Nuclear smugglers led by Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan’s reportedly had sophisticated nuclear-weapon designs (Tanveer Mughal/Getty Images). Nuclear Smugglers Circulated Design For Ballistic Missile Warhead The international nuclear smuggling network once led by Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan circulated advanced nuclear-weapon designs among network members, raising concerns over who has the documents today, the Washington Post reported yesterday (see GSN, June 4). The electronic documents, comprising more than 1,000 gigabytes of data, were found on computers seized from Swiss members of the smuggling ring in 2006. The designs describe how to build warheads that could fit onto short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, according to the Post...Full Story

Europeans Impose New Sanctions on Iran The United Kingdom and European Union plan to freeze the assets of Iran’s largest bank today in a new reprisal against Tehran over its nuclear activities that could contribute to the development of a nuclear bomb, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in an appearance with U.S. President George W. Bush (see GSN, June 13)...Full Story

Japan, North Korea Make Headway on Key Dispute North Korea has agreed to re-examine the cases of Japanese citizens abducted by the Stalinist state in 1970s and 1980s, potentially easing the way for an important step toward North Korean denuclearization, Kyodo News reported Saturday (see GSN, June 12)...Full Story

	Monday, June 16, 2008

Nuclear Smugglers Circulated Design For Ballistic Missile Warhead The international nuclear smuggling network once led by Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan circulated advanced nuclear-weapon designs among network members, raising concerns over who has the documents today, the Washington Post reported yesterday (see GSN, June 4). The electronic documents, comprising more than 1,000 gigabytes of data, were found on computers seized from Swiss members of the smuggling ring in 2006. The designs describe how to build warheads that could fit onto short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, according to the Post. One set of the documents was recently destroyed by Swiss authorities, who said they were seeking to prevent the information from falling into the hands of terrorists or rogue states (see GSN, June 2), but the information’s electronic nature means it could have been easily copied to others. “These advanced nuclear weapons designs may have long ago been sold off to some of the most treacherous regimes in the world," said David Albright of the Institute for Science and International Security.  He has drafted a report on the matter due to be released later this week. The Khan network sold uranium enrichment technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea, but Tripoli decided to abandon its nuclear program after an illicit nuclear shipment was intercepted in 2003.  The nation turned its nuclear supplies over to the United States, including designs for a relatively primitive nuclear warhead. The documents destroyed by the Swiss, however, included designs for a much more compact warhead. “To many of these countries, it’s all about size and weight,” Albright said.  “They need to be able to fit the device on the missiles they have.” The design appears to be similar to a weapon used by Pakistan, according to officials at the International Atomic Energy Agency, whose representatives witnessed the Swiss document destruction. Privately, Pakistani officials were horrified when shown evidence of their design, according to IAEA officials. “[They] were genuinely shocked; Khan may have transferred his own country’s most secret and dangerous information to foreign smugglers so that they could sell it for a profit,” Albright said, describing conversations he had with IAEA officials who had knowledge of the Pakistani briefing. Publicly, Pakistan has finished its investigation of Khan. “The government of Pakistan has adequately investigated allegations of nuclear proliferation by A.Q. Khan and shared the information with [the] IAEA,” said Washington embassy spokesman Nadeem Kiani.  “It considers the A.Q. Khan affair to be over” (Joby Warrick, Washington Post, June 15). Concerns over who has the design information have been fed by the discovery of design copies on computers found in three other locations, the New York Times reported today. There may be no way determine who received copies of the documents or whether nations of key U.S. concern, particularly Iran and North Korea, received copies (Sanger/Broad, New York Times, June 16). Back to top       Europeans Impose New Sanctions on Iran The United Kingdom and European Union plan to freeze the assets of Iran’s largest bank today in a new reprisal against Tehran over its nuclear activities that could contribute to the development of a nuclear bomb, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in an appearance with U.S. President George W. Bush (see GSN, June 13). Brown said the new sanctions, which focus on Iran’s Bank Melli, are being imposed in response to Iran’s continued refusal to suspend its uranium enrichment program, the Washington Post reported.  The uranium enrichment process could generate a key ingredient for a nuclear weapon, although Iran maintains it would only produce nuclear power plant fuel. President Bush has toured Europe for the last week, encouraging leaders to adopt new penalties against Iran over its enrichment program (Dan Eggen, Washington Post I, June 16). Iran said Saturday that it would not consider a nuclear compromise proposal put forward that day by the five permanent U.N. Security Council members and Germany.  The proposal calls for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment program in exchange for a package of diplomatic and financial incentives. “If the package includes suspension, it is not debatable at all,” Iranian government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham, told reporters at a weekly news conference ahead of the proposal’s formal presentation, Iranian state media reported.  “The stance of the Islamic Republic is clear.  Any precondition regarding suspension would be out of the question.” Visiting Tehran to present the package with delegates from China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana called the proposed deal “generous and comprehensive and a starting point for real negotiations” with Iran over its disputed nuclear work.  “We are ready to fully recognize Iran’s right to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.” The incentives proposal to Iran promises civilian nuclear development assistance from the six powers, including a new offer of light-water reactors.  The offer contains a pledge to provide nuclear fuel for the reactors and assistance in handling nuclear waste (Erdbrink/Wright, Washington Post II, June 15). The proposal would open the possibility of an international dialogue with Iran over regional issues in the Middle East, the New York Times reported.  During a six-week “freeze” period, the six powers would “refrain from any new action in the Security Council” and Iran would “refrain from any new nuclear activity, including the installation of any new [uranium enrichment] centrifuges.” Representatives of the world powers, which did not include an envoy from the United States, handed the proposal over to Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki. Responding Saturday to Elham’s statement, Bush told reporters:  “I am disappointed that the leaders rejected this generous offer out of hand. …  It is an indication to the Iranian people that their leadership is willing to isolate them further.  Our view is we want the Iranian people to flourish and to benefit.” Appearing with Bush, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said a nuclear-armed Iran would be “a menace unacceptable for the stability of the world. … Iran has the right like all countries in the world to have civil nuclear power and we are ready to help them. … If they have nothing to hide, they should show it” (Erlanger/Sciolino, New York Times, June 15). Speaking said on a conference call, a high-level U.S. State Department official said the U.N. Security Council would probably take new action against Iran if the Islamic state rejects the compromise proposal. “The Security Council members would be disappointed in a rejection by Iran of this package.  So, yes, I do expect more international action” against Iran, the official said.  However, the official added that mixed reviews of the proposal in the Iranian media “sort of leave the door open” for a more flexible response from Tehran (Erdbrink/Wright, Washington Post II). In one editorial, the state-run Iranian newspaper IRAN praised recent diplomatic pushes by the sides and called them a sign of “a strategic and logical consideration,” the Associated Press reported. However, a close adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei wrote in the conservative newspaper Kayhan that the six-power proposal is “empty,” and he accused Solana of threatening Iran “so that it can be blackmailed by the U.S. and its allies.” Meanwhile, Iranian parliamentary speaker and former top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said “the parliament will carefully study the package.” Iranian lawmaker Allaeddin Boroujerdi said the sides “can reach an agreement over common points,” Iranian state media reported (Nasser Karimi, Associated Press/International Herald Tribune, June 15). The Iranian newpaper Shahrvand-e Emrouz has reported Tehran withdrawing about $75 billion from Europe to avoid losing access to the funds in upcoming asset freezes, Reuters reported today. “Part of Iran’s assets in European banks have been converted to gold and shares and another part has been transferred to Asian banks,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Talaie said.  The newspaper said the funds were transferred under an order by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Reuters/Yahoo!News, June 16). Back to top       Japan, North Korea Make Headway on Key Dispute North Korea has agreed to re-examine the cases of Japanese citizens abducted by the Stalinist state in 1970s and 1980s, potentially easing the way for an important step toward North Korean denuclearization, Kyodo News reported Saturday (see GSN, June 12). After two day of long-delayed talks in Beijing, Japanese and North Korean officials announced that Pyongyang would conduct a new probe. North Korea earlier returned some of the abductees and claimed that the rest had died, but Japanese officials have sought more documentation. “We said a reinvestigation will be carried out,” said North Korean envoy Song Il Ho. A resolution to the dispute could reduce Japanese opposition to removing North Korea from a U.S. list of nations that sponsor terrorism.  Pyongyang has made the list a key demand to advance a multilateral agreement intended to permanently disable all of North Korea’s nuclear activities (Kyodo News/BreitBart, June 14). Back to top       Indian Nuclear Deal Factions to Meet Indian leaders are scheduled to meet key political opponents Wednesday to discuss a tentative U.S. nuclear trade agreement, the Indo-Asian News Service reported Friday (see GSN, June 11). The trade deal has met opposition from Indian leftist parties who are key supporters of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s ruling coalition.  They have threatened to drop that support, thus forcing early elections, if Singh moves to implement the deal without their permission. Singh has sought to gain their backing without applying too much pressure, all while facing a shortening calendar in the United States, where November congressional and presidential elections will probably prevent the deal’s consideration, also needed to begin any sales of nuclear materials or technology. “We are moving towards a political consensus inch by inch,” Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said Friday.  “At some point we will arrive at that” (Indo-Asian News Service/Yahoo!News, June 13). Meanwhile, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger backed the nuclear deal, but said U.S.-Indian relations would improve whether or not the deal takes effect. “I have been involved in encouraging India towards the nuclear deal.  It is now an Indian problem.  (India) doesn’t need any lectures.  It understands the imperatives of each decision,” he told the U.S.-India Business Council.  “When the decision is made, we will welcome it and live with it.  Our relationship will be strong no matter what the decision” (Press Trust of India/The Hindu, June 13). Back to top       U.S. Faces Pakistani Nuclear “Paradox,” Expert Says A Brookings Institution fellow has warned a U.S. Senate panel that the United States faces a “policy paradox” in addressing nuclear threats posed by Pakistan, Asian News International reported Saturday (see GSN, April 18). “We want many things from Pakistan, but that we cannot directly address Pakistan’s inability to deliver,” Stephen Cohen said in testimony Thursday before the U.S. Senate Homeland Security Committee.  “We want Pakistan to cooperate on terrorism, we want it to normalize [relations] with India [and] we want to ensure that it will not proliferate nuclear technology.” Cohen said the possibility of a nuclear confrontation between Pakistan and India persists, and called on the United States to “marginally increase” its role in dialogue between the rival nations. “We need to address [the Pakistani military’s] chief incentive to acquire more and bigger nuclear weapons,” he said, noting that Pakistan depends on its nuclear arsenal as its primary defense. Meanwhile, Islamabad could be spurred by Iran’s nuclear program to provide nuclear protection or expertise to its regional allies. “Pakistan may decide, as a matter of state policy, to extend a nuclear umbrella (or engage in nuclear sharing) with one or more Middle East states, especially if Iran acquires a nuclear device,” he added. Cohen said it is “hard to quantify” the vulnerability of Pakistan’s own nuclear arsenal.  “Pakistan has a home grown personnel reliability program, but even this could be circumvented in a determined conspiracy.  There is some small chance that should Pakistan unravel, that its nuclear assets will be seized by remnant elements of the army for political, strategic, or personal purposes,” he said (Asian News International/Yahoo!News, June 14). Back to top       Nunn Endorses Nonproliferation Commission Former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) has endorsed a proposed international panel for promoting nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament, the Melbourne Age reported (see GSN, June 9). The proposal was put forward last week by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. "Australia has been a leader in this arena and Australia has enormous credibility on this issue already," Nunn said. The White House declined to comment on the proposed commission. The plan also received praise from the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, a U.S. group that opposes nuclear weapons. "We're about to write to Kevin Rudd and tell him what a great idea it is," said John Loretz, program director for the organization (Anne Davies, Melbourne Age, June 13). [Editor’s Note: Sam Nunn is co-chairman and chief executive officer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative.  NTI is the sole sponsor of Global Security Newswire, which is published independently by the National Journal Group.] Back to top

Las Vegas Ricin Suspect Seeks Plea Deal A U.S. federal judge Thursday postponed the trial of a man accused of holding vials of the biological toxin ricin in his Las Vegas motel room, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, May 6). The defense and prosecution agreed to postpone the trial of 57-year-old Roger Bergendorff, who was originally scheduled to face trial tomorrow, the court record states.  U.S. District Court Judge Robert Jones rescheduled the trial to start Sept. 9. Paul Riddle, Bergendorff’s lawyer, said the sides are discussing a plea bargain (Associated Press/San Diego Union-Tribune, June 13). Back to top       British Court Sentences Man Over Anthrax Hoax A British court on Friday sentenced a 45-year-old postal worker to four years in prison for sending powder-filled envelopes to high-level British officials following the U.S. anthrax mailings of 2001, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, Jan. 19, 2007). Jefferson Azevedo sent envelopes holding powder or white supremacist messages to then-Prime Minister Tony Blair and other leading officials.  The Brazilian-born man’s letters targeted more than 150 people and entities, many of which were known for supporting immigrants in the United Kingdom. Azevedo has admitted to 19 offenses — including nine terrorism-related crimes — between 2003 and 2007 (Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, June 13). Back to top

Man Eludes Imprisonment Over Libyan CW Transfer A 74-year-old man received a suspended two-year prison sentence in Germany Friday for his role in the illicit transfer of poison gas production equipment to Libya during the 1990s, Deutsche Welle reported (see GSN, Jan. 2). Berge Aris Balanian told the court he had helped deliver the equipment to the Libyan government during a weapons embargo.  Balanian also received a $30,700 fine. Two of Balanian’s collaborators in the transfer were imprisoned in 1997, but Balanian remained in Lebanon until 2005, when he contacted prosecutors about returning to Germany (Deutsche Welle, June 13). Back to top

Russia, NATO Deadlocked on CFE, Missile Defense In Friday talks, Russia and NATO failed to reach agree on terms for accepting a proposed deployment of U.S. missile defenses in Eastern Europe or on restoring the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty (see GSN, June 13). "Our relations with our NATO partners are highly valued.  But there are issues on which we cannot find agreement.  These are the CFE Treaty and missile defense,” said Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who met with top NATO defense officials in Brussels.  “None of this is helping efforts to improve transparency and trust in our cooperation, and puts obstacles in the way of moving cooperation to a new level.” Russia has opposed a U.S. plan to deploy missile defense components in Poland and the Czech Republic.  Last year, the former Cold War superpower suspended the CFE Treaty, which limits the deployment of troops and heavy military equipment in Europe (RIA Novosti, June 13). Back to top

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