The credibility of information used by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell (shown in a Nov. 4 photo with President George W. Bush) to base recent allegations of Iranian missile efforts has come into question (AFP photo/Stephen Jaffe). Powell Iran Nuclear Allegations Based on Unverified, Single Source, Officials Say The allegations by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell that Iran is trying to prepare missiles to carry nuclear warheads came from a single source and has not been verified, two U.S. officials told the Washington Post yesterday (see GSN, Nov. 18)...Full Story

Russian Official Outlines Detailed Schedule to Eliminate Chemical Weapons Arsenal by 2012 By Mike Nartker Global Security Newswire WASHINGTON — A senior Russian official last week outlined in detail for the first time Russia’s plans to eliminate its vast Soviet-era stockpile of chemical weapons by 2012 (see GSN, Nov. 12)...Full Story

Congressional Appropriations Staff Works to Settle U.S. Nuclear Weapons Funding Issues By David Ruppe Global Security Newswire WASHINGTON — U.S. congressional appropriations staffers are working to settle a House-Senate dispute over the Bush administration’s nuclear weapons agenda, as they scramble to write legislation for a giant fiscal 2005 omnibus appropriations bill...Full Story

	Friday, November 19, 2004

U.N. Continues Work on Antiterror Treaties By Jim Wurst Global Security Newswire UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly’s legal committee decided yesterday to continue work on two draft terrorism conventions after negotiators failed to reach consensus on the completion of one of them, a treaty against nuclear terrorism. The second pact, a draft comprehensive antiterrorism treaty, meanwhile continues to be stymied by the inability of nations to agree on a definition of “terrorism.” The committee adopted a resolution by consensus yesterday that reinstates the ad-hoc committee negotiating the two texts. The ad-hoc committee will meet again in March 2005.  The draft nuclear convention would outlaw any use or threat of use of a nuclear weapon or other radiological device and would require all states to cooperate in prosecuting individuals accused of committing these crimes. The draft also says such acts “are under no circumstances justifiable by considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or other similar nature.” This language was used in Security Council Resolution 1566, adopted in October 2004, as its definition of terrorism — the closest the entire United Nations has come formulating a definition (see GSN, Oct. 12). The eight-year deadlock in negotiations on the nuclear draft was broken this fall in the run-up to the committee’s annual debate on the treaties. During a three-day debate in October, delegates suggested that agreement on the nuclear draft was close so the committee suspended its work on the item until yesterday so that a small group of states could use the time to work out the remaining details. Most delegations have now accepted compromise language on jurisdictions first proposed in 2002. The language in the current draft says the treaty would not apply if the terrorist act is committed in a single state by a national of that state and that the treaty does not cover actions of national military forces. It also says that the convention “does not address, nor can it be interpreted as addressing, in any way the issue of the legality of the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons by states.” Some Islamic states, led by Syria, had wanted the two provisions on jurisdiction dropped. However, they have now accepted that language, according to some delegates involved in the negotiations over the last several weeks. Some delegates said only Pakistan has not accepted the text as a whole. Pakistani officials were not available for comment yesterday or today. The legal committee has been negotiating two draft treaties that would be added to the roster of 12 antiterrorism conventions. The existing, so-called “sectoral” treaties outlaw specific acts — such as hijacking airplane or laundering money — therefore allowing the United Nations to avoid defining terrorism since in these treaties terrorism is defined by the act. The nuclear terrorism treaty would fall into the same category.  The comprehensive convention, however, needs a definition. The current draft article on definitions consists of a list of offenses that if committed by “any person” or “a group of persons acting with a common purpose” would constitute a terrorist act. Such offences include “death or serious bodily injury,” “serious damage to public or private property,” and actions taken “with the aim of furthering criminal activity.” However, the Organization of the Islamic Conference wants to include the provision that “peoples’ struggle including armed struggle against foreign occupation … shall not be considered a terrorist crime.” This obvious reference to the Palestinians’ struggle against Israel is opposed by the western states. No headway was made on this contentious issue. Back to top       Australia and Singapore Conduct First Annual Joint Antiterrorism Exercises Military personnel from Singapore and Australia joined together this week for the two country’s first joint antiterrorism exercise, which is expected to become an annual event, the Singapore Defense Ministry announced today (see GSN, Nov. 10). “Black Orchid” began Monday and is expected to end tomorrow in Singapore. It involved personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces chemical, biological, radiological and explosives defense group and the Australian Defense Force’s incident response regiment, Agence France-Presse reported. “This inaugural exercise in the Black Orchid series tested the ... participants in a variety of terrorist activity scenarios,” the Singapore Defense Ministry announced. The two units also exchanged details of planning and operating procedures for defense against chemical and radiological attacks, the ministry added (Agence France-Presse, Nov. 19). Back to top

U.S. Ambassador Calls on Russia to Fully Support Efforts to Restrict Nuclear Technology Transfers By Mike Nartker Global Security Newswire WASHINGTON — U.S. Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow called on Russia this week to fully support a Bush administration effort to restrict transfers of nuclear technologies that could be used to produce weapon-grade materials (see GSN, June 23). During a speech Tuesday at Princeton University in New Jersey, Vershbow said Russia had been “reluctant” to support a Bush administration initiative to restrict transfers of uranium enrichment and reprocessing technologies. As first proposed by President George W. Bush in February, the initiative calls for countries to deny such technologies to those countries that do not already possess them (see GSN, Feb. 12). “We believe this is needed to plug a key loophole in the [Nuclear] Nonproliferation Treaty, whereby states have the right to master the technologies needed to produce nuclear weapons under false pretenses — that is, by declaring their peaceful intent, while using civilian nuclear programs as cover for weapons development,” Vershbow said. “Our bitter experience with Iran’s and North Korea’s covert nuclear programs shows why we can no longer give countries the benefit of the doubt,” he added. During this year’s summit at Sea Island, Ga., Group of Eight members agreed to a one-year freeze on new exports of uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing capabilities to countries that do not already possess them. They also called on non-G-8 members to follow their example (see GSN, June 10). Russia is a G-8 member, along with Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. “Although we may not agree with Russia on all tactical aspects of the nonproliferation agenda, I’m optimistic that our strategic outlooks will increasingly coincide, since our interests are basically the same,” Vershbow said. He noted Russia’s support at this year’s G-8 summit for another Bush administration initiative to require countries seeking to import nuclear technologies for civilian programs to first have had signed an Additional Protocol to their International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards agreement. The Additional Protocol gives the agency the authority to conduct more intrusive monitoring of a country’s nuclear activities. Vershbow praised the accomplishments of several joint U.S.-Russian nonproliferation activities, such as efforts to redirect former Soviet WMD scientists to civilian research projects and efforts to eliminate Russian nuclear weapons by removing their fissile material and converting it for use as civilian nuclear power plant fuel (see GSN, Oct. 6). He also praised Russia’s decision in May to join the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative, which seeks to interdict shipments of WMD-related cargo. “We look forward to the active engagement of its security and military agencies both in preparing for interdiction operations, and in shutting down proliferation networks once and for all,” he said. In his remarks, Vershbow praised the “increasingly constructive interaction” between the United States and Russia on nonproliferation issues, noting Moscow’s growing realization of the need to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and to prevent terrorists from obtaining weapons of mass destruction. “The Russians showed some ambivalence in the past about the threat posed by Iraq under Saddam Hussein, and about the current regime in Tehran. However, they are increasingly clear-eyed about the danger, and our cooperation is improving,” Vershbow said.   The United States has been concerned about Russia’s construction of the nuclear power plant in the Iranian city of Bushehr. Citing the press service of the Russian Security Council, the RIA Novosti news agency reported today that Russia planned to continue its cooperation with Iranian civilian nuclear efforts (see GSN, Oct. 14). In his remarks, Vershbow also noted a number of recent moves by Russian President Vladimir Putin to centralize political power in the Kremlin, including through an end to popular elections for members of the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament; a proposal to eliminate popular elections for regional governors; and increasing state control over Russian media sources. “It appears that all branches and levels of government are being made more accountable to the president, but less accountable to the public,” Vershbow said.   “I don’t want to overstate what has happened so far,” he added. “I want to be clear about this: Russia’s transformation from its repressive, Soviet past has not stopped or been reversed.” The recent political moves in Russia are not likely to weaken cooperation with the United States on nonproliferation issues, Vershbow said. Even so, he added, “regression toward more authoritarianism and reduced accountability in Russian governance would … ultimately undermine Russia’s evolution into the strong, confident and responsible partner that we will need at our side to help us overcome the global threats we will face in this century: terrorism, proliferation, and regional instability.” Back to top       New Zealand Military Considering Upgrading Units to Handle WMD Terrorism Attacks The New Zealand Defense Force is examining improving its bomb disposal units to be able to handle terrorist attacks involving weapons of mass destruction, the Wellington Dominion Post reported today (see GSN, June 22). The proposals, expected to be submitted to the government early next year, are likely to include increased training for personnel and new equipment, the Post reported. The improvements are set to cost nearly $18 million (Martin Kay, Dominion Post, Nov. 19). Back to top       Serbia and Montenegro Parliament Renounces WMD The Serbia and Montenegro parliament yesterday approved a new national defense strategy that contains a pledge that the country will never develop and possess weapons of mass destruction, the Xinhua News Agency reported (see GSN, May 25; Xinhua News Agency, Nov. 19). Back to top

Powell Iran Nuclear Allegations Based on Unverified, Single Source, Officials Say The allegations by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell that Iran is trying to prepare missiles to carry nuclear warheads came from a single source and has not been verified, two U.S. officials told the Washington Post yesterday (see GSN, Nov. 18). A “walk-in” source submitted more than 1,000 pages of alleged Iranian drawings and technical documents earlier this month to U.S. intelligence, according to one official with access to the material. The information included a nuclear warhead design and modifications to enable Iranian ballistic missiles to deliver a nuclear strike. The official added that the CIA remains uncertain of the documents’ authenticity. Officials interviewed by the Post did not know the identity of the source. The information was presented to Powell and other Cabinet members last week, according to the Post. The Bush administration told European diplomats, who expressed concern that Powell may have misspoken in releasing the unverified information, sources said. Powell stands by his statement, a spokesman said yesterday. “The secretary did not misspeak,” said State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli, adding that Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, “saw the same information.” (Dafna Linzer, Washington Post, Nov. 19). Some administration officials “were surprised he went public on something that was weak and, because it was weak, was not supposed to be used,” a source told the Los Angeles Times. A senior State Department official yesterday denied that Powell’s comments were tied to discussions next week of Iran’s nuclear program during the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors meeting in Vienna. Given his now-discredited 2003 presentation to the U.N. Security Council on Iraq’s WMD program, some officials expressed surprise that Powell was not more careful in discussing the allegations against Iran. “I was surprised the administration put him out there or he put himself out there on this,” said David Kay, the former head of the U.S. weapons search team in Iraq. “I thought if there was anyone in the administration that had been sufficiently burned by such sources, it would be Powell.” U.S. Representatives Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) wrote to Powell requesting an assessment for Congress of Iran’s nuclear program and delivery systems. They also demanded Washington provide IAEA weapons inspectors “full access to the intelligence that forms the basis for any conclusion that Iran is actively pursuing a nuclear weapons program.” (Efron/Marshall/Drogin, Los Angeles Times, Nov. 19). Although Powell is scheduled to attend a conference Monday in Egypt that is expected to include Iranian diplomats, the Bush administration is not considering direct talks with Iran, according to the Associated Press. Asked about the possibility that Powell would discuss the administration’s concerns with Iran, Ereli said, “This is a purely speculative question.” “I am not aware that that possibility is being considered,” he added (Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Nov. 19). Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi yesterday denied Iran was developing nuclear weapons and missiles to carry nuclear warheads, the Associated Press reported. “The claims are raised to destroy the positive atmosphere that resulted from the Paris agreement,” Asefi told the Islamic Republic News Agency, referring to the agreement Iran reached with Germany, France and the United Kingdom to suspend uranium enrichment activities (Associated Press/news.com.au, Nov. 18). The three European nations are preparing a resolution on Iran for next week’s meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors, diplomats said yesterday. “They are preparing a resolution that will deal with the suspension of the enrichment program and verification of the suspension by the IAEA,” a Western diplomat close to the Iran-EU negotiations told Reuters. The draft resolution is to be submitted to the board on Nov. 25, according to Reuters. “It will be ... in line with the report of (IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei),” the diplomat said. The Bush administration wants the resolution to include a “trigger mechanism” under which Iran would be referred to the U.N. Security Council if it resumes enrichment activities or is found to be concealing further nuclear work (Louis Charbonneu, Reuters, Nov. 18). Meanwhile, the head of Russia’s security council said yesterday that Russia would continue providing assistance to Iran for civilian nuclear work, AP reported. “Russia plans to continue to play an active role in developing Iran’s peaceful nuclear power sector in compliance with its appropriate international obligations,” said Igor Ivanov, after speaking by telephone with Hassan Rohani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. “Russia hopes that the agreement between Iran and the EU will be implemented in full, which will help resolve the dispute surrounding Iran’s nuclear program,” he added (Associated Press/The Age (Australia), Nov. 18). Back to top       Congressional Appropriations Staff Works to Settle U.S. Nuclear Weapons Funding Issues By David Ruppe Global Security Newswire WASHINGTON — U.S. congressional appropriations staffers are working to settle a House-Senate dispute over the Bush administration’s nuclear weapons agenda, as they scramble to write legislation for a giant fiscal 2005 omnibus appropriations bill. Congress failed to pass appropriations legislation for the Energy Department and most other agencies prior to Oct. 1, the end of fiscal year 2004. Since then much of the government has been operating under a continuing resolution and the Energy Department had appeared likely to do so for the entire fiscal year. Now, appropriations staffers from the House and Senate are hoping to complete work in about a day that usually takes weeks or months, including agreeing to language that includes or excludes requested money for controversial weapons research and development. The House in June passed a fiscal 2005 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill that denied the administration’s requests for nuclear weapons research and development programs — including $27.6 million for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator study and $9 million for other nuclear weapons “advanced concepts” work — as well as $29.8 million for constructing a new nuclear weapons pit production facility (see GSN, June 28). The omissions were pressed by Representative Dave Hobson (R-Ohio), chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, who said the proposed programs were “very provocative” internationally and could undermine U.S. nonproliferation efforts (see GSN, Aug. 12). Hobson’s counterpart in the Senate, Senator Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), is understood to favor all of those appropriations requested by the administration, but his committee never passed an appropriations bill. The apparent holdup was over funding for Nevada’s Yucca Mountain, where the United States is building a long-term nuclear waste storage site. News organizations reported today that that issue was settled and that $577 million, the same amount approved for fiscal 2004, was agreed upon to continue preparing the site. The White House had requested $880 million (see GSN, June 10). Energy and Water legislation could be finished tonight or early tomorrow, according to Hobson’s spokeswoman, Sara Perkins. “The staff members have just been busting their humps to get this done,” she said. Back to top       Bush Pushes for New North Korea Nuclear Negotiations U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to push for a new round of negotiations over the fate of North Korea’s nuclear program during talks this weekend at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Chile, a senior State Department official said yesterday (see GSN, Nov. 17). Bush is set to meet on the sidelines of the session with leaders from Japan, China, Russia and South Korea — four of the other participants at the six-party talks, Agence France-Presse reported. “I think we are going through an intense process,” the U.S. official said. “I think the president’s meetings with the leaders on this can be quite significant in stating his own commitment to the six-party process and how important he thinks it is,” he said. Ministers of the 21-member APEC forum adopted a joint statement asserting the need to rein in nuclear proliferation by North Korea and Iran, according to AFP. There was “a general agreement that all of us in the region had to put increasing pressure on the North Koreans to participate in the six-party talks,” Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said (Agence France-Presse/SpaceWar.com, Nov. 19). North Korea was expected to be an agenda item at a foreign ministers’ dinner hosted by Downer at the summit, according to The Australian. North Korean leaders “need to understand there will be a price to pay if they disband the six-party process,” Downer said (Dennis Shanahan, The Australian, Nov. 19). U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing yesterday, also stepped up attempts to have other six-party states pressure North Korea to return to the talks, the New York Times reported. A senior administration official, speaking after the Powell-Li meeting, said recent indications from South Korea and others had been “mildly encouraging” that North Korea remained committed to the dialogue. The official added that he hoped that working-level talks at least could be arranged before the end of the year (Steven Weisman, New York Times, Nov. 19). Some experts said that a resolution on the North Korean nuclear standoff could depend on how the dispute over Iran’s nuclear work is resolved, the Baltimore Sun reported (see related GSN story, today). “The North Koreans are closely watching Iran’s nuclear negotiations,” said Zhang Liangui, a Korea expert at the Central Party School in Beijing. “If Iran gives up their nuclear program under pressure from the United States, North Korea will also rethink its policy. If Iran’s situation sinks into a deadlock, North Korea would probably stay in its deadlock situation as well.” (Gady Epstein, Baltimore Sun, Nov. 19). Elsewhere, a top U.S. military commander said yesterday that a financially desperate North Korea could resort to selling weapon-grade plutonium, harvested from spent fuel rods, to terrorists, the Associated Press reported. “From the military standpoint, they do have a capability that we must address,” said Gen. Leon LaPorte, commander of U.S. forces in South Korea. “And there is concern that North Korea, in its desire for hard currency, would sell weapons-grade plutonium to some terrorist organizations,” he said. “That would be disastrous to the world.” (Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Nov. 18). Back to top

Massachusetts Environmental Officials Approve Biological Defense Laboratory for Boston University Massachusetts environmental officials this week gave the go-ahead for a high-security biological defense laboratory to be built at Boston University Medical Center, the Boston Herald reported (see GSN, Nov. 3). The state ruled that the planned 194,000-square-foot project “adequately and properly” complies with state regulations. The facility is expected to conduct research on vaccines and antidotes for agents such as anthrax, according to the Herald. Community activists have argued that the laboratory should be placed in a less populated area. A representative of the Conservation Law Foundation said the organization would seek redress at the federal level (Jennifer Heldt Powell, Boston Herald, Nov. 18). Back to top

Russian Official Outlines Detailed Schedule to Eliminate Chemical Weapons Arsenal by 2012 By Mike Nartker Global Security Newswire WASHINGTON — A senior Russian official last week outlined in detail for the first time Russia’s plans to eliminate its vast Soviet-era stockpile of chemical weapons by 2012 (see GSN, Nov. 12). Viktor Kholstov, deputy head of the Russian Federal Industry Agency, delivered the presentation at a conference held Nov. 10-11 in Moscow, according to Paul Walker, director of the Legacy Program at Global Green USA and a conference participant. Under the Chemical Weapons Convention, Russia was obligated to destroy its stockpile of 40,000 metric tons of chemical weapons agent by 2007, but Moscow received last year a five-year deadline extension (see GSN, Oct. 27, 2003).  As described by Walker, Kholstov told the conference that Russia to date had destroyed about 720 metric tons of its total stockpile, with most of the work done at a facility near Gorny. The facility is set to eliminate the remaining 400 metric tons of agent stored there by the end of next year, according to Kholstov (see GSN, Aug. 23). Kholstov also said that construction was set to begin next year at a disposal plant near Kambarka. Once completed, the plant would destroy its stockpile of about 6,300 metric tons of agent by 2009, according to Walker (see GSN, July 19). Both facilities will be used to destroy mustard and lewisite agents. The Russian official also addressed in his presentation the chemical weapons destruction plant being built near the city of Shchuchye — a project that is being aided by the United States, according to Walker. Kholstov said the facility is set to be completed in 2007 and that its stockpile of 5,400 metric tons of nerve agent would be destroyed by 2012 (see GSN, July 13). There have been disputes between the United States and Russia over the pace of construction at Shchuchye, with Moscow having wanted the facility completed in 2005, according to Walker. At last week’s conference, though, U.S. Defense Department official Patrick Wakefield said that Russia recently agreed to a schedule that would have the plant completed by July 2008, with destruction to begin in mid-2009. Walker said Wednesday that Russia’s apparent agreement to the new Shchuchye schedule was a “big step forward” in securing a more realistic plan. He also said, though, that Kholstov did not explain last week the difference between his schedule for construction and Wakefield’s report of the new U.S.-Russian agreement. In his presentation last week, Kholstov also described Moscow’s plans for construction of four additional plants to dispose of nerve agent stocks, according to Walker. As described by Kholstov, Russia has placed on a “fast track” the construction of a disposal plant near the city of Maradikova, set to be completed next year and expected to finish the neutralization of about 6,900 metric tons of agent by 2010. Two planned facilities, one each near the cities of Pochep and Leonidovka, are set to be ready in 2007 and are scheduled to complete the destruction of their respective 7,500 and 6,900 metric tons of agent by 2012, according to Walker. In addition, a planned facility near the city of Kizner is set to be completed by the end of 2008 and to destroy 5,700 tons of agent by 2012. Describing the schedule outlined last week by Kholstov as ambitious, Walker said that many conference participants were skeptical it could be met. “I think five years from now everyone will acknowledge this schedule cannot be met,” he said. As an example, Walker cited Russia’s plans to have the Kambarka facility built and its stockpile of 6,300 metric tons of agent destroyed in a total of four years. In contrast, it has taken the United States about 14 years to destroy 9,500 tons of its chemical weapons arsenal, he said. Walker also noted, though, that the agent stored at Kambarka was in bulk form, making it easier to destroy. Another factor that could delay destruction efforts is funding shortages, according to Walker. Russian officials reportedly announced at the conference plans to almost double next year domestic funding for destruction efforts, from $186 million allocated this year to about $390 million. Russian officials have complained, though, of delays in receiving promised Western aid — criticisms Western donors have said were unfair, according to Walker (see GSN, Nov. 11). The schedule described by Kholstov also raised concerns last week from representatives from the various regions where the plants are to be built, who asked if measures such as adequate warning systems, environmental monitoring and emergency response would be in place, according to Walker.  The Russian officials at the conference “didn’t have a good response to all this,” Walker said, adding that the disposal schedule “precludes adequate preparedness.” He also said, though, that Russian officials emphasized that it was more important to handle chemical weapons elimination safely than to meet legal deadlines, such as that imposed by the Chemical Weapons Convention. The conference also marked the first time Russia has acknowledged that all chemical weapons destruction will take place on-site, Walker said. Previously, Russia had planned to neutralize nerve agent stocks at several sites, and then transport the resultant byproduct to Shchuchye for final elimination. Kholstov told the conference, though, that no materials would be transported, Walker said. The new plan could bring Russia into conflict with conditions imposed by U.S. lawmakers on U.S. aid to Moscow’s chemical weapons destruction, according to Walker. The U.S. Congress has imposed six conditions that Russia must be certified to have met before aid can be provided, one of which is that all nerve agent destruction will take place at a single site.  U.S. President George W. Bush has the authority until the end of 2006 to waive the conditions or Congress could act to lift them altogether, Walker said. This week, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) introduced a bill that would eliminate all conditions placed by Congress on nonproliferation aid provided to Russia through the Cooperative Threat Reduction program, as well as those conditions specific to chemical weapons disposal assistance (see GSN, Nov. 15). Lugar plans to reintroduce his bill when Congress reconvenes in January. Back to top       Researchers Call for New Chemical Weapons Antidotes Researchers from Canberra Hospital in Australia today called on scientists to develop new antidotes for organophosphates, which are used in chemical weapons such as sarin, according to the Press Association (see GSN, Sept. 23). In a study published today in the British Medical Journal, the researchers said that no new antidotes have been clinically tested in 30 years. The current treatment for exposure — administration of atropine and benzodiazepines — is not fully effective, they wrote. Meanwhile, animal studies have suggested new possible treatments. “Information on these potential treatments has been available for years, but neither the military nor the pharmaceutical industry has attempted to test them or develop new drugs,” the researchers wrote (Lyndsay Moss, Press Association/Manchester Online, Nov. 19). Back to top

United States Alters Sanctions Imposed on Russian Entity for Alleged Missile Proliferation Activities By Mike Nartker Global Security Newswire WASHINGTON — The United States yesterday strengthened sanctions imposed this summer on a Russian entity for allegedly engaging in missile proliferation activities (see GSN, July 26). In late July, the United States imposed sanctions on the Federal Research and Production Complex Altay for allegedly violating the U.S. Arms Export Control Act and the Export Administration Act of 1979 through transfers of missile-related items. The U.S. State Department at the time did not say what items might have been transferred or what country is believed to have received the equipment. The company has denied the U.S. allegations. The two-year sanctions prevented U.S. companies from exporting items controlled by the Missile Technology Control Regime and U.S. control lists to the Russian company, and prevented the company from entering into contracts with the U.S. government for items listed on the MTCR annex. The regime is a multilateral export-control system that seeks to establish common rules for exporting ballistic missiles and related technologies. In two separate notices published yesterday in the Federal Register, however, the U.S. State Department terminated the July sanctions and imposed new restrictions on the company under a Clinton administration presidential executive order. The new sanctions, which will remain in place for two years, prevent the U.S. government from procuring goods from the company or providing it aid. The Russian company is also prohibited from exporting to the United States most goods or services. The State Department yesterday also suspended for two years any current U.S. approvals for exports and transfers of defense articles from the United States to the company, as well as transfers of U.S.-origin defense articles from foreign countries to the Russian company. In addition, no new defense-related export licenses for items destined to the Russian company will be issued. A U.S. State Department official today explained the change in sanctions by saying that the law used to implement the July sanctions was found to be inapplicable since the Russian government, an MTCR member, approved the alleged activities. The official added that the issue has been raised with Moscow, but there has yet been no reaction. The Russian Embassy in Washington did not return a call for comment. Back to top

U.S Army Conducts Successful PAC-3 Interceptor Test The U.S. Army yesterday conducted a successful intercept test of its Patriot Advanced Capability 3 missile interceptor, according to the Associated Press (see GSN, Sept. 7). The test involved the firing of two interceptors against two target missiles launched in quick succession from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, said Army spokeswoman Pam Rogers.  “Both targets were destroyed,” Rogers said. “Both impacted over the range.” The purpose of the test, she said, was to demonstrate new hardware changes that improve production and reduce cost, as well as to display the system’s ability to strike two targets flying at the same time (Associated Press, Nov. 18). Back to top       Design Objective for SBIRS-High Completed A defense contractor team led by Lockheed Martin has completed the Signal Processing Assembly software critical design review for the Space-Based Infrared System High system, the company announced Tuesday (see GSN, Sept. 30). The Signal Processing Assembly is a vital payload component of SBIRS-High, which is intended to replace the current U.S. system of satellites to detect missile launches, according to Lockheed Martin. “The Signal Processing Assembly software critical design review is a major program milestone, key to timely delivery of the infrared payload and subsequent launch of the first SBIRS GEO (geosynchronous orbit) satellite,” Col. Randy Weidenheimer, the U.S. Air Force’s SBIRS-High program manager, said in a press release. “The success of the SPA software CDR, the result of remarkable progress this calendar year, is direct testimony to the talents of the exceptional joint team that the contractors have assembled to tackle this tough job,” he added (Lockheed Martin press release/SpaceDaily.com, Nov. 17).     Back to top

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