North Korean envoy Kim Myong Gil crosses into South Korea today at the border village of Panmunjom to continue nuclear talks. Working-level negotiators are discussing plans for supplying North Korea with energy aid in exchange for denuclearization (Song Kyung-seok/Getty Images). North Korea Energy Talks Open Representatives from the six-party talks nations met today for working-level discussions on providing energy aid to North Korea as it fully shutters its nuclear program, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Aug. 6). Officials are meeting for two days in the truce village of Panmunjom on the border of North and South Korea. They are expected to consider details of the provision of 950,000 tons of fuel oil or equivalent aid that would correspond to a full declaration and disablement of Pyongyang’s nuclear complex...Full Story

Russia Threatens to Freeze Iranian Nuclear Fuel Iran has been told that it must provide details of past nuclear work before receiving Russian nuclear fuel for the Bushehr nuclear reactor being built by a Russian state contractor, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, Aug. 6)...Full Story

Nuclear Lab Rejects Report of New Security Breach By Elaine M. Grossman Global Security Newswire WASHINGTON — The Los Alamos National Laboratory said today a recent security lapse involving an employee’s classified e-mail message did not constitute a security breach (see GSN, July 16)...Full Story

	Tuesday, August 7, 2007

South Korea Establishes Web Site to Aid Exporters South Korea has developed an online service to help domestic businesses determine if technology they hope to export is restricted by the nation’s WMD nonproliferation rules, the Yonhap News Agency reported Sunday (see GSN, Oct. 2, 2006). Providing easier access to the Strategic Materials Control System through a Web site is intended to enable exporters to check the legality of their sales more efficiently, officials said. “Companies can now receive expert service on what can be traded with North Korea and products that have the potential to be made into high-tech weapons that are banned by various international conventions,” said an official from the Commerce, Industry and Energy Ministry.  “They can also receive export permits online, while foreign companies and agencies can check to determine the authenticity of government-issued permits” (Lee Joon-seung, Yonhap News Agency, Aug. 5). Back to top

North Korea Energy Talks Open Representatives from the six-party talks nations met today for working-level discussions on providing energy aid to North Korea as it fully shutters its nuclear program, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Aug. 6). Officials are meeting for two days in the truce village of Panmunjom on the border of North and South Korea. They are expected to consider details of the provision of 950,000 tons of fuel oil or equivalent aid that would correspond to a full declaration and disablement of Pyongyang’s nuclear complex. South Korea has already supplied its neighbor with 50,000 tons of fuel, after North Korea halted operations at its Yongbyon nuclear site under international monitoring. Negotiators are looking for a “cost-effective and feasible” aid package, said South Korean envoy Chun Young-woo.  That might include infrastructure improvements for North Korea’s limited and deteriorating oil storage sites, the United States has said. More senior envoys to the six-party talks would have to approve any agreements reached at this week’s session, AP reported.  This is one of several working groups expected to address different aspects of the February denuclearization agreement. “After many twists and turns, the six-party process has gained momentum again,” Chun said.  He acknowledged there would be “obstacles and pitfalls” in the ongoing effort. “Our task only becomes more difficult and challenging,” Chun said (Kwang-Tae Kim, Associated Press/Washington Post, Aug. 7). Foreign ministers from the six nations — China, Japan, Russia, the United States and the Koreas — could meet early next month, Agence France-Presse reported.  This would be their first such gathering on the North Korean nuclear standoff. “I think you could look for something as early as the first half of September but no dates yet,” said U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack (Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, Aug. 6). Meanwhile, two U.S. experts were expected to arrive in North Korea today, the Japan Economic Newswire reported. Stanford University professor emeritus John Lewis and former Los Alamos National Laboratory chief Siegfried Hecker were among a group that visited the Yongbyon site in 2004.  It was not known if they would return to the facility. A State Department official was expected to unofficially accompany the two men (Japan Economic Newswire/Japan Today, Aug. 6). Back to top       Russia Threatens to Freeze Iranian Nuclear Fuel Iran has been told that it must provide details of past nuclear work before receiving Russian nuclear fuel for the Bushehr nuclear reactor being built by a Russian state contractor, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, Aug. 6). Russia’s stepped-up pressure on Iran, first reported by a European diplomat, comes in addition to delays in construction commitments that Russia must fill in order for Iran to operate the reactor.  The warning came two weeks ago, amidst Iranian efforts to reduce concerns at the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding the country’s nuclear activities.  Agency inspectors last month visited an unfinished heavy-water reactor near the city of Arak; Iran also recently has started providing answers to “four of 10 questions” from the U.N. nuclear watchdog, a second European diplomat said. The agency in past reports has expressed concerns about potential military involvement in a program Iran says is purely peaceful in nature; that Tehran might be operating an undisclosed uranium enrichment program that is more refined than its known effort; and that there might not be full accounting of plutonium processed in experiments. A U.S. official suggested that Russia’s foot-dragging in finishing the reactor is part of an effort to pressure Tehran to comply with U.N. Security Council demands.  The council has twice imposed sanctions on Iran for failing to halt uranium enrichment, and is expected to consider another round of penalties next month. China and Russia have been reluctant to impose sanctions.  Both have veto authority on Security Council decisions.  Iran’s burst of agreeability has made efforts to enact new sanctions a “steep climb that has become steeper” (George Jahn, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Aug. 7). An Iranian official today said he was confident that increased cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency would head off the threat of additional sanctions, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, Aug. 2). “The West evoked certain ambiguities in the Iranian nuclear program when deciding the resolutions and sanctions against Iran,” said Abdolreza Rahman Fazli, deputy head of Iran's supreme national security council. “It is now natural to expect that parallel with Iran's cooperation to solve the remaining questions, confidence-building measures are taken by the other side like not adopting more sanctions,” he told state media (Agence France-Presse I/Yahoo!News, Aug. 7). U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday said that Iran has acknowledged its intention to develop nuclear weapons, AFP reported. “It's up to Iran to prove to the world that they're a stabilizing force as opposed to a destabilizing force.  After all, this is a government that has proclaimed its desire to build a nuclear weapon,” Bush said in a press conference with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. Iran, however, has consistently denied that its nuclear program has a military component, according to AFP. Asked for examples of Iran directly stating an intention to build a nuclear weapon, White House officials said Bush was addressing Iran’s refusal to halt its nuclear program and its ongoing effort to build uranium enrichment capacity.  The nation’s growing uranium enrichment program could produce material to fuel nuclear power plants or to make nuclear weapons. “After keeping their nuclear program secret for a decade, the Iranian government has refused the offers of the international community to provide nuclear energy and continues to flout the inspectors of the IAEA,” said national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe. “Unfortunately, their intentions seem clear,” he said (Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, Aug. 6). Back to top       Nuclear Lab Rejects Report of New Security Breach By Elaine M. Grossman Global Security Newswire WASHINGTON — The Los Alamos National Laboratory said today a recent security lapse involving an employee’s classified e-mail message did not constitute a security breach (see GSN, July 16). The nonprofit watchdog Project on Government Oversight revealed the incident yesterday. In a telephone interview with Global Security Newswire, laboratory spokesman Kevin Roark acknowledged a staff member last week sent classified information over an internal e-mail system intended for less sensitive message traffic.  The e-mail was placed on the facility’s so-called “yellow network,” which is meant for unclassified or “for official use only” messages. However, the message remained on the yellow network — which is password-protected and accessible only to Los Alamos employees — only briefly before officials at the New Mexico facility discovered and removed it, Roark said. The spokesman declined to say how long the message lingered on the system.  However, POGO senior investigator Peter Stockton said he learned the classified information remained accessible on the network for four to six hours. During that time, the material was never accessed by electronic intruders from outside the laboratory, Roark said.  For that reason, he rejected Stockton’s assertion that the latest lapse constitutes a security breach. “I would argue it’s not a breach at all,” Roark told GSN. The blunder comes as the Energy Department is proposing to levy $3.3 million in fines against the laboratory’s managers following a security breakdown in October 2006, when police discovered more than 1,000 pages of classified documents in a contract employee’s trailer.  The  nuclear weapons research facility has experienced a series of security and safety failures in recent years, which forced the University of California to give up its role as the laboratory’s sole manager. In its news release on the latest incident, the watchdog group said yesterday that Los Alamos had rated it the highest level of security violation — a so-called “Impact Measurement Index-1” or IMI-1. Roark said the rating reflects the potential risk incurred before the incident was resolved, rather than damage actually done. “Not all IMI-1s are created equal,” he said.  “Just because something is given an IMI-1 [rating] doesn’t mean that information has landed in the hands of our enemies.” Stockton, however, asserted that IMI-1 violations are always a serious matter.  He added that it is “premature” for Los Alamos to declare the incident harmless prior to concluding an ongoing inquiry into the event. “What other uncleared people within LANL saw it?” asked Stockton, using the acronym for Los Alamos.  “We don’t know how many people within LANL saw it or whether it was sent to anyone afterwards.” Stockton also questioned whether the laboratory should be trusted to investigate itself in such instances, given its spotty security record. “They’re hanging their hat on the word ‘breach,’” he told GSN today.  “But you’re not supposed to be sending classified information on the yellow network, period.” Back to top       Japan Observes Hiroshima Bombing Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday, the 62nd anniversary of the U.S. atom bomb attack on Hiroshima, reaffirmed his nation’s pledge never to seek nuclear weapons and called for worldwide nuclear disarmament, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, Jan. 4). About 45,000 people in Hiroshima prayed in silence at 8:15 a.m., the minute when the first atomic weapon exploded over Hiroshima in 1945. “I have strengthened my determination not to repeat this tragedy,” Abe said. “I want to renew my promise to maintain the non-nuclear principles,” he said, referring to Japan’s long-standing refusal to produce or possess nuclear weapons or allow them on its territory. After North Korea conducted a nuclear test blast last year, several aides in Abe’s conservative administration called for the government to study the option of a nuclear deterrent. Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba yesterday condemned countries that retain nuclear arsenals. “Human beings are still faced with the crisis of destruction because a limited number of outdated leaders turn their back on the reality of the atomic bombings and the messages of survivors,” Akiba said. “The government of Japan,” he said, “must say no to the policy of the United States, which is outdated and a mistake” (Toshifumi Kitamura, Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, Aug. 6). Back to top       Palau Ratifies Nuclear Test Ban Treaty The Pacific island nation of Palau is the latest state to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, June 8). A total of 139 nations have now ratified the pact that would ban test blasts of atomic weapons. The treaty can enter into force only after 44 specific nations with nuclear technology ratify the pact. So far, the agreement has been signed and ratified by 34 of the required 44 nations, including nuclear powers France, Russia and the United Kingdom. Outlying nations include China, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, North Korea and the United States (Associated Press/Washington Post, Aug. 7). Back to top       Russian Submarine Tests Ballistic Missile Russia has tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile, a navy spokesman announced today (see GSN, Aug. 6). The Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, a Delta III-class submarine, launched the SS-N-18 missile from the Pacific Ocean into the Barents Sea.  The submarine is one of four Delta IIIs deployed in the Pacific, RIA Novosti reported (RIA Novosti, Aug. 7). Back to top

U.K. Lawmaker Seeks Lab Security Review A British lawmaker is calling for a review of security at laboratories that conduct research on dangerous diseases, amidst suspicion that a research site might have been the source of a recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, the London Independent reported today (see GSN, July 6). “The possibility of a release of the virus from a lab is very worrying.  We did a report on biological terrorism and visited the U.S.  There is a real fear that these viruses could fall into the wrong hands,” said Labor Party lawmaker Ian Gibson (Colin Brown, London Independent, Aug. 7). The viral disease was found this month at two farms in southern England, forcing culling of animals and a halt of all exports of livestock, fresh meat and dairy products, Bloomberg reported today.  Both farms are within a few kilometers of the Pirbright laboratory, which is operated by the government’s Institute for Animal Health and the private Merial Animal Health Ltd. The specific virus found at the first farm linked to the outbreak is researched by both entities, according to the British Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Department. A “theory that the sewer which overflows into part of the field where 38 cattle were grazing could be the cause is an obvious possibility,” said farm operator Roger Pride.  “Certainly, no one at the farm has had contact with the Pirbright facility.” “No breach in our procedures” have been found so far, said Merial managing director David Biland (Allen/Ponikelska, Bloomberg, Aug. 7). Security at the Pirbright laboratories is designated at level four, equal to that of the British biological defense research site at Porton Down, the Independent reported.  Anthrax is not researched at Pirbright, officials said.  The newspaper reported that the facility conducts work on 32 viruses, including avian influenza, E.coli and salmonella. There are another 36 laboratories in the United Kingdom that are licensed to work with dangerous diseases.  It would be “too dangerous” to disclose their locations, according to the government (Brown, London Independent). Back to top       Researchers Advance Anthrax Understanding U.S. researchers have made advances in understanding how inhaled anthrax spores initiate infections in human cells, a development that could lead to better treatments for exposed individuals, United Press International reported yesterday (see GSN, Jan. 27). University of Michigan scientists, led by assistant research professor Nicholas Bergman, also identified sections of the anthrax bacterium’s genetic code that could be targeted by drug treatments (United Press International, Aug. 6). Meanwhile, an Australian firm has developed a spray-on gel product to help decontaminate the interiors of buildings where anthrax has been released, the Hindustan Times reported yesterday. The gel contains antibodies that attack anthrax spores that have come to rest on walls, ceilings and floors.  After the gel is applied, workers can scrape it off building surfaces, a method that removes the anthrax without enabling the spores to become airborne again. “We call it ‘Project Ectoplasm’ after [the 1984 film] Ghostbusters,” said Grant Rawlin of the Australian company Anadis (Hindustan Times, Aug. 6). Back to top

Umatilla Depot Prepares to Destroy VX Stores The U.S. Army’s Umatilla Chemical Depot in Oregon has begun preparations to destroy munitions carrying VX nerve agent, the Hermiston Herald reported in July (see GSN, July 11). The facility last month finished destroying stores of weapons containing sarin nerve agent.  Any traces of sarin must be removed from the facility it can begin to incinerate VX agent.  “We go into all the contaminated areas and decontaminate all the [sarin],” said Steve LaBelle, project engineer for contractor Washington Group International.  “We do samples for 24 hours (after decontamination) to be sure it's all gone.” Officials are looking to begin VX elimination this year, the Herald reported. Over the last three years, the incineration facility destroyed 91,000 sarin-filled M55 rockets along with other munitions containing the agent. After the changeover period, the facility plans to destroy 14,513 rockets, 11,685 M23 mines, 156 spray tanks, 3,752 8-inch projectiles and 32,313 155 mm projectiles that contain VX. Mines filled with the agent are stored with their detached fuses in groups of three inside 16-gallon drums.  Each mine has a diameter of about 16 inches. The 160-gallon spray tanks, designed to be fitted under airplanes, are due to be punctured and drained of VX agent, decontaminated in a metal parts furnace and then recycled at another location. The Umatilla plant is expected to start its VX disposal campaign by gradually destroying its rockets while alternating with spray tank destruction, followed by disposal of projectiles and then mines. Once the operation is under way, the plant expects to finish the VX disposal in 16 to 24 months. "We will start slow again," said WGI project manager Doug Hamrick.  Hamrick warned that propellant that ignited in some sarin rockets during incineration is also inside some VX rockets, creating the potential for continued fire problems (Karen Hutchinson-Talaski, Hermiston Herald, July 27). Back to top       U.S. Awards $2.5B for Chemical Weapons Disposal Washington Group International has secured $2.5 billion in contract extensions from the U.S. Army to destroy chemical weapons and oversee the closures of three chemical storage sites, the company announced yesterday (see GSN, July 12). The contract additions “are targeted at maximizing agent and weapons destruction by April 2012” at chemical depots in Anniston, Ala., Pine Bluff, Ark., and Umatilla, Ore, the Idaho-based contractor said in a press release.  The Chemical Weapons Convention requires the United States to eliminate weapons prohibited by the pact by April 2012 (see GSN, June 21). The company would also oversee the closures of the weapons incinerators and related facilities at the three locations. Washington Group International to date has overseen the destruction of more than 432,000 chemical weapons and bulk containers and nearly 2,139 tons of weapons agents at the three sites, according to the press release.  The company also operated the Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System, which finished eliminating more than 400,000 weapons and 2,200 tons of chemical agents in 2000.  It is expected to help manage operations at disposal plants in Pueblo, Colo., and Blue Grass, Ky. (Washington Group International release, Aug. 6).   Back to top

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