy

O. Japan

� New missile deployment in Asia raised at Japan-U.S. talks

� TEPCO to pour 220 billion yen into Tokai No. 2 nuclear plant

P. Misc

� These 3 Technologies Could Transform Nuclear Energy

� Nuclear Power Plant Market Will Explore Robust Size And Global Trends By ForecastTo 2029

� IAEA fuel bank receives first delivery of uranium

� A New Era of Arms Control: Myths, Realities and Options Nonproliferation HybridWar: Russia vs. the West

� IAEA Board Appoints Rafael Grossi as Director General, Starting in December

� Philippines progresses with plan for nuclear energy

Q. Op-Ed

India

� India needs to amend its nuclear doctrine

� Was Hack on Indian Nuclear Plant Used to Test Cyber Intrusion Abilities?

Pakistan

� Security at a glance

� Getting nuclear-ready

� Horrors of Nuclear War

USA

� Meet the Ohio-Class: America’s Nuclear Doomsday Submarines

� Turkey’s Victory Over Donald Trump


� We Asked an Expert to Imagine a U.S.-China War. We Wish We Hadn’t

� Can the U.S. protect its nuclear weapons in Turkey?

� Some worries about nuclear weapons at Turkey base

� Cold War 2.0: Is a cyberwar between China and the US already underway?

� The ultimate Middle East missile target: Nuclear reactors

� U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Turkey, pt. 2

� U.S. Nuclear Power: America’s Brand Is at Risk

� Is the US Losing the Artificial Intelligence Arms Race?

Europe

� Lost WW2 British submarine found sunk off the coast of Malta

Russia

� Why Russia’s New Anti-Satellite Plane Is Very Bad Idea

� Russia Has Thousands of Nuclear Weapons (And They Can Kill Billions)

� Russia Almost Built A Nuclear-Armed Supersonic Bomber That Could Float OnWater

� Russia And America Barely Avoided An Horrific Nuclear War In 1983

� Russia’s First Upgraded Borei-Class Submarine Test Fires Bulava Ballistic Missile

� Russia, the Indispensable Nation in the Middle East

� U.S. Navy Beware! Russian Submarines Surge Into the Atlantic

� Russia and China: Dangerous Nuclear Strategies

West Asia

Iran

� Will Iran Move From Small Nuke Violations to the Countdown to a Bamb?

Turkey

� Erdogan’s Ambitions Go Beyond Syria.

� Why the U.S. Has Nuclear Weapons in Turkey—And May Try to Put the BombsAway

� It’s Time To Get U.S. Nukes Out Of Turkey

East Asia

North Korea

� Why North Korea walked away from negotiations in Sweden

� Nearly 4,000 civilian deaths in North Korea tied to sanctions: report

South Korea

� The Remaking of South Korean Conservatism in the Age of Trump

� North Korea’s own goal

Japan

� Why Japan’s Radioactive Water May End Up In the Ocean

� SDF deployment to Middle East would put Japan in risky waters

� TEPCO needs to make its case for bailing out aging nuclear plant

R.Reports

� Nuclear Energy: A Glimpse into Tomorrow

� Issuance of Iran-related General License K

S. Interviews

‘ � The fear of escalation between India and Pakistan is very real’

� Non-Proliferation and Emerging Technologies


A. India

Isro’s Space Shuttle-Like ReusableLaunch Vehicle Will Attempt ItsFirst Landing In Karnataka

First Post, October 16, 2019

The Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) is finally following in the footstepsof NASA and SpaceX by developing a spaceprogram for Reusable LaunchVehicles (RLV) which it has been testingsince 2016. The RLV program aims to cutdown on launch costs by, well, reusing thespacecraft. ISRO’s current project appearsto be using a hybrid design that sitssomewhere between NASA’s now-shuttered Space Shuttle program andSpaceX’s reusable rockets.

India’s RLV includes a Space Shuttle-likecraft that could feature an air-breathingramjet engine. This craft will take a payloadto space and then glide back to Earth,landing like a normal aircraft, much like theSpace Shuttle. The rocket that will take thisshuttle to orbit will return to Earth muchlike Musk’s Falcon 9 rockets. It will returnunder its own power and make a landingon a floating platform out at sea.

https://www.firstpost.com/tech/science/isro-space-shuttle-like-reusable-launch-vehicle-will-attempt-its-first-landing-in-karnataka-7506051.html

Second nuclear plant at TN’sKudankulam stops operation

Economic Times, October 18, 2019

The second 1,000 MW nuclear power unitat Kudankulam, owned by the NuclearPower Corporation of India LtdNSE -0.71% (NPCIL) stopped power generation onSaturday, said Power System OperationCorporation Ltd (POSOCO).

The atomic power plant stopped generationabout 12.30 a.m. on Saturday owing to “SGlevel low”, the company added. Theexpected date of the unit’s revival is notknown. The NPCIL has two 1,000 MWnuclear power plants at Kudankulam

Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) built withRussian equipment.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/power/second-nuclear-plant-at-tns-kudankulam-stops-operation/articleshow/71661290.cms

India to add 20,000 MW of nuclearpower generation capacity overnext decade: DAE Secy

Anshul Joshi, Economic Times, October 18,2019

India is set to add around 20,000Megawatt (Mw) of nuclear powergeneration capacity over the next decade,K N Vyas, Secretary at the the Departmentof Atomic Energy (DAE) and theChairman of Atomic Energy Commission(AEC) said today.

Speaking at an industry event here, he saidsteady and un-interrupted power supplyby nuclear power plants gives it an edgeover solar and wind power. “There wouldalways exist a requirement for steady andun-interrupted power supply representedby nuclear energy, especially since storagetechnology required to compensate for thelean period when wind does not blow orsun does not shine is currently ratherexpensive,” he said.

https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/power/india-to-add-20000-mw-of-nuclear-power-generation-capacity-over-next-decade-dae-secy/71652199

Department of Atomic Energyorganizes a Curtain Raiserprogramme to mark the CentenaryCelebrations of Dr VikramSarabhai

Indian Education Dairy, October 17, 2019

As a part of the year-long Birth Centenarycelebrations of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, theDepartment of Atomic Energy andDepartment of Space have organized atwo day programme in Mumbaibeginning from today. The programme


was a curtain raiser to commemorate Dr.Vikram Sarabhai’s contribution towardsDAE.

A number of contemporaries of Dr. Sarabhaiparticipated in the event. Luminaries likeDr. Kasturirangan, (former Chairman,ISRO) Dr. M.R. Srinivasan, (formerChairman, Atomic Energy Commission &Secretary Department of Atomic Energy),Shri Surendar Sharma (former ChiefExecutive, Heavy Water Board) werepresent and contributions of Dr. Sarabhaifor various activities of DAE likeestablishment of Indira Gandhi Centre forAtomic Research, giving a boost to nuclearpower stations, establishment of importantorganisations in DAE like Heavy WaterBoard, Electronics Corporation of IndiaLimited, Nuclear Fuel Complex and VariableEnergy Cyclotron Centre were highlighted.Dignitaries, who had close association withDr. Sarabhai, reminisced their associationwith him.

https://indiaeducationdiary.in/department-of-atomic-energy-organizes-a-curtain-raiser-programme-to-mark-the-centenary-celebrations-of-dr-vikram-sarabhai/

Chandrayaan-2: Nasa Moon orbiterphotographs Vikram landing site,images being analysed

India Today, October 17, 2019

We might soon have some new informationon what happened to the Chandrayaan-2lander Vikram, communication with whichwas lost during its landing attempt on theMoon. A lunar orbiter operated by the USspace agency National Aeronautics andSpace Administration (Nasa) has managedto snap photos of the area where Vikramattempted landing. Unlike photos shotbefore, the new images of Vikram’s landingsite were taken during good lightningconditions, raising hopes of spotting theChandryaaan-2 lander.

The Vikram lander went silent in the earlyhours of September 7 when it attemptlanding in the south polar region of theMoon. Despite multiple attempts by theIndian Space Research Organisation (Isro),communications could not be re-established

with Vikram before a cold lunar nightenveloped its landing site. Vikram did nothave any heating apparatus onboard,meaning that its instruments will likelyhave perished during the lunar night whentemperatures dip to less than minus 200degree Celsius.

https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/chandrayaan-2-nasa-orbiter-new-pictures-vikram-pragyaan-landing-site-1610304-2019-10-17

India plans expansion of nuclearfleet, says DEA chairman

World Nuclear News, October 21, 2019

India is aiming for “fleet modeconstruction” for future nuclear powerplant projects in order to reduce costs andconstruction times, according to KamleshVyas, chairman of the country’sDepartment of Atomic Energy (DAE).Speaking at the India Energy Forum’s 11thNuclear Energy Conclave in New Delhi on18 October, he said 17 nuclear powerreactors are planned in addition to thosealready under construction.

India is aiming for “fleet modeconstruction” for future nuclear powerplant projects in order to reduce costs andconstruction times, according to KamleshVyas, chairman of the country’sDepartment of Atomic Energy (DAE).Speaking at the India Energy Forum’s 11thNuclear Energy Conclave in New Delhi on18 October, he said 17 nuclear powerreactors are planned in addition to thosealready under construction.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/India-plans-expansion-of-nuclear-fleet-says-DEA-c

This is how Indian astronauts willbe trained for Gaganyaan inRussia

Jatan Mehta, The Print, October 23, 2019

Preparations are on for India’s YuriGagarin moment, with astronautsundergoing training in Russia for ISRO’sindigenous Gaganyaan mission set forDecember 2021.


ISRO is gearing up for the first full test flightof Gaganyaan in December 2020, withoutany crew. Another test flight is expected tofollow in July 2021. If all goes well, Indiawill launch its first astronauts into space inDecember 2021. They will orbit the Earthfor seven days, carry out experiments andthen come back. A successful execution ofthe Gaganyaan mission will open up doorsto more complex human spaceflightmissions, including building a space stationaround Earth by 2030.

https://theprint.in/science/this-is-how-indian-astronauts-will-be-trained-for-gaganyaan-in-russia/309050/

Delay impact: Gujarat seeks tariffcut for power from Kakrapar N-units

Anupam Chatterjee, Financial Express,October 24, 2019

With delays in project construction raisingthe tariff of electricity generated from theupcoming nuclear power generation unitsin Kakrapar, the Gujarat government hassought the Union power ministry’sintervention to reduce its cost burden. TheNuclear Power Corporation of India(NPCIL), which is developing the units,recently communicated to the state that theproject’s cost overrun had increased theestimated tariff for the power station toaround Rs 5.31/unit, up from the Rs 3.34/unit rate when the host state had soughtpower allocation.

According to sources, Saurabh Patel,Gujarat energy minister, has requestedpower minister R K Singh to take up thismatter with the department of atomicenergy and restructure the tariff to aroundRs 3.34/unit. The average price at which thestate bought non-renewable based power inFY19 was Rs 3.98/unit. Since NPCILprojects have the ‘must run’ status, thelanded cost of around Rs 6/unit looksunsustainable for the state, state officialspointed.

https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/delay-impact-gujarat-seeks-tariff-cut-for-power-from-kakrapar-n-units/1744478/

Tarapur, India’s 2nd mostpowerful nuclear plant built withUS help, completes 50 yrs today

Revathi Krishnan, The Print, October 28,2019

Monday marks the 50th anniversary of theTarapur Atomic Power Station or TAPSas it is known. Located in the industrialarea of Boisar in Maharashtra’s Thanedistrict, TAPS was India’s first atomicpower project when it began operationson 28 October, 1969. Launched under theLal Bahadur Shastri government, TAPSrelies on boiling water reactors (BWRs) forpower generation. BWRs are nuclearreactors using water as a coolant andmoderator, with steam being produced inthe reactor that is then enriched withuranium oxide.

https://theprint.in/india/tarapur-indias-2nd-most-powerful-nuclear-plant-built-with-us-help-completes-50-yrs-today/312366/

No cyberattack on KudankulamNuclear Power Plant, say officials

P. Sudhakar, The Hindu, October 29, 2019

Officials deny that the site was hacked,hours after a cybersecurity expert claimedon Twitter that the Plant’s domaincontroller-level access could have beencompromised.

Hours after a cybersecurity expert claimedon Twitter that the Kudankulam NuclearPower Plant’s (KKNPP) domain controller-level access could have been compromised,officials categorically denied it on Tuesday.KKNPP Site Director Sanjay Kumar saidthe totally isolated network of KKNPPcould not be accessed by any outsidenetwork from any part of the globe.Hence, there was no question of it beinghacked.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/kudankulam-nuclear-power-plant-says-network-is-safe/article29820186.ece


NPCIL admits malware attack atKudankulam Nuclear Power Plant

The Hindu, October 30, 2019

The infected computer belonged to a userwho was connected “in the Internetconnected network used for administrativepurposes,” an NPCIL official said.“Investigation also confirms that the plantsystems are not affected.” The NuclearPower Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL)on Wednesday confirmed that a malwarehad indeed infected its system at theKudankulam Nuclear Power Plant(KKNPP), a day after KKNPP officials hadcategorically asserted that the systems at theplant could not be accessed by anyoneoutside the network as they were allisolated.

“Identification of malware in NPCIL systemis correct,” A.K. Nema, Associate Directorand Appellate Authority, NPCIL, said in astatement. “The matter was conveyed byCERT-In [Indian Computer EmergencyResponse Team] when it was noticed bythem on September 4, 2019. The matter wasimmediately investigated by DAEspecialists,” he added.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/npcil-acknowledges-computer-breach-at-kudankulam-nuclear-power-plant/article29834644.ece

B. China

Initial research on rocket endssuccessfully

Zhao Lei, China Daily, October 15, 2019

Report says spacecraft carrier will be bigger,stronger than Long March 5 The preliminaryresearch on China’s new generation ofmanned spacecraft-carrying rocket hasconcluded successfully, paving the way forthe program’s next steps, according to ChinaSpace News, the flagship newspaper in thecountry’s space industry. The newspaperreported recently that the research resultswere reviewed and approved onWednesday by the China Manned SpaceAgency, which governs the nation’s mannedspace activities. Experts from the agencysaid the results will be adopted in the

research and development of the newcarrier rocket, which has yet to be named.

According to the report, the new rocket isbeing designed at the China Academy ofLaunch Vehicle Technology in Beijing. Itsmain body will be 87 meters tall, whichmeans it will be almost twice as tall as theLong March 5, currently the biggest ofChina’s rockets. The gigantic craft willboast liftoff weight of about 2,200 metrictons, nearly triple that of the Long March5. This will enable the rocket to place a25-ton spacecraft in a lunar transfertrajectory, the newspaper said. Next,researchers and engineers will enter thedetailed design phase and will continueto improve the rocket’s technical plan, itnoted.

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201910/15/WS5da51d41a310cf3e355707a9.html

People hail “Two Bombs, OneSatellite” founders for inspiringgenerations of Chinese scientists

Yang Sheng, Global Times, October 16,2019

Chinese people saluted scientists on socialmedia who had contributed to thedevelopment of nuclear weapons andmissiles on Wednesday, as the day markedthe 55th anniversary of China’s successfulfirst nuclear test, or the explosion of firstatomic bomb, on October 16, 1964. Chinadeveloped nuclear bombs, anintercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)and an artificial satellite in 1956 in aproject called “Two Bombs, One Satellite.”“Two Bombs” refers to the atomic bomb(and later the hydrogen bomb) and theICBM, while “One Satellite” refers to theartificial satellite. Observers noted that the“Two Bombs, One Satellite” was extremelycrucial to China and its people since it laidthe foundation for the nation to respondto nuclear blackmail from the US after theKorean War, and also freed itself fromsecurity reliance on the Soviet Union,which allowed the People’s Republic ofChina (PRC) to prevent direct wars withother major powers, realize trueindependence in the international arena


and become a major international influence.

China’s most advanced ICBM, the DF-41,made its debut at the National Day paradein Beijing on October 1, which YangChengjun, a Chinese expert on missiletechnology and nuclear strategy and chiefscientist of quantum defense, said is amessage to the world that China hassufficient and reliable strategic nuclearpower to respond to any “nuclearblackmail” from any country.

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1167113.shtml

China prepares for space stationconstruction

Xinhua, October 17, 2019

China is preparing for the upcoming high-density space missions to construct China’sspace station, and the Long March-5Bcarrier rocket, set to launch capsules for thespace station, is expected to make its maidenflight in 2020. Zhou Jianping, anacademician of the Chinese Academy ofEngineering, has been appointed the chiefdesigner of China’s manned space program,and Gu Yidong, an academician of theChinese Academy of Sciences, has beenappointed the chief space scientist of theprogram, according to the China MannedSpace Agency. China’s first astronaut YangLiwei and seven other experts in the fieldssuch as spacecraft, carrier rocket, spacetechnology application, monitoring andcommunication systems have beenappointed deputy chief designers of theprogram.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-10/17/c_138479514.htm

J-20 jets showcase missiles

Xu Luming and Liu Xuanzun , Global Times,October 17, 2019

China’s most advanced fighter jet, J-20, onceagain revealed its missiles at the Chinese AirForce’s “open day” event on Thursday,which also showcased the outstanding flightperformances of a number of the PLA’swarplanes. The open day, which runs fromThursday to Monday in Changchun,

Northeast China’s Jilin Province, is part ofcelebrations to commemorate the 70thanniversary of the founding of the ChinesePeople’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force.A pair of J-20 stealth fighter jets flewduring the event’s flight performance onThursday morning. Each of themshowcased two short-range combatmissiles, which rotated out from their sidemissile bays, where they were usuallystored to maintain the aircraft’s stealthcapability.


China launches newcommunication technologyexperiment satellite


China sent a new communicationtechnology experiment satellite intoplanned orbit from the Xichang SatelliteLaunch Center in southwest China’sSichuan Province late Thursday. Thesatellite, launched by a Long March-3Bcarrier rocket at 23:21 (Beijing Time), willbe mainly used for multi-band and high-speed communication technologyexperiments. The satellite and the carrierrocket were respectively developed by theChina Academy of Space Technology andthe China Academy of Launch VehicleTechnology under the China AerospaceScience and Technology Corporation.Thursday’s launch was the 315th missionof the Long March rocket series.


China and South Korea to worktogether for denuclearisation ofKorean Peninsula

South China Morning Post, October 21,2019

China and South Korea agreed on Mondayto make a joint effort to denuclearise theKorean Peninsula as they resumedbilateral high-level defence talks –suspended since 2014 when tensionsemerged over Seoul’s plans to allow


deployment of a US anti-missile system,Yonhap News Agency said. LieutenantGeneral Shao Yuanming, deputy chief of theJoint Staff Department of the CentralMilitary Commission, met South Koreandefence vice-minister Park Jae-min in Beijingand both sides agreed to deepen bilateral ties,Yonhap said. The dialogue took place on thesidelines of the Xiangshan Forum, a three-day gathering on Asia-Pacific security anddefence which started on Sunday.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3033877/china-and-south-korea-set-restart-annual-defence-talks-after

Nation makes breakthrough inspace plane project

Global Times, October 23, 2019

China recently made an importantbreakthrough in developing its own spaceplane, a genre of aircraft that is expected tobecome a crucial weapon in the future, astate-owned research institute said. The FirstResearch Institute of the Chinese Academyof Aerospace and Aerodynamicssuccessfully conducted a wind tunnelexperiment, in which the second-stageaircraft freely detached from the first-stageaircraft of a two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO) spaceplane, according to a statement the academyreleased on its WeChat account on Monday.

Space plane is a crucial weapon of the futureand represents the trend of integratingaviation and space technologies, theacademy said. Many countries have beendeveloping space planes, including the USwith its X-37B, which many militaryobservers claim is a prototype space fighter.A space plane can be used for reconnaissance,anti-satellite, anti-ballistic missile and groundattacks if used as a weapon, the military expertsaid, noting that it can also send satellitesand astronauts into space at a lower costthan rockets, because it is reusable and usesstandard airports. China unveiled theTengyun Project in 2016, which is planningthe first test flight for the Chinese space planein 2030, Beijing-based Science and TechnologyDaily reported in December 2016.


China’s Chang’e-4 probe resumeswork for 11th lunar day


The lander and the rover of the Chang’e-4 probe have resumed work for the 11thlunar day on the far side of the moon after“sleeping” during the extremely coldnight. The lander woke up at 5:11 a.m.Wednesday (Beijing Time), and the rover,Yutu-2 (Jade Rabbit-2), awoke at 11:45a.m. Tuesday. Both are in normal workingconditions, according to the LunarExploration and Space Program Center ofthe China National Space Administration.

The rover has traveled about 290 meterson the moon to conduct scientificexploration on the virgin territory. TheChang’e-4 probe, launched on Dec. 8,2018, made the first-ever soft landing onthe Von Karman Crater in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moonon Jan. 3, 2019. A lunar day equals 14 dayson Earth, and a lunar night is the samelength. The Chang’e-4 probe switched toa dormant mode during the lunar nightdue to the lack of solar power.


Experts call on China to deepeninvestments in nuclear technologyfor people’s wellbeing

Hu Yuwei, Global Times, October 23, 2019

Over the past few years, nucleartechnology has been used for livelihoodprojects, from the enhancement of materialproperties and nuclear medicine to foodand agricultural products radiationprocessing. It has been a very importantpart of China’s economic constructionsince the reform and opening-up, said theexperts. Boron Neutron Capture Therapy(BNCT), Zhou’s project that progressestoward clinical cancer treatments, is amicrocosm of such extension. “I believethat with enough investment, China willlead the world in the application of nuclearenergy in medical care, just like theprogress of our nuclear submarines andnuclear power plants,” Zhou told the


Global Times. “The market for nucleartechnology in medical programs is muchlarger than the market for nuclear powertoday.”


Regretting China’s absence at keyspace forum in US

Zhao Huanxin, China Daily, October 24,2019

China’s absence from an important globalspace conference was a missed opportunityfor collaboration, an American scientist saidat the 2019 International AstronauticalCongress (IAC) on Wednesday. The Chinesespace delegation, whose members includeWu Yanhua, vice- administrator of theChina National Space Administration, wasabsent from the weeklong 70th IAC,scheduled to conclude Friday inWashington.

A moderator of an opening plenary panelwhere Wu was expected to speak onMonday said Wu’s absence was because ofa “scheduling conflict”. But China’s ForeignMinistry confirmed early Wednesday thatit was due to a visa issue and it urgedWashington not to “weaponize” visas andhinder normal international cooperation. “Ithink it was hoped that China would bepresent so that multilateral talks could beundertaken,” said Notre Dame planetaryscientist Clive R. Neal. “Everyone wasdisappointed! I am saddened that thepolitical situation between our two countriesgives the perception that we are inopposition.”

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201910/24/WS5db1118ba310cf3e3557247e.html

China takes step forward with plansfor aerospace plane that could outdothe space shuttle Liu Zhen

South China Morning Post, October 25, 2019

Successful wind tunnel test could pave wayfor two-part hypersonic vessel that will takeoff like a normal plane but can deliver heavypayloads into space. The vessel could also

have military uses such as acting as aplatform for launching weapons. Chinaannounced that it has taken an importantstep forward in its plans to develop a two-part aerospace plane that could one daydeliver much heavier payloads into spacethan the space shuttle. According to theplan, the larger space plane will belaunched from an airport like aconventional aircraft – a method that isthought to be much safer than a rocketlaunch – before the smaller vessel it carrieson its back separates to launch the payloadinto space. Both parts of the vessel will beable to return to earth to be reused.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3034465/china-takes-step-forward-plans-aerospace-plane-could-outdo

Brazil narrows field to China,Russia, France for Angra 3 nuclearpartner

Anthony Boadle, Reuters, October 24,2019

Brazil’s state nuclear power companyEletronuclear plans to complete its long-delayed Angra 3 plant by partnering witheither China’s National NuclearCorporation (CNNC), France’s EDF orRussia’s Rosatom, its president LeonamGuimaraes told Reuters. Eletronuclear willdecide by the end of the year whether tocreate a subsidiary joint venture or if theforeign partner will become a minorityshareholder in the state company, whichwould entitle it to a stake in its existingAngra 1 and 2 nuclear power plants,Guimaraes said.

Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, hesaid the partner would require deeppockets, as completion of Angra 3 willrequire 15 billion reais ($3.7 billion) on topof the 9 billion reais already invested. “Weare looking for an internationalpartnership to invest in the completion ofAngra 3 and that partner would own partof the plant until the end of its life,” hesaid. The plant was first planned in the1980s but dropped due to lack of finance.Building restarted in 2010, butEletronuclear was hit by a corruption


scandal in 2015 and stopped payingcontractors such as French company Areva,which was installing the Siemens-designedreactor technology now owned byFramatome.

https://in.reuters.com/article/brazil-nuclear/corrected-brazil-narrows-field-to-china-russia-france-for-angra-3-nuclear-partner-idINL2N2771L9

Chinese scientists’ pursuit ofcosmic rays opens windows onuniverse


In the wilderness of Daocheng, southwestChina’s Sichuan Province, 4,400 metersabove sea level, Chinese scientists areconstructing a cosmic ray observationstation on an area equivalent to 200 soccerfields. Huge rocks left from the Ice Age havebeen blasted. Different detectors are beinginstalled to form a huge “net” to catch theparticles generated by cosmic rays in theatmosphere, to help scientists study both themicro and the macro worlds in the universe.

Three huge underground pools, more thantriple the size of the Water Cube (NationalAquatic Center) in Beijing, will holddetectors to collect high-energy photonsgenerated by remote celestial bodies. Besidethe pools, 12 telescopes will be erected toconduct high-precision measurement ofcosmic rays with the highest energy.Construction of the first half of theobservation station, known as Large High-Altitude Air Shower Observatory(LHAASO), is due to be finished at the endof this year, and the whole projectcompleted at the end of 2020, said Cao Zhen,chief scientist of LHAASO and a researcherat the Institute of High Energy Physics(IHEP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.


China to launch Chang’e-5 lunarprobe in 2020


China plans to launch the Chang’e-5 probein 2020 to bring moon samples back to

Earth, according to Wu Weiren, chiefdesigner of China’s lunar explorationprogram. The Long March- 5 carrierrocket, China’s current largest launchvehicle, will be used to send the probe intospace.The third Long March-5 rocket isbeing transported to the Wenchang SpaceLaunch Center for a new flight, accordingto Wu. The success of the flight will be thekey for China’s future space missionsincluding the Chang’e-5 probe. Wu saidthe Chang’e-5 probe includes a lander, anorbiter, an ascender and a returner.

The key of the mission will be lunar samplecollection, takeoff from the moon,rendezvous and docking on lunar obit andhigh-speed reentry into Earth’ atmosphere.China’s current lunar program includesthree phases: orbiting, landing, andreturning. The first two phases have beenaccomplished, and the next step is tolaunch the Chang’e-5 probe to collect 2 kgof moon samples and bring them back tothe earth. China is also drawing up theplan for the fourth phase of the lunarexploration program. In the fourth phaseof the program, China will conductscientific detection in the south polarregion of the moon by mainly using highintelligent robots, and realize long-termexploration in the complicated lunarenvironment, Wu said.


China shores up recovery ofreusable rockets


Private company firm realizesbreakthrough in thrust regulationtechnique. Chinese private rocket firmLandSpace conducts a long-range trial runof its reusable liquid oxygen methaneengine TQ-12 on Saturday, layingfoundation for the recovery of reusablerockets. The engine named TQ-12, whichwas independently developed byLandSpace, completed its 200-second testthat covered the entire flight time of therocket. A major focus was on the feasibilityof the engine thrust regulation and


preliminary examination of the reliability ofthe engine itself, according to a statementsent to the Global Times by LandSpace.

The highlights of the TQ-12 rocket engineinclude being non-toxic, highly reliable,highly performing, low cost, easy to operateand reusable, which is the evolutionarydirection of the main rocket engine.It isdesigned with a sea level thrust of 67 tonsand a sea level vacuum thrust of 76 tons aswell as a vacuum thrust of 80 tons,according to the company. “China has beenplaying a leading role in the private rocketfield in the world, and there are severalcompanies in China doing research intoreusable launch vehicles, including iSpace,”Huang said, adding that the industry has aprosperous outlook.


Third Long March-5 rockettransported to Hainan


The third Long March-5 rocket, China’slargest carrier rocket, was transported toQinglan Port in Wenchang in south China’sHainan Province Sunday, according to theChina National Space Administration.China will choose an ideal time to launchthe rocket after it completes assembly and aseries of tests. Two rocket-carrying ships,Yuanwang-21 and Yuanwang-22, departednorth China’s Tianjin Port on Oct. 22.Successfully navigating complex seaconditions, they arrived at Qinglan Portafter a five-day journey.

The third rocket will be transported by roadto the Wenchang Space Launch Center, andthe preparations for the launch mission willbe carried out as planned. The success of theflight is key to China’s future space missionsincluding the Chang’e-5 probe and China’sfirst Mars probe.


China builds world’s largestmanned submersible

China Daily, October 29, 2019

China has developed and completed themanned cabin for a new deep-sea mannedsubmersible capable of carrying threepeople deeper than 10,000 meters,according to media reports. Researchersfrom the Institute of Metal Research at theChinese Academy of Sciences saidMonday that the manned cabin has thelargest space and carrying capacity amongmyriameter (10,000 meters) mannedcabins worldwide. The manned cabin,made of titanium alloy, is the corecomponent of the deep-sea mannedsubmersible, and has recently passedthrough hydrostatic pressure-testassessments and obtained approvals forthe vehicle’s integration unit. Oncompletion the submersible will able toplunge deep down into the MarianaTrench in the Pacific Ocean, the deepesttrench in the world, and allow China tocarry out scientific research in the deepestsea areas. This, however, is not the firsttime that China’s self-developedsubmersibles have dived into the deepesttrench.

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201910/29/WS5db7f4d6a310cf3e35574421.html

China plans more space sciencesatellites


China plans to launch four new sciencesatellite missions by 2023, and scientistshave completed concept research onanother five to be launched in the next 10years. Successful Chinese science satelliteslaunched since 2015 include the DarkMatter Particle Explorer (DAMPE), theQuantum Experiments at Space Scale(QUESS) and the Hard X-ray ModulationTelescope (HXMT). These were under aspace science program of the ChineseAcademy of Sciences (CAS). The secondphase of the program has now started,Wang Chi, director of the National SpaceScience Center under the CAS, recently


told the first China Space Science Assemblyin Xiamen, east China’s Fujian Province.Thefour new missions include the GravitationalWave Electromagnetic Counterpart All-skyMonitor (GECAM), expected to be launchedat the end of 2020, which will search forelectromagnetic signals associated withgravitational waves, Wang said.

The Advanced Space-borne SolarObservatory (ASO-S), expected to belaunched at the end of 2021, will helpscientists understand the solar magneticfields, flares and coronal mass ejections. Asatellite named Einstein-Probe (EP), taskedwith discovering celestial bodies that emitX-rays during fierce changes as well asquiescent black holes with transient high-energy radiation, is expected to be launchedat the end of 2022. The Solar WindMagnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer,or SMILE, is a Sino-European joint missionexpected to be launched at the end of 2023.It will focus on the interaction between thesolar wind and the earth’s magnetosphere.


China’s Shandong Province aims tobuild key nuclear power base


With the ambitious goal of building animportant nuclear power base along China’seast coast, Shandong Province is expeditingconstruction of several nuclear power plantprojects including China General NuclearPower Group (CGN)’s Hualong OneShandong project which has enteredpreliminary testing, media reported onThursday. Yantai city in Shandong Province,has ramped up efforts to build a 100-billion-yuan-class ($14.2-billion-class) nuclearpower equipment industry there, businessnews website jiemian.com reported.

The Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant, whichwas the first nuclear power project inShandong, has been completed and was putinto use in 2018. It has generated 20 billionkilowatt hours of electricity, according to thereport. The Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Plantin Rongcheng, in eastern Shandong, isscheduled for completion in 2020, and the

CNNC’s offshore floating reactor projectis also undergoing preparation work.


China criticizes US decision todeploy missiles in Asia-Pacific

Zhang Zhihao, China Daily, November 1,2019

Land-based medium range weaponsthreaten security of region, experts warn.The Chinese military will not sit idly andallow the United States to deploy land-based medium range missiles in Asia-Pacific countries, and the Ministry ofNational Defense urged relevant nationsto act cautiously and responsively to avoidunwise actions, its spokesman said onThursday. In August, US DefenseSecretary Mark Esper said the US plans todeploy land-based, medium- rangeweapons in the Asia-Pacific region in thefuture. In the same month, the US officiallypulled out of the Intermediate-rangeNuclear Forces Treaty, a landmark armscontrol deal signed in 1987 between theUS and the former Soviet Union toeliminate the two sides’ land-based ballisticmissiles with ranges between 500kilometers and 5,500 km.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2019-11/01/content_37519970.htmb

C. Pakistan

Pakistan playing pivotal role inregion’s peace, security: ForeignMinister

The News International, October 17, 2019

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshion Thursday said in pursuit of its foreignpolicy objectives, Pakistan was playing apivotal role in promoting peace, securityand stability in the region and beyond.“We will continue to stand by Kashmirisin their just struggle for realization of theright to self-determination,” he said,pointing out that India was also pursuinga massive build-up of its nuclear andconventional military forces and acquiringdestabilising capabilities.


“This country resorts to war-mongering andissues nuclear threats including for shortterm domestic electoral gains. It hasrepeatedly signalled changes to itsdeclaratory nuclear posture while flirtingwith pre-emptive and counter-forcetendencies,” he said.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/542436-pakistan-playing-pivotal-role-in-region-s-peace-security-fm

Global watchdog keeps Pakistan onterrorism financing ‘gray list’

Reuters, October 18, 2019

A global finance watchdog kept Pakistan offits terrorism financing blacklist on Friday butwarned Islamabad it only had until Februaryto improve or face international action. TheParis-based Financial Action Task Force,which tackles money laundering, said it wasconcerned that Pakistan had failed tocomplete the action plan first by a Januarydeadline, then a May deadline and nowOctober. “The FATF strongly urges Pakistanto swiftly complete its full action plan byFebruary 2020,” it said in a statement.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-fatf-pakistan/global-watchdog-keeps-pakistan-on-terrorism-financing-gray-list-idUSKBN1WX16K

Pakistan Minister Warns Of NuclearWar With India To Stifle Opposition

News Nation, October 23, 2019

Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, Pakistan’s railwaysminister, warned political rivals not tooppose the government as, in his opinion,there is a real threat of war with India atthis juncture, which he said would inevitableculminate into a nuclear war. The triggerfor Ahmed’s latest N-salvo was a call byMaulana Fazlur Rehman for a march onIslamabad in a bid to pile pressure on PrimeMinister Imran Khan to resign. Ahmed hasspoken far more than the country’s defence,home, and foreign ministers put together onissues of national security, defence, andforeign policy since India nullified the specialstatus of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5.

https://www.newsnation.in/videos/world/pakistan-minister-warns-of-nuclear-war-with-india-to-stifle-opposition-14/53709

Countries backing India will behit by missile: Nuclear war threatby Pakistani minister

Gulf news, October 30, 2019

A Pakistan minister has courtedcontroversy by saying that any countrythat will support India over the Kashmirissue will be hit by a missile by Pakistanand considered as an “enemy” ofIslamabad.

“If tensions with India rises on Kashmir,Pakistan will be compelled to go to war.Hence, those countries backing India andnot Pakistan (over Kashmir) will beconsidered as our enemy and a missile willbe fired at India and those nationssupporting it,” Minister for Kashmir Affairsand Gilgit Baltistan, Ali Amin Gandapursaid at an event on Tuesday. Pakistan-based journalist Naila Inayat tweeted apart of the video in which the minister isseen making the inflammatory remarks.

https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/countries-backing-india-will-be-hit-by-missile-nuclear-war-threat-by-pakistani-minister-1.1572408842525

D. USA

Exclusive: U.S. carried out secretcyber strike on Iran in wake ofSaudi oil attack: officials

Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart, Reuters,October 16, 2019

The United States carried out a secret cyberoperation against Iran in the wake of theSept. 14 attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oilfacilities, which Washington and Riyadhblame on Tehran, two U.S. officials havetold Reuters.

The officials, who spoke on condition ofanonymity, said the operation took placein late September and took aim at Tehran’sability to spread “propaganda.” One ofthe officials said the strike affected physicalhardware, but did not provide furtherdetails. The attack highlights howPresident Donald Trump’s administrationhas been trying to counter what it sees as


Iranian aggression without spiraling into abroader conflict.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran-military-cyber-exclusive/exclusive-u-s-carried-out-secret-cyber-strike-on-iran-in-wake-of-saudi-oil-attack-officials-idUSKBN1WV0EK

EnergySolutions adds TMI-2 todecommissioning projects


All licences and assets of unit 2 of the ThreeMile Island nuclear power plant inPennsylvania will be transferred to asubsidiary of EnergySolutions under anagreement signed yesterday by US utilityFirstEnergy and EnergySolutions. Thereactor, which suffered a partial meltdownin 1979 and never reopened, will then bedecommissioned.

The contract was signed betweenEnergySolutions and FirstEnergysubsidiaries GPU Nuclear Inc, MetropolitanEdison Company, Jersey Central Power &Light Company, and Pennsylvania ElectricCompany. Under the agreement, the plant,property, nuclear decommissioning trustfund, plant licences and responsibility fordecommissioning Three Mile Island 2 (TMI-2) will be transferred to EnergySolutionssubsidiary TMI-2 Solutions LLC.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/EnergySolutions-takes-on-TMI-2-for-decommis-sioning

US regulator accepts SHINE’sradioisotope operating licenceapplication


The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission(NRC) has accepted SHINE MedicalTechnologies’ operating licence applicationfor its medical isotope production facility inJanesville, Wisconsin. SHINE said the NRC’sacceptance confirms that its application was“complete and of sufficient quality” for theNRC to start its detailed technical review ofthe application.

SHINE’s application seeks regulatoryapproval to operate its transformational non-

reactor technology that will producemedical isotopes, including molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), which the company says isused in more than 40 million medicalprocedures every year. The facility will becapable of supplying two-thirds of USpatient demand for the isotope. SHINEexpects to begin production of Mo-99 in2021, with commercial productionstarting in 2022.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/US-regulator-accepts-SHINEs-radioisotope-operating

U.S. energy secretary says cabinet-level group will boost domesticuranium mining

Timothy Gardner, Reuters, October 17,2019

U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said onWednesday he believes a cabinet-levelworking group set up by President DonaldTrump will make recommendations thatwill revive domestic mining of uranium fornuclear power plants. Separately, Perrydeclined to say, through a spokeswoman,if he would cooperate with three U.S.House committees that asked him to turnover documents by Friday in theirimpeachment probe of Trump.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-ura-nium-perry/u-s-energy-secretary-says-cabinet-level-group-will-boost-domestic-uranium-mining-idUSKBN1WV2IC

3D printing is helping to tacklenuclear waste

Darren Allan, Tech Radar, October 17, 2019

3D printing is finding more and moreinnovative applications – from printingmeat in space to using giant printers tofashion entire boats – and the latestintriguing development is using thetechnology to help recycle more nuclearwaste.

Currently, nuclear engineers can recycle95% of spent fuel from a nuclear reactor,with the remaining 5% having to be storedas ‘long-term’ waste. The aforementioned3D-printed equipment can be used to sort


and recycle some of the latter, meaning thatan extra 2% of nuclear waste can berecycled. The benefits of using parts from a3D printer for this recycling process includeoffering “inherent safeguards againstnuclear proliferation”, as well as theflexibility they bring to the process. AsArgonne engineer Peter Kozak explains: “Ifa part did fail, it would be easy to reprintand replace it. We could easily add or removesteps.”

https://www.techradar.com/news/3d-printing-is-helping-to-tackle-nuclear-waste

Trump says U.S. Energy SecretaryPerry to step down at end of the year

Steve Holland and Timothy Gardner,Reuters, October 18, 2019

U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry will stepdown by the end of the year, PresidentDonald Trump said on Thursday, a daybefore a deadline set by congressionalDemocrats for Perry to turn over documentsin the impeachment probe. Trump told anevent in Texas that he had known formonths that Perry would resign.

“Rick and I have been talking for six months.In fact, I thought he might go a bit sooner,”Trump said. “But he’s got some very bigplans. He’s going to be very successful. Wehave his successor. We’ll announce it prettysoon.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-perry/trump-says-u-s-energy-secretary-perry-to-step-down-at-end-of-the-year-idUSKBN1WW2VN

U.S. Military To Replace 1970sFloppy Disks Controlling NuclearMissiles

Zak Doffman, Forbes, October 19, 2019

Oftentimes in the military, the adage “if itain’t broke, don’t fix it,” becomes hard toargue. And in a world where threat actorsfrom enemy nation states probe for any andevery weakness, replacing a system that hasbeen glitch and breach free for decades is a

tough ask. So it is with the U.S. military’sdecision to shift its Strategic AutomatedCommand and Control System (SACCS)from 1970s tech to something morecontemporary. The highly secure U.S.military messaging services has finally“dumped the floppydisk,” reported defense news site C4isrnet.

The SACCS messaging system has beenused with the Minuteman intercontinentalballistic missile (ICBM) system, the land-based nuclear option operated by the U.S.Air Force Global Strike Command. It is anetwork of hidden underground missilesilos connected by endless secure cabling.All of which has been controlled by a1970s computer system and those disks.“This is how we would conduct nuclearwar,” one senior USAF operator explains,“on eight-inch floppy disks.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/10/19/us-military-to-replace-1970s-floppy-disks-controlling-nuclear-missiles/#10c69aeed81b

Permit issued for San Onofredecommissioning


The California Coastal Commission hasapproved a coastal development permit forSouthern California Edison’s San Onofrenuclear power plant, enablingdecommissioning of the plant to begin. Theutility said it expects the dismantling ofmajor structures at the two-unit plant tobegin next year.

“We appreciate the commissioners fortheir diligence in understanding the issuesinvolved and Coastal Commission staff fortheir efforts in making sure all voices wereheard in the process,” said Doug Bauder,SCE vice president and chief nuclearofficer. “I also want to thank the membersof the public who spoke in favour of thepermit for their support in helping get thisproject under way.”

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Permit-issued-for-San-Onofre-decommissioning


SMRs expand energy choice, saysPerry


“By sharing our nuclear energy technologies,we are breathing new life into that great andnoble vision first unveiled to the world byPresident Eisenhower. A vision to convertnuclear power into peaceful energy for thewhole of humanity,” Perry said in a keynoteaddress to the first US-EU High-LevelIndustrial Forum on SMRs which was heldin Brussels on 21 October. “We arereaffirming nuclear energy as anindispensable source of energy for theworld,” he added.

The USA is supporting this vision by effortsto increase the longevity and performanceof today’s nuclear reactors, developmentsincluding accident tolerant fuels and othertechnologies, and programmes such as theDepartment of Energy’s (DOE) Gateway forAccelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN)initiative to bring new reactor technologiesto market. The DOE has long been involvedin the development of small modular reactor(SMR) technology, Perry said, citing jointresearch between the Idaho NationalLaboratory and Oregon State Universitywhich ultimately led to the development ofSMR company NuScale.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Perry-SMRs-expand-energy-choice

U.S. gives firms time to wind downdeals with COSCO unit hit by Iransanctions


The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursdayissued a nearly two-month waiver forcompanies to wind down transactions witha Chinese tanker company it sanctioned lastmonth for allegedly transporting Iranian oil.

The waiver, good through Dec. 20, allows“maintenance or wind down oftransactions” including offloading non-Iranian crude oil involving COSCOShipping Tanker (Dalian) Co. Ltd, accordingto a notice from the department’s Office ofForeign Assets Control.

The Trump administration imposedsanctions in late September on fourChinese shipping companies includingCOSCO Shipping Tanker (Dalian) forallegedly transporting oil from Iran.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-usa-cosco/us-gives-firms-time-to-wind-down-deals-with-cosco-unit-hit-by-iran-sanctions-idUSKBN1X324O

Tankers sail after U.S. allowssanctions-hit COSCO unit to winddown oil deals

Jonathan Saul and Collin Eaton, Reuters,October 25, 2019

At least three tankers are on their way toAsia with U.S. oil cargoes after Washingtongave temporary approval to wind downtransactions with a Chinese shippingcompany that it sanctioned last month,according to data and shipping sources.

In one of the biggest sanctions actionstaken by the U.S. government since itscrackdown on Iranian oil exports,Washington on Sept. 25 announcedsanctions on Chinese tanker companies,including COSCO Shipping Tanker(Dalian), a subsidiary of China’s state-owned shipping group COSCO.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-usa-cosco/tankers-sail-after-u-s-allows-sanctions-hit-cosco-unit-to-wind-down-oil-deals-idUSKBN1X421D

U.S. says talks progressing withSaudi on possible nuclear program


U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said onSaturday that conversations with SaudiArabia on a nuclear program are goingforward. The world’s top oil exporter hadsaid it wanted to use nuclear power todiversify its energy mix. It wants to goahead with a full-cycle nuclear program,including the production and enrichmentof uranium for atomic fuel.

In order for U.S. companies to compete forSaudi Arabia’s project, Riyadh wouldnormally need to sign an accord on the


peaceful use of nuclear technology withWashington.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uae-us-energy/us-says-talks-progressing-with-saudi-on-possible-nuclear-program-idUSKBN1X509E

U.S. Treasury’s Mnuchin says U.S.will ramp up pressure on Iran


Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said onMonday the United States would increaseeconomic pressure on Iran over its nuclearprogram, making the pledge during a MiddleEast trip that includes visits to U.S. allies Israeland Saudi Arabia. Sanctions reimposed onTehran by President Donald Trump after hewithdrew the United States from worldpowers’ 2015 nuclear pact with Tehranhave dried up Iranian oil revenues and cutIranian banks’ ties to the financial world.

Mnuchin, speaking in Jerusalem to reportersalongside Israeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu, who urged him to crank uppressure on Iran, offered no details on whatnew moves were in store.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-mnuchin/us-treasurys-mnuchin-says-us-will-ramp-up-pressure-on-iran-idUSKBN1X7149

US confirms nuclear energy talkswith Saudi Arabia

Meed, Power Technology, October 30, 2019

Riyadh will have to sign an accord withWashington on the peaceful use of nucleartechnology for US firms to participate in theproject. A senior US official has confirmedthat Washington is in talks with Riyadhabout supporting Saudi Arabia’s plannednuclear programme. Speaking in Abu Dhabion 26 October, US Energy Secretary RickPerry Perry confirmed that talks wereongoing. Perry told the forum that SaudiArabia’s leadership in Riyadh wanted tosign a ‘123 Agreement’ with the UnitedStates. A 123 Agreement is a section of theUS’ Atomic Energy Act of 1954 that sets outrules governing US nuclear cooperation withother nations.

https://www.power-technology.com/comment/us-confirms-nuclear-energy-talks-with-saudi-arabia/

U.S., Gulf countries impose jointIran-related sanctions on 25targets

Doina Chiacu and Daphne Psaledakis,Reuters, October 30, 2019

The United States and six Gulf countriesagreed to jointly impose sanctions on 25corporations, banks and individuals linkedto Iran’s support for militant networksincluding Hezbollah, the U.S. TreasuryDepartment said on Wednesday. Theblacklisted targets were announced by theTerrorist Financing Targeting Center(TFTC) nations - which also includeBahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, SaudiArabia and the United Arab Emirates.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran-sanctions/seven-countries-issue-iran-related-sanctions-on-25-targets-idUSKBN1X91PO

U.S. monitoring reports of NorthKorean missile launch: StateDepartment


The U.S. State Department is monitoringreports of a North Korean missile launchafter Japan and South Korea said thereclusive country had fired two projectileson Thursday. “We are aware of reports ofa North Korean missile launch,” a StateDepartment spokesman said on Thursday.“We are continuing to monitor thesituation and consulting closely with ourallies in Japan and South Korea.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-usa/u-s-monitoring-reports-of-north-korean-missile-launch-state-department-idUSKBN1XA1TG

Exclusive: U.S. to renew waiversallowing non-proliferation workwith Iran - sources

Arshad Mohammed, Reuters, October 31,2019

The United States plans to allow Russian,Chinese and European companies tocontinue work at Iranian nuclear facilitiesto make it harder for Iran to develop anuclear weapon, two sources familiar


with the matter said on Wednesday. TheTrump administration, which last yearpulled out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal andre-imposed sanctions on Iran, will let thework go forward by issuing waivers tosanctions that bar non-U.S. firms fromdealing with the Atomic EnergyOrganization of Iran (AEOI), said thesources on condition of anonymity.

While the waivers’ renewal would allownon-proliferation work to continue at theArak heavy water research reactor and theFordow fuel enrichment plant, which AEOIoversees, it may also signal that Washingtonis leaving the door open to diplomacy.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-usa-exclusive-idUSKBN1X92O2

Europe

E. France

France worried by new phase inIran’s breaching of nuclear pact

John Irish, Reuters, 16 October, 2019

France urged Iran on Wednesday not toscale back further on its commitments to a2015 nuclear deal, saying Tehran’s newthreat to speed up uranium enrichment nextmonth was “especially worrying”.

Iran is breaching restrictions of the pactwith major powers step-by-step in responseto tough sanctions imposed by the UnitedStates, which pulled out of the deal last year.Tehran has said its next move would betaken on Nov. 6 and diplomats fear thiscould force a response from Europeanpowers, who have been trying to salvage theaccord. Britain, France and Germany, allsignatories, have refrained from acting sofar. “Iran must abstain from crossing anespecially worrying new phase of newmeasures that could contribute to anescalation in tensions,” French ForeignMinistry spokeswoman Agnès von der Muhlltold reporters in a daily briefing. IranianPresident Hassan Rouhani said on Mondaythat Tehran was working on advanced IR-9 centrifuges for uranium enrichment.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-iran-france/france-worried-by-new-phase-in-irans-breaching-of-nuclear-pact-idUSKBN1WV1HS

The untapped potential of nuclearunder the Paris Agreement


A policy and market environment thatunlocks the mitigation potential of nuclearpower will enable countries to adopt moreambitious targets in their NationallyDetermined Contributions (NDCs) underthe Paris Agreement, a paper prepared byHal Turton, an energy economist in theDepartment of Nuclear Energy at theInternational Atomic Energy Agencyshows. The paper, Nuclear Power andClimate Change: Scenario Perspectives to2050, was presented last week at theVienna-based agency’s first internationalconference on climate change and the roleof nuclear power.

“Leading global energy scenarios highlightthe need for nuclear power to play a largerrole in climate change mitigation toachieve the goals of the Paris Agreement,”Turton said. “Together with other low-carbon technologies, nuclear energy cansupply increasing demands for electricityand non-electric energy up to 2050 as partof a sustainable energy transition.” Allscenarios envisage a strong increase inelectricity generation and demand by2050, but this is especially evident inscenarios with CO2 emissions below 20gigatonnes in 2050, according to the newpaper. This increasing electricity demandis driven by economic and populationgrowth and a continuation of long-termelectrification trends, which are acceleratedin mitigation scenarios in which electricityis used to decarbonise other energy uses.

http://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/The-untapped-potential-of-nuclear-under-the-Paris

Why France is eyeing nuclearpower again

James Temple, Technology Review, October16, 2019

After years of backing away from nuclearpower, France suddenly wants to build sixhuge reactors. Le Monde reported that thegovernment asked EDF, the country’smain state-controlled energy company, towork up plans to build three new nuclear


plants, each with a pair of its EPR reactors.The third-generation design producesenough electricity to supply 1.5 millionpeople, and automatically shuts down andcools in the event of an accident.

It doesn’t appear that any developments arefinal—or even funded—at this stage. Butenergy experts were surprised by the newsbecause it seemed to suggest France isadjusting its stance on nuclear. Plus earlyefforts to build the same style of pressurized-water reactor have been plagued with costoverruns and repeated delays.

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/614579/why-france-is-eyeing-nuclear-power-again/?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWkdSa09EZGlNVFZoWm1ReSIsInQiOiJOKzhacFdcL21XVWtHVFhZNEs4XC9QakhyUlRqaHRrVWJaeTJXWVdMOTBCXC9kamVDcXNOT3IrdVwvZlk0WDluXC9Hd1R6MWNrTzh0V0psaEVMMlJ5OEMyZWVzMTNLWDJUWnljUHVmdXBhRzE4OGZtMjhqWHV5UGNZVnA5XC9GUzZRSWErYSJ9

F. UK

‘Sinister yet pathetic’: how the UKwas primed for nuclear war

Sian Cain, Guardian, October 30, 2019

Even if you didn’t buy a copy of Protect andSurvive in 1980, you may still be familiarwith the UK government’s official guide tosurviving nuclear war. The British public’sreaction, when they learned that theirgovernment had been making preparationsfor a nuclear conflict for almost threedecades, was both immediate and veryBritish: they made fun of it. The 32-pagebooklet, which contained instructions forcivilians on how to best prepare their homes– the contents for a good “survival kit”, howto build a toilet from a chair and a bucket,and what to do with your loved ones whenthey died – was a unique combination ofsinister and silly; societal collapse andradiation poisoning don’t really suit thebland language of bureaucrats. Previouslyonly distributed to journalists andemergency planners, it had remained abadly kept secret until 1980, when The Timesran a campaign challenging Britain’spreparedness should the cold war turn hot.Finally, the government published it.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/oct/30/uk-was-primed-for-nuclear-war-in-the-uk-taras-young-interview

Way clear for geological disposalplanning, British regulators say


British regulators see no fundamentalissues that would prevent RadioactiveWaste Management (RWM) fromdeveloping “a fully scoped safety case inthe future” for a geological disposal facility(GDF), but have identified a number ofareas that RWM will need to improvewhen it does.

Government policies in England andWales state that higher activity radioactivewaste (HAW) will be managed in the longterm through geological disposal, whichis being progressed alongside ongoinginterim storage of waste and supportingresearch. RWM is responsible forimplementing government policy ongeological disposal of HAW and forproviding advice on managing radioactivewaste. It is carrying out ‘generic’preparatory work for a geological disposalfacility, as no sites have yet been identified.In a joint annual report publishedyesterday, the Office for NuclearRegulation (ONR) and the EnvironmentAgency said RWM has significantlyimproved its generic disposal system safetycase and has taken their earlier advice intoaccount in its preparation. RWM still hasa significant amount of work to do todevelop a comprehensive, site-specificsafety case and many aspects can only befully evaluated once a site has beenselected and specific designs produced,they said.

http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Way-clear-for-geological-disposal-planning-British

G. Germany

Germany shipping depleteduranium to Russia

DW, October 25, 2019

Depleted uranium from a Germanenrichment plant is being shipped toRussia for reprocessing. A local politicianhas sounded the alarm, calling for a haltto the shipments and saying the plant itselfshould be closed. “We thought the train


was heading for France, and wereastonished to discover that the transportwas going to Russia.” This chance discoveryby Udo Buchholz, an environmental activistwho is a Green councilor in the North Rhine-Westphalia town of Gronau, is currentlymaking headlines.

Depleted uranium — uranium hexafluoride— is a colorless radioactive powder that is aby-product of manufacturing fuel fornuclear power plants. URENCO, apartnership involving German, British andDutch energy companies, has operated auranium enrichment facility in Gronau since1985. The depleted uranium is also storedthere, in containers, out in the open. In themid-1990s, Russia took on the processing ofthe uranium. Buchholz estimates that by2010 around 30,000 tons had been sent toRussia, destined for processing plants in theUrals and Siberia.

https://www.dw.com/en/germany-shipping-depleted-uranium-to-russia/a-50995522

H. Russia

Russia removes U.S. diplomats fromtrain near secret test site accident:Ifax


Russia removed three U.S. diplomats froma train near the site of a mysterious militarytesting accident on Monday because theydid not have special permits to be in the area,the Interfax news agency reported onWednesday.

Russia’s state nuclear agency, Rosatom, hasacknowledged that five of its nuclearworkers were killed in an Aug. 8 explosionduring a rocket engine test near the WhiteSea in far northern Russia.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-usa-diplomats/russia-removes-u-s-diplomats-from-train-near-secret-test-site-accident-ifax-idUSKBN1WV22K

Russia, UAE extend MoU oncooperation


Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation(ENEC) has renewed its 2017 Memorandum

of Understanding on cooperation in thefield of peaceful uses of nuclear energywith Russian state nuclear corporationRosatom. The document was signed byMohamed Al Hammadi, CEO of ENEC,and Alexey Likhachov, Rosatom directorgeneral, in Abu Dhabi during RussianPresident Vladimir Putin’s official visit tothe United Arab Emirates.

The MoU establishes a general frameworkfor possible cooperation between theparties in numerous spheres, ENEC andRosatom said in identical statements.These include the creation of a nuclearscience centre in the UAE, plantdevelopment and investment, nuclear fuelcycle management, training of UAEnationals, among others.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Russia,-UAE-extend-MoU-on-cooperation

Nuclear deterrence ready: Putinpresides over mega missileexercise involving submarines,bombers & ground launchers

Russian Times, October 17, 2019

Russia has tested all three components ofits nuclear triad, making sure that if theworst comes to pass and its existence isunder threat, it would have plenty of waysto respond to foreign aggression.

The simultaneous test of various tacticaland strategic nuclear weapons in Russia’sarsenal came as it wraps up a majormilitary exercise called ‘Grom-2019’(‘Thunder’ in English). It involved some12,000 troops, hundreds of missilelaunchers and aircraft, and almost twodozen ships and submarines.

https://www.rt.com/russia/471143-mega-missile-exercise-russia/

Oil, diamonds and nuclear power:Russia eyes Africa business

France 24, October 18, 2019

While Russia has traditionally focused onarms and grain exports to Africa, it is nowlooking to broaden its activities andinfluence. Here are four sectors likely to


be discussed at the Russia-Africa Summit setfor next Wednesday and Thursday in theBlack Sea resort of Sochi.

https://www.france24.com/en/20191018-oil-diamonds-and-nuclear-power-russia-eyes-africa-business

Last Soviet leader Gorbachev urgesRussia, U.S. to hold nuclear talks


Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader,warned on Friday that the world wasdrifting into a dangerous era of militarisedpolitics and appealed to Moscow andWashington to sit down for urgent nucleararms control talks. Gorbachev, whose 1980sarms control push and democracy-orientedreforms helped end the Cold War, made thecomments to the daily newspaper Izvestiatwo months after the demise of a landmarknuclear pact he signed in 1987. “There aredangerous trends - they are all in plain sight.I would single out two. They are thedisregard for international law and themilitarization of world politics,” Gorbachevsaid.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-usa-gorbachev/last-soviet-leader-gorbachev-urges-russia-u-s-to-hold-nuclear-talks-idUSKBN1WX131

Russian Subs Live-Fire BallisticMissiles in Nuclear Combat Drill

Franz-Stefan Gady, The Diplomat, October18, 2019

Russian boomers of the Northern and PacificFleets test fired submarine-launched ballisticmissiles (SLBM) during the annual Russiannuclear forces readiness exercise, dubbed“Grom [Thunder] 2019,” according to theRussian Ministry of Defense (MoD).

“The strategic missile-carrying submarinesof the Northern and Pacific Fleets test-launched ballistic missiles from the Barentsand Okhotsk Seas towards the Kura practicerange in Kamchatka and the Chizha trainingground in the Arkhangelsk Region,” theMoD said in a statement.

https://thediplomat.com/2019/10/russian-subs-live-fire-ballistic-missiles-in-nuclear-combat-drill/

Russia, Serbia to build nuclearresearch centre


Russia and Serbia have signed anintergovernmental agreement oncooperation in the construction of a Centrefor Nuclear Science, Technology andInnovation in Serbia.

The document was signed on 19 Octoberin Belgrade by Alexey Likhachov, directorgeneral of Russian state nuclearcorporation Rosatom, and NenadPopovich, Serbian minister of innovationand technological development, whichwas witnessed by Russian Prime MinisterDmitry Medvedev and Serbian PresidentAlexander Vucic.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Russia-Serbia-to-build-nuclear-research-centre

Russian nuclear submarine abortsballistic missile test


A Russian nuclear submarine aborted thetest firing of an intercontinental ballisticmissile during a military exercise overseenby President Vladimir Putin last week, theMinistry of Defence said on Monday.

The nuclear submarine, K-44 Ryazan, partof Russia’s Pacific Fleet, was meant tolaunch two R-29R ballistic missiles fromthe Sea of Okhotsk on Oct. 17, but firedonly one successfully with the otherremaining in its tube onboard thesubmarine, the Vedomosti daily reportedearlier on Monday. The incident occurredon the same day as Putin oversaw the drillsfrom a command center at the DefenceMinistry in Moscow.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-missiles-drills/russian-nuclear-submarine-aborts-ballistic-missile-test-idUSKBN1X010P

Problem For Russian Navy MissileSubmarine

H Sutton, Forbes, October 22, 2019

On October 17 a Russian nuclearsubmarine launched an intercontinental


ballistic missile. It flew hundreds of milesbefore falling into the sea off Russia’s Arcticcoast. The high-profile tests, part of thenationwide Thunder-2019 nuclear drill,were watched over by President Putin. Theproblem? Two missiles were supposed tohave been fired.

Problems during missile tests are notunknown, and can happen in any nation.Submarines are designed to carry severalmissiles to ensure that some get through.Current Russian submarines carry 16missiles and the U.S. Navy’s Ohio Class‘boomers’ can carry 24. But every failure isclosely monitored for any hints it providesto readiness levels and serviceability.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/hisutton/2019/10/22/problem-for-russian-navy-ballistic-missile-submarine/#50cf054669cf

Ethiopia, Russia extend cooperationin nuclear energy


Ethiopia and Russia today signed anintergovernmental agreement oncooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclearenergy during the Russia-Africa Summit inSochi. The document was signed by RosatomDirector General Alexey Likhachov andEthiopian Minister of Innovation andTechnology Getahun Mekuria.

It creates a legal basis for cooperation in awide range of areas, such as: assistance inthe development of Ethiopia’s nuclearinfrastructure in accordance withinternational standards; regulation innuclear and radiation safety; supervision ofthe physical protection of nuclear materials,radiation sources, storage facilities fornuclear materials and radioactive substances,as well as for systems for accounting andcontrol of nuclear materials, radioactivesubstances and radioactive waste;fundamental and applied research in thefield of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy;production of radioisotopes and their use inindustry, medicine and agriculture; andeducation, training and retraining ofspecialists for the nuclear industry.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Ethiopia,-Russia-extend-cooperation-in-nuclear-ene

Russia lands nuclear bombers inAfrica as Putin hosts continent’sleaders

Darya Korsunskaya and Tom Balmforth,Reuters, October 23, 2019

Russia landed two nuclear-capablebombers in South Africa on a trainingmission on Wednesday, a flight apparentlytimed to coincide with President VladimirPutin’s opening of a flagship Russia-Africasummit designed to increase Russianinfluence.

The two Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bomberstouched down at Waterkloof air force basein Tshwane on Wednesday, the SouthAfrican National Defense Force said.Russia’s Ministry of Defense has said themission is designed to nurture military tieswith South Africa.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-africa/russia-lands-nuclear-bombers-in-africa-as-putin-hosts-continents-leaders-idUSKBN1X21NS

Russia Is Importing Toxic NuclearWaste From Germany, GreenpeaceWarns

The Moscow Times, October 23, 2019

A European uranium enrichment firm hasresumed shipments of a highly toxic andradioactive waste product fromGermany to Russia, GreenpeaceRussia warned Wednesday.

The enrichment firm Urenco and Russia’sstate nuclear company Rosatom halted theradioactive waste imports from Germanyin 2009 over revelations that the wastewas stored in the open. Germanmedia reported Tuesday that Urenco hadresumed exports of the toxic compoundused to enrich uranium, sending up to3,600 metric tons to central Russia in May-October 2019.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/10/23/russia-is-importing-toxic-nuclear-waste-from-germany-greenpeace-warns-a67873


Russia’s Rosatom, Rwanda sign dealto build nuclear science center


Russian state atomic company Rosatom hassigned a deal with Rwanda to build a centerof nuclear science and technologies, theRussian company said on Thursday, as itseeks to expand in Africa.

The center would carry out scientificresearch and ‘practical application’ ofnuclear technologies, allowing productionof radioisotopes for wider use in agricultureand other areas, Rosatom said in astatement.

The center will also have a research water-cooled reactor with up to 10 MW capacity,Rosatom said. The deal, as Rosatom hopes,would allow in the future to supply Rwandawith small modular reactors for powergeneration, a Rosatom official said.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-rwanda-nuclear/russias-rosatom-rwanda-sign-deal-to-build-nuclear-science-center-idUSKBN1X32DV

Kursk II-2 core catcher arrives onsite


The core catcher for the second unit at KurskII in Russia has been delivered to theconstruction site in Western Russia. KurskII will be the first nuclear power plant touse the VVER-TOI (typical optimised, withenhanced information) reactor design.

A core catcher, or core melt trap, is a deviceprovided to catch the molten core material -corium - of a reactor in case of a meltdownand prevent it from escaping thecontainment building. Rosatom said theequipment is “a unique development byRussian nuclear scientists and one of themost important nuclear safety systems”.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Kursk-II-2-core-catcher-arrives-on-site

Inside Rwanda, Russia nucleardeal

Collins Mwai, The News Times, October25, 2019

Rwanda’s ambitions to adopt nucleartechnology inched closer to realisationThursday following the signing of anagreement with Russia for theestablishment of a Centre for NuclearScience and Technology in the country.The pact was signed on the sidelines of thejust-concluded Russia-Africa Summit inSochi, Russia. The agreement was signedby Minister for Infrastructure ClaverGatete on behalf of Rwanda and theDirector General of Russian State-ownednuclear group Rosatom Alexey Likhachev.

https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/inside-rwanda-russia-nuclear-deal

Russian Nuclear Scientist Jailedfor Mining Bitcoins at Secret Lab


An engineer accused of using one ofRussia’s most powerful supercomputers ata secret nuclear laboratory to mine Bitcoinshas been sentenced to three years and threemonths in prison.

Andrei Rybkin is one of three scientists tobe convicted of using a workplacesupercomputer to mine thecryptocurrency in the closed city ofSarov. The Sarov institute, where the firstSoviet nuclear weapon was made in 1949,is home to some of Russia’s most powerfulsupercomputers.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/10/25/russian-nuclear-scientist-jailed-for-mining-bitcoins-at-secret-lab-a67897

Russia’s Putin, Hungary’s Orbanto discuss TurkStream pipeline,nuclear energy

Krisztina Than and Vladimir Soldatkin,Reuters, October 30, 2019

The TurkStream pipeline that would bringgas to Central Europe bypassing Ukraineand nuclear energy issues are expected to


feature high on the agenda at a meetingbetween Hungarian Prime Minister ViktorOrban and Russian President VladimirPutin on Wednesday. Right-wingconservative leader Orban, in power since2010, has pursued what he has hailed asgood pragmatic relations with Russia. Someanalysts, however, say the relationship islop-sided, with Russian interests dominating.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-hungary-putin/russias-putin-hungarys-orban-to-discuss-turkstream-pipeline-nuclear-energy-idUSKBN1X904N

Russian Nuclear Sub Test-FiresNew ICBM


Russia’s newest nuclear-powered submarinehas for the first time test-fired anintercontinental ballistic missile ahead of thevessel’s delivery into service this year, theDefense Ministry announced Wednesday.

The Knyaz Vladimir, which is expected tojoin the Russian Navy’s Northern Fleet inDecember 2019, was floated out in 2017 andembarked on its first sea trials a year later.Nighttime footage published by the RussianDefense Ministry showed the KnyazVladimir launching the Bulava, Russia’snewest solid-fueled ballistic missile, from anunderwater position.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/10/30/new-russian-nuclear-sub-test-fires-icbm-a67966

Russia plans next two nuclearicebreakers


Atomenergomash, the engineering divisionof Russia’s Rosatom, has signed a contractfor the supply of RITM-200 reactor units fortwo more nuclear icebreakers in Project22220. The contract was signed betweenAtomenergomash subsidiary OKBMAfrikantov and the Baltic Shipyard.

The new vessels will join the LK-60icebreakers Arktika, Sibir and Ural, whichare dual-draught (8.55 or 10.5m) wide-beam(34m) ships of 25,450 dwt or 33,540 dwtwith ballast, able to handle 3m of ice. They

each have two RITM-200 reactors of 175MWt each, delivering 60 MW at thepropellers via twin turbine-generators andthree motors. Arktika is expected to enteroperation in 2020, Sibir in 2021 and Uralin 2022.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Russia-plans-next-two-nuclear-icebreakers

Russian Submarines Hone StealthSkills in Major North AtlanticDrill – Norwegian Intel


At least eight Russian nuclear-poweredsubmarines sailed out from theirhomeports on the Kola Peninsula lastweek, Norwegian military intelligencetold the country’s National PublicBroadcasting Organization (NRK). Theaim of the massive operation is to get asfar out to the North Atlantic as possiblewithout being discovered by NATO, theintelligence service said. Such maneuversfrom the Northern Fleet haven’t been seensince the days of the Cold War.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/10/30/russian-submarines-hone-stealth-skills-in-major-north-atlantic-drill-norwegian-intel-a67978

Russian accident-tolerant fuelcompletes first tests


TVEL, the nuclear fuel manufacturersubsidiary of Russia’s Rosatom, hascompleted the first phase of testing itsaccident-tolerant fuel (ATF) in a reactor,at the State Research Institute of AtomicReactors in Dimitrovgrad.

In January, two experimental ATF fuelassemblies with Russian VVER andWestern PWR fuel rods were loaded intothe water loops with the relevant water-chemical modes of the MIR researchreactor. Each fuel assembly contains 24 fuelelements with four various combinationsof cladding and fuel matrix materials. Thefuel pellets were made of traditionaluranium dioxide, as well as uranium-molybdenum alloy with increased density


and thermal conductivity. Zirconium alloywith a chromium coating and chromium-nickel alloy was used as the rod claddingmaterial.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Russian-accident-tolerant-fuel-completes-first-tes

West Asia

I. Iran

Iran has acted prudently byreducing nuclear commitments:Kamalvandi

Tehran Times, October 15, 2019

Behrooz Kamalvandi, spokesman for theAtomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI),has said that Iran has been acting prudentlyby reducing its commitments under the 2015nuclear deal, formally known as the JCPOA.

“We have lost nothing in nuclear industry.We had not closed the path of returnwherever we accepted a restriction. We havealso been prudent in reducing our [nuclear]commitments,” he said during a meetingwith a group of highly talented Iranianswho reside in foreign countries. He notedthat Westerners seek to undermine Iran’snuclear program as an element of power.

In the first stage, Iran announced that it willnot limit its stockpile of the nuclear fuel to300 kilograms allowed under the deal.However, on that date (May 8) Iran’sSupreme National Security Council (SNSC)said if the remaining parties to the JCPOA,especially Europeans, devise a mechanismto protect Iran from the sanctions effect inthe two-month deadline it will reverse itsdecision.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441201/Iran-has-acted-prudently-by-reducing-nuclear-commitments-Kamalvandi

Russia: Revocation of Iran nucleardeal to fuel regional tensions


Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko, thechairwoman of Russia’s Federation Council,said on Monday that destruction of the 2015

nuclear deal will intensify securitytensions in the region. Matviyenko madethe remarks in a meeting with IranianParliament Speaker Ali Larijani on themargins of the 141st Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Belgrade,Serbia. Tensions mounted betweenTehran and Washington when PresidentDonald Trump pulled the United Statesout of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran inMay 2018 and re-imposed harsh sanctionsagainst the Islamic Republic in defiance ofglobal criticism.

Matviyenko said, “There is no reason towithdraw from the nuclear deal becauseIran has fulfilled the entire obligationsunder the deal well. Tehran’s measureshave also been verified by the InternationalAtomic Energy Agency’s experts who arein Iran on verification mission.”“Destruction of the JCPOA will intensifytensions in the region. Russia firmlyopposes killing of the nuclear deal withIran,” she said, according to the Persianwebsite of Sputnik. Matviyenko furthersaid Russian President Vladimir Putin, inhis phone calls, has invited the U.S.president and the European leaders tohelp maintain nuclear deal with Iran andsolve the differences via dialogue.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441169/Russia-Revocation-of-Iran-nuclear-deal-to-fuel-regional-tensions

William Burns and Jake Sullivancall Trump’s decision to quitnuclear deal ‘foolish’


William J. Burns, a former U.S. deputysecretary of state, and Jake Sullivan, thenational security adviser to former vicepresident Joe Biden, have said that theTrump administration’s decision to quitthe 2015 nuclear deal, officially known asthe Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,was “foolish”. “The consequences of theTrump administration’s foolish decision toabandon that nuclear deal last year, withno evidence of Iranian noncompliance,were predictable — and predicted,” theywrote in an article published by The New


York Times on Monday. It is also said in thearticle that the U.S. should remove sanctionsagainst Iran and abandon its 12preconditions to start talks with Tehran.

“The United States won’t get Iran to the tablewithout some economic relief — eitherdirectly or through the European Union, asPresident Emmanuel Macron of France hassuggested. The United States will also needto abandon as a precondition for progressthe 12 demands that Secretary of State MikePompeo laid out publicly last year,” theywrote. It is also said, “The nuclear dealagreed to in 2015 was meant to be thebeginning, not the end, of diplomacy withIran.”

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441200/William-Burns-and-Jake-Sullivan-call-Trump-s-decision-to-quit

Zarif: EU has so far been unable tofulfill JCPOA commitments


Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad JavadZarif underlined on Wednesday that theEuropean signatories of the 2015 nucleardeal have thus far been unable to fulfill theirobligations under the pact, officially knownas the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action(JCPOA). Zarif’s remarks came in a meetingwith Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor, theSouth African minister of internationalrelations and cooperation, as Tehran hostedthe 14th session of Iran-South Africa JointEconomic Cooperation Commission inTehran. Zarif said Iran will take new stepsto reduce its nuclear commitments.

Under the JCPOA, Iran agreed to put limitson its nuclear program in exchange fortermination of financial and economicsanctions. “In case of lack of balance infulfilment of obligations of both sides of thenuclear deal, Iran will embark onmaterializing necessary measures within theframework of next steps,” Zarif stated.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441253/Zarif-EU-has-so-far-been-unable-to-fulfill-JCPOA-commitments

IAEA mum on Iran’s IllicitNuclear Activities in Germany

Benjamin Weinthal, Jerusalem Post,October 17, 2019

Material in a batch of German intelligencedocuments on Tehran’s illegal nuclearconduct in the federal republic as late as2018 necessitate “confronting Iran withthe intelligence and asking hardquestions,” according to one of the leadinginternational authorities on arms control.Emily B. Landau, director of the ArmsControl and Regional Security Project atthe Institute for National Security Studiesin Tel Aviv, told The Jerusalem Post thatthe documents prove that Iran has not keptto its commitment outlined in the 2015nuclear deal.

First, it is important that this intel bewidely published and that it become partof the public debate over Iran, as itindicates that Iran has not complied withits commitment not to work on militarynuclear capability,” she said. “From myperspective, [the] most important thing atthis point is to have it widely known thatIran did not stop everything in 2015 [whenthe nuclear deal was reached], because thedebate in Europe ignores this,” she said,adding, “The point is that it [Iran] hascontinued these efforts well after theJCPOA [(Joint Comprehensive Plan ofAction) was reached].”

https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/IAEA-mum-on-Irans-illicit-nuclear-activities-in-Germany-604954

Rezaee warns govt. against delayto take fourth nuclear step


Mohsen Rezaee, secretary of theExpediency Council, has warned theRouhani administration against delayingto take the fourth step in scaling downIran’s commitments to the 2015 nuclearagreement, also known as the JointComprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).“The administration’s delay in taking thefourth nuclear step due to pinning hopeson the irresolute and incapable Europe is


a total loss,” Rezaee said in a tweet onThursday.

Washington withdrew from theinternationally-endorsed JCPOA with Iranon May 8, 2018, reimposed the toughest-eversanctions against the country and started aplan to zero down Tehran’s oil sales. Underthe nuclear agreement, Tehran undertookto put limits on its nuclear program inexchange for the removal of economic andfinancial sanctions. Following the U.S.withdrawal, Iran remained fully committedto the JCPOA for a year, but announced onthe anniversary of Washington’s bellicosemove that its “strategic patience” is over andwould gradually reduce its commitments tothe deal at 60-day intervals, which weredesigned as deadlines for Europe to protectTehran’s interests under the deal.

Tehran has repeatedly said its measures willbe revered as soon as Europe finds practicalways to shield the Iranian economy fromunilateral U.S. sanctions.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441283/Rezaee-warns-govt-against-delay-to-take-fourth-nuclear-step

U.S. extends sanction waiver forIraq to continue gas, electricityimports from Iran


The U.S. has extended a waiver on Iransanctions, granted to Iraq first in November,to let the Arab country continue gas andelectricity imports from Iran for anotherfour-month period, Press TV reported onThursday, quoting a senior U.S. official.“The waiver ensures that Iraq is able to meetits short-term energy needs while it takessteps to reduce its dependence on Iranianenergy imports,” a State Departmentspokesman said Wednesday.

Washington has for the third time extendeda 90-day waiver that lets Iraq continueenergy imports from Iran. Gas imports fromIran generate as much as 45 percent of Iraq’s14,000 megawatts of electricity consumeddaily. Iran transmits another 1,000megawatts directly, making itself an

indispensable energy source for its Arabneighbor.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441269/U-S-extends-sanction-waiver-for-Iraq-to-continue-gas-electricity

Advisor says EU-planned INSTEXlacks locomotive engine


Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a senioradvisor to the Iranian Parliament speaker,has said that INSTEX proposed by theEuropean signatories of the 2015 nucleardeal to help reduce the impact ofWashington’s sanctions on Iran lackslocomotive engine to start working.

“There is no hope for implementation ofthe JCPOA by the Europeans. In fact, theU.S., Britain, France and Germany haveagreed on partitioning mission ofweakening the Islamic Republic. INSTEXlacks locomotive engine too,” AmirAbdollahian wrote on his Twitter account,the Persian language website of Sputnikreported on Saturday.

He added “Iran needs an act to conductfundamental reform” in view of“sanctions and economic terrorismatmosphere.”

INSTEX - Instrument in Support of TradeExchanges - is supposed to be a financialchannel and a special mechanism fortransferring money in spite of U.S.sanctions on Iran. Its objective is tofacilitate Iran’s transactions withEuropean companies.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441298/Advisor-says-EU-planned-INSTEX-lacks-locomotive-engine

Rouhani: Iran to continue resistingagainst foes’ plots, pressures


Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said onSaturday night that the only way to foilenemies’ plots is to resist against theirpressures.”Leaders of the Zionist regime


and Saudi Arabia along with extremists inthe U.S. are after imposing pressures on theIranian nation who have no way out butresisting against the foes,” Rouhani said ina friendly meeting with a war-time disabledveteran.

“Fortunately, our people who enjoy correctunderstanding from the current situationand the enemies’ plans have thus far resistedwell. The government, for its part, has beendoing its best to provide tranquility for thepeople’s life,” the president went on to say. Rouhani said, “Those who have had grudgeand anger against Iran for long years arenow ruling the U.S. government. Theyembarked on withdrawing Washingtonfrom the nuclear pact that was affirmed bythe UN and re-imposed sanctions againstTehran to put our nation under pressure.”

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441319/Rouhani-Iran-to-continue-resisting-against-foes-plots-pressures

Iran ready to take fourth nuclearstep: MP


A top lawmaker says the Islamic Republicis ready to take the fourth step of scalingback its commitments to the JointComprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal.

“Given the lack of commitment by theEuropean side and failure to fulfil theircommitments until now, the IslamicRepublic of Iran definitely has the fourthstep of reducing its Barjam (JCPOA)commitments on the agenda, unless theEuropeans take practical measures to fulfiltheir duties before the fourth step,” HosseinNaghavi Hosseini, the spokesman for theMajlis National Security and Foreign PolicyCommittee, tweeted on Sunday evening.Washington withdrew from theinternationally-endorsed JCPOA with Iranon May 8, 2018, reimposed the toughest-eversanctions against the country and started aplan to zero down Tehran’s oil sales.

Under the nuclear agreement, Tehranundertook to put limits on its nuclearprogram in exchange for the removal of

economic and financial sanctions. Inanother tweet on Monday, NaghaviHosseini explained that in the first, secondand third steps, Iran ended restrictionsregarding research, uranium enrichmentcapacity and uranium enrichmentstockpile. He then suggested that in thefourth step, Iran will reduce the level ofsupervision of its nuclear activities by theInternational Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA).

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441360/Iran-ready-to-take-fourth-nuclear-step-MP

Iran to operate new part of Arakreactor within next 2 weeks


The special aide for the head of the AtomicEnergy Organization of Iran (AEOI)announced on Sunday that the secondarypart of the Arak heavy water reactor willbecome operational within the next twoweeks.

Seyed Ali Asqar Zare’an made theannouncement in his visit to the 48thexhibition on nuclear industryachievements in Kerman city in southernIran.

Touching upon implementation of newprojects as Iran is re-planning the Arakheavy water reactor, he said, “We willmake the second part of the Arak heavywater reactor facility operational withinthe next two weeks. The secondary partincludes 50 percent of the whole reactor.”

He added, “Iran has nothing to hide andits nuclear activities and achievements areentirely peaceful.” Zare’an said thatenmity by certain countries against Iranwill never end and the country’s atomicenergy program is only a pretext for themto put Tehran under pressure. The specialaide added, “Our nuclear industry isindigenized. We have attained self-sufficiency in planning and buildingvarious models of centrifuges in thecountry.”

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441343/Iran-to-operate-new-part-of-Arak-reactor-within-next-2-weeks


Iran says to take next nuclear step ifremaining parties fail to honorobligations


Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavion Monday reiterated Iran’s position thatTehran is ready to take the next step toreduce commitments to the 2015 nucleardeal, formally known as the JCPOA, if theremaining parties to the agreement fail totake action to shield the Islamic Republicfrom sanctions effects. Under the nuclearagreement struck in July 2015, Iran agreedto put limits on its nuclear program inexchange for the termination of economicand financial sanctions.

The agreement, endorsed by the UN SecurityCouncil Resolution 2231, was signedbetween Iran, the United States, Britain,Germany, France, the European Union,Russia, and China. However, U.S. PresidentDonald Trump abandoned the deal in May2018 and returned sanctions and imposednew ones.

”We hope that we would witness specialaction by the remaining countries to theJCPOA, otherwise Iran is ready to take thefourth step,” Mousavi said in a regular pressbriefing. Mousavi added that the mechanismfor the next step (fourth step) has beendevised. Reportedly, in the next step, Iranintends to limit nuclear inspections by theUnited Nations’ International AtomicEnergy Agency. Mousavi also said Iran’saction in reducing its commitments is withinthe framework of the JCPOA and theEuropeans have no right to complain aboutit. “If they are concerned, they must fulfilltheir commitments so that Iran returns tofull implementation of its commitments,” hesuggested.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441374/Iran-says-to-take-next-nuclear-step-if-remaining-parties-fail

Iran-EU joint training workshop onnuclear emergency cases kicks offin Luxemburg


A joint training workshop named“Preparing for and Responding to a Nuclear

or Radiological Emergency” wasinaugurated at the venue of the EuropeanUnion (EU) in Luxemburg City onMonday.

According to the Atomic EnergyOrganization of Iran (AEOI), seniormanagers and relevant experts from theAEOI, Iran’s Crisis ManagementOrganization, the Iranian Red CrescentSociety and the Health Ministry alongwith their European counterparts havepartaken in the event. Michael Hubel,head of the Radiation Protection andNuclear Safety Unit of the EU, delivered aspeech at the opening ceremony of theworkshop.

In the meantime, Estefan Clement, theofficial in charge of the joint EU-Iranproject under appendix 3 of the JointComprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)described nuclear cooperation as a keyelement in promoting nuclear safety andsecurity.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441400/Iran-EU-joint-training-workshop-on-nuclear-emergency-cases-kicks

Jack Straw says U.S. must return tonuclear deal


Former British Foreign Secretary JackStraw has said that the United States mustadmit that it made a wrong decision to quitthe 2015 nuclear deal, urging the WhiteHouse to return to the pact, officiallyknown as the Joint Comprehensive Planof Action.

In an interview with IRNA published onTuesday, Straw said that the United States’withdrawal from the JCPOA had “nologic”.

He also said that U.S. President DonaldTrump quit the nuclear deal becauseBarack Obama, the former U.S. president,signed it. Ben Rhodes, former Obama’sadviser, said in July that Trump quit theJCPOA, because Obama negotiated it.“Did anyone really need a leakeddocument from the UK Ambassador to


know that Trump pulled out of the Iran Dealbecause Obama negotiated it?” Rhodestweeted.

Kim Darroch, the former British ambassadorto the U.S., has said Trump seemed to bediscarding the Iran nuclear deal for“personality reasons,” as the deal had beenagreed to by Obama, the Daily Mail reportedin July.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441422/Jack-Straw-says-U-S-must-return-to-nuclear-deal

Europeans, others talking to Tehranon a mechanism to save JCPOA, Iransays


Iran reiterated on Wednesday that it will takethe next step to reduce commitments to the2015 nuclear deal, officially known as theJoint Comprehensive Plan of Action(JCPOA), if no concrete action is taken bythe remaining parties to protect Iran fromthe U.S. sanctions.

“Europeans and others constantly send usmessages and talk about reaching a commonframework before end of two-monthdeadline,” presidential chief of staffMahmoud Vaezi told reporters on thesidelines of a cabinet meeting.

He added, “Negotiations are being held.However, Mr. President [Hassan Rouhani]has formed a committee for taking the fourthstep. Definitely, we will take the fourth stepif we do not reach a common framework.”

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441446/Europeans-others-talking-to-Tehran-on-a-mechanism-to-save-JCPOA

Iranian MP: Talks over FATFmeaningless under sanctions


The rapporteur for the Iranian Parliament’sNational Security and Foreign PolicyCommittee said on Wednesday that talkingabout ratifying a bill related to the FinancialAction Task Force (FATF) is not logicalwhen the country is under sanctions. “When a part of financial and monetary

mechanism worldwide is not capable ofworking with Iran due to the U.S.sanctions, talking about the FATF ismeaningless and ratification of FATF-related bills is model of self-sanctioning,Seyed Hossein Naqavi Hosseini said.

At the time the JCPOA (the official namefor the 2015 nuclear deal) went into force,the signatories were claiming that they hadbeen facing some FATF-related restrictionsto fulfill their obligations, the MP said.

“They claimed that FATF’s regulationswere preventing them from complyingwith their JCPOA’s obligations.” The MPfurther said, “The point is here, when theU.S. quit the JCPOA and re-imposedsanctions on Iran and the Europeansignatories of the pact did not fulfill theirobligations… and are not still willing tofulfill them, talking about the FATF andthe Palermo bill has no logical justificationin the country.”

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441469/Iranian-MP-Talks-over-FATF-meaningless-under-sanctions

Poll: Majority of voters are deeplyconcerned about Iran obtainingnuclear weapons

The Hill, October 28, 2019

A large majority of voters — 84 percent— are concerned about the prospect ofIran obtaining nuclear weapons,according to a Hill-HarrisX poll releasedon Monday. That’s more than those whoexpressed concern over other foreignpolicy issues, including North Korea’s useof ballistic missiles, U.S. election security,Turkey’s military action in Syriaand President Trump’s ongoing trade warwith China. Voters across party linesexpressed concern over Iran’s nuclearcapabilities.

Of those polled, 89 percent of Democraticvoters said they were either very orsomewhat concerned about the MiddleEast country developing weapons of massdestruction, compared to 85 percent ofRepublican and 79 percent ofindependents who said the same.


Tensions between the U.S. and Iranescalated over the summer after the U.S.military confirmed that Iran shot down aNavy drone. Trump also accused Tehran ofbeing behind attacks on two oil tankers,which prompted the administrationto deploy an additional 1,000 troops to theMiddle East. Tehran respondedby announcing that it would surpass thelimit for uranium enrichment as agreed toin the nuclear deal that was created underthe Obama administration. Trumpwithdrew the U.S. from the deal last year,but Iran had agreed to abide by theagreement’s terms until earlier this year. TheHill-HarrisX poll was conducted onlinebetween Oct. 21 and Oct. 22 among 1,001registered voters. The margin of error for thefull sampling is plus or minus 3.1 percentagepoints.

https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/467759-poll-voters-say-iran-is-top-foreign-policy-concern

J. Turkey

Turkey holding 50 US nuclearbombs ‘hostage’ at air base, reportsays

Melissa Leon, Fox News, October 15, 2019

Officials are reviewing plans to evacuate upto 50 U.S. nuclear bombs that have long beenstored at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey in thewake of Ankara’s military offensive innorthern Syria, according to a report. Theweapons are now essentially being held“hostage” by Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan, a senior official told TheNew York Times on Monday. The Cold War-era B61 nuclear bombs are said to be located100-250 miles from the Syrian border,according to The Guardian. A former U.S.official told the outlet that Turkish diplomatsresponded to suggestions about moving thebombs by saying Turkey would start todevelop its own. “The potential problemshave been discussed for over a decade,” theformer official said. “And now we’ve finallygotten to a point where this is a problem thatwe can’t ignore anymore.” Erdogan haspreviously expressed a desire to boostTurkey’s nuclear arsenal. “Some nationshave missiles with nuclear warheads — not

just one or two. But [they say] I shouldnot have missiles with nuclear warheads.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/turkey-nuclear-bombs-hostage-syria

No longer the obedient NATO ally,Erdogan floats nuclear option

Tim Lister, CNN , October 21, 2019

It’s no secret that Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan sees his country as thepre-eminent Muslim power in the MiddleEast. He regards his vision of political Islamas competing with that of Saudi Arabiaand the United Arab Emirates. Hefrequently accuses the United States oftrying to belittle his country, andruminates about a “greater Turkey.” Butdoes Erdogan believe that Turkey has theright or need to acquire nuclear weaponsto cement its status? Last month theTurkish leader suggested as much, sayingthat “some countries have missiles withnuclear warheads, not one or two. But wecan’t have them. This, I cannot accept.”He went on to single out Israel, saying:“We have Israel nearby, almost asneighbors. They scare others by possessingthese. No one can touch them.” It was thefirst time Erdogan, who was speaking ata provincial rally of his governing AKPparty, had raised the subject. It may havebeen the Turkish leader riling up hisnationalist base. It may also have been awarning that, should Iran and SaudiArabia move toward becoming nuclear-armed states, Turkey would not stand idlyby.

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/21/middleeast/turkey-erdogan-nuclear-weapons-intl/index.html

K. Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia: Iran exploitednuclear deal revenue for terrorfunding

Saudi Gazette, October 16, 2019

Saudi Arabia emphasized that Tehran hasused the economic revenue from thenuclear deal to finance its terrorist


activities. He made the remarks on Tuesdaywhile addressing the First Committeemeeting in the 74th session of the UNGeneral Assembly, the Saudi Press Agencyreported.

“The Kingdom noted with concern therecent reports of the International AtomicEnergy Agency (IAEA) including Iran’sbreaches of its nuclear obligations, both inthe level of enrichment of uranium and thelevel of production of uranium, in additionto the installation and development ofadvanced centrifuges, and cessation of allits research and development obligations, aswell as recent statements by Iranian officialsin this regard,” he said.

http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/580021/SAUDI-ARABIA/Saudi-Arabia-Iran-exploited-nuclear-deal-revenue-for-terror-funding

Saudi Arabia in talks with 5 vendorsto build its first nuclear powerreactors

Claudia Carpenter, S&P Global Platts,October 30, 2019

Saudi Arabia is in talks with five vendors,including US-based Westinghouse, to buildits first nuclear power plant with tworeactors, according to an energy ministrypresentation. The other companies in thediscussions are France’s EDF, Russia’sRosatom, South Korea’s KEPCO and ChinaNational Nuclear Corp, according to thepresentation, shown Wednesday at theFuture Investment Initiative conferencetaking place in Riyadh Saudi Arabia wantsto develop a civil nuclear industry andrenewable energy to free up oil burned toproduce power for export.

Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz binSalman has previously said the kingdomwould like to enrich its own uraniumresources to produce nuclear energy.However, outgoing US Secretary of EnergyRick Perry cast doubt last week on thekingdom’s ability to process that uraniumbecause of its quality and quantity. SaudiArabia will be the second Persian Gulf state

to build nuclear plants after neighboringUAE, which is building four nuclearreactors that will collectively produce 1,400MW of electricity. Kepco won the $20billion contract to construct the UAEreactors, whose start-up has been delayed.

https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/electric-power/103019-saudi-arabia-in-talks-with-5-vendors-to-build-its-first-nuclear-power-reactors

L. Israel

Former PM Olmert SlamsNetanyahu for Strategic Failure onIran

Seth J. Frantzman, Jerusalem Post, October15, 2019

Under Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu, Israel focused on Iran’snuclear threat at the expense of ignoringIran’s penetration into Syria, former PrimeMinister Ehud Olmert said in an interviewon Saturday. “Israel’s greatest securitydefense failure – the greatest in the last 50years, since the Yom Kippur War – is thatwe allowed Iran to penetrate into Syria,”he said, slamming Netanyahu for playingon the politics of fear and misreading USPresident Donald Trump’s policies.

Olmert was attending the Rhodes Forumof the Dialogue of Civilizations over theweekend, when he spoke about Israel’scurrent political challenges and his ownexperience as prime minister. In aninterview with The Jerusalem Post, hediscussed Israel’s current dilemmas inSyria, the Trump administration andNetanyahu’s failures. Noting thatNetanyahu “laid the foundations ofstrategic policy” in the region, he recalledthat “Netanyahu was obsessed with tryingto fight Iran in Iran and destroy the atomic,or what he considered the nuclearinstallations.”

https://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Former-PM-Olmert-slams-Netanyahu-for-strategic-failure-on-Iran-604699


East Asia

M. North Korea

Denuclearization dialogue leads tomore North Korean warheads

Yi Whan-woo, Kim Yoo-chul, Korea Times,October 16, 2019

As nuclear negotiations between NorthKorea and the United States remain in astalemate after no “substantial outcome”from their recent encounter in Sweden, thelack of visible progress in thedenuclearization dialogue is raising concernsthat the North is “buying time” for itsmilitary and nuclear advancement. Duringan Asan Institute for Policy Studies securityforum held in Seoul, Tuesday, Bruce Bennett,a senior defense analyst at the Washington-based RAND Corporation, claimed thatdespite North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’spromise to end his nuclear program,Pyongyang has not taken any meaningfulmeasures toward this. Instead, the North hasincreased its capability since the failure ofthe summit between Kim and PresidentDonald Trump in Hanoi, he said. Bennettestimated that North Korea now has about45 nuclear weapons, something the AsanInstitute confirmed.

“Has Kim given up one nuclear weapon yet?Has he shut off production 0at oneproduction facility, let alone taking it down?No, he hasn’t done that. Quite the opposite.According to my estimates, since March oflast year, Kim Jong-un has increased hisnuclear destructive potential about 50percent.” “It’s an irony thatdenuclearization talks are extending time forthe North’s nuclear advancement,” said ShinYul, a political science professor at MyongjiUniversity. “The North has pursued nukesfor decades. The North’s nuclear ambitionshave continued through three generationsof the North Korean leadership lineage. Thisis not something that can be resolved withina year or two.” Bennett also added the Northis unlikely to unilaterally dismantle a singleweapon if Kim doesn’t have the support ofPyongyang’s military elite. “I would not saythe North deliberately delayed the nuclearnegotiations to test its new weapon, because

this would only put off its economicdevelopment,” he said.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2019/10/103_277207.html

‘N. Korea wants innovativeapproach from US for nuke talks’

Park Han-na, Korea Herald, October 17,2019

Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul saidThursday that North Korea may be seekingan epoch-making approach from the USfor a breakthrough in their deadlockednuclear talks. Nuclear negotiators fromWashington and Pyongyang resumedstalled working-level talks in Stockholm,Sweden, Oct. 5, seven months after adisappointing summit between USPresident Donald Trump and NorthKorean leader Kim Jong-un. But the twocountries failed to make tangible progressin their recent meeting.

“The US and North Korea have slightlydifferent views (on their working-leveltalks). The US would like to continue tohave a dialogue while North Korea wantsto change (the approach) dramatically,”Kim said during a parliamentary audit.

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20191017000718&ACE_SEARCH=1

NK media slams S. Korea overmissile tests, weaponsdevelopment plans

Yonhap, Korea Herald, October 22, 2019

North Korean propaganda outletsslammed South Korea on Tuesday over itsplans to conduct missile tests and developnew weapons, calling such moves“outright provocations” that will haveconsequences. The criticism came after atop South Korean military officer saidearlier this month that the military hasconducted test-firings of some of itsHyunmoo missiles this year and plans toroutinely conduct such live drills. SouthKorea’s Navy said recently that it isoperating a task force on the potentialconstruction of nuclear-powered


submarines as part of efforts to bolster itsnuclear deterrent and boost defensecapabilities.

“The warmongers of South Korea hasrevealed their outright intention to regularizemissile test-firing in order to enhance itspreemptive attack capability against theNorth, which is aimed at keeping tensionson the Korean Peninsula always high,”Uriminzokkiri, one of the North’spropaganda websites, said. “Recklessmilitary schemes will not go unnoticed. (We)will make them regret to the backbone,” thewebsite added.


‘Act wisely’: North Korea warns USof tough talks as year-end deadlinenears

Korea Times, October 24, 2019

North Korea on Thursday accused U.S.officials of maintaining hostility againstPyongyang despite a ‘’special’’ relationshipbetween leader Kim Jong Un and PresidentDonald Trump and urged Washington toact ‘’wisely’’ through the end of the year.The statement issued by Foreign Ministryadviser Kim Kye Gwan was clearly referringto an end-of-year deadline set by Kim JongUn for the Trump administration to offermutually acceptable terms for a deal tosalvage their diplomacy.

‘’Contrary to the political judgment andintention of President Trump, Washingtonpolitical circles and DPRK policy makers ofthe U.S. administration are hostile to theDPRK for no reason, preoccupied with theCold War mentality and ideologicalprejudice. Nuclear negotiations betweenWashington and Pyongyang have falteredafter the collapse of a February summitbetween Kim Jong Un and Trump where theU.S. side rejected North Korean demandsfor broad sanctions relief in exchange for apiecemeal deal toward partiallysurrendering its nuclear capabilities.

The North made a series of short-rangemissile tests while Kim Jong Un said hewould ‘’wait with patience until the end of

the year for the United States to come upwith a courageous decision.’’ Washingtonand Pyongyang resumed working-leveldiscussion in Sweden earlier this month,but the meeting broke down amidacrimony with the North Koreans callingthe talks ‘’sickening’’ and accusing theAmericans of maintaining an ‘’old stance andattitude.’’ The North has since threatened toresume nuclear and long-range missile testsit suspended last year while pursuingdiplomacy with the United States, whileKim Jong Un vowed to overcome U.S.-ledinternational sanctions he said has bothpained and infuriated his people.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2019/10/103_277614.html

‘Kim Jong-un was told by father tonever give up nukes’

Kim So-hyun, Korea Herald, October 24,2019

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un wastold by his father to never give up nuclearweapons, US President Donald Trump’sson-in-law and senior adviser JaredKushner reportedly told a Trumpbiographer. According to Doug Wead’sbook “Inside Trump’s White House,”Kushner discussed with Wead the lettersthat Kim and Trump wrote to each other,the Washington Times reported Tuesday.“You can see from these letters that Kimwants to be friends with Trump, but hisfather told him never to give up theweapons. That’s his only security,”Kushner was quoted as saying in the book,excerpts of which were obtained by theUS daily. “Trump is like a new fatherfigure. So, it is not an easy transition.”

Kim Jong-un has officially said on severaloccasions that the denuclearization of theKorean Peninsula was a deathbedinjunction from his grandfather Kim Il-sung and father Kim Jong-il. Wead, whoserved as a senior White House staffer fortwo presidents, was given exclusive accessto Trump, his family and senior staff forthe book to be published next month, theWashington Times said.



S. Korean authorities warnedagainst military buildup

Pyongyang Times, October 26, 2019

The south Korean military authorities havebecome keen on introducing ultra-modernmilitary hardware targeting the DPRK. Atthe recent “parliamentary inspection of theadministration”, the military warmongerscalled for developing and updating lots ofmilitary hardware such as laser-guided anti-air weaponry, cyber and electronic warfareequipment, nuclear-powered sub, largetransport ship and coastal detector andbringing in various sorts of sophisticatedarms and weapons including stealth fighters,air tanker and drone allegedly to cope withthreats from the DPRK.

The arms and weapons which the southKorean military is going to develop andbring are all aggression means evidentlytargeting the DPRK and dangerous elementsbringing serious harm to the stability of theregion in the light of the purpose of theirintroduction and their strategic usage andcapabilities in the sky, land and sea. Thisreveals the hypocritical and sinister aimsought by the south Korean authorities whonever open their mouth without the call fordetente of military tension, building ofconfidence and improvement of ties.

The south Korean authorities are obliged toreflect on their dirty act of treachery andperfidy of reneging on the historic north-south agreement, before talking about thethreats from someone. We have warnedmore than once the south Korean authoritiesagainst their act of undermining trust,backtracking on the commitments andgetting engrossed in the reckless armsbuildup. They should exercise prudence,clearly foreseeing what catastrophic fatethey will meet for their continued militaryfrenzy in defiance of the censure inside andoutside.

http://www.pyongyangtimes.com.kp/?bbs=31866

North Korea tells U.S. not to ignoreyear-end deadline on Trump-Kimfriendship - KCNA

Heekyong Yang, Reuters, October 27, 2019

North Korea said on Sunday there hasbeen no progress in the North Korea-United States relations, and hostilities thatcould lead to an exchange of fire havecontinued, according to North Korea’sstate news agency KCNA. In a statementunder the name of Chairman of the Korea-Asia Pacific Peace Committee Kim YongChol, KCNA said that it would bemistaken for the United States to ignore ayear-end deadline on U.S. PresidentDonald Trump’s and North Korean leaderKim Jong Un’s “close personal relations.”

Kim Jong Un has set an end-of-the-yeardeadline for denuclearisation talks withWashington. Kim Yong Chol was thenuclear talks envoy to the United Statesfor the discussions between the twocountries before the second summitbetween Trump and Kim Jong Un inVietnam in February ended in failure.

https://in.reuters.com/article/north-korea-usa/north-korea-tells-u-s-not-to-ignore-year-end-deadline-on-trump-kim-friendship-kcna-idINKBN1X601E

KAPPC chief warns against US’anti-DPRK moves

Pyongyang Times, October 27, 2019

The US is more desperately resorting to thehostile approach towards the DPRK,misjudging its patience and tolerance, saidKim Yong Chol, chairman of the KoreaAsia-Pacific Peace Committee, on Sunday.Such remarks came after the USambassador to the UN accused the DPRKof its self-defensive military buildupmeasures at the recent meeting of the FirstCommittee of the 74th Session of theUnited Nations General Assembly, sayingthat the US would not blindly enter thenegotiations with the DPRK and the lattershould come up with a new approach forits final and fully verifiabledenuclearization.


The US is persistently pressurizing othercountries into implementing the UN’s“sanctions resolutions” and is leaving nostone unturned to get the anti-DPRKresolutions passed through the UN GeneralAssembly, using its satellite countries, KimYong Chol said. The US strategic forcescommander nominee, speaking at theSenate, called the DPRK “a rogue state”, andthe hawkish US military reportedly plansexercises to deal a nuclear strike to theDPRK, he added. This shows the US is intenton isolating and stifling the DPRK in a morecrafty and vicious manner, far fromresponding to the latter’s call for a changein its calculation method, he noted.

DPRK-US relations could have been almostderailed or twisted several times due to suchhostile acts and wrong practices on the partof the US, he said, attributing the currentmaintenance of bilateral ties to the rapportbetween Chairman Kim Jong Un andPresident Trump. But there is always abottom line, he noted, and the rapport isneither immune to the public mindset norbe a guarantee of preventing or offsettingthe deterioration of the bilateral relationship.

http://www.pyongyangtimes.com.kp/?bbs=31885

North Korea fires unidentifiedprojectile: South Korea military


North Korea fired an unidentified projectiletowards the sea to its east on Thursdayafternoon, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff(JSC) said. The South Korean military ismaintaining readiness while monitoring thesituation, the JSC said in a statement. NorthKorea said on Oct 3 that it had successfullytest-fired a new submarine-launchedballistic missile from the sea to containexternal threats and bolster self-defense.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-southkorea/north-korea-fires-unidentified-projectile-south-korea-military-idUSKBN1XA0WA

North Korea projectiles were short-range, South Korean military says


The two projectiles fired by North Koreaon Thursday were “short range”, SouthKorea’s military said in a statement. Theprojectiles, which Japanese authoritiessaid appeared to be ballistic missiles,traveled an estimated 370 kilometers (230miles) and reached an altitude of 90kilometers (56 miles), South Korea’s JointChiefs of Staff said. The South Korean andAmerican militaries are conducting adetailed analysis of the launches, thestatement said.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-southkorea-range/north-korea-projec-tiles-were-short-range-south-korean-military-says-idUSKBN1XA1CW

North Korea launches twosuspected missiles after warningsto Washington

Josh Smith, Reuters, October 31, 2019

North Korea fired two suspected missilesinto the sea between the Korean peninsulaand Japan on Thursday, according tomilitary officials in Japan and South Korea,ending nearly a month-long lull in testingafter denuclearization talks stalled. Thelaunches, which Japanese authoritiesidentified as likely ballistic missiles, werethe first since one day of talks between theUnited States and North Korea endedwithout an agreement on Oct. 5 inSweden. American officials have playeddown previous missile launches this year,saying they were short-range weapons.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles/north-korea-launches-two-suspected-missiles-after-warnings-to-washington-idUSKBN1XA0W0

North Korea says it conductedsuccessful test of multiple rocketlaunchers

Joyce Lee, Reuters, November 1, 2019

North Korean state news agency KCNAsaid on Friday another test of super-large


multiple rocket launchers a day earlier hadbeen a success, but the test drew protestsfrom neighboring Japan and South Korea.KCNA said the latest test of the “super-largemultiple rocket launchers”, following twotests of the same weapon in August andSeptember overseen by North Korean leaderKim Jong Un, indicated the progress ofPyongyang’s weapons development whiletalks with the United States remain in limbo.The success of the tests was reportedimmediately and Kim expressed satisfactionand congratulated the scientists who haddeveloped the weapon, KCNA said,suggesting that Kim was not at the site forThursday afternoon’s test.

North Korea’s state newspaper, RodongSinmun, showed a photo of the multiplerocket launcher surrounded by yellowflames and smoke. Thursday’s test verifiedthat the “continuous fire system” of themultiple rocket launchers was able to“totally destroy” a group target of the enemyby a surprise strike, KCNA said.

However, South Korea’s national securityadviser Chung Eui-yong said the North’smissile launches do not pose “very gravethreats”. “We’re also test-firing missiles, noless than North Korea does,” he told aparliamentary session. “Our missile defenseand intercept capabilities are absolutelysuperior to theirs.” The weapons test wasthe first since one day of talks between theUnited States and North Korea in Swedenended without an agreement on Oct. 5. Itcame as North Korea repeatedly emphasizesan end-of-the-year deadline that Kim set fordenuclearization talks with Washington.KCNA said last month that while Kim andU.S. President Donald Trump have a“special” relationship, policymakers inWashington were “hostile to the DPRK forno reason”. North Korea’s official name isthe Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-launch/north-korea-says-it-conducted-successful-test-of-multiple-rocket-launchers-idUSKBN1XA2OC

N. South Korea

New ambassador vows to seek‘constructive role’ from US inresolving tesions with Japan

Yonhap, Korea Herald, October 17, 2019

South Korea’s new ambassador to theUnited States said Thursday that he willencourage Washington to play a“constructive role” in resolving tensionsbetween Seoul and Tokyo that led to theSouth’s decision to end a militaryinformation-sharing pact with Japan. LeeSoo-hyuck, who was formally appointedthis week, made the remark as concernshave grown over trilateral cooperationbetween the US and its two Asian alliesafter Seoul decided in August to withdrawfrom the General Security of MilitaryInformation Agreement (GSOMIA).“Since the US has said it will play aconstructive role, I will continue to call forits constructive role. I see that as animportant task for me in the short term,”he told reporters.

Washington has publicly expresseddisappointment over Seoul’s decision topull out of the pact, seen as a rare platformfor trilateral security cooperation. Yet it hasalso indicated willingness to help the twosides find ways to resolve their differences.“I intend to find out what exactly the USmeant when it said mediation would bedifficult but they will play a positive role.I believe they are working on it, given thatthe time is coming,” Lee said. GSOMIA isset to expire on Nov. 22.


NK leader’s idea ofdenuclearization matches that ofUS: Moon

Choi He-suk, Korea Herald, October 25,2019

President Moon Jae-in said Friday thatNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s ideaof denuclearization matches that of the


US and Seoul. Speaking at a meeting withthe Cheong Wa Dae press corps, Moon saidKim has made it clear that his idea ofdenuclearization is the same, but that thisoutcome can only be achieved if the North’sconditions are met. “Between the twoKoreas, the term complete denuclearizationis used, and what completedenuclearization means is the same as thedenuclearization the US wants,” Moon said.

Moon was responding to a question onwhether Kim has stated that he is willing togive up North Korea’s existing nuclearweapons during conversations with theSouth Korean president. Moon stressed thatKim has made those intentions clear to otherworld leaders, including US PresidentDonald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping.Moon added that Kim’s intentions todenuclearize are conditional on North Koreabeing guaranteed “security and a brightfuture.” “The issue is whether the conditionsKim Jong-un wants can be provided by theUS through dialogue.”


Kori-1’s dismantling to be litmustest of Moon’s post-nuclear policy

Nam Hyun-woo, Korea Times, October 30,2019

Korea’s first nuclear reactor, Kori Unit 1 inGijang County, Busan, has served thecountry for four decades and is now waitingfor its finale ¯ decommissioning. Nucleardecommissioning is one of the potentialindustries which the Moon Jae-inadministration claims will fill the vacuumcreated by its drive to phase out nuclearpower from the country. This reporterearned a chance to look into the restrictedfacility, which was operated and will bedismantled by Korea Hydro & NuclearPower (KHNP). KHNP officials met thereand agreed that the decommissioning of KoriUnit 1 will sway the country’s bid toindustrialize nuclear decommissioning andenter overseas markets, and pledged to leaveno stain on the project.

Kori Unit 1 is Korea’s first nuclear reactor,which started operation in 1978. Its

construction was the country’s biggestinfrastructure project at the time, as itstotal cost of 156 billion won ($133.45million) accounted for nearly 30 percentof Korea’s national budget in 1971 whenit broke ground. Its completion madeKorea the 21st country in the world tohave a nuclear power plant, and thereactor served its role for 40 years until itcame to its permanent shutdown on June18, 2017. During the four decades, thereactor generated 156 billion kilowatt-hours of power, which is enough energyfor the citizens of Busan, Korea’s second-largest city, to use for eight years.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2019/10/129_277914.html

O. Japan

New missile deployment in Asiaraised at Japan-U.S. talks

Taketsugu Sato, The Asahi Shimbun,October 22, 2019

U.S. officials raised the topic of deployingnew ground-based missiles during talkswith their Japanese counterparts, amilitary source said, but it was not clear ifthey suggested Japan as a possibledeployment site. The U.S. missiledeployment plans surfaced after theIntermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF)treaty ended in August. The Trumpadministration in February announced itwas withdrawing from the INF, citingviolations by Russia. U.S. DefenseSecretary Mark Esper has indicated thatthe United States would seek to deploy thenew missiles in the Asia-Pacific region overconcerns about China’s moves to developand deploy intermediate-range missiles.

According to a high-ranking officer of theU.S. military, senior U.S. governmentofficials visited Japan on Oct. 18 and metwith their counterparts in the DefenseMinistry, Foreign Ministry and NationalSecurity Secretariat to discuss variousissues. The officer said deployment of thenew intermediate-range missiles was onetopic on the agenda. The U.S. militaryofficer was also asked about Japan’s recentdecision not to join the U.S.-led alliance to


patrol waters in the vicinity of the Strait ofHormuz. Instead, Japan plans to dispatch aMaritime Self-Defense Force vessel to theGulf of Oman for study and researchpurposes. The officer said he was confidentJapan would contribute to peace andstability of dangerous areas in various partsof the world.

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201910220029.html

TEPCO to pour 220 billion yen intoTokai No. 2 nuclear plant

The Asahi Shimbun, October 29, 2019

Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings Inc.decided on Oct. 28 to provide financialsupport to the aging Tokai No. 2 nuclearplant, which has been offline since the 2011earthquake and tsunami disaster and facesan uncertain future. TEPCO’S board agreedon the assistance estimated at more than 220billion yen ($2 billion).

Japan Atomic Power Co., which owns thenuclear plant in Ibaraki Prefecture, willaccelerate the construction of anti-tsunamiembankments around the plant and othersafeguards to full speed. But localmunicipalities have opposed the resumptionof operations at the Tokai No. 2 plant, wheresafety upgrades are needed, and anagreement to gain their consent is nowherein sight. TEPCO faces the serious risk offailing to recoup its enormous investment inthe Tokai No. 2 plant.

“We have reached a conclusion that we canexpect the Tokai No. 2 nuclear plant to be asource of power that helps provideinexpensive and stable electricity that emitsless carbon dioxide to customers,” RikuoOhtsuki, a managing executive officer atTEPCO, said at a news conference on first-half financial results.Ohtsuki, however,declined to offer specifics such as theamount of financial assistance and thepurchase price of electricity from JapanAtomic Power.

TEPCO has been virtually nationalized withan injection of taxpayer money since the2011 disaster at its Fukushima No. 1 nuclearpower plant. For such an entity to spend a

vast sum to assist another nuclear plantoperator has elicited criticism from thepublic and experts, who have urgedTEPCO to be accountable and justify thedecision. A framework of financialassistance is already in place for the TokaiNo. 2 nuclear plant, in which TEPCO andTohoku Electric Power Co., two recipientsof power from the plant, have agreed topay part of a total of 350 billion yen forconstruction of safety measures.


P. Misc

These 3 Technologies CouldTransform Nuclear Energy

Cbinsights, October 17, 2019

Bottom of Form

Nuclear power is at an inflection point.The atom-splitting technology can providea reliable, abundant supply of low-carbonenergy — a boon for combating globalwarming — powering everything fromindustrial processes to electricity forhomes. But the tech is notoriously difficultto develop: the nuclear industry ishamstrung by high capital costs, publicfears over safety, questions over long-termmanagement of nuclear waste, and thepotential for the proliferation of weapons-grade fissile material.

Molten salt reactors (MSR) have attractedthe majority of VC funding invested in thespace. There are 6 VC-backed MSRcompanies with a total of $64M in funding— well below the typical multi-billion-dollar price tag associated with nuclearenergy projects.

TerraPower is a startup building ondesigns pioneered in national labs. Thestartup, backed by Khosla Ventures andBill Gates, raised $35M in a 2010 Series Bfunding round. TerraPower’s primaryfocus is the traveling wave reactor (TWR),a design that uses depleted uranium forfuel.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) arepowered by traditional light water nuclear


reactor technology shrunk down to a farsmaller scale than a typical nuclear powerproject — which today normally involvesthe construction of extensive infrastructureto power large geographic areas.

https://www.cbinsights.com/research/nuclear-energy-startups-funding/

Nuclear Power Plant Market WillExplore Robust Size And GlobalTrends By Forecast To 2029

Carl Whitman, Tech News Spy, October 17,2019

Advance Report Nuclear PowerPlant Market is inclusive of a detailed outlineof this business in tandem with the market’scurrent size and status. The main goal of thereport is to provide updates, developmentstatus, and the latest trends inside themarket. The estimates for CAGR(Compound Annual Growth Rate) iscalculated by the Global Nuclear PowerPlant Market 2020 report in terms of extentfor the specific time length. Industryspecialists analyzing the businessenvironment also take a closer look at theorganizational alignment as well as thebusiness structure. The data has beencollected that is dependent on marketstructures, high-quality insights, advertisesmodels, and other such factors.

The aim of the report is to present a completeevaluation of the market and carriesthoughtful insights, experiences, historicaldata, industry-validated market data andforecasts with a suitable set of theories andmethodology. The report exhibits the marketcompetitive landscape and a correspondingcomprehensive analysis of the important keyplayers in the market. The report contains aSWOT analysis of the market. This reportfor Nuclear Power Plant Market exploresdiverse topics such as regional market scope,product-market several applications, marketsize according to a particular product, salesand revenue by region, production costanalysis, manufacturing chain, businesseffect factors analysis, market size forecast,and more.

https://thetechnewsspy.com/2019/10/17/nuclear-power-plant-market/

IAEA fuel bank receives firstdelivery of uranium


The International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) yesterday took delivery of the firstshipment of low-enriched uranium (LEU)at a purpose-built storage facility at theUlba Metallurgical Plant in easternKazakhstan. The delivery marks theofficial start of operation of the IAEA LEUBank, aimed at providing assurance tocountries about the availability of nuclearfuel.

Last November the IAEA announced that,following an open tender, it had signedcontracts to purchase LEU fromKazakhstan’s NAC Kazatomprom andFrance’s Orano Cycle. The IAEA noted theprocurement was its largest since theAgency was founded in 1957.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/IAEA-fuel-bank-receives-first-delivery-of-uranium

A New Era of Arms Control:Myths, Realities and OptionsNonproliferation Hybrid War:Russia vs. the West

Alexey Arbatov, Carnegie Endowment ofInternational Peace, October 24, 2019

The United States’ withdrawal from the1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear ForcesTreaty (INF) threatens to dismantle theentire nuclear arms control system builtover the last fifty years. It may lead to anuncontrolled multilateral arms raceinvolving strategic, intermediate-range,and tactical nuclear and non-nuclearoffensive and defensive weapons, as wellas space and cyber warfare systems, laserweapons, and other arms innovations. Asa consequence, international armedconflicts are more likely and may instantlyescalate into a global nuclear war.

A Herostratic Nuclear Complex: Thisextremely dangerous turn of events hasbeen long in the making and wasn’t at allaccidental. Military industrial complexesand nationalist factions dreaming of


revenge for concessions and real orimaginary losses in recent decades have beenexerting a growing pressure. These processeshave been facilitated by the military andpolitical ideology that has recently gainedpopularity in some political and professionalcircles in the United States, Russia and anumber of other countries. This ideology—like any other—is based on an agglomerationof different myths about the past, present,and future of strategic relations between thenuclear powers.

https://carnegie.ru/commentary/80172

IAEA Board Appoints Rafael Grossias Director General, Starting inDecember

International Atomic Energy Agency,October 30, 2019

Ambassador Rafael Mariano Grossi is set totake office as Director General of theInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)in early December, following hisappointment to the post by the Agency’sBoard of Governors today.

In a meeting open to representatives of allIAEA Member States, the 35-nation Boardof Governors appointed by acclamation MrGrossi as Director General, to serve for fouryears from 3 December.

https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/iaea-board-appoints-rafael-grossi-as-director-general-starting-in-december

Philippines progresses with plan fornuclear energy


The Philippines’ Department of Energy(DOE) today received the InternationalAtomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) report onPhase 1 of its Integrated NuclearInfrastructure Review (INIR) mission.Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said thecountry will now prepare a plan of actionfor the introduction of nuclear energy.

The IAEA concluded on 17 December 2018an INIR in the Philippines at the request ofthe country’s government. It reviewed thestatus of nuclear development using the

Phase 1 criteria of the IAEA’s MilestonesApproach, a phased comprehensivemethod to assist countries that areconsidering or planning their first nuclearpower plant to follow a sounddevelopment process for a nuclear powerprogramme. The end of Phase 1 marks thereadiness of a country to make a“knowledgeable commitment” to anuclear power programme.

https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Philippines-progresses-with-plan-for-nuclear-energ

Q. Op-Ed

India

India needs to amend its nucleardoctrine

Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh (Retd), TheTribune, October 23, 2019

Our nuclear doctrine suffers from seriousinfirmities. It only deals with a nuclearconflict scenario. It does not get meshedwith territorial security, which is the mainIndian concern vis-a-vis China and due towhich India went nuclear. India’s strategyhas to be to deter/dissuade China fromembarking on any large-scale offensive.

India suffered a crushing defeat at thehands of China in the short war ofOctober-November 1962. On October 16,1964, China carried out its first nucleartest. This added a new dimension to thethreat to India’s security and provided theimpetus to India for developing nuclearweapons as a means of deterring Chineseaggression. Consequently, India tested itsfirst nuclear device on May 18, 1974.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/india-needs-to-amend-its-nuclear-doctrine/850838.html

Was Hack on Indian Nuclear PlantUsed to Test Cyber IntrusionAbilities?

Sam Spencer, CCN, October 31, 2019

The Nuclear Power Corporation of Indiahas confirmed the discovery of malware


on its network. According to a statement,the infection was found on a centralcomputer that was not connected to themore sensitive internal systems.

Cybersecurity experts have linked theharmful code to North Korea’s LazarusGroup. The hacker unit uses a spectrum ofvector attacks to steal funds for theadministration. Pukhraj Singh, a formerresearcher at India’s National TechnicalResearch Organization (NTRO), indicatedvia social media that the malware could betraced back to a recent VirusTotal finding.

https://www.ccn.com/was-hack-on-indian-nuclear-plant-used-to-test-cyber-intrusion-abilities/

Pakistan

Security at a glance

Dr N Elahi, Daily Times, October 17, 2019

Very often destabilizing factorssurreptitiously come into play and silentlystart spoiling the security situation.Governments react when the situationsnow-balls into something alarmingly ugly.Pakistan has to its credit the achievement ofannihilating the most ferocious insurgentsand terrorists in tribal areas and urbancenters across the country during the lastfive years. But it seems that the securitysituation is once again turning sour. TheCounter Terrorism Department (CTD)Karachi recently expressed apprehensionthat al-Qaida was regrouping in the city tocarry out terrorist attacks. These activists hadreturned to Karachi from Afghanistan.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/484511/security-at-a-glance/

Getting nuclear-ready

Hussain Ahmad Siddiqui, The NewsInternational, October 28, 2019

The key message of the “InternationalConference on Climate Change and the Roleof Nuclear Power” held during October 7-11 in Vienna was for major nuclear role asnuclear energy. An integral part of theworld’s clean energy future, nuclear powerwill help fight climate change as it has been

a consistent source of low carbonelectricity for decades.

From this perspective, it is a landmarkdevelopment that another two nuclearpower plants of over two-thousandmegawatt total capacity would come onstream in Karachi within a couple of years.This will result in enhancing three timesthe present nuclear energy capacity,achieving around eleven percent share inpower generation using various energyresources. With this accomplishment, thepolicy goals of the government to optimiseenergy mix and low carbon developmentwould be adequately met, which wouldalso be in line with the internationalagenda for power sector.

The government aims at mitigating carbondioxide emissions up to 20 percent by2030. By then the installed capacity ofnuclear power generation will reach themark of 8,800MW, as planned, to generate27,850GWh annually. Pakistan’s totalpower generation capacity in 2030 isprojected to be 46,683MW and envisagedto generate 191,781GWh, according to theSAARC Energy Outlook 2030. Thegovernment’s recent plan for capacityaddition of about 17,000MW by 2025 isunrealistic, and likely to be achieved by2030.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/magazine/money-matters/547070-getting-nuclear-ready

Horrors of Nuclear War

Nusrat Ali, Daily Times, October 29, 2019

The tension between Pakistan and Indiaover Kashmir’s current predicament is stillbrewing, with no ending in sight. Tensionssoared between the two as India revokedKashmir’s special status. Pakistanreprimanded, called for the return ofKashmir’s previous status-quo, whichIndia denied calling it an internal matter.The two came neck to neck in February aswell.

Since then, rogue elements from bothcountries are talking about bombing theother side with nuclear weapons. Thisfrequent careless talk begs the question as


if they consider nuclear weapons the sameas 1980s Kalashnikov and nothing more.Nevertheless, their foul talk gainedinternational eye because the two havefought wars on Kashmir. So threateningeach other with A-bomb over Kashmir issueis a matter the international communitycannot ignore. Surely, the world knowsmore about the catastrophic nuclear warbrings than the two neighbours.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/491386/horrors-of-nuclear-war/

USA

Meet the Ohio-Class: America’sNuclear Doomsday Submarines

Sebastien Roblin, National Interest Blog,October 16, 2019

Nine years after the atomic bombingsof Hiroshima andNagasaki, Ishirô Honda’s Godzilla depicteda monster awakened from the depths of theocean to wreak havoc on Japanese cities. Agiant fire-breathing reptile, however,was less horrifying than what was to come.In less than a decade’s time, there would bedozens of real undersea beasts capable ofdestroying multiple cities at a time. I’mreferring, of course, to ballistic-missilesubmarines, or “boomers” in U.S. Navyparlance.

The most deadly of the real-life kaijuprowling the oceans today are the fourteenOhio-class ballistic-missile submarines,which carry upwards of half of the UnitedStates’ nuclear arsenal onboard.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/meet-ohio-class-americas-nuclear-doomsday-submarines-88386

Turkey’s Victory Over Donald Trump

The New York Times, October 17, 2019

President Trump’s decision to withdraw1,000 American troops from Syria withoutconsulting any aides, experts or allies, andwithout any warning to America’s Kurdishcomrades in arms, whom he placed inmortal danger, has provided chillingevidence of the danger posed by his chronicinability to appreciate a president’sresponsibilities.

Mr. Trump, as he always does, claimed ahuge victory — “an amazing outcome”that saved “millions and millions of lives.”That scores of Kurdish lives have alreadybeen lost, that thousands of people havefled their homes, that a swarm of IslamicState followers escaped from internmentcamps, that the Kurds themselves turnedfor help to the mass murderer Bashar al-Assad, that America’s dwindlingcredibility in the world was furtherundermined, meant nothing to thepresident. ”It’s not our border,” he said onWednesday.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/17/opinion/trump-syria-turkey.html

We Asked an Expert to Imagine aU.S.-China War. We Wish WeHadn’t

Robert Farley, National Interest Blog,October 17, 2019

Avoiding nuclear use could be tricky, butconventional weapons would still killthousands.

How does the unthinkable happen? Whatseries of events could lead to war in EastAsia, and how would that war play out?

The United States and China areinextricably locked in the Pacific Rim’ssystem of international trade. Some arguethat this makes war impossible, but thenwhile some believed World War Iinevitable, but others similarly thought itimpossible.

In this article I concentrate less on theoperational and tactical details of a US-China war, and more on the strategicobjectives of the major combatants before,during, and after the conflict. A warbetween the United States and Chinawould transform some aspects of thegeopolitics of East Asia, but would alsoleave many crucial factors unchanged.Tragically, a conflict between China andthe US might be remembered only as “TheFirst Sino-American War.”

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/we-asked-expert-imagine-us-china-war-we-wish-we-hadnt-88636


Can the U.S. protect its nuclearweapons in Turkey?

Matthew Fuhrmann and Todd S. Sechser,Washington Post, October 18, 2019

U.S. forces reportedly came under artilleryfire from Turkish troops heading intonorthern Syria last week — another sign ofthe sudden plunge in U.S. relations withTurkey. On Monday, President Trumpimposed economic sanctions against Turkeyand threatened to “swiftly destroy Turkey’seconomy.” Vice President Pence announceda cease-fire agreement with Turkey onThursday, but this does not appear to fullyaddress the underlying problems in thebilateral relationship. Over the summer, thePentagon kicked Turkey out of the F-35 jointstrike fighter program, marking U.S.displeasure that Turkey was buyingadvanced Russian military technology. Thisdeteriorating relationship is troublingbecause Turkey is a long-standing NATOally. But even more worrisome are thenuclear weapons — about 50 B61 gravitybombs — that the United States stores atIncirlik Air Base in Turkey, less than 100miles from the Syrian border. OnWednesday, Trump appeared to confirm theexistence of these weapons in a startlingbreak with past practice, but over theweekend, U.S. officials reportedly wereconsidering plans to withdraw them.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/10/18/can-us-protect-its-nuclear-weapons-turkey/

Some worries about nuclearweapons at Turkey base

Robert Burns, AP News, October 19, 2019

Frayed U.S. relations with Turkey over itsincursion in Syria raise a sensitive questionrarely discussed in public: Should the UnitedStates remove the nuclear bombs it has longstored at a Turkish air base? It’s a trickymatter for several reasons, including the factthat by longstanding policy, the U.S.government does not publicly acknowledgelocations of nuclear weapons overseas. Still,it is almost an open secret that the U.S. hasas many as 50 B-61 bombs stored underheavy guard at Incirlik air base in southernTurkey. President Donald Trump implicitly

acknowledged the stockpile this weekwhen asked by a reporter how confidenthe was of the bombs’ security. “We’reconfident,” he said. Turkey, a NATO ally,has reportedly hosted American nuclearweapons for 60 years. The bombs couldbe dropped by U.S. planes in a nuclear war.

The arrangement at Incirlik air base is partof NATO’s policy of linking Turkey andother member countries to the alliance’saim of deterring war by having a relativelysmall number of nuclear weapons basedin Europe. Removing them, therefore,would be a diplomatic complication. Thereis no known evidence that the nuclearweapons at Incirlik are at direct risk, butrelations between Washington andAnkara are at perhaps a historic low andthe war in Syria has grown more complexand unpredictable. Incirlik is about 150miles from Syria by road. Thursday’sannounced U.S. deal with Turkey to pauseits offensive against Kurdish fighters innorthern Syria may have slowed thedeterioration of relations. But the overalldirection has been decidedly andincreasingly negative.

https://apnews.com/182a2170a1d24ac6b4f0c7242d8ff514

Cold War 2.0: Is a cyberwarbetween China and the US alreadyunderway?

Bertrand Venard, Scroll, October 20, 2019

As President Xi Jinping celebrated the 70thanniversary of the People’s Republic ofChina with a massive military parade, theUnited States president threatened toraise taxes on Chinese products.

In the meantime, belligerent cyber activityis ramping up, mirroring the trade warbetween China and the United States.Could this multiply and bring about ourworst fear – a conventional war? Everyday, statements from the US and Chineseleaders highlight just how far apart thesetwo countries are ideologically andpolitically, and the extent of theireconomic and military rivalry.

History has taught us how this type ofconfrontation often ends. Speaking of the


rivalry between Sparta and Athens, theAthenian historian Thucydides predictedthat a dominant nation, seeing its supremacyseemingly threatened by a rising power,would settle the question by war.Thucydides’ escalation theory makes us fearthe worst for the US-China cold war, a warcurrently being fought in cyberspace.

https://scroll.in/article/940862/cold-war-2-0-is-a-cyberwar-between-china-and-the-us-already-underway

The ultimate Middle East missiletarget: Nuclear reactors

Mark Dubowitz and Henry Sokolski,Washington Examiner, October 22, 2019

Bottom of Form

What if a nuclear reactor had been the targetof last month’s accurate missile attack onSaudi Arabian oil facilities? We might nowbe mopping up a Middle East Chernobyl.The lesson should be clear: Don’t build morelarge reactors in the region. They’reradioactive sitting ducks.

Saudi Arabia has plans to build an array oflarge nuclear power plants. Next door, theUnited Arab Emirates is spending $20billion to complete four commercial reactorsat Barakah. Egypt and Turkey both havebegun constructing two massive Russian-designed nuclear power plants. Meanwhile,Iran has two operating reactors and hasbegun constructing two more. After Iran’sSept. 14 missile attack against Saudi Arabia,though, all of these plants risk being wipedout.

Precision guided missiles are the reason why.Shortly after the Iranian attack on SaudiArabia, pictures revealed each of the oiltanks struck at Abqaiq were hit in the exactsame spot. The missiles’sestimated accuracy was one meter. Thatmakes even the hardiest of large reactorseasy marks. Rather than target the mostprotected part of the plant, the largeconcrete containment building covering thereactor’s core, accurate missiles can put keyauxiliary reactor facilities at risk. One suchaim point is the power plant’s emergencyelectrical diesel generator building. Knock

the generators out and you deprive thereactor of emergency backup powerneeded to keep its safety and coolantpump systems operating when external,grid-supplied electricity is cut off byblackouts, storms, or attacks.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/the-ultimate-middle-east-missile-target-nuclear-reactors

U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Turkey,pt. 2

Matthew Wills, Daily JSTOR, October 28,2019

Fifty U.S. nuclear bombs are storedat Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey.Tensions between the U.S. and Turkeyover Syria are nearing a boiling point.What will now be done about thesebombs? Is it time to take American nuclearweapons out of Turkey? What manypeople don’t realize in approaching thisquestion is that this is not the first time thepresence of American nuclear weapons inTurkey has been part of a crisis. The firsttime was during the Cuban Missile Crisisof October 1962—only hardly anybodyknew it at the time. For almost two weeksthat October, the world was on the brinkof nuclear war, until the Soviets caved tothe threat of force… or so runs theAmerican version of events.

The Cuban Missile Crisis, to summarize inbrief, began when Americans realizedthat the U.S.S.R. had positioned ballisticmissiles in Cuba, 90 miles from the U.S.mainland. This Soviet move was aresponse to the U.S.-sponsored Bay of Pigsinvasion. Although a failure, the invasionconvinced Fidel Castro of the existentialthreat to his government, and he turnedto his allies for help in defending Cuba.

https://daily.jstor.org/us-nuclear-weapons-turkey-part-2/?utm_source=AM%20Nukes%20Roundup&utm_campaign=365bb5c528-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_07_25_12_19_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_547ee518ec-365bb5c528-391858093


U.S. Nuclear Power: America’sBrand Is at Risk

David Gattie, Morning Consult, October 29,2019

In March 1955, the U.S. National SecurityCouncil issued a report, NSC 5507/2,entitled “Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy,”formally setting America’s civilian nuclearpower policy. The objectives, stated as being“in the interests of national security,” canbe summarized as follows:

= Maintain U.S. leadership in the field;

= Use such leadership to promote cohesionwithin the free world;

= Increase progress in development andapplication of peaceful uses of atomicenergy in free nations abroad;

= Ensure continued U.S. access to foreignuranium and thorium supplies;

= And prevent diversion to non-peacefuluses of fissionable materials.

Early U.S. nuclear power policymakerscomprehended their moment in history andwere clear-eyed and realistic as to thestrategic geopolitical importance of Americaremaining engaged in not only an advanceddomestic nuclear enterprise but also ininternational nuclear collaborations. In theirvision of America’s role in the world,nuclear power wasn’t just another energycommodity, the fate of which should bedictated by political calculus, popularopinion or market forces alone. Rather, theyconsidered nuclear power as central toAmerica’s foreign policy, so their approachto nuclear policy was principled andstrategic, not populist and transactional.

https://morningconsult.com/opinions/us-nuclear-power-americas-brand-risk/

Is the US Losing the ArtificialIntelligence Arms Race?

James Johnson, The Diplomat, October 30,2019

The U.S. government, long a proponent ofadvancing technology for military purposes,sees artificial intelligence as key to the next

generation of fighting tools. Several recentinvestments and Pentagon initiatives showthat military leaders are concerned aboutkeeping up with – and ahead of – Chinaand Russia, two countries that have madebig gains in developing artificial-intelligence systems. AI-poweredweapons include target recognitionsystems, weapons guided by AI, andcyberattack and cyberdefense softwarethat runs without human intervention.

The U.S. defense community is coming tounderstand that AI will significantlytransform, if not completely reinvent, theworld’s military power balance. Theconcern is more than military. As Chineseand Russian technologies become moresophisticated, they threaten U.S.domination of technological innovationand development, as well as globaleconomic power and influence. Militaryleaders see the threat to U.S. technologicalleadership coming from two main sources:a rising and ambitious China and amischievous and declining Russia. Takentogether, these forces challenge globalstability.

https://thediplomat.com/2019/10/is-the-us-losing-the-artificial-intelligence-arms-race/?amp=1

Europe

Lost WW2 British submarinefound sunk off the coast of Malta


The wreck of a British submarine, whichvanished at the height of World War Two,has been discovered lying at the bottom ofthe sea off Malta, university marinearchaeologists said on Thursday. HMSUrge had been based with othersubmarines in Malta and had carried outseveral deadly missions when the Britishnavy ordered it and rest of the flotilla toredeploy to Egypt because of a relentlessGerman siege of the Mediterranean island.Urge set sail on April 27, 1942, carrying a32-strong crew, 11 other naval personneland a journalist. However, it failed toreach Alexandria on the agreedrendezvous date of May 6 and its fate has


always been a mystery - until now.

A team from the University of Malta, whichhas spent two decades surveying the localseas, said that at the request of the grandsonof Urge’s commander, they combed an areathis summer that had once been heavilymined by Nazi forces. A sonar imagerevealed a submarine-like shape at a depthof 130 meters (425 ft) some two miles (3 km)off the coast and a subsequent search by anunmanned diving craft revealed the U-ClassSubmarine, with a large chunk of its bowmissing.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malta-britain-submarine/lost-ww2-british-submarine-found-sunk-off-the-coast-of-malta-idUSKBN1XA1OM

Russia

Why Russia’s New Anti-SatellitePlane Is Very Bad Idea

Michael Peck, National Interest Blog, October20, 2019

Russia says it is developing a new aircraftthat can disable the electronics on U.S.satellites.

The electronic warfare aircraft “will becapable of turning off the electronicsinstalled on military satellites,” according toRussia’s Sputnik News. The conceptualwork has been completed and design anddevelopment will begin soon.

“The work is currently underway to developan aircraft equipped with jamming systemsthat will replace Il-22PP Porubshchik[electronic warfare aircraft], which arecurrently being delivered to the RussianAerospace Forces,” an unnamed Russiandefense industry source told Sputnik News.“This machine will receive a fundamentallynew on-board equipment, which will allowto conduct electronic suppression of anytargets—ground, air, sea—and disableenemy satellites that provide navigation andradio communication on the ground.”

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/why-russias-new-anti-satellite-plane-very-bad-idea-89716

Russia Has Thousands of NuclearWeapons (And They Can KillBillions)

Mark B. Schneider, National Interest Blog,October 26, 2019

Today, there is a debate over whether weshould extend the New START Treaty,amend it to eliminate the loopholes, or tryto negotiate an expanded agreement. As Idetailed in my 2012 monograph, The NewSTART Treaty: Anatomy of a FailedNegotiation, New START contains majorloopholes and verification problems thatfully negate the supposedlimitations. Ironically, the 2002 MoscowTreaty limits, if the warheads are countedin the same way, required a much lowerstrategic nuclear warhead level that whatis possible under New START.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/russia-has-thousands-nuclear-weapons-and-they-can-kill-billions-91136

Russia Almost Built A Nuclear-Armed Supersonic Bomber ThatCould Float On Water

Micheal Peck, National Interest Blog,October 26, 2019

The rise of ballistic missiles put this idea torest. With airline passengers crammed likesardines, it’s hard to remember there wasa time when airliners were more like oceanliners. In the 1930s, seaplanes were queensof the sky. Clipper seaplanes like theBoeing 314 were the 747s of the era,carrying passengers on long flights acrossthe Atlantic and Pacific.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/russia-almost-built-nuclear-armed-supersonic-bomber-could-float-water-91296

Russia And America BarelyAvoided An Horrific Nuclear WarIn 1983

Richard Purcell, National Interest Blog,October 26, 2019

The scare did not lead to war, but the riskwas real. In 1983, the United States and


the Soviet Union came dangerously close tonuclear war. That was the conclusion of ahighly classified report issued in 1990 by thePresident’s Foreign Intelligence AdvisoryBoard, or PFIAB.

The board, which conducts oversight of theU.S. intelligence community for the WhiteHouse, interviewed over 75 American andBritish officials and examined scads ofintelligence assessments and other officialdocuments from the early 1980s. The reportit produced, entitled “The Soviet ‘WarScare,’ “ served as a retrospective assessmentof what many believe was the mostdangerous period of the Cold War since theCuban Missile Crisis.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/russia-and-america-barely-avoided-horrific-nuclear-war-1983-91451

Russia’s First Upgraded Borei-ClassSubmarine Test Fires BulavaBallistic Missile

Franz-Stefan Gady, The Diplomat, October30, 2019

Russia’s First Upgraded Borei-ClassSubmarine Test Fires Bulava Ballistic Missile

The nuclear-powered ballistic missilesubmarine (SSBN) Knyaz Vladimir (PrinceVladimir), the Russian Navy’s first upgradedProject 955A Borei II-class (“North Wind”)or Dolgorukiy-class boomer, has for the firsttime fired a RSM-56 Bulava (NATOreporting name: SS-N-32) submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) as part ofits final certification tests, the RussianMinistry of Defense (MoD) said in anOctober 30 statement. The Knyaz Vladimirlaunched the Bulava SLBM from asubmerged position in the White Sea, an inletof the Barents Sea, off the northwest coastof Russia. The missile hits its designatedtarget on the Kura missile test range on theKamchatka peninsula in Russia’s Far East,according to the MoD.

https://thediplomat.com/2019/10/russias-first-upgraded-borei-class-submarine-test-fires-bulava-ballistic-missile/

Russia, the Indispensable Nationin the Middle East

Eugene B. Rumer, Foreign Affairs, October31, 2019

Russia is on a roll in the Middle East.Russian airpower saved the Assad regimefrom certain defeat. Turkey and Israelmust now accept the presence of Russiantroops on their borders. Saudi Arabia hasgiven Russian President Vladimir Putin thered-carpet treatment. And U.S. PresidentDonald Trump thanked Putin forfacilitating the operation to kill Abu Bakral-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State(or ISIS). Throughout the Middle East,from North Africa to the Persian Gulf,Russia is ubiquitous, with its high-levelvisitors, its weapons, its mercenaries, andits deals to build nuclear power plants.Russia has gotten involved in this regionas the United States pulls back from it—atrend that even the success of theBaghdadi raid can do little to conceal.

The reemergence of Russia as a majorpower broker in the Middle East is strikingnot only in contrast with the United States’erratic posture in the region but becausefor a quarter century after the Cold War,Russia had been absent from the region.But Russia’s absence, and not its return, isthe anomaly.

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/middle-east/2019-10-31/russia-indispensable-nation-middle-east

U.S. Navy Beware! RussianSubmarines Surge Into theAtlantic

David Axe, National Interest Blog, October31, 2019

The Russian navy in mid-October 2019sortied eight submarines in the country’sbiggest undersea exercise since the ColdWar.

The eight submarines, including sixnuclear-powered ships, sailed from theirbases in northern Russia into the coldwaters of the Barents and Norwegian Seas.At the same time, an additional two boats


— the nuclear-powered Sierra-class attacksubmarines Pskov and Nizhny Novgorod — sailed into roughly the same waters for testsand training.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/us-navy-beware-russian-submarines-surge-atlantic-92336

Russia and China: DangerousNuclear Strategies

Peter Huessy, The Epoch Times, October 31, 2019

Both Russia and China have adopted astrategy threatening the use of very limitednuclear strikes against the United Stateseven against our mainland, most probablyin the pursuit of regional security objectivessuch as a conventional conflict in EasternEurope in the case of Russia or Taiwan inthe case of China.

This is different than the most commonnuclear threats we faced during the ColdWar which was having to stop the use oflarge-scale nuclear weapons as part of, forexample, a Soviet invasion of Western Europe.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/russia-and-china-dangerous-nuclear-strategies_3133495.html

West Asia

Iran

Will Iran Move From Small NukeViolations to the Countdown to aBamb?

Yonah Jeremy Bob, Jerusalem Post, October25, 2019

The problem with deadlines is that they forceyou either to act or look weak due toinaction. Will Iran’s expected Novemberdeadline and expected new violation of the2015 nuclear deal finally lead to speedingup the countdown toward Tehran breakingout to a nuclear weapon and a possible Israelior US preemptive strike?

Read More Related Articles Iran’s threeprevious deadlines for the US to remove thesanctions against it and three recent minorviolations of the deal have failed to pressurethe US, Israel, the Saudis and most of theWest into submitting to its positions.

The Islamic Republic wants the deal toremain as is.n. In contrast, the other partieswant a combination of extending thenuclear limits beyond the mid-2020s, newlimits on Iran’s hegemonic ambitions in theMiddle East and new limits on its ballisticmissile program.

https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Security-and-Defense-From-rocky-to-explosive-605739

Turkey

Erdogan’s Ambitions Go BeyondSyria.

New York Times, October 20, 2019

A month before invading Kurdish areasin Syria, Turkey’s president said he“cannot accept” the West’s restrictionsthat keep him from a bomb. Turkey’spresident, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, wantsmore than control over a wide swath ofSyria along his country’s border. He sayshe wants the Bomb. In the weeks leadingup to his order to launch the military acrossthe border to clear Kurdish areas, Mr.Erdogan made no secret of his largerambition. “Some countries have missileswith nuclear warheads,” he told a meetingof his governing party in September. Butthe West insists “we can’t have them,” hesaid. “This, I cannot accept.” With Turkeynow in open confrontation with its NATOallies, having gambled and won a bet thatit could conduct a military incursion intoSyria and get away with it, Mr. Erdogan’sthreat takes on new meaning. If the UnitedStates could not prevent the Turkish leaderfrom routing its Kurdish allies, how can itstop him from building a nuclear weaponor following Iran in gathering thetechnology to do so? It was not the firsttime Mr. Erdogan has spoken aboutbreaking free of the restrictions oncountries that have signed the NuclearNonproliferation Treaty, and no one isquite sure of his true intentions. TheTurkish autocrat is a master of keepingallies and adversaries off balance, asPresident Trump discovered in the pasttwo weeks.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/20/world/middleeast/erdogan-turkey-nuclear-weapons-trump.html


Why the U.S. Has Nuclear Weaponsin Turkey—And May Try to Put theBombs Away

Miles A. Pomper, October 25, 2019

As the Syrian crisis pits Turkish troopsagainst former U.S.-allied Kurdish forces,Pentagon officials have been reviewing plansto remove 50 nuclear bombs stored at a U.Sair base in Turkey. Recommended by Acongressional directive to the Pentagon toquickly assess alternative homes for U.S.“personnel and assets” currently stationedat Incirlik Air Base is part of a broaderbipartisan bill, still being debated, thatproposes sanctions against Turkey. PresidentDonald Trump has been forced to issuepublic reassurances that the weapons aresecure. During the Cold War, the U.S.stationed B-61 nuclear bombs in Turkey,among other NATO countries. Formally, theU.S. controlled the weapons duringpeacetime, but the host countries’ forcestrained and equipped planes so they coulddrop the bombs with U.S. support in the caseof war. The idea was to deter Soviet groundforces and reassure U.S. allies by makingclear that the U.S. would be willing to risknuclear war to block a Soviet invasion of acountry hosting the bombs. In addition, inthe years before the U.S. developedintercontinental ballistic missiles, theypresented a way for NATO to demonstrateit could act quickly to respond to a Sovietattack. The 50 bombs still at Incirlik Air Base,in southern Turkey – and others in Belgium,Germany, Italy and the Netherlands – arethe last nuclear remnants of that Cold Warstrategy. The U.S. began pulling nuclearbombs out of NATO countries after the ColdWar ended, and since 2000 has removed 40bombs from Turkey.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/why-us-has-nuclear-weapons-turkey%E2%80%94and-may-try-put-bombs-away-90771

It’s Time To Get U.S. Nukes Out OfTurkey

Steven Pifer, The National Interest, October30, 2019

US.-Turkish relations have plunged to a newnadir. In the past month, a senior Republican

senator has suggested suspendingTurkey’s membership in the NATOalliance, while the secretary of stateimplied a readiness to use military forceagainst America’s wayward ally.Recommended by In these circumstances,U.S. nuclear weapons have no business inTurkey. It is time to bring them home. Thesigns of a strained and deterioratingrelationship are hard to miss. PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’sincreasingly autocratic leader, has turnedaway from both Europe and the UnitedStates. He instead is actively cultivating aclose relationship with fellow authoritarianVladimir Putin, as evidenced by their eightmeetings just this year. Erdogan rejectedbuying U.S. Patriot air defense missiles infavor of Russian S-400s—missiles that areincompatible with NATO’s integrated airdefense system.

As a result, the United States excludedTurkey from taking part in the F-35 JointStrike Fighter program, leaving thequestion of Turkey’s next-generationfighter literally up in the air. FollowingPresident Donald Trump’s rash decisionto withdraw the small U.S. militarycontingent from eastern Syria, Erdoganlaunched the Turkish army on a majoroffensive. In doing so, he showed no regardfor the Kurdish forces that did so much incollaboration with the U.S. military todestroy ISIS at great cost—some tenthousand Kurdish fighters killed.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/middle-east-watch/its-time-get-us-nukes-out-turkey-92081

East Asia

North Korea

Why North Korea walked awayfrom negotiations in Sweden

Jung H. Pak, Brookings October 18, 2019

ixteen months after the Singapore summitbetween President Trump and NorthKorean leader Kim Jong Un, nuclearnegotiators finally met for eight hours inStockholm earlier this month. The talks fellapart after just one day, with NorthKorea’s representative Kim Myong Gil


blaming the U.S. for its “failure to abandonits outdated viewpoint and attitude.” NorthKorea’s foreign ministry rejected the U.S.Department of State press release thatdescribed the conversations as “gooddiscussions” and proposed resuming talksin two weeks. Instead, the foreign ministrystated that it has “no intention to hold suchsickening negotiations…before the U.S. takesa substantial step to completely andirreversibly abandon the hostile policy”against North Korea.

North Korea’s blustery statements — and itsreiteration of the year-end deadline for theU.S. to change its “attitude” — reflect theKim regime’s confidence and its perceivedposition of strength vis-à-vis the Trumpadministration. Moreover, Kim Myong Gil’svague warning about resumption of nuclearand long-range ballistic missile testing augura tense autumn and a worrisome return tobrinkmanship by Pyongyang. Kim Jong Unhas several reasons for thinking his latestgamble to pressure Washington will pay off.First, Kim has been emboldened by thepresident’s comments since the two leaders’first summit in Singapore. Trump has said,among other things, that he has fallen “inlove” with Kim, admired Kim’s autocraticbehavior, absolved Kim of his role in thetorture and death of U.S. college studentOtto Warmbier, agreed with the dictatorthat U.S.-South Korea military exercises are“ridiculous and expensive,” and dismissedthe slew of short-range ballistic missiles asbeing “very standard” and “not a violationof our signed Singapore agreement.”

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2019/10/18/why-north-korea-walked-away-from-negotiations-in-sweden/

Nearly 4,000 civilian deaths inNorth Korea tied to sanctions: report

Zack Budryk, The Hill, October 30, 2019

Sanctions against North Korea contributedto more than 4,000 civilian deaths last yeardue to a lack of access to humanitarianassistance, according to a new reportcommissioned by Korea Peace Now, aninternational group dedicated topermanently ending the Korean War. Theassessment by an international and

multidisciplinary panel of independentexperts found that 3,968 North Koreansdied due to sanctions-related delays andfunding deficits in 2018, including 3,193children under the age of 5 and 72pregnant women.

United Nations programs that addressmalnutrition, hygiene and sanitationissues, reproductive health and vitamin Adeficiencies were hit especially hard,according to the report.

https://thehill.com/policy/international/asia-pacific/468146-nearly-4000-civilian-deaths-in-north-korea-tied-to-sanctions-report?utm_source=AM%20Nukes%20Roundup&utm_campaign=8a4779f9bc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_07_25_12_19_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_547ee518ec-

8a4779f9bc-391858093

South Korea

The Remaking of South KoreanConservatism in the Age of Trump

Eun A Jo, National Interest, October 31,2019

The chemistry between Donald Trump andKim Jong-un has proved resilient todiplomatic doldrums. Trump hasdefended Kim against the revelations ofanother violent purge and applauded himfor calling the Democratic frontrunner JoeBiden a “low IQ individual.” Not longafter, they met for a widely featuredhandshake at the Korean border, makingTrump the first sitting U.S. president to stepon North Korean soil. Though littlesubstantive progress was made in itsaftermath, Trump has continued to excuseKim’s missile launches as “standard”while deriding the U.S.-South Korea jointmilitary exercises as “ridiculous andexpensive.” Now with the timely exit ofJohn Bolton, hopes of another Trump-Kimsummit are on the rise again.

Among the biggest losers of this largelyhollow diplomatic exercise are SouthKorea’s conservatives. For them, Trump’sadulation of Kim poses a threat that ismore profound than their policy setbackon North Korea—it challenges theiridentity, which for decades had been


defined by its anti-North Korean and pro-U.S. stance. One debate, in particular, laysbare this struggle: South Korea’s nucleararmament.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/korea-watch/remaking-south-korean-conservatism-age-trump-92256

North Korea’s own goal

Park Moo-jong, Korea Times, October 17,2019

There were no spectators, no live TVcoverage, no reporters, no grass pitch andno goals for a bizarre South and NorthKorean football match to qualify for the 2022Qatar World Cup in the entirely empty KimIl-sung Stadium in Pyongyang, Tuesday. Thestrangest game (as described by BBC) wasexpected as the authoritative regime of KimJong-il, grandson of Kim Il-sung, flatlyrejected global news coverage of the“historic” event.

What surprised people around the world,particularly South Koreans, was the vacantstands. The South had been muchconcerned about a unique home advantageand the unilateral cheering of the homecrowd jam-packing the 50,000-capacitystadium devoid of South Korean supporters.Why did the North even deny its ownpeople the right to attend the game, evengiving up the certain home advantage? Theanswer is simple. Since the Korean War,provoked by Kim Il-sung June 25, 1950,ended July 27, 1953, with an armistice andnot a peace treaty the two Koreas are stilltechnically at war.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2019/10/137_277251.html

Japan

Why Japan’s Radioactive WaterMay End Up In the Ocean

Aaron Clark and Stephen Stapczynski,Washington Post, October 18, 2019

The Japanese utility giant Tepco isconsidering a plan to dump roughly 1 millioncubic meters of treated radioactive water —enough to fill 400 Olympic-size swimming

pools — from the wrecked FukushimaDai-Ichi nuclear power plant into thePacific Ocean, part of its nearly $200billion effort to clean up the worst atomicaccident since Chernobyl. Storage tanks atthe site are forecast to be full by mid-2022,and space for building more is scarce.Scary as it sounds, discharges are commonpractice in the industry and would likelymeet global guidelines. That hasn’tassuaged angry locals or neighboringSouth Korea.

A 2011 earthquake, the strongest everrecorded in Japan, and ensuing tsunamicaused structural damage to Fukushima’sreactor buildings, about 220 kilometers(135 miles) north of Tokyo. About 100cubic meters of groundwater flows indaily, where it mixes with melted fuel andbecomes contaminated. The tainted wateris pumped out and run through somethingcalled the Advanced Liquid ProcessingSystem, or ALPS, then stored in one ofroughly 1,000 tanks at the site. Theprocessing removes most of the radioactiveelements except for tritium. Before beingreleased, the so-called tritiated waterwould be reprocessed to ensure all of itmeets safety standards, according to theMinistry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/energy/why-japans-radioactive-water-may-end-up-in-the-ocean/2019/10/18/2f6cb4a0-f16e-11e9-bb7e-d2026ee0c199_story.html

SDF deployment to Middle Eastwould put Japan in risky waters


Japan’s plan to deploy the Self-DefenseForces to areas near the Strait of Hormuz,if implemented, could gum up diplomaticefforts to ease tensions between the UnitedStates and Iran. We cannot support theenvisioned SDF mission in the region thatis at the heart of the acrimoniousconfrontation between Washington andTehran at the moment. Prime MinisterShinzo Abe’s administration isconsidering dispatching SDF troops to thevolatile region to protect tankers and othervessels on its own instead of joining theinternational “coalition” to safeguard ships


being pushed by U.S. President DonaldTrump.

It is obviously an idea the Abeadministration has hammered out indesperate efforts to avoid upsetting theTrump administration without damagingJapan’s traditionally good relationship withIran. The plan on the table would excludethe Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulffrom the areas where the SDF would operatein a clear sign that Tokyo wants to avoidstraining its ties with Tehran. Abe has beenmaking diplomatic efforts to mediatebetween the United States and Iran. Hevisited Iran in June and held talks with theleaders of both countries during his visit toNew York to attend the U.N. GeneralAssembly meeting. In its editorials, TheAsahi Shimbun has expressed its support forhis mediation diplomacy.


TEPCO needs to make its case forbailing out aging nuclear plant


Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings Inc.(TEPCO) decided on Oct. 28 to providefinancial support to Japan Atomic PowerCo., the operator of the aging Tokai No. 2nuclear power plant. TEPCO will providesupport to help Japan Atomic Power financethe work to implement legally required safetymeasures at the plant in the form of advancepayments for the electricity it plans to buyfrom the company in the future. JapanAtomic Power is seeking to restart thecurrently offline plant in Ibaraki Prefecture.

TEPCO says it made the decision becausethe plant is expected to serve again as “asource of power that helps provideinexpensive and stable electricity that emitsless carbon dioxide to customers.” At a newsconference to announce the decision,however, the utility did not disclose theamount it will provide, although it isestimated to exceed 220 billion yen ($2.02billion). The company also refused to revealthe price at which it will buy electricitygenerated at the plant, failing to back up itsclaim that the power will be “inexpensive.”

TEPCO even kept mum about an outlineof its planned financial aid that can beeasily guessed by other electric utilities orexperts, saying providing such informationwould “put us at a disadvantage incompetition with other companies.”TEPCO, the operator of the crippledFukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, hasbeen put under effective state control sothat it can pay huge amounts incompensation to victims of the 2011nuclear disaster and also finance thecolossal cost of decommissioning thereactors destroyed by the core meltdowns.TEPCO is coming to the rescue of anotherfinancially struggling company whilebeing kept alive with taxpayer money. Butit does not offer detailed information aboutits rescue plan or convincing reasons forthe action. How can the utility expect towin public support for the plan?


R. Reports

Nuclear Energy: A Glimpse intoTomorrow

Energy Industry Review, October 2019

Why nuclear? There is a clear need for newgenerating capacity around the world,both to replace old fossil fuel units,especially coal-fired ones, which emit a lotof carbon dioxide, and to meet increaseddemand for electricity in many countries.In 2016, 65.0% of electricity was generatedfrom the burning of fossil fuels. Despite thestrong support for, and growth in,intermittent renewable electricity sourcesin recent years, the fossil fuel contributionto power generation has remainedvirtually unchanged in the last 10 yearsor so.

In nuclear fusion, energy is released whenatoms are combined or fused together toform a larger atom. This is how the sunproduces energy. In nuclear fission, atomsare split apart to form smaller atoms,releasing energy. Nuclear power plantsuse nuclear fission to produce electricity.Nuclear reactions involve changes in anatom’s nucleus and thus cause a change


in the atom itself. Unlike normal chemicalreactions that form molecules, nuclearreactions result in the transmutation of oneelement into a different isotope or a differentelement altogether. There are two types ofnuclear reactions. The first is the radioactivedecay of bonds within the nucleus that emitradiation as it decays or transforms to amore stable state. The second is the ‘billiardball’ type of reactions, where the nucleus ora nuclear particle (like a proton) is slammedinto by another nucleus or nuclear particle.

https://energyindustryreview.com/analysis/nuclear-energy-a-glimpse-into-tomorrow/

Issuance of Iran-related GeneralLicense K

US Department of the Treasury’s Office ofForeign Assets Control, October 24, 2019

Except as provided in paragraph (b) of thisgeneral license, all transactions and activitiesprohibited pursuant to section 5 of ExecutiveOrder (E.O.) 13846 that are ordinarilyincident and necessary to the maintenanceor wind down of transactions involving,directly or indirectly, Cosco Shipping Tanker(Dalian) Co., Ltd., or any entity owned,directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more byCosco Shipping Tanker (Dalian) Co., Ltd.,including any transaction or dealing inproperty or interests in property of theforegoing, are authorized through 12:01 a.m.eastern standard time December 20, 2019.(b) This general license does not authorize:(1) Any transactions or activities with CoscoShipping Tanker (Dalian) Seaman and ShipManagement Co., Ltd., or any entity owned,directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more byCosco Shipping Tanker (Dalian) Seamanand Ship Management Co., Ltd.;

https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanc-tions/OFAC-Enforcement/Pages/20191024.aspx

S. Interviews

‘The fear of escalation betweenIndia and Pakistan is very real’

Shazia Hasan, Dawn, October 19, 2019

“Today is the 75th day of the brutal curfewin India-held Kashmir invoking a nuclear

threat,” said Dr Rabia Akhtar, director ofa policy research centre and a member ofthe prime minister’s advisory council onforeign affairs. She was speaking at aprogramme titled ‘Kashmir: a NuclearFlashpoint’ at the Pakistan Institute ofInternational Affairs on Friday. “SinceFebruary, when India attacked Pakistanin Balakot, people have been worried. Butduring the Balakot strikes, Prime MinisterImran Khan refrained from the ‘N’ word.Neither did the DG ISPR mention it,” shecontinued.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1511598

Non-Proliferation and EmergingTechnologies

Ulrich Kuhn, Carnegie Moscow Centre,October 23, 2019

The Institute For Peace Research AndSecurity Policy At The University OfHamburg (Ifsh) Has Recently ExpandedIts Research On Arms Control AndEmerging Technologies. What Are TheMain Topics That You Are ExploringWithin This New Program?

Ulrich Kuhn : IFSH Hamburg has a richhistory of researching arms control anddual-use technologies – one that dates backto the early 1970s. Now, with the financialsupport of the German Foreign Office weare able to significantly expand ourresearch and tackle such diverse topics asautonomous weapons, cyber security orartificial intelligence. We just hired eightsenior researchers from three differentcontinents. For me, the big question is howto steer the potential impact of thoseenabling technologies on peace andsecurity in the 21st century, and to do soin a cooperative fashion. Aside fromemerging technologies, we are trying tohelp overcome the deep crisis in armscontrol policies by developing newconcepts for verification and negotiation.My goal is to establish a “HamburgSchool” of thought on all these issues sothat Hamburg becomes a leading hub forinnovative and creative thinking on armscontrol and emerging technologies.


How would you describe the impact of“Emerging Technologies” on arms controland non-proliferation regimes?

Ulrich Kuhn : To be honest, we do not knowyet. Some technologies, such as additivemanufacturing might have a far-rangingimpact on work procedures comparable tothe assembly line but may also have onlymarginal ramifications in the realm ofnonproliferation. Other technologies such asmachine learning might provide the basis forfully autonomous weapons systems thatcould significantly change how humanitythinks about and conducts war. Then again,certain technologies such as hypersonic glidevehicles might only occupy a niche inmilitary planning. What I do not like is thecurrent hype around emerging tech.Technologies have always emerged and wehave seen many technological leaps forward.We have also seen technologies stagnatingfor decades – AI being one example. Perhapsmost importantly, policy-makers are underthe false impression that they are coming toolate and that there is no time for regulatingnew dual-use technologies. But thatimpression is misleading. It took states over40 years to come up with a regulatory framefor missiles – the Missile Technology ControlRegime. Sometimes political processessimply take time.

https://carnegieendowment.org/2019/10/23/non-proliferation-and-emerging-technologies-pub-80165


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