WMD 411 Chronology —  2003

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Produced by the Monterey Institute's Center for Nonproliferation Studies
Updated February 2005

KEY: [B] Biological, [C] Chemical, [M] Missile, [N] Nuclear, [O] Organization [T] Terrorism

Jan 1 2003 [N] India and Pakistan exchange lists of nuclear installations under a 1998 agreement intended to prevent attacks on nuclear facilities. The Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack Against Nuclear Installations and Facilities calls for an exchange of nuclear facility lists between India and Pakistan on Jan. 1 of each year. According to the United Press International, the Pakistani list contains six nuclear facilities while the Indian list has 11 sites.

Jan 2 2003 [M] The Chief of the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization reports that India's medium-range Agni-1 ballistic missile may be operational by the end of the year. India has planned several tests of the nuclear capable Agni system in the next few weeks. After additional testing, the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile might also be operational by the end of the year.

Jan 2 2003 [N] South Korean and Chinese officials meet to discuss North Korea's nuclear program with the aim of reducing tensions between Washington and Pyongyang. South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Tae Shik, in a meeting with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi, may have requested that China increase pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons efforts.

Jan 3 2003 [N] A senior Russian official announces that Russia will increase cooperation in 2003 with the United States and the IAEA to dispose of highly enriched uranium (HEU) at up to two dozen nuclear research facilities located primarily in the former Soviet Union or former Soviet satellite states. About 350 sites in 58 countries possess HEU, according to nonproliferation experts. Of those sites, about two dozen have enough material to build an atomic weapon, leading to concerns that the material might be at risk of theft by terrorist organizations or states of proliferation concern. Most of these countries are former Soviet republics or were allies of the Soviet Union and, therefore, received nuclear assistance from the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Jan 4 2003 [O, N, B, C] Prime Minister Vajpayee announces India's newly established strategic force command for its nuclear arsenal. He reiterates India's no-first-use nuclear posture, retaining however, the option to respond massively with nuclear weapons if attacked with biological or chemical weapons from either a nuclear or non-nuclear weapon state.

Jan 6 2003 [N, O] The IAEA Board of Governors adopts a resolution "deploring in the strongest terms" North Korea's noncompliance with its safeguards agreement and its threats to begin reprocessing spent nuclear fuel to obtain additional plutonium. The Board offers North Korea a final chance to comply with its obligations, by re-admitting inspectors and reactivating surveillance equipment, before the matter is referred to the UN Security Council.

Jan 7 2003 [N, O] The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) decides that the possible threat of a terrorist attack cannot be considered when licensing a nuclear facility. The commission's decision is based on the National Environmental Protection Act, which requires the issuing of an Environmental Impact Statement before any major federal action. The NRC believes a better approach is to improve security at nuclear sites or the country as a whole, rather than attempt to determine the environmental impact of a terrorist attack on a site.

Jan 7 2003 [N] Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says that Brazil's nuclear research will be carried out exclusively for peaceful means. His comments come in response to Science and Technology Minister Roberto Amaral's call for Brazil to develop the scientific knowledge necessary to create a nuclear bomb, while at the same time insisting that the country will uphold its international commitments and not develop such a weapon. Amaral's comments have elicited both domestic and international concern.

Jan 8 2003 [M] The Pakistani Army's Strategic Force Command formally receives its first batch of 1,500 kilometer-range Ghauri nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, the first nuclear-capable missiles in the Army's history. Although the number of Ghauri missiles, also known as Hatf 5s delivered is unknown, it is believed that serial production of the missile is underway.

Jan 9 2003 [N, O] North Korea issues a statement announcing it will withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) on January 11, 2003. Withdrawal from the NPT will free North Korea of obligation to abide by its safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which calls for the monitoring of North Korea's nuclear facilities. In the statement, North Korea cites several U.S. actions, such as its rejection of Pyongyang's request for a U.S.-North Korean non-aggression pact, as reasons for the withdrawal. North Korea's decision is heavily criticized in the international community.

Jan 9 2003 [B, C, M, O] In a briefing to the UN Security Council, UNMOVIC Executive Chairman Hans Blix states that weapons inspectors in Iraq have not yet uncovered a "smoking gun" that would confirm that Iraq is indeed pursuing nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons in violation of several UN resolutions calling for its disarmament. The current round of inspections, which began in November 2002, is mandated by Security Council Resolution 1441. The resolution threatens Iraq with "serious consequences" if it is found to be in "material breach" of its obligations to disarm.

Jan 9 2003 [M] India conducts a successful flight test of a shorter-range variant of its Agni ballistic missile. The missile, which has a range of 600-900 kilometers and can be launched from mobile systems, is tested in the eastern state of Orissa over the Bay of Bengal. The nuclear-capable missile is expected to improve India's military capabilities against Pakistan.

Jan 10 2003 [O, N] Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi expresses grave concern over North Korea's decision to withdraw from the NPT, promising that Japan will cooperate with the United States, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and other concerned countries.

Jan 11 2003 [M] North Korea threatens to lift its missile test moratorium and resume ballistic missile tests. Under the moratorium, North Korea had suspended tests of its medium-range Nodong and its intercontinental-range Taepodong missiles. North Korea justifies this action by stating it has the right to maintain a level of security against a possible attack from the United States.

Jan 11 2003 [N] Moscow's Kurchatov Institute, the largest Russian nuclear research facility, opens a new training center to help former Soviet nuclear weapons scientists learn software programming. Since November 2001, the Institute has been used to retrain former weapons scientists through the U.S. Initiatives for Proliferation Program.

Jan 14 2003 [N] Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announces that Japan will allocate $100 million to help Russia dispose of weapons-grade plutonium, in conjunction with the U.S.-led Plutonium Disposition Project. Koizumi states that the creation of a reliable system to dispose of surplus weapon-grade plutonium is a valuable tool for accelerating the disarmament process.

Jan 14 2003 [N] The Russian nuclear safety agency Gosatomnadzor announces it will require the closure of a spent-fuel reprocessing plant at the Mayak nuclear facility near the city of Ozyorsk. The facility failed to acquire the necessary operating license as a result of concerns that it had been contaminating Lake Karachai and local water supplies. The installation separates roughly 1.2 tons of plutonium annually from Russian nuclear power plant fuel.

Jan 22 2003 [N, B, C, M, O] In an address to a joint session of the French and German parliaments, French President Jacques Chirac reiterates his country's desire to continue working through the United Nations to reach a peaceful solution to the crisis in Iraq. The French and German governments enjoy widespread domestic political support for their opposition to any military action against Iraq.

Jan 23 2003 [N, B, C] U.S. President George W. Bush warns Iraqi military personnel that they will be tried for war crimes if they use WMD against U.S. forces in the event of a military confrontation between the two countries.

Jan 23 2003 [N] Legislation advocating an increase in nuclear power plant security is reintroduced to the U.S. Senate. The proposed Nuclear Security Act contains provisions designed to improve nuclear plants' defense and response in the event of a terrorist attack.

Jan 27 2003 [N, B, C, M, O] UNMOVIC Executive Chairman Hans Blix and IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei present updates to the UN Security Council on the first 60 days of inspections in Iraq. The reports are required under UN Resolution 1441. Blix criticizes Iraq for failing to provide any convincing evidence it had destroyed its stockpiles of anthrax, and for not accounting for "several thousands of chemical rockets." ElBaradei states that no evidence has yet been found to support claims that Iraq has begun to reconstruct its nuclear weapons program. Both Blix and ElBaradei urge that more time is needed to determine if Iraq possesses clandestine WMD programs.

Jan 27 2003 [O, C] The Mobile Decontamination System developed by India's Defense Research and Developmental Organization (DRDO) for use against biological and chemical agents is on display for the first time at the Republic Day Parade in New Dehli. Other exhibits showing for the first time include the Indra-II low-level radar and the BrahMos, the Indo-Russian supersonic cruise missile system.

Jan 28 2003 [N, B, C] In the State of the Union Address, U.S. President George W. Bush accuses Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein of failing to account for large quantities of biological and chemical agents, and of continuing to pursue nuclear weapons in defiance of UN resolutions. The President's accusations against Iraq include its failure to account for 25,000 liters of anthrax, 38,000 liters of botulinum toxin, and the material needed to produce up to 500 tons of the chemical agents sarin, mustard gas, and VX nerve gas. The president also cites a British intelligence report claiming Iraq has attempted to acquire "significant quantities" of uranium from Africa. He also cites American intelligence reports that Iraq has sought to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes, which can be used for the manufacture of uranium-enrichment centrifuges. The validity of both of these charges is later called into question (see March 7 entry). He announces that the United States will present evidence to the UN Security Council on February 5, 2003 regarding Iraq's illegal weapons programs, its attempts to conceal these programs from inspectors, and its links to international terrorism. He reiterates that the United States is prepared, if necessary, to lead a coalition to disarm Iraq by force.

Jan 31 2003 [O, N] Referring to the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announces to the Diet Japan's intent to continue working towards normalization of relations with North Korea. This includes, however, urging North Korea to desist in its development of nuclear weapons.

Feb 3 2003 [M, N, B, O] U.S. President George W. Bush proposes a $2.23 trillion budget for the fiscal year beginning October 1, requesting substantial increases for defense and Homeland Security programs. The proposal includes a $15 billion increase from the previous year for the Defense Department. A substantial portion of this budget will be allotted toward new technologies, such as the development of a national missile defense system, the conversion of four Trident nuclear ballistic missile submarines to have launch-capability for conventional cruise missiles, and unmanned air and undersea vehicles. In order to develop and stockpile vaccines in the event of a biological weapons attack, $6 billion will go toward Project Bioshield.

Feb 4 2003 [M] Tokyo police search the headquarters and other facilities of Seishin Enterprises, acting on suspicions that the Japanese firm had violated export control laws by training Iranian missile experts in the use of jet mills. Jet mills can be used for the production of solid missile fuel.

Feb 4 2003 [C, B, O] Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma approves placing Ukrainian chemical, biological, and radiation battalion units at UN disposal for possible assistance to the UN mission in Iraq.

Feb 4 2003 [O] India and the United States sign an accord in Washington, agreeing to form a bilateral High Technology Cooperation Group.  The group is to monitor the exchange in dual-use goods and technology. India had previously been banned from participating in the sale of dual-use goods and technology due to it 1998 nuclear tests. The accord is expected to move India and the United States to a new level of strategic cooperation and boost bilateral trade. It is the first such arrangement that the United States has with another country.

Feb 5 2003 U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell gives an 80-minute presentation before the UN Security Council, outlining Iraq's alleged attempts to conceal its ongoing WMD programs. His presentation includes satellite photos of trucks allegedly removing banned weapons from sites before UN inspectors arrive, as well as recordings of intercepted phone conversations of Iraqi military officials discussing ways to hide chemical agents from inspectors. The presentation does not gain greater support at the Security Council for military action against Iraq, as the Bush administration had hoped. Foreign Minister Dominique Villepin of France, one of the most vocal opponents of military action against Iraq, argues that the presentation merely "brings a new justification" for allowing the inspectors to continue.

Feb 6 2003 [N, B, C, M, O] U.S. President George W. Bush announces that the United States is prepared to support a new UN Security Council resolution authorizing force against Iraq if it does not comply with its obligations to disarm. Resolution 1441, adopted by the Council in November 2002, warns Iraq that it will face "serious consequences" if it is found to be in "material breach" of its obligations. The Bush administration has already claimed that it considers Iraq in "material breach" because of its failure to cooperate actively with UN inspectors. President Bush indicates that the United States will be prepared to take any necessary action against Iraq, even if a new resolution is not adopted.

Feb 7 2003 [N] A 19-page dossier by British intelligence, detailing Iraqi noncompliance with UN resolutions is found to include the work of post-graduate student Ibrahim al-Marashi, a researcher at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, California. The dossier does not cite al-Marashi, and presents his research, which had been gathered in 1991, as current intelligence. The dossier also includes the statement that Iraq sought to obtain uranium from Niger to support a renewed nuclear weapons program.

Feb 12 2003 [C] Destruction of 16 warheads capable of carrying chemical weapons begins under UN inspection in Iraq. The warheads were discovered last year near al-Muthanna, 65 km northwest of Baghdad, where chemical weapons were produced in the 1980s.

Feb 12 2003 [N, O] The IAEA Board of Governors votes 33-0 (with Russia and Cuba abstaining) to adopt a resolution to refer the North Korean nuclear crisis to the UN Security Council.

Feb 13 2003 [C] The North Korean ship So-San arrives in port at Nampo, North Korea carrying a cargo of several tons of sodium cyanide, a dual-use chemical that is on the 34-nation Australia Group export control list. Sodium cyanide can be used for commercial products or as a precursor to the nerve gas sarin. The shipment heightens concerns in South Korea and the United States that North Korea may be producing chemical weapons. The ship took on the cargo in Germany, a member of the Australia Group. The So-San is the same ship that delivered North Korean missiles to Yemen and was intercepted by the Spanish Navy in December 2002.

Feb 14 2003 [N, B, C, O] Iraqi President Saddam Hussein issues a presidential decree banning the import and production of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. This decision comes amid a growing controversy in the UN Security Council over whether to allow UN inspectors more time in Iraq—a position held by France, Russia, and China—or to authorize military action against Iraq to compel it to disarm, as the United States and Great Britain urge.

Feb 18 2003 [O, C] Russia announces to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) that Russia's chemical weapons destruction is proceeding faster than expected. The destruction of one percent of all chemical weapon deposits on Russian territory by 2003 is required by the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). This amounts to 400 tons of CW agents to be destroyed. Destruction of mustard gas occurs at the plant in Gorny, and a lewisite line is expected to be operational there before the end of the year.

Feb 19 2003 [N, O] The UN Security Council holds its first meeting on the Korean nuclear crisis since an IAEA report had declared North Korea in violation of its safeguards agreement and referred the matter to the UN body. The Council decides to delay action to allow each member time to discuss the IAEA report with national experts.

Feb 19 2003 [O, C] Residents of the Russian village of Gorny raise concerns about the start of chemical weapons destruction at the Gorny facility before it had been approved by the Federal Administration for the Safe Storage and Destruction of Chemical Weapons, and by state commission. Reportedly, the facility began operations on December 5, 2002, two weeks earlier than was proposed, destroying 160 grams of lewisite and 303 grams of mustard gas.

Feb 22 2003 [N] During a visit from the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran confirms for the first time that it is constructing two fuel enrichment plants at Natanz and a heavy water production plant at Arak. The visit is the result of media reports that Iran had secretly begun construction of the facilities. Also during the visit, Iran refuses to sign an additional protocol to its safeguards agreement. Gholamreze Aghazadeh, Iran's top nuclear energy official, explains the refusal, noting that few other countries have ratified the protocol. He claims that Iran will, however, comply with its existing nuclear nonproliferation commitments as it builds new nuclear reactors and fuel production facilities.

Feb 24 2003 [M] North Korea launches a short-range, anti-ship missile into the Sea of Japan. U.S. officials estimate the missile's maximum range to be nearly 100 miles. This would suggest that the test does not constitute a violation of Pyongyang's self-imposed missile test moratorium, which applies only to missiles of ranges greater than 180 miles. Reports in the Japanese media suggest the missile is a Chinese-made Silkworm missile. China, however, denies supplying North Korea with the missile.

Feb 26 2003 [N] North Korea restarts a nuclear reactor at Yongbyon, its primary nuclear complex, which has been inoperative since 1994. Spent fuel from the reactor can be reprocessed to separate plutonium for constructing nuclear weapons. There is no evidence that the reprocessing facility at Yongbyon has been restarted.

Feb 27 2003 [O, C] Andorra deposits its instrument of accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) to the Secretary General of the UN. The ban on chemical weapons is now in force throughout Europe for the first time in the history of the CWC.

March 2003 [N, B, C, M] Libyan leader Mu'ammar Qadhdhafi makes overtures to Britain and the United States about dismantling its WMD programs. The start of these negotiations coincides with the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

March 2 2003 [O, B] Spokesman for UNMOVIC and the IAEA in Baghdad, Hiro Ueki, announces that inspectors were successful in acquiring samples from three intact R-400 bombs at the al-Azizyah Range 100 km southwest of Baghdad. Iraq claims to have destroyed R-400 aerial bombs containing biological agents at the site in 1991, without UN supervision.

March 2 2003 [M] Iraq destroys six of its banned al-Samoud 2 missiles under the supervision of UNMOVIC missile inspectors. To date, Iraq has destroyed 16 such missiles. Iraqi technicians also complete destruction of a casting chamber used to produce parts for the system, and begin destruction of a second.

March 4 2003 [O, C] Despite an order by the Russian Natural Resources Ministry to shut down, the chemical weapons disposal facility in Gorny continues to operate. Russian Munitions Agency head Zinovy Paksaid says the order "was only a warning and that the plant's documentation would be brought in line with the law." Environmental issues continue to be a concern in talks on increasing plant capacity.

March 5 2003 [M] Iraq destroys three al-Samoud 2 missiles, bringing the total to date to 19. Iraqi technicians also destroy an al-Samoud 2 missile launcher, five missile engines, and complete the destruction of a second casting chamber for al-Samoud 2 components.

March 5 2003 [M] Two U.S. companies, Boeing and Hughes Electronics, agree to pay $32 million in fines to settle U.S. State Department charges that they illegally transferred sensitive space technologies to China that could have aided Beijing's long-range missile development.

March 6 2003 [N, M] The U.S. Senate approves the U.S.-Russian Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty on a vote of 95-0. During the debate, two proposed amendments to the pact fail. One would have required the CIA to provide annual reports on Russian compliance with the pact; the second would have required Senate approval of any decision to withdraw from it. The Senate's advice and consent does place two conditions on the administration: the president is required to submit annual reports on American reductions and on ways the Cooperative Threat Reduction program can be used to help Russia comply with the treaty.

March 6 2003 [N] The Bush administration announces to Congress its desire to repeal a nine-year-old ban on research and development of low-yield nuclear weapons. The request, which is included in the Pentagon's fiscal 2004 defense budget request, includes a provision to repeal the 1993 Spratt-Furse Amendment, which bans research and development of nuclear weapons with yields below five kilotons. The text justifies the repeal by stating that research and development on low-yield weapons may be necessary for national security, for responding to international security challenges, and for training young scientists.

March 7 2003 [N, B, C, M, O] IAEA Director General Mohammed ElBaradei presents the Security Council with an update on the status of nuclear inspections in Iraq. ElBaradei concludes that the IAEA special action team has not found evidence or plausible indication of the revival of a nuclear weapons program in Iraq. He states that the IAEA has determined that documents cited by the United States and Great Britain as evidence that Iraq has attempted to acquire uranium from Niger are "in fact not authentic," and that the allegations are "unfounded." He notes that although no evidence has yet been uncovered in Iraq, the IAEA intends to continue inspections. UNMOVIC Executive Chairman Hans Blix also provides the Security Council with an update on arms inspections in Iraq. He claims that UNMOVIC has found no evidence to support American claims that Iraq is continuing to produce proscribed weapons, or that it is using mobile laboratories for BW production. He notes that there has been an increase in cooperation from Iraq since January, but he calls upon Iraq to be more forthcoming regarding weapons that remain unaccounted for.

March 7 2003 [N, B, C, M, O] Great Britain introduces amendments to a February 24 draft resolution submitted to the UN Security Council by the United States, Spain and Great Britain. The amendments would establish a deadline of March 17 for Iraq to disarm or face military action. France immediately announces its opposition to the resolution, claiming that the inspectors must be given more time to complete their work.

March 8 2003 [N] Time magazine releases a story claiming that Iran has already introduced uranium hexafluoride into "some centrifuges at an undisclosed location." The introduction of nuclear material into a facility where no IAEA safeguards are in place would be a violation of Article III of the NPT, to which Iran is a party. The Time report also describes Iran's uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, 200 miles south of Tehran. The newly completed plant is equipped with "hundreds" of gas centrifuges, with parts reportedly produced for use in an additional 1,000 machines. The report claims that Iran has plans to eventually operate the plant with a total of 5,000 centrifuges. Such a capability would enable Iran to produce enough highly-enriched uranium to produce several nuclear weapons a year.

March 10 2003 [M] North Korea test fires an anti-ship missile into the Sea of Japan. It is the second such test in two weeks. The short-range missile falls into the sea about 68 miles from North Korea's east coast. North Korea warned of the test in advance, notifying mariners to avoid the area between March 8 and 11.

March 11-13 2003 [N] An International Conference on Security of Radioactive Sources is held in Vienna. Over 700 experts from 110 countries meet to discuss ways to strengthen controls over radioactive sources, to prevent the trafficking of radioactive materials, and to prepare responses to radiological emergencies arising from the use of radiological dispersal devices, or "dirty bombs."

March 11 2003 [C, O] A coalition of concerned citizens, environmental groups, and veterans from four states—Oregon, Alabama, Arkansas, and Utah—file a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Army over its plans to begin incinerating old stockpiles of chemical weapons near Army bases in those states. Citing both environmental and health concerns, the group hopes to halt the process, favoring an alternative destruction technique referred to as "neutralization technology," which utilizes water and other substances to safely dilute toxic chemicals.

March 12 2003 [N] The Project on Managing the Atom at Harvard University, in Cooperation with the Nuclear Threat Initiative, releases a report entitled "Controlling Nuclear Warheads and Materials: A Report Card and Action Plan." The report measures the progress of efforts to prevent terrorist acquisition of nuclear weapons or materials from the former Soviet Union, and gives several recommendations for increasing the security of these materials worldwide.

March 13 2003 [M] UNMOVIC missile inspectors supervise the destruction of al-Samoud 2 missiles and related equipment in Iraq.

March 13 2003 [M] Washington agrees to send two Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to Turkey, a NATO ally that may be subject to Iraqi attack in the event of war with Iraq. This brings the number of Patriot systems now in Turkey to five. The systems' ability to intercept missiles and hostile aircraft will lend crucial support in defending Turkey's cities and military bases against a possible attack.

March 14 2003 [M] UNMOVIC missile inspectors supervise the destruction of al-Samoud 2 missiles and related equipment in Iraq, and also inspect a destroyed ballistic missile launcher at a site west of the northern city of Mosul. IAEA inspectors conduct a radiation survey northwest of Baghdad.

March 14 2003 [M] The Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, launched in November 2002, grows to 102 members with the accession of Mozambique.

March 15 2003 [M] UNMOVIC missile inspectors supervise the destruction of al-Samoud 2 missiles and related equipment and place tags on five al-Fatah missile warheads in Iraq.

March 16 2003 [N, B, C] U.S. President George W. Bush meets with Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain and Jose Maria Aznar of Spain in the Azores. The meeting is held to discuss actions to be taken in response to Saddam Hussein's failure to comply with UN disarmament demands.

March 17 2003 [O, N, B, C, M] President Bush presents an ultimatum to Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, giving him and his sons 48 hours to flee Iraq or else face a U.S. military attack. In his speech, Bush accuses the Security Council of not living up to its responsibilities and also promises humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people. The speech marks a significant rupture of relations with the United Nations and also with two of America's closest post-World War II allies, France and Germany. French President Jacques Chirac publicly denounces Bush's decision.

March 18 2003 [O] UN Secretary General Kofi Annan orders experts from the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to withdraw from Iraq over concerns that U.S.-led military action is imminent. Since resuming the post-Gulf War inspection regime on November 27, 2002, hundreds of inspections have been conducted in Iraq.

March 18 2003 [N] Russian lawmakers decide to delay consideration of the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty, citing the expected U.S. military action against Iraq as the rationale. A new date to resume discussion of the nuclear weapons disarmament agreement is not set. The Duma Council, which sets the agenda for the legislative body, is expected to revisit the issue in a month.

March 19 2003 [M] Chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix presents a proposed new program of work for disarming Iraq to the Security Council. The proposal would require Iraq to present any remaining chemical or biological agents along with credible evidence that such agents have been destroyed. Blix's program would also require Iraq to present any remaining chemical or biological munitions, including aerial bombs, rocket or missile warheads, artillery shells, cluster munitions, and fragmentation rounds. The proposal comes as all weapons inspectors have officially vacated Iraq in anticipation of an imminent U.S.-led attack.

March 19 2003 [M] North Korea announces that Japan's plan to launch two spy satellites could lead to Pyongyang abandoning its missile-test moratorium.

March 19 2003 [N, B, C] Air strikes and cruise missile attacks mark the beginning of a U.S. military campaign to forcefully disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction. The U.S. targets three sites around Baghdad and uses 40 sea-launched cruise missiles and aircraft-delivered bombs in an attempt to kill Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and to cripple the Iraqi leadership. Iraq responds by firing at least four ballistic missiles into northern Kuwait; two of these missiles are destroyed by U.S. Patriot missile interceptors, while the other two land harmlessly in the Kuwaiti desert.

March 19 2003 [M] Israel augments its defenses against a possible Iraqi missile attack, sending an emergency call-up order to 12,000 reservists. Observers are posted on tall buildings and hilltops to spot incoming missiles and direct emergency response personnel to missile attack sites. Israel's two Arrow batteries and three Patriot systems are declared fully operational, providing nearly the entire country with a missile shield.

March 20 2003 [N] The Washington Post reports that North Korea has encountered trouble restarting a nuclear reprocessing facility that would separate plutonium for weapons from spent fuel rods. The facility sits adjacent to the five megawatt reactor at Yongbyon that was shut down as part of the 1994 Agreed Framework, but was recently restarted.

March 20 2003 [N] The Palo Verde nuclear power plant near Phoenix, Arizona, is identified as a major terrorist target. A possible threat to the plant prompts Governor Janet Napolitano to deploy National Guard troops to the facility. U.S. security officials search for Iraqi government "sleeper cells" that may execute an attack.

March 20 2003 [M] U.S. Patriot missile batteries shoot down two Iraqi missiles fired at Kuwait. The Pentagon reports that the downed missiles are al-Samouds or other short-range Iraqi missiles, and that they contain no chemical or biological agents.

March 20 2003 [C, B] Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma orders the deployment of Ukrainian chemical, radiation, and biological battalion defense units to Kuwait. They join German counterparts that have been stationed there since last year. Slovakia and the Czech Republic earlier approved resolutions volunteering chemical defense units in the area. Kuchma's decision strengthens Ukraine's relations with the United States, which had suffered after Washington raised allegations in 2002 that Kuchma had authorized the sale of four advanced Kolchuga radar systems to Iraq. Kuchma had denied the charges.

March 26 2002 [M, N] India and Pakistan both conduct flight tests of short-range, nuclear-capable ballistic missiles. India's test occurs at the Chandipur test range in the eastern state of Orissa. The weapon tested is a Prithvi missile, which can carry a nuclear warhead a range of 93 miles. Pakistan tests an Abdali missile, which has a range of 125 miles. India fails to notify Pakistan of the test in advance, violating a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries in 1999.

March 27 2003  [M] Japanese Defense Agency chief Shigeru Ishiba claims that "it is worth considering" increasing Japan's offensive capabilities to allow Japan to pre-emptively strike foreign missile silos before a missile launch. Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda, however, claims that Ishiba's statement reflects neither a new policy of preemption nor a possible amendment to Japan's constitution, which explicitly forbids such military action by Japan.

March 27 2003 [M] Russia test launches an 18-year old Topol ICBM at a target on the Kamchatka Peninsula. The missile hits its target.

March 27 2003 [M] U.S. Patriot missiles successfully intercept at least one Iraqi ballistic missile fired into Kuwait.

March 27 2003 [M] Two NATO-supplied Patriot batteries arrive in Turkey, bringing the total deployed there to five. The new batteries, which have been provided by the United States, are to be operated by U.S. crews.

March 29 2003 [M] An Iraqi Silkworm cruise missile goes undetected by Patriot missile defense batteries and hits a pier and shopping mall in Kuwait. The missile carried no chemical or biological weapons. Although no one is hurt, the attack shows the challenges that cruise missiles create for missile defenses.

March 31 2003 [N] A South Korean official proposes offering Pyongyang a Russian gas pipeline as a means to end North Korea's nuclear activities. Ra Jong Yil, South Korea's national security adviser, says the pipeline could supply Pyongyang with the energy that the nuclear program is intended to produce. Ra speculates that the United States and private interests could pay for the multi-billion dollar pipeline if North Korea's nuclear facilities are verifiably dismantled in return.

March 31 2003 [N, M, O] The Bush administration announces sanctions against the A.Q. Khan Research Institute, a major Pakistani nuclear laboratory, claiming it has been aiding North Korea's clandestine program to enrich uranium for use in a nuclear weapons program. The sanctions, imposed under the Arms Control Export Act, ban dealings with the Institute for two years. The administration contends that in exchange, Pakistan received Nodong ballistic missiles, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, from North Korea. A spokesman for the Pakistani Embassy in Washington denies that any missile/enrichment technology exchange took place and calls the sanctions, "misplaced and discriminatory."

April 1 2003 [N] In a speech to the American Israel Political Action Committee, Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control John Bolton claims that the United States considers the Iranian nuclear weapons program to be as great a threat as that of North Korea. He further notes that Libya is attempting to acquire the facilities necessary to support a nuclear weapons program.

April 1 2003 [C] Zinovy Pah, head of the Russian Munitions Agency, announces that the United States and Russia have agreed to a new plan to dispose of Russia's chemical weapons stockpiles, whereby the chemicals would be neutralized at their current storage sites. The new plan will accelerate the disposal of the weapons by up to three years.

April 2 2003 [C, B] U.S. special forces and Kurdish militiamen operating in northern Iraq capture a base used by the Islamic group Ansar al-Islam. The forces discover documents, equipment, and other evidence that the group was attempting to develop chemical and biological weapons, although no weapons are found at the site.

April 3 2003 [M] An American Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) missile shoots down an Iraqi al-Samoud missile aimed at American troops in southern Iraq. Debris from the downed missile lands near American troops of the 82nd Airborne Division, although no casualties are reported.

April 3 2003 [M] The Belarusian Interior Ministry announces that Belarus has completed destruction of 584 shorter- and intermediate-range nuclear-capable missiles, including their launchers and auxiliary equipment. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry states that the destruction of the these systems is required by the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), which Belarus joined in 1992, after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

April 3 2003 [B, C] According to American Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks, American troops in Iraq have crossed the "red line" surrounding Baghdad, which could prompt a chemical or biological attack by Iraqi troops. Brooks maintains that the advancing U.S. Army is prepared to deal with a chemical or biological attack.

April 6 2003 [N] The North Korea Foreign Ministry issues a statement asserting North Korea's need for a nuclear deterrent to counter the "ultra-modern weapons" of the U.S. military used in Iraq. The statement is a departure from earlier North Korean demands for a non-aggression pact with the United States to ensure its security.

April 7 2003 [N] Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha claims in an interview that Pakistan is a "fit case" for pre-emptive attack by the United States, arguing that Pakistan possesses WMD, supports international terrorism, and lacks democracy. Pakistani Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed responds by asserting Pakistan's right to pre-emptively strike India, and by warning India that if it attacked Pakistan, it would be "eliminated from the globe."

April 8 2003 [M] Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan accuses India of being a proliferator of missiles, and calls on other countries to block India's expansion of its missile program.

April 9 2003 [N, B, C] U.S. Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control John Bolton urges countries developing WMD to "draw the appropriate lesson from Iraq." By this point, U.S. forces have secured many sites in and around Baghdad, including the airport and airfields west of the city. The U.S. military has begun its search for WMD.

April 9 2003 [B, C] U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announces that the United States is offering rewards to any individuals who come forward with information about Iraq's WMD programs.

April 10 2003 [N, B, C, M] The CIA releases the "Unclassified Report to Congress on the Acquisition of Technology Relating to Weapons of Mass Destruction and Advanced Conventional Munitions" covering the period from January 1 to June 30 2002. The report highlights North Korea's chemical and biological weapons programs, but does not repeat the claim of the January-June 2001 report that North Korea is believed to possess one or two nuclear weapons. The report also mentions WMD programs in Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, India, and Pakistan, but excludes programs in Russia, China, and Cuba.

April 10 2003 [N] South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun claims that "there is no clear evidence" to support American intelligence claims that North Korea has developed nuclear weapons. In Roh's statement, he insists that North Korea must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, and reaffirms that the United States is South Korea's "closest and most important ally."

April 10 2003 [N] Three months after North Korea declared its withdrawal from the NPT, Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda claims that Japan has refused to recognize Pyongyang's decision. He claims that there is a lack of international consensus that North Korea has indeed left the pact.

April 12 2003 [N] German and French authorities stop the French cargo vessel Ville de Virgo in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea after German intelligence concludes that the ship is carrying parts to North Korea for use in that country's nuclear weapons program. The ship sailed from Hamburg on April 3. Manifest records show that the ship is delivering 214 aluminum tubes to the Chinese Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. Closer inspection by German officials reveals that the tubes are destined for North Korea, and are believed to be used in a uranium-enrichment program. The authorities seize the pipes. German police later arrest the owner of the export company responsible for the sale and uncover a plot by North Korea to acquire nearly 2,000 such aluminum tubes.

April 12 2003 [N, M] A spokesman for the North Korean Foreign Ministry announces that North Korea is prepared to drop its insistence that talks with the United States not include other countries. While the statement affirms that North Korea believes the nuclear issue is to be decided by the United States and North Korea, it opens the door to the possibility that other countries may be present at future talks. The United States has insisted that any talks must include regional powers, in particular Japan and South Korea.

April 12 2003 [M] The U.S. Department of Defense releases a selected acquisition report sent to the U.S. Congress, which predicts that the costs of developing a national missile defense system by 2009 will be nearly $20 billion more than previously expected.

April 12 2003 [N] Iraqi nuclear scientist Jafar Jafar, believed to be the head of Iraq's nuclear weapons program, surrenders to authorities in an undisclosed Middle Eastern country. Though not in U.S. custody, he is interrogated by American intelligence agents.

April 13 2003 [N] The U.S. Enrichment Corporation announces that the U.S.-Russian "Megatons to Megawatts" program has eliminated 175 metric tons of Russian highly enriched uranium, or the equivalent of 7,000 nuclear weapons. Under this program, Russian uranium is purchased and used as fuel in American reactors, supplying electricity to roughly one in ten American homes and businesses.

April 14 2003 [C] President George W. Bush accuses Syria of possessing chemical weapons, and urges the Damascus leadership to cooperate with disarmament efforts. Syria responds by insisting it will accept weapons inspections, but urges Washington to extend its disarmament efforts to all countries in the Middle East, most notably Israel. Syria is not a party to the CWC.

April 16 2003 [N, B, C, O] Syria introduces a resolution at the UN Security Council calling for the establishment of a WMD-free zone in the Middle East.

April 17 2003 [N, O] The annual meeting of the UN Disarmament Commission concludes without reaching consensus on either of the items on its agenda. The two issues the Commission had discussed were "ways and means to achieve nuclear disarmament" and "practical confidence-building measures in the field of conventional arms." The rapporteur of the Commission, Mehiedine al-Kadiri, claims that the failure to reach consensus, which is necessary according to the rules of the Commission, is the result of the complexity of the issues, and not the political will of the states.

April 17 2003 [C] The Japanese Environment Ministry announces that it is planning to investigate the status of sites of chemical weapons abandoned throughout Japan by the Imperial Japanese Army at the end of World War II. The new study will re-revaluate methods to dispose of chemical weapons, and determine the public health effects of the abandoned weapons.

April 18 2003 [N] The Korean Central News Agency announces that North Korea is successfully reprocessing the 8,000 spent fuel rods from its Yongbyon facility. Reprocessing the rods could provide North Korea with a source of plutonium with which to produce nuclear weapons. U.S. and South Korean officials maintain that no evidence exists to support the claim. Questions arise suggesting the statement was mistranslated and that what was intended was that Pyongyang was ready to begin reprocessing.

April 18 2003 [C] Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa announces that Syria will not allow international weapons inspectors into the country to search for chemical weapons. He insists, however, that Syria remains dedicated to the movement for a WMD-free zone in the Middle East.

April 18 2003 [C] Italy and Russia sign an agreement to cooperate in the construction of a gas pipeline to supply energy to a chemical weapons disposal facility near the Russian city of Shchuchye.

April 19 2003 [C] Russian news agency ITAR-Tass reports that the Russian chemical weapons disposal facility will complete the elimination of one percent of the Russian chemical weapons arsenal one month ahead of schedule. The facility, the only one of its kind in Russia, will complete the destruction of 400 metric tons of mustard gas within the next week. The elimination of the arsenal is required under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

April 20 2003 [B] The Washington Post reports that Daan Goosen, a South African scientist who had worked on Project Coast, the apartheid-era biological and chemical weapons program, had contacted the FBI and offered to sell samples of agents still in storage in South Africa. Goosen claims that the materials and the equipment needed to produce them need to be safeguarded, and offers to cooperate with the FBI to do so, in exchange for $5 million and immigration permits to work in the United States for him and 19 other associates and relatives. The FBI refuses the request, claiming that the sample Goosen had sent to the FBI to prove the validity of his claim was commonly found in nature, and not worth the price Goosen had requested.

April 21 2003 [B, C] An Iraqi scientist cooperating with Mobile Exploration Team Alpha, the U.S. military unit charged with searching for WMD in Iraq, claims that the Saddam Hussein regime destroyed most of its biological and chemical weapons equipment shortly before the war began.

April 22 2003 [N, B, C, M] In an address to the UN Security Council, UNMOVIC Executive Chairman Hans Blix claims that the search for proscribed weapons in Iraq is of concern to the entire international community, and not simply to the states that participated in the invasion of Iraq. Blix stops short, however, of calling for the reintroduction of UN arms inspectors into Iraq.

April 23 2003 [N] The Los Alamos National Laboratory announces that the first plutonium pit constructed in the United States in 14 years meets all modernized production standards. Plutonium pits initiate the fission that leads to a nuclear reaction and serve as the core of nuclear weapons. The construction of the new pit is part of a $1.5 billion modernization program that will allow the creation of ten such pits per year. This output will be maintained until 2018, when a new and larger pit production facility will be constructed.

April 23-25 2003 [N, M] The United States, North Korea, and China meet for trilateral talks in Beijing to attempt to resolve the nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula. During the talks, North Korean envoy Li Gun reportedly tells U.S. Under-Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs that North Korea already possesses nuclear weapons, and asserts it is prepared to conduct a visible test to prove it is a nuclear power. It is the first time that North Korea has admitted possessing nuclear weapons.

April 23 2003 [N] U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control Stephen Rademaker announces that if the latest round of talks between the United States and North Korea break down, the United States will take the matter to the UN Security Council. Rademaker predicts that although the Security Council failed to act on Iraqi disarmament, it will be able to take action in this case because all five permanent members of the Council now agree that a North Korean nuclear weapons program would jeopardize regional security.

April 24 2003 [N] A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association claims that potassium iodide, which can prevent thyroid cancer after exposure to a nuclear blast or nuclear reactor meltdown, would not offer the same protection after exposure to radiation released by a "dirty bomb."

April 24 2003 [C] U.S.-led troops capture a warehouse complex in Baghdad where Iraqi scientists are believed to have conducted experiments on animals using non-conventional weapons. Although the site had been thoroughly looted, Iraqis living near the site tell U.S. experts that tests involving several chemical agents had been conducted at the site within the past year. The American troops do not find chemical weapons at the site, but do discover broken parts and equipment debris consistent with a full-scale laboratory.

April 30 2003 [C] The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) conducts its first inspection in Pakistan, at the Fauji Jordan Fertilizer plant in Karachi. Pakistan welcomes the inspection, claiming that it does not possess chemical weapons. The inspection certifies that the facility is indeed "below weapons capability." Routine inspections of such facilities are mandated under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

April 30 2003 [C] A spokesman for the Indian Army's Northern Command claims that militant groups in the disputed Kashmir possess chemical weapons. The claim is based on information acquired by the Indian Army that suggests the groups possess "suspicious containers" and have begun discussing the use of chemical weapons.

Early May 2003 [B, C] The U.S. Air Force announces that it has successfully developed the CBU-107 Passive Attack Weapon, a new bomb that uses the kinetic energy of thousands of small steel rods, rather than explosives, to destroy unshielded surface targets. The small rods puncture and destroy their targets without causing an explosion. The Air Force claims that the weapon can, therefore, be used against chemical or biological weapons storage facilities with minimal collateral damage, since without an explosion, there can be no plumes of smoke to disperse CW or BW agents into the air. The Air Force announcement also claims that the new system had been used during the campaign against Iraq, but does not give any details concerning when, where, or how it was used.

May 1 2003 [N] The White House orders U.S. intelligence agencies to investigate North Korea's claim that it has begun reprocessing the 8,000 spent-fuel rods from its Yongbyon facility. Reprocessing the rods is a critical step in producing plutonium needed to create a nuclear weapon. Senior administration officials believe that the claim is a bluff by North Korea to attempt to improve its bargaining position with the United States.

May 1 2003 [N, M, B, C] In an address aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, President George W. Bush declares victory in the U.S.-led war on Iraq. He claims that American troops have begun their search for Iraq's illicit WMD.

May 1 2003 [N] North Korea announces that it considers diplomatic relations with Japan to be one condition that must be met before it will abandon its nuclear weapons program. The North Korean statement does not clarify, however, if North Korea will accept Japanese participation in talks aimed at defusing the nuclear crisis.

May 2 2003 [M] The Economic Times of India reports that India state-run company Bharat Dynamics has announced it will increase its exports of ballistic missiles and missile technology to friendly countries. This is to include the sale of a subsystem of the Prithvi surface-to-surface missile. The subsystem is to be sent to Singapore, but a spokesman for the company claims he does not know where the final destination will be. India is not a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).

May 5 2003 [N, O] The United States rejects an IAEA request for access to the Iraqi nuclear facility at al-Tuwaitha. A spokesman for the U.S. State Department announces that the United States has yet to determine what role, if any, the UN will play in any inspections in post-war Iraq.

May 9 2003 [M] The United States imposes sanctions against the North China Industries Corporation, a Chinese firm Washington suspects has been aiding Iran's ballistic missile program. Beijing denies the charges. All export licenses for defense-related technology are also suspended. The sanctions prohibit the company from entering into contracts with the United States, or from importing goods into the United States for two years. Considering the extensive trade the company does with the United States, the sanctions will be particularly damaging. The sanctions come at a difficult time, as Washington is attempting to secure Beijing's cooperation in the global war on terror and the North Korean nuclear crisis. On the same day, the United States also imposes similar sanctions on Moldovan companies Cuanta S.A. and Computer & Communicatii SRL, which are also accused of aiding the Iranian missile program.

May 13 2003 [B] Maj. Gen. David Petraeus of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division in Iraq claims with "a reasonable degree of certainty" that a trailer recovered in northern Iraq is a mobile biological weapons facility. Although no biological weapons are found in the trailer, the presence of certain equipment suggests that it was used for the production of biological weapons.

May 13 2003 [M, O] During a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council in Moscow, NATO and Russian officials agree to cooperate on a pilot program for a theater missile defense system. Russia and the 19 NATO members will each contribute the financial resources necessary for the project.

May 14 2003 [N] The Russian Duma votes 294-134 to approve the Treaty of Moscow, also known as the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty, which limits each Russia and the United States to between 1700 and 2200 strategic nuclear warheads.

May 14 2003 [N] U.S. President George W. Bush meets with South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun in Washington. In a joint statement, the two leaders reaffirm that they will not tolerate nuclear weapons in North Korea, and will work towards a diplomatic solution to resolve the crisis. The statement also claims that food assistance from South Korea and the United States, the two largest donors of humanitarian aid to North Korea, will continue, despite political tensions.

May 14 2003 [N] The U.S. Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission release a report on radiological dispersal devices, or "dirty bombs." The report identifies which radioactive materials require the greatest security measures, and offers recommendations for improving security.

May 15 2003 [B] Representatives of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, an Iranian opposition group based in Paris, release a detailed account of Iran's BW program, claiming that Iran is already capable of "delivering deadly blows," but is seeking to triple its BW program within the next two years. The Iranian government quickly denies the allegations, claiming that Iran "does not need banned weapons."

May 20 2003 [N] On a 51-43 vote along party lines, the U.S. Senate rejects an amendment to the $400.5 billion fiscal year 2004 Defense Authorization Bill. The amendment would have preserved the 1993 Spratt-Furse Amendment, which bans research and development which could lead to the production of low-yield nuclear weapons, weapons with a yield of under five kilotons. The vote fuels speculation that the Pentagon is preparing to develop new nuclear weapons. A second amendment, which would require Congressional approval before production of any such weapons could begin, passes by a 59-38 vote. On the same day, however, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld claims that the United States is only seeking to research low-yield weapons, but has no plans to develop, produce or deploy them.

May 20 2003 [M] North Korean defector Lee Bok Koo testifies before a U.S. Senate subcommittee. He claims that North Korea imports 90 percent of its missile components from Japan, mostly using a North Korean cargo ship servicing North Korea's Wonsan and Japan's Niigata ports.

May 23 2003 [N, B, C] In an interview with the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix says that he has begun to suspect Iraq may not have had any WMD.

May 23 2003 [N] At a summit in Crawford, Texas, President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi declare in a statement that the United States and Japan will cooperate to bring about a diplomatic solution to the crisis over North Korea's nuclear program. The statement claims, however, that "stricter measures" may be necessary if Pyongyang escalates the conflict.

May 26 2003 [N] Former Tunisian soccer player and suspected al-Qaida operative Nizar Trabelsi describes to a Belgian court how he had planned to drive a truck loaded with explosives into a bunker that is believed to house nuclear weapons at a U.S. Air Force base in eastern Belgium. Trabelsi is one of 23 defendants in the case.

May 27 2003 [N] South Korea hardens its stance against North Korea by announcing that it will withhold shipments of vital rice aid to the north if Pyongyang increases tensions over its alleged nuclear weapons program.

May 27 2003 [N] The Financial Times reports that Russia has agreed to suspend nuclear fuel shipments to Iran for use at the Bushehr nuclear reactor, until Iran agrees to sign the Additional Protocol to its safeguards agreement with the IAEA. Iran's signature would authorize the IAEA to conduct more thorough inspections at all suspected nuclear facilities within Iran. Days later, however, the claim is denied by the Russian Foreign Ministry, which maintains that Russian assistance to Iran's civilian nuclear power program is not contingent upon that country's acceptance of the Additional Protocol, and that Russia "will continue to fulfill its duties" in accordance with its agreement with Iran. The Foreign Ministry also indicates that Iran and Russia are close to signing an agreement that would return spent fuel from the Bushehr facility to Russia, precluding Iran from reprocessing the material to separate weapons-usable plutonium.

May 28 2003 [N] The North Korean Central News Agency repeats North Korea's claim that it is successfully reprocessing the 8,000 spent fuel rods taken from the Yongbyon nuclear facility.

May 29 2003 [O, N, B, C] The BBC runs a story alleging that British Prime Minister Tony Blair "sexed up" an intelligence dossier on Iraq's WMD programs in order to increase public support for the invasion of Iraq.

May 29 2003 [N, B, C] The U.S. House Intelligence Committee sends a letter to CIA Director George Tenet questioning the quality and reliability of the intelligence on Iraqi WMD programs, which served as the basis for the Bush administration's justification for war against Iraq. The letter requests a response by July 1, and claims that hearings on the matter will be held in July.

May 30 2003 [N] Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi announces that Iran would be willing to sign the Additional Protocol to its safeguards agreement with the IAEA if economic sanctions against it are lifted and it is given access to foreign nuclear technology.

May 30-June 1 2003 [N] A group of six U.S. lawmakers, led by Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pennsylvania), travel to Pyongyang to meet with Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun, seeking to defuse the nuclear crisis. During the meeting, North Korea reiterates its admission that it possesses nuclear weapons, and claims to be expanding its nuclear weapons program. The U.S. lawmakers later claim that they presented a plan to end the crisis, and that the North Koreans were "ready to deal." Some experts later voice concern that North Korea may interpret the visit as bilateral talks between the United States and North Korea. The Bush administration has maintained that it will only accept talks with North Korea with other regional powers present.

May 31 2003 [N, B, C, M] At a press conference in Krakow, Poland, U.S. President George W. Bush proposes a new international cooperative effort to interdict shipments of WMD or ballistic missile technologies. This Proliferation Security Initiative is to contribute to, and not replace, existing international nonproliferation efforts. It would, however, introduce an element of interdiction of transfers of WMD materials or technologies, even in cases where the transfer does not violate current international law.

May 31 2003 [C, N] Georgian police discover a vial of nerve gas precursor and the radioactive materials cesium-137 and strontium-90 in the back seat of a taxicab in the capital city of Tblisi. Police claim that they believe the materials had been en route to Turkey, where they were likely intended to be sold on the black market. The radioactive materials could be used in a radiological dispersal device, or a "dirty bomb."

June 1 2003 [N] At a summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, U.S. President George W. Bush and Russia President Vladimir Putin exchange instruments of ratification of the 2002 Moscow Treaty. The treaty, also known as the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty, immediately enters into force. The two leaders also urge North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program, and agree on the necessity of preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

June 1-3 2003 [O, N, B, C] The leaders of the G-8 countries meet for a summit in Evian, France. The group issues a declaration on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The declaration asserts that North Korea's failure to comply with its safeguards agreement with the IAEA, and its uranium enrichment and plutonium programs, constitute a violation of its international obligations. The G-8 also call upon Iran to sign and implement the Additional Protocol. The eight countries promote the use of international regimes, inspection mechanisms, export control systems, international cooperation, and "other measures" to combat the spread of weapons of mass destruction. The leaders also issue an action plan on securing radioactive sources. The plan calls for states to work together to secure radioactive materials that could be used in terrorist radiological dispersal devices, and to locate and secure such sources that have gone missing.

June 2 2003 [N, B, C, M] At the G-8 summit, U.S. President George W. Bush announces the expansion of the Global Partnership to Combat the Spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Finland, Norway, Sweden, Poland, and Switzerland will join the effort to secure WMD materials and weapons in the former Soviet Union. The leaders of the G-8 countries claim significant progress has been made to raise $20 billion over ten years, although the initial $10 billion has not yet been raised. Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien pledges $108 million towards the project.

June 2 2003 [C] Safety equipment is activated at the Russian chemical weapons destruction facility at Gorny. The equipment is designed to detect the presence of deadly chemical agents in the air.

June 3 2003 [N, O] Georgia ratifies its safeguards agreement with the IAEA, and also ratifies the Additional Protocol. To date, 35 states have ratified the Additional Protocol, which allows the IAEA greater access to countries' nuclear infrastructure. Seventy-seven states with safeguards agreements with the IAEA have not ratified the Additional Protocol, including 21 states with significant nuclear programs.

June 4 2003 [N, B, C] Speaking at a hearing before the House International Relations Committee, U.S. Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control and Proliferation John Bolton explains the Proliferation Security Initiative, a plan for combating the spread of WMD. Under this plan, the United States and its allies would cooperate to interdict transfers of illicit weapons and technologies "at sea, in the air and on land," using legal, diplomatic, economic or military options.

June 5 2003 [N] South Korean Prime Minister Goh Kun announces that South Korea will not develop nuclear weapons in response to the nuclear threat posed by North Korea. However, he also warns that Japan may develop nuclear weapons, and that this would trigger a regional arms race. Both South Korea and Japan are non-nuclear weapon state parties to the NPT.

June 5 2003 [O, C, B] The Washington Post claims that some CIA analysts felt pressured by visits from Vice President Dick Cheney and members of his staff to produce intelligence on Iraqi WMD programs that would support the Bush administration's claim that pre-emptive action against Iraq was necessary. Other CIA analysts say they felt no such pressure, while still others claim to have welcomed the visits.

June 7 2003 [N] IAEA inspectors return to Iraq for the first time since the U.S.-led war against that country began. The inspectors tour the Iraqi nuclear facility at al-Tuwaitha, where tons of uranium and radioactive sources had been stored before the war. The stated objective of the seven-member team is to verify Iraqi compliance with its safeguards agreement with the IAEA. A secondary objective, however, is to determine the extent of the looting at the facility after the collapse of the regime of Saddam Hussein and the desertion of Iraqi guards stationed to guard the facility.

June 7 2003 [N] In a summit in Tokyo, South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi declare that their two countries will cooperate with the United States to seek a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear standoff. The joint statement released does not call for tougher measures against North Korea, reflecting President Roh's opposition to sanctions or military action against the north.

June 9 2003 [B] The FBI begins draining a lake in rural Maryland as part of the investigation into the anthrax attacks of October 2001. Investigators had found equipment at the lake that may have been used by the perpetrator of the attacks, although tests for anthrax at the time had been inconclusive. Draining the lake, however, does not reveal any new clues in the case.

June 9 2003 [N] In a statement released by the Korean Central News Agency, North Korea announces that it is seeking a nuclear deterrent against what it perceives as a hostile policy of the United States. North Korea claims that such a deterrent could deter a nuclear attack from the United States, while allowing it to reduce its conventional armed forces to divert funds to social programs. The announcement is the first time North Korea has publicly admitted it is developing nuclear weapons.

June 10 2003 [M, N] Japanese authorities seize a North Korean freighter in the Japanese port city of Niigata. The move is the first Japanese operation of a new global strategy to interdict shipments of WMD materials and technologies. The ship is believed to have been used for transporting missile technology from Japan to North Korea. It is also suspected of shipping narcotics and counterfeit money, which may fund North Korea's WMD programs.

June 10 2003 [C, B, O] In an interview with the London Guardian, Chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix accuses the Bush administration of "leaning" on inspectors to provide evidence that would allow the United States to gain support in the UN Security Council for an attack on Iraq.

June 11 2003 [O, N] IAEA inspectors are denied access to the Kalaye Electric Company in Tehran, Iran. Although the inspectors were granted access to the facility twice in recent months, they had indicated that this time they would be taking environmental samples to determine if Iran had added uranium to test the uranium-enrichment facility located there. The inspectors leave the country the following day.

June 12 2003 [N, B, C, M] Representatives from the United States, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Australia, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Spain meet in Madrid to begin implementation of the Proliferation Security Initiative (see May 31 entry). The group discusses ways to use or change international law to prevent and interdict the transfer of technologies for weapons of mass destruction or their delivery vehicles. The meeting is the first step of the plan proposed by President Bush on May 31 in a speech in Poland.

June 13 2003 [M] The President of Japanese engineering firm Sanshin Enterprises, Haruhito Ueda, and four other executives are arrested in Japan on charges that the firm supplied Iran's ballistic missile program with training in the use of jet mills. Since jet mills can be used in the production of solid fuel missiles, the training is a violation of Japan's export control laws, which follow the guidelines of the MTCR. The following day, the Daily Yomiuri newspaper claims that the company is also suspected of having provided jet mills to North Korea in 1994.

June 13 2003 [N] Thai police arrest a man in a Bangkok hotel parking lot after he tried to sell a container that he said contained uranium to undercover officers. Later analysis determines that the container contains a very small quantity of cesium-137, radioactive material that can be used in a "dirty bomb." The man claims to have acquired the material in Laos.

June 16 2003 [N, O] The Director General of the IAEA submits a report on Iran's nuclear program to the Board of Governors. The report maintains that Iran imported nearly two tons of natural uranium from China in 1991, but did not declare the transfer to the IAEA. The Board declares that this and other failures