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                         NUCLEAR POLICY
 
1 Bellona: Nuclear experts from around the world meet in Japan to disc
2 RIA Novosti: Iranian nuclear facilities' inspection at a record high
3 Hankyoreh: Editorial] US-Korea Summit Should Produce Hope 
4 Guardian Unlimited: Bush Urges China to Push N. Korea on Nukes
5 Guardian Unlimited: Restart of Nuke Talks Is Only First Step
6 Korea: Digital Chosunilbo: Inter-Korean Ties Better Than Ever, Says 
7 INSIDE JoongAng Daily: Chinese envoy predicts revival of 6-party tal
8 INSIDE JoongAng Daily: China feels free to invest in North
9 BBC: Timeline: N Korea nuclear standoff
10 BBC: North Korean food shortages bite
11 Globe and Mail: Nuclear weapons talks to reconvene in Beijing
12 Korea Times: ABC Begins Broadcasting Live From Pyongyang 
13 Korea Times: `I Told Kim Jong-il to Improve Relations With the US' 
14 Korea Times: Korea-US Alliance 'Most Important' 
15 AU ABC: 'We have enough nuclear bombs'- N Korea. 
16 AFP: NKorea demands US recognize it as nuclear power
17 Guardian Unlimited: Prospect of N.Korea Talks Met With Caution
18 Guardian Unlimited: Restart of Nuke Talks Is Only First Step
19 US: [du-list] DOT rules against secret shipments of radioactive
20 US: Las Vegas RJ: Renewable energy-conservation measure passes 
21 US: NRC: Notice of Availability of Interim Staff Guidance Documents 
22 US: Public Citizen: Former Enron Executives Slated to Receive Taxpay
23 US: WTNH.com: Defense spending bill would pour billions into Connect
24 Guardian Unlimited: Head of IAEA Heads to Washington
25 Bellona:  Norwegian company wants to construct new power line to Rus
26 Bellona: Eight retired submarines to be transported to Severodvinsk 
27 RIA Novosti: Russia, Mexico to expand cooperation
28 RIA Novosti: Opinion &analysis - Nuclear contradictions between 
29 Canada NewsWire Group: Poll shows Ontarians want renewable energy 
30 Xinhua: US works well with ElBaradei - Rice   
31 Al Jazeera: U.S. to end ElBaradei opposition - conditionally - 
 
                         NUCLEAR REACTORS
 
32 Guardian Unlimited: Saudis Seek Relaxed Nuclear Oversight
33 US: NRC: NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessment for Dresden Nucl
34 US: APP.COM: TOPIC OF THE DAY: Nuclear plant relicensing
35 Slovak news: British Nuclear Group hopes to participate in decommiss
36 US: NRC: Nuclear Management Company, LLC, Point Beach Nuclear Plant,
37 US: NRC: In the Matter of Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, Wisc
38 US: NRC: Entergy Operations, Incorporated; Notice of Docketing of Re
39 US: NRC: Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Incorporated; Notice of
40 NEWS.com.au: Nuclear debate heats up 
41 Chronogram: Going Nuclear? - 
42   JTW News - Ukraine, Turkey Aim to Cooperate in Nuclear Power
43 Border Mail: Nuclear powered 
44 AU ABC: Nuclear energy considered as a viable alternative
45 AU ABC: Debate rages over nuclear power. 
46 AU ABC: Debate over nuclear power
 
                          NUCLEAR SECURITY
 
 
                          NUCLEAR SAFETY
 
47 [du-list] Balkan syndrome - greek troops contaminated from
48 [du-list] Possions may pass down generations - interesting
49 [du-list] Mining the   DU contaminated scrap  for recyling..
50 [du-list] Primary USUK war crime (the USUK attack) evidence
51 US: AP Wire: Protesters say adult children should benefit from nucle
52 NEWS.com.au: Depleted uranium threat 'low' |
 
                         NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE
 
53 US: Brattleboro Reformer: VY dry cask storage plan now goes to PSB
54 RGJ: Circular reasoning in Indian decisions
55 US: Bradenton Herald: 'Move these people out' of Tallevast
56 US: Sarasota Herald-Tribune: County's frustration with Lockheed show
57 The Dispatch: Duke Power starts testing of fuel made of weapons-grad
58 US: TheDenverChannel.com: Last Chance Radioactive Waste Dump Gets Pe
59 Korea Times: South Korea Reattempts to Select Nuclear Waste Site 
60 US: Resource Investor: Yellowcake Glows Hot Again as Uranium Price P
61 US: NEWS.com.au: NT nuclear dump likely
62 US: PRN: LES Prevails on All Environmental Contentions 
63 US: WMCTV.com: Community luke-warm on radioactive waste disposal
64 US: WCAX.com: Next stop for dry-cask storage plan - PSB
 
                           PEACE
 
 
                        US DEPT. OF ENERGY
 
65 Corvallis Gazette-Times: Hanford contractor may cut 350 jobs
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                         FULL NEWS STORIES
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 1 Bellona: Nuclear experts from around the world meet in Japan to discuss
Global Partnership progress
 
TOKYO—Wealthy Group of Eight (G-8) donor nations are coming up
short on financial aid pledged for Russia to dismantle its
Soviet-era nuclear and stockpiles and help other countries keep
nuclear material from falling into the hands of terrorists,
experts said at an international weapons conference held here on
Tuesday.

  Former US Senator Sam Nunn addressing the "Reviewing Global
Partnership: Its Achievements for International Security and
Cooperation" in Tokyo on Tuesday.   

  Nils Bøhmer/Bellona   

Nils Bøhmer, Charles Digges, 2005-06-08 14:48

Weapons specialists from governments and think-tanks around the
world gathered at the June 7th "Reviewing Global Partnership:
Its Achievements for International Security and Cooperation" to
evaluate progress in eliminating weapons of mass destruction and
protecting stored nuclear waste in Russia. 

Aid for these efforts was pledged by the G-8 in 2002 when it met
in Kananaskis, Canada and promised at least $20 billion over 10
years toward dismantlement projects in Russia via the so-called
Global Partnership Proramme. 

Former US Senator Sam Nunn said the pledges of $17 so far
billion fall short of the Kananaskis goal and he stressed that
only a fraction of that amount had actually been spent and that
the international community was not doing enough to meet its
commitments. He urged delegates to consider the risks of
inaction. 

``Today [...] it is possible that a small group of terrorists
could acquire nuclear weapons in one nation, launch a nuclear
attack in another nation and stagger the security and the
economy of every nation,'' said Nunn, according to the
Associated Press. 

Nunn is a Georgia democrat who in 1991 joined Indiana republican
Richard Lugar to co-authored the Nunn-Lugar, or CTR, agreement
to dispose of Russia’s nuclear arsenal. Nunn is also co-chairman
with media mogul Ted Turner of the Washington based Nuclear
Threat Initiative, a non-proliferation NGO that co-sponsored the
conference. 

Other sponsors included the Centre For Strategic and
International Studies (CSIS) and the Japanese government.

  Further Japanese Investment Could Do Much for Pacific Fleet's
Nuclear Security   
  
  A little more than 11 years ago, during the autumn of 1993,
NHK Japanese Television aired footage, recorded by Bellona's
Grigory Pasko, of a Russian Navy radioactive waste collection
vessel discharging some 1,000 tonnes of irradiated water into
the Sea of Japan. 

Japanese viewers — who have a keen collective sensitivity to
things radioactive — watched in horror as the load of low-level
liquid waste, siphoned from the reactors of Russian nuclear
submarines, was pumped directly into a stretch of fertile
fishing territory largely viewed as the nation's breadbasket. 

More shocking for viewers was that this was by no means an
isolated incident. Although the nuclear sewage dump witnessed on
television across Japan that evening was the single discharge
authorized by the Russian Navy that year, ensuing reports by
journalists and environmental organizations and information
supplied by the Russian government revealed the waste dumping
practices had been the Pacific Fleet's open policy for more than
20 years and were generally carried out as many as three times a
year. 
  
Nunn singled out Japan as one of the most tight-pursed donors,
pledging only $200 million compared to Washington's $10 billion
contribution. As yet, however, Japan is the only nation that has
taken any roll at all in dismantling submarines of the Russian
Pacific Fleet—which Nunn failed to mention, AP reported. 

Nunn went on to stress in his keynote speech to the conference
of over 100 government and NGO nuclear experts and from around
the world that the stated goal of $20 billion should be the
lower limit rather than ceiling for donations in realising
concrete projects. 

This view has been echoed several times by Nunn’s former Senate
colleague Lugar, who now chairs the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee. Nunn stressed that the G-8 efforts were a “race
between cooperation and disaster.” 

Alan Heyes from the UK Department of Trade and Industry, stated
that the UK was mainly focused on the issue of spent nuclear
fuel. 

He told the conference that and that the G-8 Global Partnership
must not end up as a “scrap metal project, where you make the
situation worse, because you focus too much on dismantlement of
the submarines.” 

Bellona’s views at the conference 
The Bellona Foundation, which sat on the panel at the Tokyo
conference, stressed the need for coordination among donor
nations and a strategic nuclear dismantlement Master Plan for
Russia. Bellona also called on delegates to bring the population
of Russia, which is most impacted by decisions made by donor
counties, to encourage public participation there. 

"Public participation in Russia is essential for the success of
the implementation of concrete projects in Russia," said
Bellona. 

Despite Nunn’s criticism of Japan’s donation pledge, Japan, has
a well-developed culture of public consultation, noted the
Bellona.
 
  Japan’s ambassador to Russia, Issei Nomura.   
  Nils Bøhmer/Bellona   

Japan’s contributions 

Unlike other nations, Japan is also less likely to make broad
pledging promises before it verifies the effectiveness of money
it has already spent. Russia and Japan also have slightly
prickly relations that have been characterized by mutual
accusations of espionage and have suffered over territorial
disputes. Such tensions have led to lack of access for experts
and hindered the process significantly. 

Japan’s ambassador to Russia, Issei Nomura, told the conference
that Japan is only now willing sign off on dismantling another
five Russian submarines after it successfully dismantled a
Russian Victor III class submarine, which was completed last
December. 

But before inking the deal on the five new subs, Japan and
Russia will have to frame a liability agreement, as Japan is not
a signatory of the 2003 Multilateral Nuclear Environmental
Programme in the Russian Federation (MNEPR) agreement, Nomura
said. He also called for more international funding to more
rapidly dismantle Russian nuclear Pacific Fleet submarines. Of
the $200m Japan has committed to the G-8 pledge, $100m is
earmarked for sub dismantling. 

Russian submarine dismantlement in the Russian Far East presents
special challenges that dismantlement efforts in Russia’s
Northwest do not. The Northwest is, by now, well covered
territory thanks to efforts by the CTR programme, Norway, and
other nations who have built a well developed infrastructure. 

The Northern Fleet subs are also concentrated in a relatively
small geographical area, whereas the Pacific Fleet’s ailing
submarines stretch along thousands of kilometres of rough
Pacific coastline. Developing an infrastructure in which these
subs could be safely towed to dismantlement points near
Vladivostok, or dismantled on sight with yet to be designed
equipment is likely to reach far an above what Japan is willing
to offer financially.

  Rosatom’s Viktor Akhunov.   
  Nils Bøhmer/Bellona   

Russia’s view 

Russia urges its G-8 partners to step up as much as possible the
allocation of aid for dismantling decommissioned nuclear
submarines, said Sergei Antipov, deputy director of Russia’s
Federal Agency for Atomic Energy (Rosatom), said at the
conference. 

“Our goal here is to draw the attention of all the signatory
nations of Global Partnership to the fact that the problem of
decommissioned submarines is no less acute in Russia’s Far East
than in western regions, while financing for the Far East is far
scantier,” Antipov said, according to ITAR-Tass Russian
newswire. 

He said an approximately equal numbers of submarines await
dismantlement in the Far East and in the west of Russia—40 in
each case. 

Moscow had amassed a Cold War-era fleet of 250 nuclear-powered
submarines, but since the 1980s, nearly 200 of them have been
removed from active duty. Moscow has promised to dismantle its
ageing fleet at ports in its Northwest and Far East and safely
dispose of their nuclear reactors by 2010. 

That will cost $4 billion to dismantle, said Antipov, but G-8
pledges have so far amounted to only half of that. 

Antipov’s colleague, Victor Akhunov, also of Rosatom, maintained
that goal of 
Russia dismantling all the obsolete nuclear submarines by 2010
could be met. Russia itself can pay for six submarine
dismantlements annually, and said international funding was
required to dismantle another four to five per year to meet this
goal. 

Antipov agreed. ``Over the next 10 to 12 years, we can't achieve
our goals without 
international help,'' he said, according to AP. 

Bøhmer reported and wrote from Tokyo. Digges contributed from
Oslo
   
  Publisher: , President: 
Information: , Technical contact: 
Telephone: +47 23 23 46 00 Telefax: +47 22 38 38 62  * P.O.Box
2141 Grunerlokka, 0505 Oslo, Norway
*****************************************************************
 2 RIA Novosti: Iranian nuclear facilities' inspection at a record high
 
TEHRAN, June 8 (RIA Novosti's Nikolai Terekhov) - The number of
IAEA inspections of Iranian nuclear installations has hit a
record high. 

"The number of inspections has totaled 1,194 man-days with the
unannounced arrival two days ago of two IAEA experts who came
for 12 days to inspect the Islamic Republic's nuclear
facilities," the Iranian radio reported on Wednesday. 

The statistics have been maintained since February 2003. 

According to the two IAEA inspectors whose names have not been
given, "the number of the inspections in Iran is unprecedented
in IAEA's history". 

Under the additional protocol to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), signed by the
Iranian government, IAEA is entitled to inspections without
prior notification. 

Iran ranks first in terms of the nuclear installation
inspections conducted by IAEA over almost three years. There has
been no proof unearthed that Iran's current nuclear programs
have a military spin-off. 

Meanwhile, the United States keeps on alleging that Iran is
intent on developing a nuclear bomb. 

© 2005 "RIA Novosti"   
*****************************************************************
 3 Hankyoreh: Editorial] US-Korea Summit Should Produce Hope 

Updated : Jun.09.2005 02:27 KST

Today president Roh Moo Hyun leaves for Washington D.C. for a 
summit with US president George W. Bush. The government says it 
has prepared for this coming summit more thoroughly than ever 
before. That means that it thinks the meeting that much more 
important, but it also means that the two countries have that 
much more between them in need of fine tuning. Meanwhile you can 
clearly see that high-ranking government officials are trying to 
keep from having the country have high expectations. It would 
seem that can be interpreted as meaning that there is not much on 
the table. 

Of the key items on the agenda, the North Korean nuclear issue
and the US-Korea alliance, it is the nuclear issue of which is
of the most interest, because the North's attitude will very
likely change according to what Roh and Bush have to say. The
North's mission to the United Nations met the other day with US
State Department officials and expressed Pyongyang's desire to
return to the six-party talks but did not specify a date,
evidence that it is very much conscious of the summit. That is
natural for the North with its misgivings about US policy
towards it. Therefore, even if the talks do not produce new
incentives for the North there still must be a "strong message"
that can encourage it to return to the six-party format. If work
of that nature is lacking and all the summit meeting does is
simply discuss measures for dealing with the North's nuclear
program the results could make the situation even worse. 

As for the US-Korea alliance, there have been various issues,
but the government says those have been largely dealt with at
the working-group level. It is fortunate that the alliance is a
reality that neither side can deny. But avoiding even rational
discussion because of the expectation that both sides speak with
the same voice is not desirable. Particularly about the US
military's "strategic flexibility," which could significantly
alter the situation for the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia,
we need to explain our concerns in greater detail and get the
US's understanding. 

The US-Korea alliance is an alliance for peace. That goal has to
be fulfilled in the course of resolving the North Korean nuclear
issue as well. The most significant part of the upcoming
US-Korea summit is that based on a healthy alliance it finds a
way to achieve a breakthrough for resolving the nuclear issue
peacefully and diplomatically. We hope to see this meeting that
comes at a critical time produce results that mean hope for the
Korean peninsula. 

The Hankyoreh, 9 June 2005. 
Copyright 2005 Hankyoreh Plus inc.   
*****************************************************************
 4 Guardian Unlimited: Bush Urges China to Push N. Korea on Nukes
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

	Wednesday June 8, 2005 11:01 PM

AP Photo WX103 

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush suggested Wednesday that he'd
like to see China move more aggressively to push North Korea to
abandon its nuclear weapons programs and said he has a good
enough relationship with Chinese leaders to talk about any
differences. 

Six-party talks involving the two Koreas, the United States,
China, Japan and Russia - aimed at halting the North's nuclear
pursuits - have been dormant for a year. On Tuesday, the United
States said North Korea had agreed to return to the
negotiations, but there is no timetable. 

``China has been at the table,'' Bush said in an interview with
Fox News Channel's Neil Cavuto. ``Can they do more at a
different time frame than we're interested in? Perhaps. But the
relationship is such that I'm able to explain to Hu Jintao, my
counterpart, that, you know, keep the pressure on.'' 

On Social Security, the president said he couldn't ``live with
myself'' if he didn't persist in his efforts to overhaul it. His
proposal is intended to fix most of the program's long-term
financial problems by reducing the growth of government benefits
for all but the poorest retirees and would introduce individual
investment accounts as part of the program. 

``If I didn't take this on, I'd have said, `What did you go to
Washington for in the first place?'' he said. 

Also Wednesday, in a speech before the Associated Builders and
Contractors Inc., Bush dismissed polls that show lackluster
support in the public for his approach to Social Security -
particularly the private accounts idea. 

``I'm confident we can get something done. I really am,'' he
said. ``I don't care what all the naysayers say, or the people
that are so political they can't get out of their current
mind-set here in Washington.'' 

On North Korea, the Bush administration reported no new
developments Wednesday. ``We will see,'' said White House
spokesman Scott McClellan. ``They haven't given us a date.'' 

Efforts to resume the talks gained urgency in February when the
North claimed it already had nuclear weapons. It has since
announced it has removed fuel rods from a nuclear reactor, a
step toward extracting weapons-grade plutonium. 

Bush sidestepped a question about the flap with China sparked
when Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, while in Asia,
criticized the communist nation for sharply increasing spending
on a military buildup despite the absence of a threat from
another country. 

``It is a complex relationship,'' said Bush, who then vacillated
on whether he trusts China. 

``So far, I do,'' he said. ``We'll see. ... Time will tell.'' 

The president said his administration is working to make sure
that neither Taiwan nor China ``provokes the other through
unilateral action'' but expressed confidence that ``time will
heal this issue.'' 

China has said it will attack Taiwan if the self-governing
island tries to declare formal independence. Beijing views
Taiwan as a renegade province that must be reabsorbed by the
mainland. 

--- 

On the Net: 

White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov 

CIA Factbook on China: http://www.cia.gov/cia/pubTRY3:CHN;
UNTOP:142; UN2ND:030; APGROUP:Asia;) 

(COUNTRY:Japan; ISOCOUNTRY3:JPN; UNTOP:142; UN2ND:030;
APGROUP:Asia;) 

(COUNTRY:North Korea; ISOCOUNTRY3:PRK; UNTOP:142; UN2ND:030;
APGROUP:Asia;) 

(COUNTRY:Russia; ISOCOUNTRY3:RUS; UNTOP:150; UN2ND:151;
APGROUP:Europe;) 

(COUNTRY:Taiwan; ISOCOUNTRY3:TWN;) 

(COUNTRY:United States; ISOCOUNTRY3:USA; UNTOP:021;
APGROUP:NorthAmerica;) 

      Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
*****************************************************************
 5 Guardian Unlimited: Restart of Nuke Talks Is Only First Step
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 
 	 
	Wednesday June 8, 2005 8:46 AM

AP Photo WX120 

By BARRY SCHWEID 

AP Diplomatic Writer 

WASHINGTON (AP) - Getting North Korea to say yet again it will
return to negotiations on its nuclear weapons program is only
the first step on a long road that will test the Bush
administration's Asian alliances and its influence with China. 

So far, North Korea simply has informed American diplomats that
it would return to the negotiating table after a yearlong
breakoff. No date was set, and North Korea's record is a spotty
one. 

``The North Koreans said they would return but did not give us a
time,'' State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Tuesday
in reporting the outcome of talks Monday at the North Koreans'
U.N. mission in New York. 

In a statement Wednesday, North Korea mentioned the meetings
with U.S. officials but didn't give any indication of its
imminent return to the negotiating table. 

The North said a resumption of the disarmament talks ``was
entirely dependent on how the United States accepts our demand
for creating right conditions and environment,'' according to
the statement carried by the North's official Korean Central
News Agency. 

Last year, North Korea also promised to reopen talks in
September, but stayed away, hurling invective at the Bush
administration and refusing to bargain again with the United
States and its four partners, China, South Korea, Japan and
Russia. 

In January, Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., said after leading a
congressional delegation to Pyongyang that North Korea appeared
ready to negotiate ``in a matter of weeks.'' 

It never happened. 

``First things first,'' Mitchell Reiss, the State Department's
policy planning director in the first Bush administration, said
Tuesday. ``The North Koreans have to come back to the table and
they have to stay, and they have to negotiate seriously.'' 

But Reiss, now provost at William &Mary College, pointed out in
a telephone interview that the United States had work to do, as
well - spelling out what North Korea could expect in return if
it halted its nuclear weapons program. 

At the last round of talks, in Beijing last June, U.S.
negotiator James Kelly floated the prospect of a U.S. pledge not
to attack North Korea, along with economic incentives to the
hard-pressed regime. 

``We have to flesh it out,'' Reiss said. 

The former senior official said he was very skeptical of success
but that the United States must make a reasonably serious
attempt to reach an agreement with Pyongyang. ``This deals with
managing our alliances with South Korea and Japan and also being
seen in Asia as willing and able to address a core national
security issue.'' 

Clearly, the Bush administration is looking for help, and China
is its target. 

Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, who now is in
charge of the negotiations, told reporters that China has a big
job to take on with the North Koreans. 

``The exercise is not just getting them to the talks,'' Hill
said. ``It is getting them to the talks with a willingness to
give up permanently their nuclear program.'' 

Hill also held over North Korea's head a threat of seeking
political and economic sanctions from the U.N. Security Council. 

``It's an option we always reserve when we feel it's
appropriate,'' he said. 

In New York, China's U.N. ambassador said six-nation talks were
likely to resume in the next few weeks in Beijing. Ambassador
Wang Guangya told reporters the talks were the best way to
resolve the nuclear standoff and said he was hopeful progress
would be made. 

South Korea reacted cautiously. 

Presidential aide Chung Woo-sung said that although the U.S.
claims were ``a good sign,'' the North ``has not set a date.'' 

``It is too early to jump to a conclusion,'' he said, adding
that the talks should resume in ``June or July, at the latest.'' 

Balbina Hwang, policy analyst on North Korea for the Heritage
Foundation, took a sobering stance in an interview Tuesday. 

``I think people are jumping the gun,'' she said. ``We have to
put this into perspective. People are running around elated. 

``Getting North Korea back to the table is not in and of itself
a success. The success is getting North Korea to agree to the
proposal'' to end its nuclear program, she said. 

``I will believe North Korea has come back to the table when
they actually come back,'' Hwang said. ``And even then I will
view that with skepticism until I see what their response to the
proposal is.'' 

Michele Flournoy, a senior Pentagon official in the Clinton
administration, agreed that ``getting them back to the table is
a critical first step.'' 

But Flournoy, senior adviser to the Center for Strategic
International Studies, said the outcome of negotiations will
depend heavily on the Bush administration ``being much more
explicit up front about the kinds of incentives they would get
if they halted their nuclear program.'' 

``Make it real, make it concrete,'' she said in an interview. 

And the main challenge for the Bush administration, Flournoy
said, ``is creating a united front with China, Japan, South
Korea and Russia so North Korea cannot exploit differences among
us.'' 
		 	 	   
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
*****************************************************************
 6 Korea: Digital Chosunilbo: Inter-Korean Ties Better Than Ever, Says PM
 
  Home> National/Politics    Updated Jun.8,2005 21:12 KST   
 
(englishnews@chosun.com ) 

  Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan said Wednesday the relationship
between the two Koreas is the most stable it has been in 50
years of national division. Asked by Grand National Party
lawmaker Park Jin in a National Assembly question and answer
session if the government was too optimistic about the nuclear
dispute, Lee said, "The inter-Korean relationship has never been
so stable; loudspeakers have been removed from the DMZ and the
number of South Koreans visiting the North has surpassed 1
million." The two Koreas had used the loudspeakers to blast
propaganda across the no-man's land. 

Lee also said no nation, including the U.S., China and Japan,
¡°has confirmed that North Korea possesses nuclear weapons¡± and
there was no reason to see the present situation as a crisis. He
added, "I think the North Korean regime should not collapse. I
don¡¯t hope for the collapse of the North Korea." 

Told by GNP lawmaker Hwang Jin-ha that the government needs to
prepare for a worst-case scenario in the nuclear dispute, Lee
lashed out saying the administration was "watching over and
managing all things in a democratic way, so that it doesn't
follow the footsteps of previous governments, which evacuated
the DMZ and rendered the government powerless, like the
putschist governments of old." Former president Chun Doo-hwan
took power in a putsch on Dec. 12, 1979, when his friend and
successor gen. Roh Tae-woo pulled his troops out of the DMZ to
help Chun seize control of the capital. 

(englishnews@chosun.com ) 

  
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 7 INSIDE JoongAng Daily: Chinese envoy predicts revival of 6-party talks
 
June 9, 2005 KST 13:54 (GMT+9\

  June 09, 2005 ¤Ñ A senior Chinese diplomat in New York said
that the six-nation talks over North Korea's nuclear arms
programs are expected to resume in a few weeks in Beijing,
though no date was mentioned. U.S. officials confirmed the
development.

 Wang Guangya, China's ambassador to the United Nations, told
journalists Tuesday that all sides have agreed the negotiations
were "the best way" to resolve the nuclear crisis on the Korean
Peninsula. The talks have been stalled for nearly a year since
the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States last
met in Beijing for the third round of talks.

 "I think it will be pretty soon, in the next few weeks," Mr.
Wang was quoted as saying by Reuters. "I understand that it will
be in Beijing."

 Diplomatic efforts to revive the talks have gained pace in
recent weeks as U.S. and North Korean officials held a series of
bilateral meetings in New York.

 A State Department spokesman said Tuesday that the U.S. special
envoy to the six-party talks, Joseph DeTrani, and James Foster,
U.S. State Department director of Korean affairs, met North
Korea's UN ambassador, Pak Gil-yon, and his deputy, Han
Song-ryol, at the North Korean mission in New York on Monday. 
The meeting was at the request of the North, and "the North
Koreans said they would return to the six-party process but did
not give us a certain time when they would return," the State
Department spokesman said.

 The White House also reported the development. "North Korea
expressed their commitment to the six-party process, but they
did not indicate a date when they would be returning to the
talks," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.

 Some U.S. and South Korean officials, however, warned against
optimism that the talks would resume.

 Christopher Hill, Washington's chief delegate to the nuclear
disarmament talks, said, "They did not give us a date. Until we
get a date and get everyone sitting at the table, we do not have
a process."

 A senior Seoul official said constructive talks were exchanged
during the recent New York contact between the United States and
North Korea, but nothing has been agreed. "We can only say that
North Korea is returning to the negotiation table after it says
a date," he said. "Pyongyang appears to confirm the U.S.
position once again in the contact, and Washington has had a
chance to state its stance once more. The ball is still in the
North Korean court."
 

by Ser Myo-ja myoja@joongang.co.kr>   
	  
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*****************************************************************
 8 INSIDE JoongAng Daily: China feels free to invest in North
 
June 9, 2005 KST 13:54 (GMT+9)                                                                         
	   	   		 	   	   		 	   	   		 	   	 	 
Authorities of a power plant being built in Wonsan, North Korea,
made a strange deal with the police bureau in Liaoning Province
of China. In return for electric generation facilities from
China, the plant would provide minerals such as zinc and gold.
The power plant authorities jumped into mine development because
they did not have enough foreign exchange.
 
North Korean companies have been delving into areas in which
they have no expertise to survive after the adoption of partial
economic liberalization on July 1, 2002. And in the process, the
markets and resources of North Korea have been quietly handed
over to Chinese capital.
 
Yanbian Tianci Industrial and Trade Co. Ltd invested 100 million
yuan, about $12 million, in Musan mine in North Korea in 2003,
producing 600,000 tons of iron ore in 2004 and 2 million tons in
2005. Chogeum Group in Shandong Province invested 220 million
yuan in Jilin Province and the Cheonghyeon copper mine in
Hyesan, Yanggang Province.
 
The investments are not limited to resources. In 2003, Zhongxu
Group in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, obtained the management
rights to Pyongyang First Department Store, the largest in North
Korea. The Chinese company wants the "dollars in the closet" in
Pyongyang, which is estimated at $300 million to $1.5 billion.
 
In 2003 and 2004, China's part in North Korea's official trade
soared from 33 percent to 48 percent, and unofficial trade
between Shinuiju and Dandong is brisk. While South Korea is
reluctant to trade with North Korea because of the nuclear
issue, the "economic Sinofication" has embraced North Korea.
 
The concerns were raised at the "2005 Korean Peninsula Peace
Process Second Network Seminar," hosted by the Institute of
Foreign Affairs and National Security last weekend. One
participant said the situation reminded him of the economic
exploitation of neighboring powers in the last days of the
Joseon Dynasty.
 
The problem is that there is no clear solution. When the United
States is keeping a watchful eye on inter-Korean exchange, Seoul
cannot pursue more active trade with the North. Yet, it is
frustrating to sit and watch China's growing influence.
 
The writer is a deputy political news editor at the JoongAng
Ilbo.
 
by Ahn Sung-kyoo askme@joongang.co.kr>
    
  2005.06.08       

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*****************************************************************
 9 BBC: Timeline: N Korea nuclear standoff
 
Last Updated: Wednesday, 8 June, 2005
 
		   		 		 		 
The BBC News website charts the build-up of tension since North 
Korea's reported disclosure of a secret nuclear weapon programme. 

3-5 October 2002: On a visit to the North Korean capital
Pyongyang, US Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly presses
the North on suspicions that it is continuing to pursue a
nuclear energy and missiles programme. 

Mr Kelly says he has evidence of a secret uranium-enriching
programme carried out in defiance of the 1994 Agreed Framework. 

Under this deal, North Korea agreed to forsake nuclear ambitions
in return for the construction of two safer light water nuclear
power reactors and oil shipments from the US. 

16 October: The US announces that North Korea admitted in their
talks to a secret nuclear arms programme. 

17 October: Initially the North appears conciliatory. Leader Kim
Jong-il says he will allow international weapons inspectors to
check that nuclear facilities are out of use. 

18 October: Five Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea 25
years before are allowed a brief visit home - but end up
staying, provoking more tension in the region. 

20 October: North-South Korea talks in Pyongyang are undermined
by the North's nuclear programme "admission". 

US Secretary of State Colin Powell says further US aid to North
Korea is now in doubt. 

The North adopts a mercurial stance, at one moment defiantly
defending its "right" to weapons development and at the next
offering to halt nuclear programmes in return for aid and the
signing of a "non-aggression" pact with the US. 

It argues that the US has not kept to its side of the Agreed
Framework, as the construction of the light water reactors - due
to be completed in 2003 - is now years behind schedule. 

14 November: US President George W Bush declares November oil
shipments to the North will be the last if the North does not
agree to put a halt to its weapons ambitions. 

18 November: Confusion clouds a statement by North Korea in
which it initially appears to acknowledge having nuclear
weapons. A key Korean phrase understood to mean the North does
have nuclear weapons could have been mistaken for the phrase
"entitled to have", Seoul says. 

27 November: The North accuses the US of deliberately
misinterpreting its contested statement, twisting an assertion
of its "right" to possess weapons into an "admission" of
possession. 

4 December: The North rejects a call to open its nuclear
facilities to inspection. 

11 December: North Korean-made Scud missiles are found aboard a
ship bound for Yemen, provoking American outrage. 

The US detains the ship, but is later forced to allow the ship
to go, conceding that neither country has broken any law. 

12 December: The North threatens to reactivate nuclear
facilities for energy generation, saying the Americans' decision
to halt oil shipments leaves it with no choice. It blames the US
for wrecking the 1994 pact. 

13 December: North asks the UN's International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) to remove seals and surveillance equipment - the
IAEA's "eyes and ears" on the North's nuclear status - from its
Yongbyon power plant. 

22 December: The North begins removing monitoring devices from
the Yongbyon plant. 

24 December: North Korea begins repairs at the Yongbyon plant. 

North-South Korea talks over reopening road and rail border
links, which have been struggling on despite the increased
tension, finally stall. 

25 December: It emerges that North Korea had begun shipping fuel
rods to the Yongbyon plant which could be used to produce
plutonium. 

26 December: The IAEA expresses concern in the light of UN
confirmation that 1,000 fuel rods have been moved to the
Yongbyon reactor. 

27 December: North Korea says it is expelling the two IAEA
nuclear inspectors from the country. It also says it is planning
to reopen a reprocessing plant, which could start producing
weapons grade plutonium within months. 

        2003 

2 January: South Korea asks China to use its influence with
North Korea to try to reduce tension over the nuclear issue, and
two days later Russia offers to press Pyongyang to abandon its
nuclear programme. 

6 January: The IAEA passes a resolution demanding that North
Korea readmit UN inspectors and abandon its secret nuclear
weapons programme "within weeks", or face possible action by the
UN Security Council. 

7 January: The US says it is "willing to talk to North Korea
about how it meets its obligations to the international
community". But it "will not provide quid pro quos to North
Korea to live up to its existing obligations". 

9 January: North Korea agrees to hold cabinet-level talks with
South Korea on 21 January. 

10 January: North Korea announces it will withdraw from the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. 

24 January: Cabinet-level talks between North and South Korea
end without making progress. South Korean President-elect Roh
Moo-hyun proposes face-to-face meeting with Kim Jong-il. 

28 January: In his annual State of the Union address, President
Bush says North Korea is "an oppressive regime [whose] people
live in fear and starvation". 

He accuses North Korea of deception over its nuclear ambitions
and says "America and the world will not be blackmailed". 

29 January: North Korea says Mr Bush's speech is an "undisguised
declaration of aggression to topple the DPRK system" and dubs
him a "shameless charlatan". 

At the same time, however, it reiterates its demand for
bilateral talks on a non-aggression pact. 

31 January: Unnamed American officials are quoted as saying that
spy satellites have tracked movement at the Yongbyon plant
throughout January, prompting fears that North Korea is trying
to reprocess plutonium for nuclear bombs. 

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer delivers a stern warning
that North Korea must not take "yet another provocative
action... intended to intimidate and blackmail the international
community". 

4 February: The United States says it is considering new
military deployments in the Pacific Ocean to back up its forces
in South Korea, as a deterrent against any North Korean
aggression, in the event that the US goes to war on Iraq. 

5 February: North Korea says it has reactivated its nuclear
facilities and their operations are now going ahead "on a normal
footing". 

6 February: North Korea warns the United States that any
decision to build up its troops in the region could lead the
North to make a pre-emptive attack on American forces. 

12 February: The IAEA finds North Korea in breach of nuclear
safeguards and refers the matter to the UN security council. 

16 February: Kim Jong-il celebrates his 61st birthday, but state
media warns North Korean citizens to be on "high alert". 

17 February: The US and South Korea announce that they will hold
joint military exercises in March.

24 February: North Korea fires a missile into the sea between
South Korea and Japan. 

25 February: Roh Moo-hyun sworn in as South Korean president. 

2 March: Four North Korean fighter jets intercept a US
reconnaissance plane in international air space and shadow it
for 22 minutes. 

10 March: North Korea fires a second missile into the sea
between South Korea and Japan in as many weeks. 

22 March: As a blistering bombing campaign pounds the Iraqi
capital, and South Korean and US forces perform military
exercises on its doorstep, a jumpy North denounces their
"confrontational posture" and calls off talks with the South. 

1 April: The US announces that "stealth" fighters sent to South
Korea for a training exercise are to stay on once the exercises
end. 

7 April: Ministerial talks between North and South Korea are
cancelled after Pyongyang fails to confirm they would take
place. 

9 April: The United Nations Security Council expresses concern
about North Korea's nuclear programme, but fails to condemn
Pyongyang for pulling out of the Nuclear Non-proliferation
Treaty. 

12 April: In a surprise move, North Korea signals it may be
ready to end its insistence on direct talks with the US,
announcing that "if the US is ready to make a bold switchover in
its Korea policy for a settlement of the nuclear issue, [North
Korea] will not stick to any particular dialogue format". 

18 April: North Korea announces that it has started reprocessing
its spent fuel rods. The statement is later amended to read that
Pyongyang has been "successfully going forward to reprocess" the
rods. 

23 April: Talks begin in Beijing between the US and North Korea,
hosted by China. The talks are led by the US Assistant Secretary
of State for East Asian affairs, James Kelly, and the deputy
director general of North Korea's American Affairs Bureau, Li
Gun. 

24 April: American officials say Pyongyang has told them that it
now has nuclear weapons, after the first direct talks for months
between the US and North Korea in Beijing end a day early. 

25 April: Talks end amid mutual recrimination, after the US says
North Korea had made its first admission that it possessed
nuclear weapons. 

28 April: US Secretary of State Colin Powell says North Korea
made an offer to US officials, during the talks in Beijing, to
scrap its nuclear programme in exchange for major concessions
from the United States. 

He does not specify what those concessions are, but reports say
that Pyongyang wants normalised relations with the US and
economic assistance. Mr Powell says Washington is studying the
offer. 

2 May: Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer expresses
concern after an official from North Korea's ruling Worker's
Party is found on board a state-owned ship accused of bringing
A$80m (US$50m) worth of heroin into Australia. 

5 May: North Korea demands the US respond to what it terms the
"bold proposal" it made during the Beijing talks. 

12 May: North Korea says it is scrapping a 1992 agreement with
the South to keep the peninsula free from nuclear weapons -
Pyongyang's last remaining international agreement on
non-proliferation. 

15 May: South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun meets US President
George W Bush in Washington for talks on how to handle North
Korea's nuclear ambitions. 

2 June: A visiting delegation of US congressmen led by Curt
Weldon says North Korean officials admitted the country had
nuclear weapons had "just about completed" reprocessing 8,000
spent fuel rods which would allow it to build more. 

9 June: North Korea says publicly that it will build a nuclear
deterrent, "unless the US gives up its hostile policy". 

13 June: South Korea's Yonhap news agency says North Korean
officials told the US on 30 June that it had completed
reprocessing the fuel rods.

18 June: North Korea says it will "put further spurs to
increasing its nuclear deterrent force for self-defence". 

9 July: South Korea's spy agency says North Korea has started
reprocessing a "small number" of the 8,000 spent nuclear fuel
rods at Yongbyon. 

1 August: North Korea agrees to six-way talks on its nuclear
programme, South Korea confirms. The US, Japan, China and Russia
will also be involved. 

27-29 August: Six-nation talks in Beijing on North Korea's
nuclear programme. The meeting fails to bridge the gap between
Washington and Pyongyang. Delegates agree to meet again. 

2 October: North Korea announces publicly it has reprocessed the
spent fuel rods. 

16 October: North Korea says it will "physically display" its
nuclear deterrent. 

30 October: North Korea agrees to resume talks on the nuclear
crisis, after saying it is prepared to consider the US offer of
a security guarantee in return for ending its nuclear programme. 

21 November: Kedo, the international consortium formed to build
'tamper-proof' nuclear power plants in North Korea, decides to
suspend the project. 

9 December: North Korea offers to "freeze" its nuclear programme
in return for a list of concessions from the US. It says that
unless Washington agrees, it will not take part in further
talks. 

The US rejects North Korea's offer. President George W Bush says
Pyongyang must dismantle the programme altogether. 

27 December: North Korea says it will take part in a new round
of six-party talks on its nuclear programme in early 2004. 


2004 2 January: South Korea confirms that the North has agreed
to allow a group of US experts, including a top nuclear
scientist, visit Yongbyon nuclear facility. 

10 January: The unofficial US team visits what the North calls
its "nuclear deterrent" facility at Yongbyon. 

22 January: US nuclear scientist Siegfried Hecker tells Congress
that the delegates visiting Yongbyon were shown what appeared to
be weapons-grade plutonium, but he did not see any evidence of a
nuclear bomb. 

3 February: North Korea reports that the next round of six-party
talks on the nuclear crisis will be held on 25 February. 

25 February: Second round of six nation talks end without
breakthrough in Beijing. 

23 May: The UN atomic agency is reported to be investigating
allegations that North Korea secretly sent uranium to Libya when
Tripoli was trying to develop nuclear weapons. 

23 June: Third round of six nation talks held in Beijing, with
the US making a new offer to allow North Korea fuel aid if it
freezes then dismantles its nuclear programmes. 

2 July: US Secretary of State Colin Powell meets the North
Korean Foreign Minister, Paek Nam-sun, in the highest-level
talks between the two countries since the crisis erupted. 

24 July: North Korea rejects US suggestions that it follow
Libya's lead and give up its nuclear ambitions, calling the US
proposal a "daydream". 

3 August: North Korea is in the process of developing a new
missile system for ships or submarines, according to a report in
Jane's Defence Weekly 

16 August: North Korea says it will not attend a working meeting
ahead of the next round of six-party talks on its controversial
nuclear programme, saying the US was "not interested in making
the dialogue fruitful". 

23 August: North Korea describes US President George W Bush as
an "imbecile" and a "tyrant that puts Hitler in the shade", in
response to comments President Bush made describing the North's
Kim Jong-il as a "tyrant". 

28 September: North Korea says it has turned plutonium from
8,000 spent fuel rods into nuclear weapons. Speaking at the UN
General Assembly, Vice Foreign Minister Choe Su-hon said the
weapons were needed for "self-defence" against "US nuclear
threat". 

2005 

14 January: North Korea says it is willing to restart stalled
talks on its nuclear programme, according to the official KCNA
news agency. The statement says North Korea "would not stand
against the US but respect and treat it as a friend unless the
latter slanders the former's system and interferes in its
internal affairs". 

19 January: Condoleezza Rice, President George W Bush's nominee
as secretary of state, identifies North Korea as one of six
"outposts of tyranny" where the US must help bring freedom. 

10 February: North Korea says it is suspending its participation
in the talks over its nuclear programme for an "indefinite
period", blaming the Bush administration's intention to
"antagonise, isolate and stifle it at any cost". The statement
also repeats North Korea's assertion to have built nuclear
weapons for self-defence. 

18 April: South Korea says North Korea has shut down its
Yongbyon reactor, a move which could allow it to extract more
fuel for nuclear weapons. 

1 May: North Korea fires a short-range missile into the Sea of
Japan, on the eve of a meeting of members of the international
Non-Proliferation Treaty. 

11 May: North Korea says it has completed extraction of spent
fuel rods from Yongbyon, as part of plans to "increase its
nuclear arsenal". 



16 May: North and South Korea hold their first talks in 10
months, with the North seeking fertiliser for its troubled
agriculture sector. 

25 May: The US suspends efforts to recover the remains of
missing US servicemen in North Korea, saying restrictions placed
on its work were too great. 

7 June:

China's envoy to the UN says he expects North Korea to rejoin
the six-nation talks "in the next few weeks". 

*****************************************************************
 10 BBC: North Korean food shortages bite
 
Last Updated: Wednesday, 8 June, 2005
 
By Sarah Buckley BBC News   

[North Korean farmers work at their rice paddies as two Koreas 
delegations meet for their second day meeting at the North Korean 
border city of Kaesong, May 17, 2005. ] Mountainous North Korea 
is difficult to farm                                                            

Food is never plentiful in North Korea, but the current situation 
has grown so bad that the country risks a return to famine, aid 
workers say. 

Food rations have been cut, economic reforms have sent prices 
soaring, and as a nuclear crisis grinds on, the country's main 
donors - the US, South Korea and Japan - have given nothing so 
far this year. 

"It is very much a crisis already... Of much bigger proportions 
than we have had in recent years," said Gerald Bourke, spokesman 
for the UN's World Food Programme [WFP]. 

North Korea struggles to feed itself due to a mixture of
geography and economic policy. 

Photographs which depict a lush, rural environment are
misleading. The country needs an average of 1m tonnes in food
aid a year. 

AVERAGE DAILY INTAKE             

An average urban dwelle gets 250g cereal from government In 
addition, can afford approx 30g maize And may forage for 
mushrooms, edible grasses, acorns etc Recommended amount is 
550-590g of blend of foods, equivalent to 2,100kcal    

"North Korea is not an agrarian country," said Kathi Zellweger, a 
frequent visitor to the country with aid organisation Caritas. It 
is mostly rugged mountain terrain, and only about 18% is arable. 

It is dependent on fertilizer and machinery to make that land
productive, both of which are expensive. 

Politics compounds topography. Agriculture in North Korea was
collectivised in the 1950s, in line with its Stalinist
philosophy of self-reliance. 

This means farmers have a low incentive to work hard, said Paul
French, a writer on North Korea. 

"If their farm produces five times as much, they don't get five
times as much food," he said. Instead, they concentrate on their
own private plots, which they use to feed themselves and to
produce food for the markets. 

Spiralling prices 

The problem with this system is that market reforms, instituted
in 2002, have sent prices soaring at a higher rate than wages.
"Who can afford this stuff in the markets?" asked Mr French. 

The answer: only the elite. Government officials, senior
managers of state enterprises, security forces, and the
leadership of the army are all unlikely to go hungry. 

But a typical urban family can now only afford to buy 4kg of
maize - the cheapest commodity - a month. 

[North Korean women gather at a stall to buy food items in 
Pyongyang, 14 February 2003. ]                                 
Market prices are too expensive for the average North Korean                                                              

The WFP estimates that an average urban North Korean's guaranteed 
diet is around 280 grams of cereals a day. However, Mr Bourke 
points out that North Koreans are very adept at foraging for wild 
food, and may also be given gifts from relatives. 

The internationally recommended minimum is 550-590 grams a day,
provided this is nutritionally balanced. But dietary balance is
difficult to achieve in North Korea, where foodstuffs such as
oil are prohibitively expensive. 

The urban diet is partly made up of a ration provided by the
government, but this has dropped from 300-250 grams of cereals
per person per day. North Korean officials have told the WFP
they expect it to slump to 200 grams a day. 

"The rural folk have already learned how to cope," said Tim
Peters, director of aid agency Helping Hands Korea. "But the
urban people are so dependent on the government for
distribution." 

As a result, foreign donations that have helped to prop North
Korea up in previous years are doubly important this year. 

If the WFP has received no aid by 1 August, it will only be
feeding 1.5 million people, down from 6.5 million in the spring. 

And there is always the risk of natural disaster. 

Floods exacerbated the extreme food shortages 10 years ago, and
North Korea's ability to cope with them "is now probably worse",
said Mr French. 

Ongoing land clearance has destroyed natural water breaks, "so
it all just comes flooding down". 

Mr Bourke was reluctant to paint a worst-case scenario. 

"I'm not in the business of predicting numbers that are going to
die," he said. "North Koreans are very tough people. They are
very accustomed to deprivation. But that doesn't take away the
urgent need for food aid." 

What might encourage donors to contribute would be a return by
North Korea to international talks on its nuclear programme,
which have been suspended for a year. 

China has suggested that these talks may resume in the next few
weeks, a development which could help stave off the worst of
North Korea's food crisis. 

		 	 		 	 	 



*****************************************************************
 11 Globe and Mail: Nuclear weapons talks to reconvene in Beijing
 	
Wednesday, June 8, 2005 Page A14		 	 		 		

Washington -- The United States said yesterday North Korea
agreed to return to six-party talks on ending its suspected
nuclear weapons programs, and China said the negotiations could
resume in Beijing within weeks. 

"I think it will be pretty soon, in the next few weeks," Wang
Guangya, Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, told
reporters. "I understand that it will be Beijing." 

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said, "The North
Koreans said they would return to the six-party process but did
not give us a time certain when they would." 

The United States and China have been struggling to lure North
Korea back to the talks, which last took place in June of 2004
and which also include South Korea, Japan and Russia. Reuters 

Globeandmail.com:
 	 		
*****************************************************************
 12 Korea Times: ABC Begins Broadcasting Live From Pyongyang 

Hankooki.com > The Korea Times > Nation   

NEW YORK (Yonhap) -- U.S. television network ABC started
broadcasting live from Pyongyang on Tuesday evening (New York
time), amid signs of eased tension between the United States and
North Korea after Pyongyang expressed its intention to return to
talks over its nuclear weapons program.

 A team from the network, led by Bob Woodruff, a senior reporter
with its New York bureau, arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday to
cover the reclusive state via satellite for the next several
days.

 Woodruff said an unidentified high-level North Korean official
expressed the North's intention to return to the six-party talks
if U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice retracts her
description of the country as an "outpost of tyranny." 

The station aired Woodruff's report as the top story of its
evening news.

 Showing live shots taken from downtown Pyongyang and farming
villages, Woodruff said there are not many cars on the streets
and that portraits of North Korea's founder Kim Il-sung are a
frequent sight in the capital.

 He also said police, rather than traffic lights, have been used
to direct traffic at intersections for the past several years
because of fuel and electric power shortages.

 The crew has reportedly filed a request for an interview with
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, but there has yet to be a
response. 

In Washington, the U.S. State Department said that North Korea
has expressed its intention to return to the six-party talks. 

Senior diplomats from North Korea's mission to the United
Nations met U.S. officials in New York earlier this week and
said the North would rejoin the stalled negotiations, but did
not set a date, it said. 

The six-party talks between the two Koreas, the U.S., China,
Japan and Russia, aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear weapons
program, have not been held since the third round in June last
year. 

06-08-2005 19:02         
  

*****************************************************************
 13 Korea Times: `I Told Kim Jong-il to Improve Relations With the US' 

Hankooki.com > The Korea Times > Nation   

Q: Will the possible referral of North Korea¡¯s nuclear program
to the U.N. Security Council be discussed in the summit? 

A: It will not be discussed. At the moment, the U.S. and
President Bush are interested in the resumption of the six-way
talks at any rate. 

Q: Do confidence relations shared by President Roh and President
Bush seem unsatisfactory? 

A: I don¡¯t consider the level of mutual confidence to be
situated at a dangerous level. I think that both sides well
understand ways of how to respect ROK-U.S. relations in their
minds. Though confidence helps the relations last, understanding
also helps the relations last. 

Both confidence and understanding can go together. It is
beneficial for both sides to maintain the alliance while
continuing cooperation. It is good not to go far in thought. 

However sincerely South Korea cooperates with the U.S., South
Korea must not agree to any cooperation. It may lead to another
bloody war between the two Koreas. No one can understand this
situation without having experienced it. 

Though the U.S. is far away off the Pacific Ocean, we are
situated here. We already suffered (a war) once. The power of
North Korea has been strengthened more than ever. Our people
cannot accept a war any more. Some people talk about preemptive
attacks. 

We need to learn a lesson from the history of communist
countries. As President Bush mentioned in 2002, nothing changed
in the former Soviet Union 50 years after it was established.
However, since the Helsinki Accords the Soviet Union had begun
opening itself and cooperating in the fields of culture and
economy, and then it collapsed overnight. It was true of China
and Vietnam. Cuba was once contained, but nothing changed in
Cuba. 

Communist nations are different from dictatorial regimes in
general. The dictatorial regimes collapse when a loophole in its
violence takes place. But in the communist countries violence
and brainwash are forced together. 

A 50-year repetition of the same words makes people a machine.
The way to deal with such communist countries is let them change
by opening them to know foreign countries and listen to outside
words, which are different from what the communist party says.
The U.S. should find a lesson from its success and failure. 

Q: The six-way talks are the best way at the moment? 

A: Whether it¡¯s six-way or 10-way talks, the most important
parties are North Korea and the U.S. Therefore, there would be
no solution unless there is a give-and-take negotiation between
Pyongyang and Washington. 

But the six-way talks are well done. If North Korea or the U.S.
proposes a reasonable and fair solution understood by the world,
which removes nuclear weapons and brings peace, the six-nation
talks will be surely supported. North Korea and the U.S. are
under checks in that sense. 

Moreover, if the negotiation is made, the implementation will be
watched by the six-party talks, and a party who fails to
implement its duty may go under investigation. So as I spoke to
former Chinese President Jiang Zemin in China last year, the
six-party talks should become a permanent organization to be
responsible for peace on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast
Asia if the multilateral talks succeed in its original goal. 

The same view also comes from the U.S. When I first ran for
president in 1971, I presented a theory, titled ``Peace
Guarantee of the Korean Peninsula by four powers.¡¯¡¯ This model
joined by the two Koreas is now called the six-way talks. It is
better for the six-way talks to be maintained. 

Q: What role should China play in the six-party talks? 

A: China is a country that saved North Korea during the Korean
War, and still maintains a quasi-alliance with North Korea.
Moreover, goods such as food come to North Korea mainly from
China. 

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il whom I met did not rely on only
one country. Kim hates the U.S. very much but he also puts much
importance on the U.S. When I met him five years ago, I told him
that only the U.S. can solve problems regarding security and
economic rebuilding, which are indispensable for maintaining
North Korea in a stable way. 

So I told him to improve relations with the U.S., then I¡¯ll
return to Seoul and talk to U.S. President Bill Clinton to build
better relations with Pyongyang. There is no other solution.
After returning to Seoul, I called Clinton. Afterward, Jo
Myong-rok, director of North Korea¡¯s General Political
Department, visited the U.S. and Madeleine Albright, U.S.
secretary of state, visited North Korea. When President Clinton
visited the Kim Dae Jung Library in Seoul, Clinton said if you
had stayed in Chong Wa Dae one more year, everything would have
been solved. 

Amid tense relations between North Korea and the U.S., the
``sunshine policy¡¯¡¯ made progress little by little without
sinking. Before the June 15 summit, only 200 people from
separated families met, but after the summit over 10,000 people
were able to meet. The number of visitors to Mt. Kumgang in
North Korea reached 1 million. 

Many things were accomplished such as the connection of the
railroad between the two Koreas and the Kaesong Industrial
Complex. If the North Korea-U.S. relations had been good, many
more achievements would have been made. The reason why
inter-Korean relations are in difficulty is mainly due to North
Korea-U.S. relations. 

The ``sunshine policy¡¯¡¯ has been successful. It never dies. It
aims for our people to deal with North Korea in a peaceful way.
North Korea considered South Korea only as an object of hatred
or a proxy for the U.S. but North Korea has changed since the
contact with us, in particular, the assistance of food and
fertilizer to North Korea. 

``Made in South Korea¡¯¡¯ is marked on the packages of food and
fertilizer. So North Koreans would think that South Koreans are
rich and they help North Koreans because they know North
Korea¡¯s poor situation well. 

North Korean people have also changed a lot. South Koreans who
just oppose anything regarding North Korea still object to
communism but they came to think that we have to help North
Koreans as the same ethnic people. Both sides are well settled. 

For the time being, the two Koreas will peacefully coexist and
then a middle class will be created in North Korea, which will
lead to change in the North. The first step is a confederation
of the two Koreas, and the early stage of that, which was
proposed by North Korea, can take place any time. 

A look at the development of inter-Korean relations shows many
changes. Such power comes from our people, particularly from the
youth. 


06-08-2005 19:02         

*****************************************************************
 14 Korea Times: Korea-US Alliance 'Most Important' 

Hankooki.com > The Korea Times > Nation   

Former President Kim Dae-jung flew to Pyongyang five years ago
to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in a summit for the
first time in 55 years after the division of the Korean
Peninsula. On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the
historic inter-Korean summit in 2000, The Korea Times met Kim,
now retired and continuing his study of reunification issues, to
listen to his insights regarding the nation's security issues
including the inter-Korean relations. _ ED.

 By Ryu Jin &Yoon Won-sup
 Staff Reporters

  
Former President Kim Dae-jung, right, shakes hands with North
Korean Leader Kim Jong-il at an airport in Pyongyang, North
Korea, ahead of the historic inter-Korean summit on June 13,
2000   

Former President Kim Dae-jung said the nation's diplomacy has
three important pillars _ a strong alliance with the United
States, close trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan and
the six-party talks. But he stressed the most important is the
South Korea-U.S. alliance.

 In an interview with The Korea Times and its sister paper, the
Hankook Ilbo, he said the standoff between North Korea and the
U.S. is the most worrisome problem facing the future of the
Korean people.

 Without an improvement in U.S.-North Korea relations, there can
be no major positive development in the inter-Korean
relationship, he said. He urged Pyongyang and Washington to
engage in sincere negotiations to overcome a lack of trust.

 He said that despite a lack of mutual trust, North Korea and
the U.S. could find a mutually beneficial solution through
give-and-take negotiations, whereby the North could get a
security guarantee and economic aid simultaneously in return for
dismantlement of its nuclear program.

 In the one-hour interview, Kim also voiced strong criticism
against Japan, which he said has been quickly moving to the
right in spite of strong protests from neighboring countries,
which he described earned democracy without bloodshed.

 On domestic issues, he said he believes in the power of the
people, who can correct the misdeeds of politicians and other
national leaders, as well as the government, because they have
achieved a remarkable level of democracy through decades of
struggle.

 Q: Many people doubt whether we should continue to support the
North. Do you think we should keep helping them?

 A: I do not believe we should define the relationship between
the two Koreas in such a hasty way. Without our continuous
efforts over the last five years, we would have been unable to
reach the current situation. 

Unlike in the past, when shots could sometimes be heard in the
inter-Korean border town of Panmunjom, the unprecedented summit
talks between the two Koreas have helped people live more
peacefully. 

Besides, the North Korean attitude has changed a lot. South
Koreans are much more positive toward North Korean issues. 

I believe we are getting closer to a sort of win-win solution,
in which both countries can continue cooperative relations and
be reunited in the end. 

As South and North Koreans share the same racial and cultural
background, they are destined to reunite. Hasty measures will
either postpone reunification or mess up the situation. We
should be patient toward the North. 

Q: What are your thoughts on the suggestion that you should
visit Pyongyang once again? 

A: One thing I'd like to remind you is that I am no longer the
president. A powerful person changes the world, not a weak one. 

The former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was able to solve nuclear
problems during his visit to Pyongyang, thanks to the full
support from the then Clinton administration. That's why I'm not
able to play a pivotal role in this case. 

Well, I think President Roh's summit with North Korean leader
Kim Jong-il is more important. He should meet Kim as soon as
possible. The joint declaration issued after the inter-Korean
summit in 2000 says problems between the two Koreas should be
solved on our own. 

It does not make sense if the leaders of the two Koreas cannot
discuss crucial issues including the North's nuclear weapons
program, which have a significant influence on the lives of
people here. 

Kim should keep his promise to come to Korea. If he cannot come
to Seoul, he should choose an alternative place to find ways to
solve ongoing problems. If the two leaders meet, it will
naturally result in additional lower-level talks. 

Q: Do you think the Roh Moo-hyun administration lacks the
technical know-how to negotiate with its North Korean
counterpart?

 A: I believe journalists know much more about that (laugh). 

Q: How would you like to evaluate the government's policies such
as the ``balancer strategy'' in East Asia and ``OPLAN 5029," a
``contingency'' plan for the two allies' combined forces to cope
with theoretical internal crises in the North? 

A: I understand the ``balancer'' theory to mean that the most
important balancer on the Korean Peninsula is the U.S. and South
Korea plays the role of a balancer between China and Japan. 

Before unveiling the theory, the government should have
explained it in detail in order to prevent any
misunderstandings. 

In my opinion, South Korea should have three different
diplomatic approaches. Among the three, the alliance between
South Korea and the U.S. should be given the top priority, which
should be followed by the mutual cooperation between South
Korea, the U.S. and Japan and six-way talks as the third. 

Q: Could you evaluate the performances of the incumbent
Participatory Government?

 A: I have confidence in the Korean people's capabilities.
That's why I am little worried even if politicians go in a wrong
direction, as the people will lead them in a right direction. 

For example, people supported the labor movement in the past
when laborers were suppressed and abused by those in power. But
people turned their backs on the labor movement when it became
more and more radical and violent. 

Another example is the failed impeachment drive against
President Roh last year. The opposition-led impeachment was
apparently against the people's will, and the opposition forces
concerned had to pay a heavy political price for their actions. 

Again, I believe in our people's power to lead politicians in
the right direction. The people gained power while overcoming
the oppression of previous authoritarian governments. 

When the ruling party last year initiated the four `reform
bills,'' including one to abolish the National Security Law,
ruling party lawmakers wanted me to publicly support their
reform drives. Then, I made it clear that it is undesirable for
a former president to speak of something affecting current
politics because I believed the people would judge on the
party's efforts on their own. 

Q: What do you think of the ongoing efforts to review the
nation's modern history?

 A: Truth must be revealed to fix a wrong view of history and
ensure the right one for our descendents. But the efforts to
shed light on that history must not be used as a method for
political retaliation. 

Right after I took office, two former presidents of
authoritarian governments _ Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo _ were
brought before the court for their past misdeeds. The thing is,
the truth must be revealed even though a sin can be forgiven. By
doing so, we can clear up the wrongdoings in our history, and
our descendents as well as our contemporaries can know the right
history. 

06-08-2005 19:07         

*****************************************************************
 15 AU ABC: 'We have enough nuclear bombs'- N Korea. 

09/06/2005. ABC News Online

"Australian Broadcasting Corporation Online">   

"The Yongbyon-1 nuclear power plant in North Korea" border="1" 
class="featurepic" /> File photo taken in May 1992 shows an 
external view of the Yongbyon-1 nuclear power plant in North 
Korea. (AFP )


 
North Korea has a stockpile of nuclear bombs and is building
more such weapons, the country's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Gye
Gwan said in an interview with a US television network. 
"I should say that we have enough nuclear bombs to defend
against a US attack," the North Korean official told ABC News
when asked how many nuclear bombs it possessed. 
Asked whether Pyongyang was building more nuclear bombs, Mr Kim
said: "yes".

 His open admission about North Korea's nuclear weapon ambitions
further clouds efforts to bring a diplomatic resolution to the
nuclear crisis gripping the Korean peninsula. 

Washington believes North Korea possesses one or two crude bombs
and may have reprocessed enough plutonium for half-a-dozen more
from spent fuel rods at its Yongbyon nuclear complex. 
North Korea also has an arsenal of missiles. It fired a
long-range missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean in
1998. 

Mr Kim, North Korea's chief negotiator in six-party talks about
its nuclear weapons program, would neither confirm or deny the
country had a missile capable of hitting the mainland United
States. 

He was also non-commital when asked about North Korea's ability
to put a nuclear warhead on its long-range missiles. 

"I want you to know that our scientists have the knowledge,
comparable to other scientists around the world," he said. 

"You can take it as you like." 

Mr Kim stressed that North Korea "don't have any intention at
all of attacking the US". 

The US State Department had no comment about the report. 

- AFP 

*****************************************************************
 16 AFP: NKorea demands US recognize it as nuclear power

Wednesday June 8, 05:55 PM 

TOKYO (AFP) - North Korea used a rare meeting with the United
States this week to demand recognition as a nuclear power, a
Japanese newspaper says, as Pyongyang set conditions to return
to talks. 

The Asahi Shimbun, quoting anonymous US and North Korean
sources, said that Washington was almost certain to reject the
demand from Pyongyang, which in February said it had a nuclear
deterrent to defend itself. 

"We want to be treated as a nuclear-possessing power," North
Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Pak Gil-Yon told the
visiting US envoys at Monday's meeting in New York, according to
the Asahi's evening edition. 

The report said Pak offered no clear guidelines on what that
treatment would mean other than to say that North Korea wanted
to be on equal nuclear standing with the United States. 

North Korea said Wednesday that it would only return to
six-nation talks on its nuclear program which have been stalled
for a year if Washington met unspecified conditions. 

"As for the resumption of the six-party talks, it entirely
depends on the US response to the DPRK's (North Korea's) call
for creating conditions and an environment for their
resumption," a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said. 

The statement came a day after the UN ambassador of China,
Pyongyang's main ally and the host of the six-nation talks,
predicted a resumption of negotiations within weeks. 

The Asahi said some in the US government believe North Korea
wants to be treated like Pakistan. 

The South Asian nation was put under US sanctions after it and
rival India tested nuclear weapons in 1998, but Islamabad is now
a frontline ally in the US-led "war on terror". 

According to the newspaper, John Lewis, a professor at Stanford
University who recently visited North Korea, found Pyongyang was
critical of six-way talks and it wanted the United States to
remove its "nuclear threat" from the Korean peninsula. 

The United States stations some 32,500 troops in South Korea and
on Tuesday finished the deployment there of 15 US F-117 stealth
bombers for four months of operations in what is seen as a
pressure tactic aimed at Pyongyang. 

   Copyright © 2005 AFP. All rights reserved. All information
*****************************************************************
 17 Guardian Unlimited: Prospect of N.Korea Talks Met With Caution
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Wednesday June 8, 2005 11:31 AM

AP Photo SEL102 

By BO-MI LIM 

Associated Press Writer 

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Officials in Asia greeted the prospect
of a resumption of talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons
programs with caution and hope on Wednesday but noted that no
date had been set. 

The United States on Tuesday said it had wooed North Korea back
to negotiations on the Koreans' nuclear weapons program, though
no timetable was set. 

North Korea brought no clarity to the issue - mentioning in a
statement Wednesday that it held meetings with U.S. officials
but giving no indication of a renewed commitment to return to
talks. 

Instead, the North again lashed out at Washington for reported
comments by a defense official - in a position later withdrawn
by top U.S. officials - that time was running out before the
United States would seek to refer Pyongyang to the United
Nations for sanctions. 

An unnamed North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman also called
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld ``an imbecile, quite
ignorant of diplomacy, dialogue and negotiation,'' according to
the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency. 

``He seems to know nothing but a war,'' the spokesman said.
``So, he'd better go to Iraq with a rifle in hand if he has
nothing to do.'' 

Japan said Wednesday it would be happy if the talks resume and
that if they do, credit should go to China for pushing ally
North Korea back toward the table - echoing comments from U.S.
officials. 

South Korean presidential aide Chung Woo-sung said that although
the news of a possible resumption in talks was ``a good sign,''
the North ``has not set a date.'' 

``It is too early to jump to a conclusion,'' he said. 

Even if the arms talks reconvene, the U.S. and North Korea
remain so deeply divided that it remains to be seen if they
could compromise, said Peter Beck, Seoul-based director of the
North East Asia Project for the International Crisis Group. 

``It's not clear to me that another round is going to accomplish
anything more than the three previous rounds,'' he said. ``I'm
not holding my breath on either side seeing the light.'' 

^--- 

Associated Press reporter Joseph Coleman contributed to this
report from Tokyo. 	 
		 	 	   
      Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
*****************************************************************
 18 Guardian Unlimited: Restart of Nuke Talks Is Only First Step
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 
 	 
Wednesday June 8, 2005 4:46 PM

AP Photo WX120 

By BARRY SCHWEID 

AP Diplomatic Writer 

WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House reacted cautiously Wednesday
toward North Korea's declaration that it is willing to return to
negotiations on its nuclear weapons program, saying it was too
early to tell if the announcement is a diplomatic breakthrough. 

``We will see,'' said Scott McClellan, the spokesman for
President Bush. ``They haven't given us a date.'' 

A return to negotiations after a yearlong breakoff would test
the Bush administration's Asian alliances and its influence with
China. 

In a statement Wednesday, North Korea mentioned the meetings
with U.S. officials but didn't give any indication of its
imminent return to the negotiating table. 

The North said a resumption of the disarmament talks ``was
entirely dependent on how the United States accepts our demand
for creating right conditions and environment,'' according to
the statement carried by the North's official Korean Central
News Agency. 

Asian and Russian officials also greeted the prospect of a
resumption of talks caution and hope, and Chinese U.N.
Ambassador Wang Guangya said in New York that the talks were
likely to resume in the next few weeks in Beijing. 

Meanwhile, ABC News reported Wednesday from the capital of
Pyongyang that a North Korean representative to the six-party
talks said the country was willing to rejoin the negotiations if
the United States toned down its rhetoric. The report by
correspondent Bob Woodruff was a rare instance in which
Pyongyang allowed a Western reporter into the country - a sign
that it may be warming to outsiders. 

Last year, North Korea promised to reopen talks in September,
but stayed away, hurling invective at the Bush administration
and refusing to bargain again with the United States and its
four partners, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia. 

In January, Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., said after leading a
congressional delegation to Pyongyang that North Korea appeared
ready to negotiate ``in a matter of weeks.'' 

It never happened. 

``First things first,'' Mitchell Reiss, the State Department's
policy planning director in the first Bush administration, said
Tuesday. ``The North Koreans have to come back to the table and
they have to stay, and they have to negotiate seriously.'' 

But Reiss, now provost at William &Mary College, pointed out in
a telephone interview that the United States had work to do, as
well - spelling out what North Korea could expect in return if
it halted its nuclear weapons program. 

At the last round of talks, in Beijing last June, U.S.
negotiator James Kelly floated the prospect of a U.S. pledge not
to attack North Korea, along with economic incentives to the
hard-pressed regime. 

``We have to flesh it out,'' Reiss said. 

The former senior official said he was very skeptical of success
but that the United States must make a reasonably serious
attempt to reach an agreement with Pyongyang. ``This deals with
managing our alliances with South Korea and Japan and also being
seen in Asia as willing and able to address a core national
security issue.'' 

Clearly, the Bush administration is looking for help, and China
is its target. 

Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, who now is in
charge of the negotiations, told reporters that China has a big
job to take on with the North Koreans. 

``The exercise is not just getting them to the talks,'' Hill
said. ``It is getting them to the talks with a willingness to
give up permanently their nuclear program.'' 

Hill also held over North Korea's head a threat of seeking
political and economic sanctions from the U.N. Security Council. 

``It's an option we always reserve when we feel it's
appropriate,'' he said. 

In New York, China's U.N. ambassador said six-nation talks were
likely to resume in the next few weeks in Beijing. Ambassador
Wang Guangya told reporters the talks were the best way to
resolve the nuclear standoff and said he was hopeful progress
would be made. 

South Korea reacted cautiously. 

Presidential aide Chung Woo-sung said that although the U.S.
claims were ``a good sign,'' the North ``has not set a date.'' 

``It is too early to jump to a conclusion,'' he said, adding
that the talks should resume in ``June or July, at the latest.'' 

Balbina Hwang, policy analyst on North Korea for the Heritage
Foundation, took a sobering stance in an interview Tuesday. 

``I think people are jumping the gun,'' she said. ``We have to
put this into perspective. People are running around elated. 

``Getting North Korea back to the table is not in and of itself
a success. The success is getting North Korea to agree to the
proposal'' to end its nuclear program, she said. 

``I will believe North Korea has come back to the table when
they actually come back,'' Hwang said. ``And even then I will
view that with skepticism until I see what their response to the
proposal is.'' 

Michele Flournoy, a senior Pentagon official in the Clinton
administration, agreed that ``getting them back to the table is
a critical first step.'' 

But Flournoy, senior adviser to the Center for Strategic
International Studies, said the outcome of negotiations will
depend heavily on the Bush administration ``being much more
explicit up front about the kinds of incentives they would get
if they halted their nuclear program.'' 

``Make it real, make it concrete,'' she said in an interview. 

And the main challenge for the Bush administration, Flournoy
said, ``is creating a united front with China, Japan, South
Korea and Russia so North Korea cannot exploit differences among
us.'' 
		 	 	   
      Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
*****************************************************************
 19 [du-list] DOT rules against secret shipments of radioactive
 
Date: Wed, 08 Jun 2005 14:29:09 -0700

 
<x-flowed>
GROUND ZERO CENTER FOR NONVIOLENT ACTION
16159 Clear Creek Road NW Poulsbo, WA  98370
phone: 360-377-2586     e-mail: info@gzcenter.org
website: www.gzcenter.org

JUNE 8, 2005--FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Department of Transportation rules against secret shipments of
radioactive munitions by the Department of Defense

Contact:    Sunny Miller (413) 773-7427 (Deerfield, Massachusetts)
                   Glen Milner (206) 365-7865 (Seattle, Washington)

The Department of Transportation (DOT) recently announced its intent to
end a special exemption, DOT-E 9649, which allows for the secret shipment
of radioactive or “depleted uranium” munitions by the Department of
Defense.

The DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (HMS)
announced plans to phase out the exemption in the next year for new
radioactive munitions and in the next two years for munitions already
manufactured before transitioning to full compliance with hazardous
materials regulations.  The special exemption was created in 1986 and has
been renewed every two years since.

The highly toxic, radioactive ammunition, also known as “depleted
uranium” or DU, has been used in recent Iraq and Afghanistan wars.  The
shipments occur on a daily basis throughout the U.S., on our highways,
railways, and waterways.

Depleted uranium munitions are a uniquely hazardous material, consisting
of a radioactive penetrator which breaks down into small particles when
burned, and an explosive charge or combustible propellant in the shell of
the cartridge.  A fire involving depleted uranium munitions would spread
radioactive material around the area of the accident.  Under the terms of
DOT-E 9649, first responders would not know they were addressing a fire
involving radioactive material.

In a May 18, 2005 Information Memorandum to the Chief of Staff, the DOT
noted that over 200 comments had been received against the renewal of the
exemption from national and local government offices, first responder
organization members, interest groups and citizens.

The comments specifically addressed: 1. the absence of hazard
communications that would aid emergency response personnel; 2. Accuracy
and completeness of the recent DOD request which falsely stated the
exemption had not been used in the previous two years; and 3. the lack of
DOD compliance with the terms of the exemption.

Sunny Miller, of Traprock Peace Center, one of the organizations opposed
to the renewal of the exemption, said, “The ruling against the Department
of Defense shows that political activists in the U.S. can educate
themselves and others on important technical issues and organize to
petition governmental agencies to enforce the law.”  Miller said, “Moms,
dads, teachers and ordinary people are speaking up about safety in our
communities.”  Glen Milner, of Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action
said, “Activists involved presented overwhelming evidence that depleted
uranium shipments, occurring daily throughout the United States, are a
hazard and a danger to the public.”  Milner added, “The DOT and
specifically, Mr. Billings and his staff of the Office of Hazardous
Materials, had the honesty and courage to require that the Department of
Defense label radioactive munitions accordingly.”

The Department of Transportation concluded the following:  1. Radiation
levels allowed by the exemption for depleted uranium munitions are
significantly higher than allowed in hazardous materials regulations
(HMR) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety regulations;
2. In some cases, transport workers can receive inappropriate radiation
exposures by being in the vicinity of the material for just 100 hours per
year. 3. The U.S. Navy has not had a required safety plan in place for a
number of years for handling radioactive munitions; and 4. The DOD has
been using DOT-E 9649 internationally, in violation of a specific
requirement that the exemption is for domestic use only, shipments in
foreign nations have been in violation of IAEA regulations.

A letter dated May 19, 2005 from Patricia Young, of the Department of the
Army, to the DOT stated, “…DOT-E 9649, (governing the shipment of DU
ammunition) is one of the few documents on which our two agencies have
not been able to reach an agreement.”  The letter continued, “We believe
that failure to renew the exemption may possibly interrupt the movement
of these critical munitions to our forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.  The
cost of our compliance with the currently exempted standards may reach as
high as $50 million; it may be cost prohibitive given our current fiscal
restraints.”

A May 20, 2005 e-mail message from the Army to the DOT suggested a
mid-July meeting between the Army and “others from the DOT to discuss
issues of importance to both groups.”

One of the results of the canceled DOT shipping exemption is that
depleted uranium munitions shipments will be required to be labeled with
both “Radioactive” and “Explosives” placards.

Organizations involved in ending the exemption for unmarked, unlabeled
radioactive ammunition will continue to ask for an immediate end of these
secret shipments.

The effort to stop the renewal of DOT-E 9649 had been initiated by four
organizations, Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, Poulsbo,
Washington; Traprock Peace Center, Deerfield, Massachusetts; Military
Toxics Project, Lewiston, Maine; and Nukewatch, Luck, Wisconsin.
Numerous other groups and individuals joined in an 18 month lobbying
campaign against the exemption which allowed shipment of radioactive
munitions without a “Radioactive” placard.  The Depleted Uranium
Munitions Action Plan first appeared on the Ground Zero Center for
Nonviolent Action website in November 2003.

Documents regarding DOT-E 9649, may be viewed on the Department of
Transportation Docket Management System website at http://dms.dot.gov. To
access DOT-E 9649 statements, go to the bottom left side of the webpage,
then link to Simple Search and
enter 18576 for the Docket Number. 279 documents are currently posted on
the website,  intended for public viewing. The DOT decision not to renew
DOT-E 9649 is document No. 276.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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 20 Las Vegas RJ: Renewable energy-conservation measure passes 
 
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
 

By JOHN G. EDWARDS
REVIEW-JOURNAL
 

The Legislature on Tuesday passed a wide-reaching energy bill
designed to encourage conservation and boost the usage of
renewable energy by the state's utilities.
 
 The bill, which was approved before the Legislature adjourned
Tuesday, is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Kenny Guinn.
 
 "It is cutting-edge legislation. There is no question," said
Jon Wellinghoff, a lobbyist for renewable energy and
conservation interests.
 
 "It was a giant step for the state of Nevada in helping
consumers manage their consumption costs and bringing an
additional infusion of capital for purposes of conservation,"
said Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, chairman of the Senate
Commerce Committee. "Anytime we can conserve, consumers' costs
drop."
 
 Assembly Bill 3 incorporates key provisions of earlier Senate
and Assembly bills. It directs the Nevada Commission on Economic
Development to approve a 50 percent property tax reduction for
up to 10 years to owners who have buildings that meet energy
conservation standards.
 
 Another part of the bill exempts renewable energy systems from
sales taxes. Installers of solar photovoltaic systems, which
convert sunlight into electricity, however, will need to obtain
licenses under the bill. 

The bill allows Nevada Power Co. and Sierra Pacific Power Co. to
get energy credits for conservation programs that can be used to
meet up to one quarter of their renewable energy requirements
under the state's renewable energy portfolio law. 

The renewable energy law, which was adopted in 2001, ordered
electric utilities to obtain increasing amounts of power from
renewable sources such as wind, solar and geothermal sources. 
The percentage gradually increased to 15 percent by 2013 under
the old law, but the new bill raises the minimum to 20 percent
by 2015.
 
 Nevada Power has failed to meet the minimum requirements for
the past two years, and Sierra Pacific Power failed to satisfy
the requirement for solar power.
 
 The bill requires the university and community college system
to offer courses about constructing "green buildings" that are
energy efficient.
 
 It also expands a solar energy demonstration program to have
more kilowatts of capacity generated at schools, public
buildings, private residences and businesses. Townsend said the
final bill combined measures from his committee with those
advocated by Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas. "It
was a pretty exciting piece to pass," Townsend said.
 
 The Assembly passed the energy bill 38-0 with four members
excused and the Senate approved it 19-0 with one member excused
and one not voting.
 
 
Copyright Las Vegas Review-Journal
*****************************************************************
 21 NRC: Notice of Availability of Interim Staff Guidance Documents for 
 
                         FR Doc E5-2919 
[Federal Register: June 8, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 109)] 
[Notices] [Page 33537-33538] From the Federal Register Online via 
GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr08jn05-137]                         
 
Fuel Cycle Facilities AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
 
ACTION: Notice of availability.
 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wilkins Smith, Project Manager, 
Technical Support Group, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and 
Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, 
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20005-0001. 
Telephone: (301) 415- 5788; fax number: (301) 415-5370; e-mail: .
 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Introduction The Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission (NRC) is preparing and issuing Interim Staff Guidance 
(ISG) documents for fuel cycle facilities. These ISG documents 
provide clarifying guidance to the NRC staff when reviewing 
licensee integrated safety analyses, license applications or 
amendment requests or other related licensing activities for fuel 
cycle facilities under Subpart H of 10 CFR Part 70. The NRC is 
soliciting public comments on one ISG Draft document (ISG-08) 
which will be considered in the final version or subsequent 
revision.
 
II. Summary The purpose of this notice is to provide the public 
an opportunity to review and comment on the Interim Staff 
Guidance document for fuel cycle facilities. Draft Interim Staff 
Guidance-08, Version 0, provides guidance to NRC staff relative 
to evaluation of natural
 
[[Page 33538]] phenomena hazards in the context of a review of a 
license application or amendment request or other licensee 
submittal under 10 CFR Part 70, Subpart H.
 
III. Further Information Documents related to this action are 
available electronically at the NRC's Electronic Reading Room at 
.
 
From this site, you can access the NRC's Agencywide Document 
Access and Management System (ADAMS), which provides text and 
image files of NRC's public documents. The ADAMS accession number 
for the document related to this notice is provided in the 
following table. If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there 
are problems in accessing the document located in ADAMS, contact 
the NRC Public Document Room (PDR) Reference staff at 
1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by e-mail to .
 
----------------------------------------------------------------- 
-------

 
ADAMS Interim Staff Guidance Accession No.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------- 
------- Interim Staff Guidance-08, Version 0.................... 
ML051470304 
----------------------------------------------------------------- 
------- This document may also be viewed electronically on the 
public computers located at the NRC's PDR, O 1 F21, One White 
Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. The PDR 
reproduction contractor will copy documents for a fee. Comments 
and questions on ISG-08 should be directed to the NRC contact 
listed below by July 8, 2005. Comments received after this date 
will be considered if it is practical to do so, but assurance of 
consideration cannot be given to comments received after this 
date. Comments should be directed to Wilkins Smith, Project 
Manager, Technical Support Group, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety 
and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, 
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20005- 0001. 
Comments can also be submitted by telephone, fax, or e-mail which 
are as follows: Telephone: (301) 415-5788; fax number: (301) 
415-5370; e-mail: .
 
Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 1st day of June, 2005.
 
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
 
Melanie A. Galloway, Chief, Technical Support Group, Division of 
Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material 
Safety and Safeguards.
 
[FR Doc. E5-2919 Filed 6-7-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

 
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 22 Public Citizen: Former Enron Executives Slated to Receive Taxpayer Handouts 
for New Project
 
Note: (June 8): Since we issued this press release, sources
associated with the Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Committee have asserted that the provision in the Senate energy
bill providing loan guarantees for a coal gasification project
in a western state was not specifically written to benefit DKRW
Energy's Medicine Bow project, but is instead aimed at aiding
another project that has not yet been publicly announced. This
as-yet secret project is said to involve three companies: Xcel
Energy, Pacificorp and Tri-State Generation & Transmission.
Because plans for this project (assuming they exist) are still
under wraps, it is impossible to verify whether the Senate
Bill's language is in fact intended to support it. 

Our press release was based on our research into publicly
announced projects. Based on that research, DKRW Energy's
Medicine Bow project was the only gasification plant we could
identify that met the description in the Senate Bill. In the
absence of other projects that satisfied the bill's criteria, it
was a logical inference that the DKRW project was the intended
beneficiary of the bill. Assuming the correctness of the
assertions that the bill is not in fact intended to benefit
DKRW, DKRW's Medicine Bow project still qualifies for the loan
guarantee, particularly since no details about the
Xcel-Pacificorp-Tri-State project are available to the public.
June 6, 2005 

Former Enron Executives Slated to Receive Taxpayer Handouts for 
New Project Senate Energy Bill Contains Provision for Hundreds of 
Millions of Dollars in Loan Guarantees for Power Project 

WASHINGTON, D.C.  Buried in the 700-plus page energy bill
currently under debate in the U.S. Senate is a provision that
provides hundreds of millions of dollars worth of federal loan
guarantees for a power project apparently to be built by four
former Enron executives. One of the former executives is Thomas
White, former head of Enrons retail and energy trading
in California during the energy crisis who later served as
President Bushs Secretary of the Army. 

Title XIV, Section 1403(c)(1)(B) of the Senate energy bill
provides federal loan guarantees for a project to produce
energy from coal & mined in the western United States using
appropriate advanced integrated gasification combined cycle
technology that minimizes and offers the potential to sequester
carbon dioxide emissions and & shall be located in a western
State at an altitude greater than 4,000 feet. 

Public Citizens investigation to find out who this loan would
benefit narrowed the answer to just one company: Houston-based
DKRW Energy. This company, named after the four Enron executives
that founded it  Jon C. Doyle, Robert C. Kelly, H. David Ramm
and White  formed a subsidiary, Medicine Bow Fuel & Power, to
develop a $2.8 billion coal gasification project in Medicine
Bow, Wyo. The DKRW facility meets all the criteria required in
the legislation: The coal will be supplied from Arch Coal mines
neighboring the power facility; it will stuff carbon dioxide
emissions into oil wells; and the facility will be located in a
western state (Wyoming) at an altitude above 4,000 feet. 

Congress should not be in the business of slipping taxpayer
subsidies into large bills to benefit individual corporations,
especially executives from a company that perpetrated one of the
greatest corporate frauds in American history, said Public
Citizen President Joan Claybrook. 

The federal loan guarantee makes taxpayers responsible for
repaying the loan if the company defaults, or if the project
ends up not being economically feasible after its construction.
The provision states that if an energy company receiving such a
loan guarantee defaults on that loan, the bank to which the loan
is owed shall have the right to demand payment of the unpaid
[loan] amount from the Secretary of Energy. Therefore,
taxpayers hold all the risk while energy companies reap all the
rewards. 

Has Congress learned nothing from the Enron bankruptcy and the
fallout from the companys fraudulent behavior? said Tyson
Slocum, research director for the energy program.   The fact
that the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is
willing to back these former Enron executives with taxpayers
money is truly unsettling. 

The committee has approved the bill, and it is scheduled for
Senate action as early as this week. Among the members of the
energy committee is Republican Craig Thomas of Wyoming. The
provision is not in the House energy bill, which has been
approved by the House. 

Public Citizen speculated that these four former Enron
executives are seeking taxpayer handouts because they have had a
difficult time attracting the necessary private capital without
the loan guarantee. White served as Secretary of the Army from
May 2001 to March 2003. Prior to that, he served as vice
chairman of one of Enrons largest divisions, Enron Energy
Services (EES). 

Under Whites tenure, EES played a major role in the California
energy crisis. In 1998, the year he became its vice chairman,
EES was Americas 61st largest energy trader. When he left, his
division was the 28th largest energy trading firm in the
country. Until March 2001, the trading operations of EES were
separate from the rest of Enrons Wholesale Energy unit 
meaning White was responsible for a huge trading operation that
played a significant role in Californias energy crisis. 

Also, under Whites direction, EES severed at least two large
retail contracts in California in January/February 2001 during
the height of the energy crisis, which Enron helped create.

Based on the evidence on hand, it appears that EES took the
power that had been obligated to serve these retail consumers
and sold it in the wholesale market, where EES could fetch
higher prices than it could by continuing to sell power at
lower, fixed rates to retail customers. This significant
wholesale trading operation, combined with Whites decision to
break retail contracts in California, made the division a major
player in Californias deregulated wholesale market. 

The energy bill also contains other giveaways to energy
corporations. Title XIV, Section 1403(c)(1)(C), provides $800
million in federal loan guarantees to a Minnesota company,
Excelsior Energy, whose executives have ties to a company that
filed for bankruptcy after amassing $9.2 billion in debt and
paid $25 million to settle allegations of energy market
manipulation. [See our November 2003 report.] 

Title XIV, Section 1403(c)(1)(D), provides loan guarantees to
Lexington, Ky.-based EnviRes to build a coal gasification
facility in East St. Louis, Ill. The total cost of the project
is $254.2 million. EnviRes is a joint venture of three
companies, including Triad Research, which in turn is operated
by Robert Addington of Addington Energy (AEI Resources), one of
the nations largest coal conglomerates. Among the members of
energy committee is Republican Jim Bunning of Kentucky. 

Since the energy bill was first drafted, it has been larded
with pork for corporate America, said Wenonah Hauter, director
of Public Citizens Critical Mass Energy and Environment
Program. If this project cant stand on its own, it shouldnt
get a taxpayer bailout. In this case, taxpayers take all the
risk but the former Enron executives will reap all the rewards. 
For information about the project, click here. 


### 

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 23 WTNH.com: Defense spending bill would pour billions into Connecticut 
programs

   June 9, 2005       

(Washington-AP, June 7, 2005 11:10 PM) _ A House appropriations
subcommittee has given initial approval to a bill that would
pour billions of dollars into Connecticut companies. 

   The Pentagon funding bill includes nearly one-point-five
billion dollars for Sikorsky Aircraft helicopters. 

   The 408 billion dollar defense bill now goes to the full
House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee for a vote. 

   It funds helicopters, jet engines and fuel cell research for
heavy-duty Army vehicles. 

   It also includes more than two-point-five billion dollars for
one Virginia Class nuclear submarine built in part by Electric
Boat in Groton. 

   The measure includes additional funding for submarine
research and for EB to continue the conversion of nuclear
submarines to carry conventional weapons. 

   The bill would give the Pentagon authority to enter into a
new multiyear contract with Stratford-based Sikorsky Aircraft
for Army and Navy helicopters. 

   UTC Power, a division of Hartford-based United Technologies,
would receive money for fuel cell research.   

2000 - 2005 WorldNow, WTNH, and Associated Press. All Rights
Reserved.
*****************************************************************
 24 Guardian Unlimited: Head of IAEA Heads to Washington
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Wednesday June 8, 2005 9:16 PM

By GEORGE JAHN 

Associated Press Writer 

VIENNA, Austria (AP) - The head of the U.N. nuclear monitoring
agency left Wednesday to make his case for reappointment in the
United States, the only nation on the body's board that has
expressed outright opposition to his bid for a third term. 

Diplomats from countries on the International Atomic Energy
Agency's board of governors said IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei
enjoyed overt or tacit support from the other 34 members heading
into a meeting next week that will decide on his candidacy. 

They spoke after ElBaradei flew to Washington to try to secure
U.S. support during talks with Secretary of State Condoleeza
Rice and other U.S. officials, including Bob Joseph, the
undersecretary of state for nuclear proliferation issues. 

Diplomats said the United States might be able to swing some
allies to its side, but they predicted it would fall short of
the 13 votes needed to block ElBaradei's reappointment. 

Both the Americans and ElBaradei would like to avoid a negative
vote, which would hurt the agency's working relations with
Washington, and diplomats said U.S. officials were looking for a
graceful way to drop their opposition and not be in a minority
on the board. 

Those considerations could set the stage for compromise, with
the Americans likely to ask ElBaradei for a tougher stance on
Iran and support on other issues, said the diplomats, who
insisted on anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss
IAEA business with journalists. 

IAEA spokesman Mark Gwozdecky said Rice invited ElBaradei ``for
a discussion on a variety of important nonproliferation
matters.'' He said ElBaradei's bid for another term would ``in
all likelihood'' be discussed, but he declined to discuss
specifics about the agenda. 

A Western diplomat familiar with ElBaradei's plans said Iran
would be discussed. 

Washington wants to increase pressure on Iran, for what it says
are clandestine efforts to build nuclear weapons in violation of
the Islamic Republic's commitments under the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty. Iranian officials deny trying to
produce atomic arms. 

At past IAEA board meetings, the United States pushed the option
of referring Iran to the U.N. Security Council for possible
sanctions. It suggested ElBaradei has been too soft on Iran for
not declaring it in violation of the nonproliferation treaty. 

A senior agency official said ElBaradei would not give into
pressure from Washington in exchange for U.S. support. 

However, several diplomats said ElBaradei might agree not to
stay on beyond a third term or endorse U.S. plans to create a
special IAEA committee to police possible nonproliferation
violations if Washington agreed to drop its opposition to his
candidacy. 

There has been no recent U.S. public comment on ElBaradei's
candidacy. But the United States would like someone in the post
who shares its view of which countries represent nuclear threats
and what to do about them. 

ElBaradei has challenged that view, particularly over Iran and
Iraq. He has refused to endorse Washington's contention that
Iran was working to make nuclear weapons and disputed U.S.
assertions that Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq had an active
atomic weapons program - both claims that remain unproven. 

Asked about North Korea, Gwozdecky, the IAEA spokesman, said the
agency supports the resumption of six-nation talks meant to
persuade North Korea to end its nuclear program. He said the
IAEA hoped the talks ``result in a settlement which allows for
the return of agency inspectors to ensure that its nuclear
activities are only for peaceful purposes.'' 

--- 

On the Net: 

International Atomic Energy Agency: http://www.iaea.org 
		 	 	   

      Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
*****************************************************************
 25 Bellona:  Norwegian company wants to construct new power line to Russia 

The energy company Varanger Kraft this summer intends to apply
for permission to construct a new power line between Norway and
Russia, BarentsObserver reported.
 

2005-06-08 16:36

Head of the company, Tor Arne Pedersen, says he believes the
power line could faciltate the production of alternative energy
in the Kola Peninsula and decrease dependence of nuclear energy.
Varanger Kraft is based in the Norwegian border town of
Kirkenes. 

According to the newspaper Sør-Varanger Avis, Norwegian regional
authorities believe the closeness to the energy-rich Russia
should result in the construction of a power line also between
northern and southern Norway.
   
  Publisher: Bellona Foundation, President: Frederic Hauge
Information: info@bellona.no, Technical contact:
webmaster@bellona.no
Telephone: +47 23 23 46 00 Telefax: +47 22 38 38 62  * P.O.Box
2141 Grunerlokka, 0505 Oslo, Norway
*****************************************************************
 26 Bellona: Eight retired submarines to be transported to Severodvinsk this summer
 
Four civil crews from Severodvinsk are preparing the submarines
for transportation at the navy base in Vidyaevo. 

2005-06-08 19:00

Total eight nuclear submarines of 671RTM (Victor-III) project
will be tugged from the Northern fleet bases to the Zvezdochka
shipyard for scrapping in July and August, Interfax reported.
Three subs located in the Ura Bay, two – in Zapadnaya Litsa, and
three – in Vidyaevo. 

The dismantling works will be sponsored by Canada, which
promised to allocate $18m for this purpose. This Canadian
initiative is the part of the one billion Canadian dollars
obligation in the frames of the Global Partnership program
adopted in 2002 at the G8 summit. The dismantling of the first
multipurpose submarine sponsored by Canada, has been already
completed. Scrapping of another two submarines is under way.
Canada pledged to allocate $100m to finance dismantling of 12
multipurpose submarines at the Zvezdochka shipyard. 

At the moment about 50 nuclear laid-up submarines are scattered
around at the Northern fleet bases waiting for dismantling, most
of them belong to the first and second generation nuclear
submarines. 
  
  Publisher: Bellona Foundation, President: Frederic Hauge
Information: info@bellona.no, Technical contact:
webmaster@bellona.no
Telephone: +47 23 23 46 00 Telefax: +47 22 38 38 62  * P.O.Box
2141 Grunerlokka, 0505 Oslo, Norway
*****************************************************************
 27 RIA Novosti: Russia, Mexico to expand cooperation
 
MEXICO CITY, JUNE 8, (RIA Novosti's Mikhail Belyat) - The mixed
Russian-Mexican inter-governmental commission for economic,
trade and science-technical cooperation held its third session
here. The commission discussed military-technical cooperation
issues for the first time. The sides agreed to examine a
proposal by Russian military experts to set up a permanent
working group for expanded military-technical cooperation.

 Expert groups also discussed various forms and methods for
expanding trade-and-economic, science-technical, transport and
other cooperation for two days.

 A concluding act and a science-technical cooperation program
for 2005-2007 were passed.

 The final document notes that the bilateral trade turnover has
doubled in 2004 . Six product categories still make up for 50 %
of this $501-million turnover.

 The commission decided to set up bilateral trade missions and
to organize trade-industrial forums, fairs and exhibitions. More
Mexican and Russian businessmen must be involved in foreign
trade. Expanded data exchanges and data access are also
essential.

 The sides intend to negotiate agreements on expanded mutual
investment and investment protection. The Russian Commerce and
Industry Chamber and the Mexican Businessmen Council plan to
sign a foreign-trade, investment and technology cooperation
agreement.

 The sides are to finalize an energy-cooperation agreement and a
peaceful use of nuclear energy agreement that will expand such
cooperation.

 The document says that the Russian Parliament should ratify, as
soon as possible, an agreement on avoiding dual taxation (that
was signed by the Governments of Mexico and Russia in June 2004,
and that was approved by the Mexican Senate last September).

 The Russian delegation was headed by Education and Science
Minister Andrei Fursenko. Secretary of Trade and Industrial
Promotion Fernando Canales Clariond headed the Mexican
delegation.
 

© 2005 "RIA Novosti"   
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 28 RIA Novosti: Opinion &analysis - Nuclear contradictions between 
Senator Nunn and Minister Ivanov

9/06/2005
 
MOSCOW (RIA Novosti military commentator Viktor Litovkin) - US
Senator Samuel Nunn has sharply criticized Russia for the
absence of information about its tactical nuclear weapons and
called on the U.S. administration to negotiate control of such
weapons with Moscow. 

In reply, Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said: "Let the
Americans withdraw their tactical nuclear weapons from Europe
and then we will discuss the issue." 

Indeed, there is no international or bilateral control of
tactical nuclear weapons. Why? 

Mikhail Gorbachev, the first and only president of the Soviet
Union, suggested discussing tactical nuclear arms control with
the U.S. Washington did not need a formal treaty. However, the
two countries agreed, on the basis of reciprocity, to make a
number of unilateral commitments on September 28, 1991 and
January 22, 1992, and on October 5, 1991 and January 29, 1992,
respectively. 

The U.S. decided to liquidate its ground-based tactical nuclear
weapons, including nuclear warheads for tactical missiles and
nuclear artillery munitions. It proclaimed readiness to remove
for centralized storage all tactical nuclear weapons, in
particular the warheads of cruise missiles of surface ships
(including aircraft carriers), strike submarines and naval
aircraft. It also committed itself to destroy a part of that
arsenal. 

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research
Institute (SIPRI), the non-strategic nuclear forces of the U.S.
consist of 1,120 systems, including 800 B61 free-fall bombs of
three modifications and 320 W80-0 warheads for the Tomahawk
cruise missiles. 

The Soviet Union (and subsequently Russia) pledged to liquidate
all nuclear warheads of ground-based tactical missiles and
nuclear artillery munitions, as well as all nuclear mines (the
U.S. does not have any). It also promised to remove from combat
units for centralized storage nuclear warheads of air-defense
missiles and to destroy half of them (the U.S. does not have
them). In addition, we pledged to remove for centralized storage
all tactical nuclear weapons of warships, multirole submarines
and naval aircraft, and to liquidate a third of that arsenal. 

Moscow later announced the liquidation of a half of its
air-launched tactical nuclear weapons. 

According to SIPRI, Russia has 3,380 non-strategic nuclear
weapons, including AS-4 Kitchen and AS-16 Kickback
air-to-surface bombs and warheads for sea-launched cruise
missiles, anti-ship missiles and torpedoes. 

Nobody can say if the SIPRI information is true and if the sides
have fulfilled their obligations. Unilateral initiatives are not
legally binding and do not envisage verification procedures. But
the tragedy with the Kursk nuclear submarine showed that the sub
had no nuclear warheads on its torpedoes or the Granit (SS-N-19
Shipwreck) cruise missiles. 

It is a fact, though, that the U.S. has a tactical nuclear
arsenal of 150 B61 free-fall bombs at its nine bases in Belgium,
Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey and Britain (including
90 bombs at the Incirlik base in Turkey close to the Russian
border). Against whom is it designed? Nuclear weapons cannot be
applied against terrorists, right? 

I can understand Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov's concern over
these bombs. They are tactical nuclear weapons for the U.S. But
they are a strategic threat to Russia because it takes a F/A-18
Hornet strike fighter, which can carry such bombs, only 15-20
minutes to fly from NATO bases to Smolensk in Central Russia. 

When Russia and the new U.S. administration discussed the
Strategic Offensive Reductions treaty, Moscow suggested
including tactical nuclear weapons in it. 

Why then did Senator Nunn, an expert on nuclear weapons, raised
the issue of intransparency of the Russian nuclear arsenals and
the danger of terrorist access to them? I see at least two
explanations for this. 

First, the Senate and the Congress are discussing the budget for
the next fiscal year (which begins in July) and the Russian
nuclear problem is a good argument for lobbying the interests of
the defense industries and the Pentagon. 

The second explanation is more serious. The Pentagon and its
chief Donald Rumsfeld want the Senate to approve allocations for
the creation of midget deep penetration nuclear bombs (the
Senate blackballed the initiative several times). The American
generals also demand the resumption of nuclear tests at the
Nevada range for the creation of warheads to the anti-missiles
of the Ballistic Missile Defense system (the U.S. did not ratify
the nuclear test ban treaty). The BMD system will not be
effective without nuclear warheads, and "Moscow's intransigence"
is a powerful argument for the doubting Thomases. 

In my opinion, Russia is ready to come to terms with the U.S. on
the issue of tactical nuclear weapons, but only if these are
honest agreements between equal partners.
 

© 2005 "RIA Novosti"   
*****************************************************************
 29 Canada NewsWire Group: Poll shows Ontarians want renewable energy 
 	
[CNW Group]                                                           
 		 	
June 9, 2005                                                                                                                                                            QUICK
 	
    Ontarians do not want more investment in dirty, dangerous and 
expensive nuclear power

    OTTAWA, June 8 /CNW Telbec/ -

    What:      Greenpeace activists flanked by mock barrels of 
radioactive waste and a banner stating Ontario wants Green Power 
- No Nukes will release a poll on Ontario's electricity choices.
               

The poll shows that the McGuinty government's push to develop 
nuclear power is at odds with the overwhelming majority of 
Ontarians who want more green power to meet the province's 
electricity needs. At the same time a plane will be circling the 
City of Toronto trailing the message McGuinty - No Nukes to 
ensure that the choice of Ontarians is not lost on the provincial 
government.

    Where:     Queen's Park, in front of the Legislature, 
Toronto, Ontario

    When:      Thursday June 9, 2005, 10:30 a.m.
 
For further information: Shawn-Patrick Stensil, Energy 
Campaigner, (English/French), (416) 597-8408 X 3013, (cell) (416) 
884-7053; Dave Martin, Energy Coordinator, (416) 597-8408 X 3050, 
(cell) (416) 627-5004; Andrew Male, Communications Coordinator, 
(cell) (416) 880-2757
 	
GREENPEACE - More on this organization                                                  
 			   				
© 2005 CNW Group Ltd.                                                                           PRIVACY &TERMS
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 30 Xinhua: US works well with ElBaradei - Rice   

  www.xinhuanet.com
    
  www.chinaview.cn 2005-06-09 06:35:41   

    WASHINGTON, June 8 (Xinhuanet)-- US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice said here on Wednesday that his country have
worked well with UN atomic agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei in the
past. 

    Speaking to reporters after talks with German Foreign
Minister Joschka Fischer, Rice said that she looked forward to
talks on the future with ElBaradei, secretary-general of the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on Thursday. 

    "We do have a long-held view that in general it is better
that there be two terms for these positions," Rice said when she
was asked about new term for UN nuclear chief. 

    "Nonetheless, we have worked well with Dr. ElBaradei in the
past. And I'm going to meet him tomorrow to discuss his vision
for what the IAEA will do in these next extremely important
years," 

    Rice did not explicitly say Washington would give up its
objection to a new term for ElBaradei. 

    It was reported Washington, which had previously voiced its
opposition to ElBaradei's running for a third term, will
possibly change the position after the meeting between Rice and
the IAEA chief. 

    ElBaradei, a former Egyptian diplomat who has headed the
IAEA since 1997, has provoked anger of Washington for
questioning US intelligence that Iraq had weapons of mass
destruction under former president Saddam Hussein. He is also at
odds with Washington over Iran's nuclear issue. Enditem   

  Copyright ©2003 Xinhua News Agency. All rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
 31 Al Jazeera: U.S. to end ElBaradei opposition - conditionally - 

Aljazeera.com      

  6/8/2005 6:15:00 PM GMT   
  
Mohamed ElBaradei looks set to be re-nominated for a third term
as IAEA chief.
  
Washington is ready to end its solitary campaign against Mohamed
ElBaradei, who is flying to Washington to discuss his bid for a
third term as head of the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA), U.S. and European officials said. 

According to diplomats Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will
offer support for ElBaradei's candidacy as director-general of
the UN nuclear watchdog agency. 

"The U.S. will support ElBaradei but it wants some things in
return," a European diplomat told a news agency, adding that the
issues involved Iran and the general fight against nuclear arms
proliferation. 

The United States had decided to drop its opposition to the
re-election of Mohamed ElBaradei as head of the IAEA, but wants
the former Egyptian diplomat to change his stance on Iran, The
Washington Post said on Wednesday. 

"We're willing to lift our objections under certain conditions,"
a U.S. official told the daily. "Namely, get tougher on Iran." 

Since none of the other 34 IAEA members backed Washington's
pursuit to oust ElBaradei it would have been difficult for the
U.S. administration to continue pressing the point. 

"He is going to win either way, and if we went in opposing him,
it would be ugly for us and for him," one official said. "So
it's in everyone's interest to use the opportunity to work
better together." 

The two officials said that in return for an unproblematic
re-election the U.S. government wants ElBaradei to be more
publicly sceptical on Iran. 

The former Egyptian diplomat who has headed the IAEA since 1997,
has said the "jury is still out" on whether Iran is secretly
developing nuclear weapons, even though IAEA inspectors have
discovered that Iran hid sensitive atomic work for almost two
decades until the agency's inspection of the Iranian program
began in 2003. 

IAEA spokesman Mark Gwozdecky confirmed that ElBaradei had been
invited to Washington but declined to give details. 

"He's been invited by Rice to discuss a number of important
non-proliferation matters that will come up at next week's
(IAEA) board of governors meeting," Gwozdecky said. 

Asked if a third term for ElBaradei and Iran's nuclear program
would be discussed, he said: "In all likelihood." 

ElBaradei is due to arrive in Washington later on Wednesday
where he is scheduled to meet Rice and Undersecretary of State
for Arms Control Robert Joseph on Thursday. 

Joseph is John Bolton's successor, President Bush's nominee for
ambassador to the United Nations and ElBaradei's most vocal U.S.
critic. 

The IAEA's begins its quarterly meeting on Monday where one of
the main items on the agenda is the issue of ElBaradei's third
term. Washington opposed the move saying heads of UN agencies
should serve no more than two terms. 

But UN diplomats insist the real reasons were ElBaradei's
refusal to accept U.S. allegations that pre-war Iraq had revived
its nuclear weapons program and his opposition to U.S. demands
that the IAEA board report Iran to the Security Council for
hiding sensitive nuclear activities from the agency. 

For months, the United States has been the only country on the
board actively opposing ElBaradei. 

Several diplomats have said that some of ElBaradei's recent
decisions were to win favour with Washington, though an IAEA
official categorically denied ElBaradei was deliberately trying
to make the Americans happy. 

"ElBaradei does not pander to any country's agenda ... and
remains impartial," the official said on condition of anonymity. 

ElBaradei informed Iran this week that the IAEA board would hear
a report on progress in the agency's two-year probe of Iran's
nuclear program next week, diplomats said. 

"Iran will not be happy about this report, but the U.S. will," a
European diplomat said.
   
   Copyright 2005 Al Jazeera Publishing Limited   
*****************************************************************
 32 Guardian Unlimited: Saudis Seek Relaxed Nuclear Oversight
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

        Wednesday June 8, 2005 11:46 PM

AP Photo DCEV105 

By ANNE GEARAN 

AP Diplomatic Writer 

WASHINGTON (AP) - Saudi Arabia is seeking to permanently lower
international scrutiny of its lone nuclear reactor, but a top
Saudi official said Wednesday the request is not a prelude to
development of nuclear weapons. 

``We have no desire to acquire any type of weapon of mass
destruction, period,'' Saudi foreign policy adviser Adel
al-Jubeir said. 

The Saudi request this spring set off alarm bells at the
International Atomic Energy Agency and within the Bush
administration, which has accused neighboring Iran of using its
civilian nuclear program as cover to develop weapons that could
be used against Israel or other U.S. allies in the Middle East. 

He also said reports, some based on U.S. intelligence, that
Saudi Arabia has sought possible nuclear weapons help from
Pakistan are ``not correct.'' 

In a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press, al-Jubeir
said relations between his nation and the Bush administration
are strong but ``the environment in which the relationship
operates ... still leaves a lot to be desired.'' 

Ordinary Saudis remain deeply distrustful of the United States
in the aftermath of the Iraq war and revelations about
mistreatment of Muslim prisoners at the Abu Graib prison in Iraq
and a range of complaints about conditions at the U.S. military
prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, al-Jubeir said. 

``Why do they hate you? They don't hate you, they just don't
like your policies,'' he said. 

Al-Jubeir, a senior adviser to the kingdom's de facto ruler
Crown Prince Abdullah, said the Saudi regime takes no umbrage at
U.S. efforts to spread democracy in the Middle East. President
Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have made
democratic expansion a centerpiece of Bush's second-term foreign
policy. 

``We believe that the idea of spreading freedom and democracy is
a noble one,'' but change must come on terms each country can
accept, al-Jubeir said. Bush understands this, al-Jubeir said. 

Despite recent moves to allow more elections, the kingdom
remains under centralized, dynastic rule. It is also a key U.S.
ally in a volatile part of the world and the world's largest oil
producer. Rice has said the United States will not give Saudi
Arabia a pass, but the administration has still been careful to
voice only general concerns about freedom and human rights in
Saudi Arabia. 

``We don't believe that change can be imposed from the outside;
it's never worked, it never will,'' al-Jubeir said. ``We believe
that encouraging countries to change is a positive if it's done
in a realistic way. Lecturing or trying to provide a one size
that fits all is counterproductive.'' 

He rejected one recent, specific U.S. criticism of Saudi Arabia.
He said he was surprised to learn last week that the United
States placed the kingdom on a short list of countries that have
not done enough to stop abuse of foreign workers. 

The State Department erroneously accused Saudi Arabia of looking
the other way at mistreatment of manual laborers and domestic
workers employed by wealthy Saudis, al-Jubeir said. 

``We prohibit the trafficking in persons,'' he said. ``It's
against our values, it's against our faith. It's unacceptable.'' 

The report is misinformed, either because the U.S. did not ask
Saudis for the right information or the Saudis did not provide
it, al-Jubeir said. He predicted the State Department will
quickly remove Saudi Arabia from the list once the Saudis
provide more information. 

On the nuclear issue, al-Jubeir said his nation's small reactor
for medical and scientific research should not require stringent
international oversight. He said the 1970s-vintage reactor is
incapable of producing components for nuclear weapons. 

The Saudis asked the U.N. atomic agency to add Saudi Arabia to a
group of more than 70 nations presumed to have limited nuclear
activities. The agreement sharply curtails the International
Atomic Energy Agency's oversight in those countries, on the
theory that the agency has bigger fish to fry. 

Born of more trusting days, the agreement is now viewed with
suspicion within the agency, after revelations of other
loopholes that have allowed prewar Iraq, Iran, Libya and other
countries to work secretly on known or suspected nuclear weapons
programs. 

The IAEA is expected to reluctantly grant the Saudi request next
week, despite suspicion on the part of some diplomats at the
IAEA that the Saudis have not been forthcoming about their
nuclear program or ambitions. 
		 	 	   

      Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
*****************************************************************
 33 NRC: NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessment for Dresden Nuclear Power Plant
 
News Release - Region III - 2005-03
 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 

Office of Public Affairs, Region III
  No. III-05-030           June 8, 2005   
  CONTACT:     Jan Strasma (630) 829-9663
 Viktoria Mitlyng (630) 829-9662     E-mail: opa3@nrc.gov  
  


The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with
representatives of Exelon Generation Company on Monday, June 13,
to discuss the agencys assessment of safety performance last
year at the Dresden Nuclear Power Plant. The plant is located
near Morris, Ill 

The meeting, which will be open to public observation, is
scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Grundy County
Administration Center, 1320 Union Street, in Morris. 

Before the meeting is adjourned, NRC staff will be available to
answer questions from the public on the safety performance of
the Dresden plant, as well as the role of the NRC in ensuring
safe plant operation. 

The NRC continually reviews the performance of the Dresden plant
and the nations other commercial nuclear power facilities, NRC
Region III Administrator James Caldwell said. This meeting will
provide an opportunity for a discussion of our annual assessment
of safety performance with the company and with local officials
and residents who live near the plant. Our goal is to explain
the NRC oversight process and make as much information as
possible available to the public regarding our regulation of
these facilities. 

The NRCs assessment concluded that the Dresden plant operated
safely during the period. The NRC uses color-coded inspection
findings and performance indicators to assess nuclear plant
performance. The colors start with green and then increase to
white, yellow or red, commensurate with the safety significance
of the issues involved. 

All of the inspection findings and performance indicators for
Dresden during the last quarter of 2004 were determined to be
green. However, there was a white performance indicator for Unit
2 during the first three quarters of 2004; and a white
performance indicator for Unit 3 during the first two quarters
of 2004. The white performance indicator for Unit 2 had to do
with the number of unplanned automatic shutdowns; the white
performance indicator for Unit 3 was related to the availability
of one of the plants emergency cooling systems. The cooling
system performance problem occurred in 2001, but the performance
indicator remained white because the measurement covers a
three-year period.. 

The NRC also identified an issue in the area of human
performance at the plant. Even though there has been some
improvement in this area since the beginning of 2004, personnel
errors in various departments continued through the last quarter
of last year. The utility has been asked to discuss its plans to
address improvements in human performance during the meeting. 

Routine inspections are performed by two NRC Resident Inspectors
assigned to the plant and by inspection specialists from the
Region III Office in Lisle, Ill., and the agencys headquarters
in Rockville, Md. Among the areas of plant operations to be
inspected this year by NRC specialists are problem
identification and resolution, fire protection, radiological
access control, and safety system design and performance. 

A letter sent from the NRC Region III Office to plant officials
addresses the performance of the plant during the period and
will serve as the basis for the meeting discussion. It is
available on the NRC web site at:
http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/dres_2004q4.pdf
[PDF Icon] . 

Current performance information for Dresden is available on the
NRCs web site at:
http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/DRES2/dres2_chart.html
and
http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/DRES3/dres3_chart.html. 
 



  


 	Last revised Wednesday, June 08, 2005 	   
*****************************************************************
 34 APP.COM: TOPIC OF THE DAY: Nuclear plant relicensing
         
Asbury Park Press Online

Published in the Asbury Park Press 06/8/05                                                 

NRC response unsatisfactory

 I would like to thank the Asbury Park Press for its May 11
editorial "Face to face with the NRC," encouraging citizens to
attend the Nuclear Regulatory Commission hearing regarding the
Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station in Lacey.

At the hearing's outset, Oyster Creek representatives had the
audacity to state that Oyster Creek has "zero" environmental
impact. In addressing the numerous deficiencies at Oyster Creek,
NRC staff advocated and defended the plant and acted as
apologists for AmerGen, the plant's owner.

Many interested parties asked the questions suggested in your
editorial, and other probing questions as well. Each of the
questions and concerns raised were either unanswered or evaded.
One representative promised to answer my questions after the
hearing. It became apparent to those in attendance that NRC
representatives were providing justification for continued
operation of the plant and its future license renewal.

Witness after witness addressed concerns regarding emergency
evacuation, the effect of aging on the oldest nuclear power
plant in the country and the inability to withstand an attack
with an airplane. NRC staff agreed that the plant has exceeded
the allowable death limits for threatened and endangered species.

Its impact on other species cannot even be quantified. The
method for calculating radiation exposure is also erroneous. NRC
representatives tactically deflected questions about emergency
access and terrorist threats.

The citizens must unite. With the help of the press and our
elected representatives, we may hopefully convince the NRC to
say "no" to the renewal of the Oyster Creek license. Although
the NRC has not yet denied a license extension for any plant, a
denial here is appropriate for the most antiquated plant in the
country.

Michele R. Donato

LAVALLETTE

 
  Copyright © 2005 Asbury Park Press. All rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
 35 Slovak news: British Nuclear Group hopes to participate in decommissioning 
Jaslovské Bohunice
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
  Slovakia's English language newspaper     

June 6 - June 12, 2005, Volume 11, Number 22   

BRITISH Nuclear Group, which specializes in dismantling and
liquidating nuclear facilities, is showing interest in the
decommissioning of nuclear power station V1 in Jaslovské
Bohunice. 

"Some quality projects will be carried out in the nuclear energy
sector in Slovakia and our company is well prepared to
participate," said Paul Hamer, director general of British
Nuclear Group Project Services, at a press conference on the
occasion of opening a regional headquarters for Central and
Eastern Europe in Prague. 

"The [new regional headquarters] is designed as a commercial,
logistic and knowledge centre for clients in the Czech Republic,
Slovakia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Russia. In the
segment of commercial activities, our company will place
emphasis in particular on decommissioning obsolete nuclear power
facilities and on safe nuclear waste handling," said managing
director Tony Eckford. 

Under pressure from the European Union in 1999, the Slovak
government approved a plan to decommission two units of the V1
nuclear power plant in Jaslovské Bohunice in 2006 and 2008
respectively.
 

Compiled by Beata Balogova from press reports

The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the
information presented in its Flash News postings. 
[6/8/2005 12:04:55 PM] 

   Copyright © 1998-2003 The Rock spol. s r.o. All rights
reserved.   
*****************************************************************
 36 NRC: Nuclear Management Company, LLC, Point Beach Nuclear Plant,
 
                         FR Doc E5-2915 
[Federal Register: June 8, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 109)] 
[Notices] [Page 33535-33536] From the Federal Register Online via 
GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr08jn05-134]                         
 
Units 1 and 2; Exemption 1.0 Background Nuclear Management 
Company, LLC (NMC, the licensee), is the holder of Facility 
Operating License Nos. DPR-24 and DPR-27 which authorizes 
operation of the Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2. The 
licenses provide, among other things, that the facility is 
subject to all rules, regulations, and orders of the U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC, the Commission) now or hereafter in 
effect.
 
The facility consists of two pressurized-water reactors (PWR) 
located in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin.
 
2.0 Request/Action Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(10 CFR) Part 50, Appendix R, ``Fire Protection Program for 
Nuclear Power Facilities Operating Prior to January 1, 1979,'' 
established fire protection (FP) requirements to satisfy 10 CFR 
50, appendix A, General Design Criterion 3, ``Fire Protection.'' 
Appendix R, Section III.G.1.a of 10 CFR Part 50 requires: ``one 
train of systems necessary to achieve and maintain hot shutdown 
from either the control room or emergency control station(s) is 
free of fire damage * * *'' By letter dated March 5, 2004, the 
licensee requested a permanent exemption from the requirements of 
10 CFR Part 50, appendix R, Section III.G.1.a for a repair 
consisting of powering a dedicated air compressor from one of two 
pre-planned 480 volt power sources using pre-staged power cords 
and connecting the air compressor to nitrogen bottle manifolds on 
one or both reactor units using a pre-staged pneumatic hose with 
quick connect fittings.
 
The licensee stated: The existing Safe Shutdown Analysis (SSA) 
for Point Beach credits a hard-piped nitrogen bottle bank to 
provide the first several hours of charging pump control air 
during hot shutdown. However, if the normal source of instrument 
air is not restored prior to depletion of this bottle bank, a 
dedicated air compressor is available to provide continued 
support for long term hot shutdown (and/or subsequent transition 
to cold shutdown) operation. This air compressor must be 
connected to a suitable power supply by means of electrical 
cables and to the charging pump backup control air manifolds by 
portable hoses.
 
3.0 Discussion Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12, the Commission may, upon 
application by any interested person or upon its own initiative, 
grant exemptions from the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50 when (1) 
the exemptions are authorized by law, will not present an undue 
risk to public health or safety, and are consistent with the 
common defense and security; and (2) when special circumstances 
are present. Section 50.12(a)(2)(ii) of 10 CFR states that 
special circumstances are present whenever ``application of the 
regulation in the particular circumstances would not serve the 
underlying purpose of the rule or is not necessary to achieve the 
underlying purpose of the rule. * * *'' 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix 
R, Section III.G.1.a requires that, ``one train of systems 
necessary to achieve and maintain hot shutdown conditions from 
either the control room or emergency control station(s) is free 
of fire damage.'' Appendix R, Section III.L.1, of 10 CFR Part 50 
requires that an alternative or dedicated shutdown capability 
shall be able to, among other things, ``(c) achieve and maintain 
hot standby conditions for a PWR; and (d) achieve cold shutdown 
conditions within 72 hours.'' NRC Inspection Report 
50-266/2003-007; 50-301/2003-007, dated February 4, 2004, 
documents a Non-Cited Violation of Appendix R, Section III.L.1.c, 
in that NMC, ``failed to ensure, without the need for 'hot 
standby repairs,' adequate
 
[[Page 33536]] control air to the speed controllers for the 
charging pumps during a postulated fire requiring an alternative 
shutdown method.'' The installed backup nitrogen gas bottle bank 
(for the charging pump speed controllers) meets the requirements 
of the regulation, with the exception that it is of limited 
capacity. This means that the hot shutdown conditions could not 
be maintained indefinitely while relying only on the installed 
bottle bank. However, the 8 to 14 hour capacity of the bottle 
banks is ample time to extinguish the fire, achieve stable plant 
conditions in hot shutdown, augment staff with personnel from the 
emergency response organization, and connect dedicated power 
cabling and hoses to the dedicated compressor using the furnished 
plugs and quick connect fittings (i.e., no tools required). 
Because the bottle banks, hoses, cables, and compressor are all 
located in areas that would not be affected by the fires of 
concern, none would be damaged. The installed backup bottle banks 
are normally isolated from the charging pump pneumatic controls 
by the bottle stop- cocks, a manual valve on the bottle manifold, 
and an in-line manual isolation valve. These valves must be 
opened to bring the backup nitrogen on line. In contrast, the 
(staged) dedicated air compressor must be connected to its power 
supply by retrieving the staged cable and hose(s) from their 
storage locations in the same fire area (Turbine Hall), laying 
them out from the compressor to the selected power supply and to 
the affected unit's backup bottle bank manifold, and then 
connecting the cable and hoses using the installed plugs and 
quick connect fittings before starting the compressor.
 
Although this activity could be considered a ``hot standby 
repair,'' connection of these undamaged components to support 
continued hot shutdown conditions within 8 hours of the 
initiating event is reasonably achievable. This can be performed 
without invoking extraordinary action and without perturbing the 
stable plant conditions. Therefore, strict application of the 
interpretation proscribing any hot standby repair is not 
necessary to achieve and maintain hot shutdown conditions while 
relying only on the operating shift personnel, without undue 
encumbrances, and without having to resort to significant time 
consuming ``repairs.'' The NRC staff concludes that application 
of Section III.G.1.a under these circumstances is not necessary 
to achieve the underlying purpose of the rule.
 
The NRC staff examined the licensee's rationale to support the 
exemption request and concluded that sufficient time (8 hours) is 
available to make the necessary connections to operate the backup 
air compressor. The NRC staff is satisfied that on-site and 
augmented response resources will be available to complete the 
repair. The appropriate equipment for this evolution is 
pre-staged. The NRC staff considered the location of the air 
compressor, the transformer, the pre-staging locations and 
routing of the electrical cables, and the pre-staging locations 
and routing of the pneumatic hoses.
 
Equipment is pre-staged such that no single fire will affect 
permanent plant equipment and the repair equipment. The repair 
steps are feasible and reliable. The actions requested, hooking 
up power cables and connecting pneumatic fittings for the air 
compressor, are repairs as commonly implemented by appendix R 
[but would not meet the requirements of] Section III.G.1.a 
(achieving and maintaining hot standby). The NRC staff agrees, 
therefore, that an exemption is appropriate to meet the 
underlying purpose of Section III.G.1.a, and that the 10 CFR 
50.12.(a)(2)(ii) criterion applicable to this request. 4.0 
Conclusion Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, 
pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12(a), the exemption is authorized by law, 
will not present an undue risk to the public health and safety, 
and is consistent with the common defense and security. Also, 
special circumstances are present. Therefore, the Commission 
hereby grants NMC an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 
Part 50, appendix R, Part III.G.1.a, for Point Beach Nuclear 
Plant, Units 1 and 2.
 
Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the Commission has determined that the 
granting of this exemption will not have a significant effect on 
the quality of the human environment (70 FR 30819).
 
This exemption is effective upon issuance.
 
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 2nd day of June, 2005.
 
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
 
Ledyard B. Marsh, Director, Division of Licensing Project 
Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
 
[FR Doc. E5-2915 Filed 6-7-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

 
*****************************************************************
 37 NRC: In the Matter of Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, Wisconsin 
 
                         FR Doc E5-2916 
[Federal Register: June 8, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 109)] 
[Notices] [Page 33537] From the Federal Register Online via GPO 
Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr08jn05-136]                         
 
Power and Light Company, and Nuclear Management Company, LLC 
(Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 1); Order Extending the 
Effectiveness of the Approval of the Transfer of License and 
Conforming Amendment Wisconsin Public Service Corporation (WPSC), 
Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), and Nuclear Management 
Company, LLC (NMC) (the licensees) are the holders of Facility 
Operating License No.
 
DPR-43, which authorizes operation of Kewaunee Nuclear Power 
Plant, Unit No. 1 (Kewaunee or the facility). The facility is 
located at the licensees' site in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin. The 
license authorizes WPSC and WPL to possess, and NMC to use and 
operate, Kewaunee.
 
By order dated June 10, 2004, the Commission approved the 
transfer of the license for Kewaunee to Dominion Energy Kewaunee, 
Inc.
 
(Dominion Energy Kewaunee). By its terms, the order of June 10, 
2004, becomes null and void if the license transfer is not 
completed by June 30, 2005, unless upon application and for good 
cause shown, the Commission extends the effectiveness of the 
approval.
 
By letter dated May 4, 2005, NMC, on behalf of itself, WPSC, and 
WPL, submitted a request to extend the effectiveness of the order 
of June 10, 2004, until December 31, 2005. According to the 
letter, Kewaunee is currently in an extended unit shutdown to 
address certain recently identified design issues. Based on the 
current asset sales agreement between the owners and Dominion 
Energy Kewaunee, the license transfer will not occur until the 
unit has been returned to full power operation. The licensee's 
present schedule for addressing the plant design issues, 
returning the unit to full power operation, and completing the 
license transfer shows that all of these items will be done 
before June 30, 2005. However, Dominion Energy Kewaunee and NMC 
consider it prudent to request an extension of the order 
approving the license transfer if unforeseen circumstances make 
an extension necessary. Therefore, NMC requests an extension of 
the order until December 31, 2005, to permit completion of the 
Kewaunee license transfer. In its May 4, 2005, letter, NMC also 
stated that no conditions under which the NRC order was granted 
have been significantly changed or detrimentally affected since 
the order was issued.
 
The NRC staff has considered the licensee's May 4, 2005, request 
and has determined that the licensee has shown good cause for 
extending the effectiveness of the order of June 10, 2004, as 
requested.
 
Accordingly, pursuant to Sections 161b, 161i, and 184 of the 
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2201(b), 
2201(i), and 2234, and 10 CFR 50.80, it is hereby ordered that 
the effectiveness of the herein described order of June 10, 2004, 
is extended such that if the subject license transfer from NMC, 
WPSC, and WPL to Dominion Energy Kewaunee referenced above is not 
completed by December 31, 2005, the order of June 10, 2004, shall 
become null and void, unless upon application and for good cause 
shown, the Commission further extends the effectiveness of the 
order.
 
This Order is effective upon issuance.
 
For further details with respect to this action, see the 
submittal dated May 4, 2005, which is available for public 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, located at 
One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), 
Rockville, Maryland, and is accessible electronically through the 
ADAMS Public Electronic Reading Room link at the NRC Web site ().
 
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 1st day of June, 2005.
 
For The Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
 
J. Dyer, Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
 
[FR Doc. E5-2916 Filed 6-7-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

 
*****************************************************************
 38 NRC: Entergy Operations, Incorporated; Notice of Docketing of Request 
 
                         FR Doc E5-2917 
[Federal Register: June 8, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 109)] 
[Notices] [Page 33533] From the Federal Register Online via GPO 
Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr08jn05-132]                         
 
for Exemption for Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1 and Unit 2 AGENCY: 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
 
ACTION: Notice of request for exemption from the requirements of 
10 CFR 72.212(a)(2) and 10 CFR 72.214.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher M. Regan, Senior 
Project Manager, Spent Fuel Project Office, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Telephone: (301) 415-1179; fax 
number: (301) 415-1179; e-mail: cmr1@nrc.gov.
 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Introduction The U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is considering a 
request dated May 23, 2005, from Entergy Operations, Inc. 
(applicant or Entergy Operations) for exemption from the 
requirements of 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2) and 10 CFR 72.214 pursuant to 
10 CFR 72.7, for the Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1 (ANO-1) and 
Unit 2 (ANO-2), facility located 6 miles west-northwest of 
Russellville, Arkansas. If granted, the exemption will authorize 
the applicant to load spent nuclear fuel in accordance with 
proposed Amendment 2 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) 1014 
granted to Holtec International (Holtec) for the HI-STORM 100 
system. This request was docketed under 10 CFR Part 72; the 
Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation Docket No. is 72-13. 
An NRC administrative review, documented in a letter to Entergy 
Operations dated June 2, 2005, found that the application 
contains sufficient information for the NRC staff to begin its 
technical review. Prior to issuance of the requested exemption, 
the Commission will have made the findings required by the Atomic 
Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's 
regulations. These findings will be documented in a Safety 
Evaluation Report. The issuance of the exemption will not be 
approved until the NRC has reviewed the application and has 
concluded that granting of the request will not be inimical to 
the common defense and security and will not constitute an 
unreasonable risk to the health and safety of the public. The NRC 
will complete an environmental assessment, in accordance with 10 
CFR part 51.
 
This action will be the subject of a subsequent notice in the 
Federal Register.
 
II. Further Information In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of NRC's 
``Rules of Practice,'' final NRC records and documents regarding 
this proposed action, including the exemption request dated May 
23, 2005, are publically available in the records component of 
NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS). 
These documents may be inspected at NRC's Public Electronic 
Reading Room at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. These 
documents may also be viewed electronically on the public 
computers located at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), O1F21, 
One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. 
The PDR reproduction contractor will copy documents for a fee. 
Persons who do not have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems 
in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, should contact the 
NRC PDR Reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or (301) 
415-4737, or by e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov. Dated at Rockville, 
Maryland, this 2nd day of June 2005.
 
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
 
Christopher M. Regan, Senior Project Manager, Spent Fuel Project 
Office, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
 
[FR Doc. E5-2917 Filed 6-7-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

 
*****************************************************************
 39 NRC: Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Incorporated; Notice of 
 
                         FR Doc E5-2918 
[Federal Register: June 8, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 109)] 
[Notices] [Page 33536-33537] From the Federal Register Online via 
GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr08jn05-135]                         
 
Docketing of Request for Exemption for the Joseph M. Farley 
Nuclear Plant, Unit 1 and Unit 2 AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission.
 
ACTION: Notice of request for exemption from the requirements of 
10 CFR 72.212(a)(2) and 10 CFR 72.214.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher M. Regan, Senior 
Project Manager, Spent Fuel Project Office, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Telephone: (301) 415-1179; fax 
number: (301) 415-1179; e-mail: .
 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Introduction The U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is considering a 
request dated May 20, 2005, from Southern Nuclear Operating 
Company, Inc. (applicant or SNC) for exemption from the 
requirements of 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2) and 10 CFR 72.214 pursuant to 
10 CFR 72.7, for the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant (FNP), Unit 1 
and Unit 2, facility located in Houston County, Alabama. If 
granted, the exemption will authorize the applicant to load spent 
nuclear fuel in accordance with proposed Amendment 2 to 
Certificate of Compliance (CoC) 1014 granted to Holtec 
International (Holtec) for the HI-STORM 100 system. This request 
was docketed under 10 CFR Part 72; the Independent Spent Fuel 
Storage Installation Docket No. is 72-42. An NRC administrative 
review, documented in a letter to SNC dated June 2, 2005, found 
that the application contains sufficient information for the NRC 
staff to begin its technical review.
 
Prior to issuance of the requested exemption, the Commission will 
have made the findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, 
as amended (the Act), and the Commission's regulations. These 
findings will be documented in a Safety Evaluation Report. The 
issuance of the exemption will not be approved until the NRC has 
reviewed the application and has concluded that granting of the 
request will not be inimical to the common defense and security 
and will not constitute an unreasonable risk to the health and 
safety of the public. The NRC will complete an environmental
 
[[Page 33537]] assessment, in accordance with 10 CFR part 51. 
This action will be the subject of a subsequent notice in the 
Federal Register.
 
II. Further Information In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of NRC's 
``Rules of Practice,'' final NRC records and documents regarding 
this proposed action, including the exemption request dated May 
20, 2005, are publically available in the records component of 
NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS). 
These documents may be inspected at NRC's Public Electronic 
Reading Room at .
 
These documents may also be viewed electronically on the public 
computers located at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), O1F21, 
One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. 
The PDR reproduction contractor will copy documents for a fee. 
Persons who do not have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems 
in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, should contact the 
NRC PDR Reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or (301) 
415-4737, or by e-mail to .
 
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 2nd day of June, 2005.
 
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
 
Christopher M. Regan, Senior Project Manager, Spent Fuel Project 
Office, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
 
[FR Doc. E5-2918 Filed 6-7-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

 
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 40 NEWS.com.au: Nuclear debate heats up 

(08-06-2005)
 
By Tara Ravens June 08, 2005                    From: AAP                                              

AUSTRALIA must embrace nuclear power if it wants to combat global 
warming and provide itself with a renewable energy source, a 
leading nuclear expert says. Ron Cameron, chief of operations for 
the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation 
(ANSTO), said the nation had to discard popular misconceptions 
about nuclear power and welcome a new debate on its use.

 "Nuclear power conjures up images that are hard to displace," Dr 
Cameron said.

 "Chernobyl (the 1986 disaster) was catastrophic for the industry 
and it significantly affected its development.

 "Perceptions of the risks and of the danger are a very real 
challenge and they are not likely to be overcome quickly."

 Nuclear energy is banned in Australia, but the issue is being 
hotly debated within government ranks as a way to meet the 
nation's rising energy needs.

 The Australian Institute of Energy today held a one-day 
symposium in Sydney - Nuclear Power for Australia: Irrelevant or 
Inevitable?

 Dr Cameron told the gathering nuclear power was cost-effective, 
safe and 'greenhouse friendly'.

 "Nuclear energy is saving around 30 per cent of carbon dioxide 
emissions in the US, which will become one of the factors that we 
need to take seriously when we consider climate change," he said.

 "Production costs have reduced and the generative costs are low 
while far more safety related accidents have occurred in other 
energy sectors."

 Dr Cameron said the tide had turned globally on nuclear energy, 
but Australia had not caught on.

 Surveys showed 82 per cent of Swedes and 67 per cent of 
Americans now favoured nuclear power as an alternative energy 
source, he said.

 The recent push to consider nuclear energy and increase 
Australia's uranium exports has come as the federal Government 
develops a post-Kyoto protocol environmental policy.

 Australia earns more than $400 million a year exporting uranium 
for power generation overseas.

 Dr Cameron said the Government should keep in mind climate 
change, the scarcity of water and Australia's increasing energy 
requirements.

 "Nuclear power is not going to be the solution to all of these 
problems but it certainly should be one of them," he said.

 Greens Senator Kerry Nettle said the conference was a 
like-minded discussion between nuclear advocates rather than a 
"real debate" on energy.

 "What they are seeking to portray as a debate is a discussion 
between a number of advocates of nuclear power," she told a 
demonstration outside the symposium.

 Ms Nettle said 10 of the 11 delegates to the conference were 
people who previously or currently worked in the nuclear 
industry.

 "The reality is if we replaced the world's fossil power stations 
with nuclear power stations tomorrow, the world would run out of 
uranium in around 10 years and we would be left with a 
catastrophic radioactive waste problem," she said.

 The Australian Institute of Energy is a collective of individual 
and corporate members with an interest and involvement in the 
Australian energy sector.                                                            

The Courier-Mail                                                                                The Advertiser                                  
Herald Sun                                                                              NT News                                                                                 The Mercury                                     
The Daily Telegraph                                                                     [Newspaper]                     Home
*****************************************************************
 41 Chronogram: Going Nuclear? - 

Jun 2005

A weekly e-newsletter from the publisher of Chronogram
containing: Up-to-date Mid-Hudson events, listings, selections
of insight for conscious living, and social & political
commentary.SubscribeUn-Subscribe
  

     [ /]     Backbone > Life in the BalanceGoing Nuclear?By
Susan PiperatoSince the first barrels of oil were drawn from
American soil 145 years ago in a now-depleted hole in
Titusville, Pennsylvania, it's been a matter of time before
supplies run out. Experts disagree on whether we are approaching
or have already reached "Peak Oil" capacitythe point at which
oil extraction reaches its highest point and then begins
declining. In any case, the window is closing on our oil
culture. 

"Humanity's way of life is on a collision course with
geologywith the stark fact that the Earth holds a finite supply
of oil," National Geographic reported in June 2004. 

We no longer need to be environmentalists to understand the need
to find alternatives to oil. But rather than embrace the
opportunity to develop clean alternative energy formssomething
environmentalists have long promotedPresident Bush has proposed
increasing the use of nuclear power as "one of the most
promising sources of energy," including rehabilitating the
country's 103 nuclear reactors and building more than 30 new
ones nationwide. 

Bush's plan follows on the heels of a 150-page report from the
National Commission on Energy Policy calling for the US to
invest billions in subsidies in reinvigorating the nuclear
industryapproved by a board that includes a Harvard professor
emeritus of environmental policy and a senior attorney for the
National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the nation's largest
environmental action organization, with over one million
members. That report was rejected by the NRDC, Greenpeace, the
Sierra Club, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, but nuclear
power is still finding favor with environmentalists. 

The most infamous pro-nuke convert is Patrick Moore, cofounder
of Greenpeace. In 1986, after 15 years fighting nuclear testing,
uranium mining, and toxic waste dumping, Moore suddenly left the
international nonprofit to become a spokesman for nuclear
energy. "Climate change is a wonderful example to demonstrate
the limitations of science," he notes on his website,
www.greenspirit.com.

In recent months, three other prominent environmentalists have
publicly defected to the pro-nuke side. James Lovelock, creator
of the Gaia Theorythat the earth's living matter functions as a
single organismcriticized the Kyoto Treaty as a cosmetic attempt
to hide the political embarrassment of global warming, in the
Independent, (5/24/04), and complained that nuclear energy isn't
popular because of "irrational fear fed by Hollywood-style
fiction, the Green lobbies, and the media." For Lovelock,
nuclear energy's risks are "minute" compared to global warming's
devastating effects: "Nearly one-third of us will die of cancer
anyway." In October, British theologian Hugh Montefiore was
dismissed as a trustee at Friends of the Earth for calling
nuclear energy the most viable alternative  to global warming.
And last month, Jonathan Lash, president of World Resources
Institute, a green think tank, launched "ecomagination," an
initiative designed in collaboration with General Electric to
accelerate development of alternative energy sources by stating:
"Global warming is the most pressing environmental problem
humankind has ever faced. I think nuclear has to be a part of
the carbon-free energy mix."

Some environmentalists say they could accept nuclear power if
certain problems within the industry were resolved: prohibiting
plants from recycling fuel; strengthening reactor facilities'
security; updating aging plants, increasing safety protocols and
improving supervision; finding a secure place, or national
interim storage system, for storing nuclear waste; using cleaner
extraction methods; and toughening regulations for uranium
mining. 

For other environmentalists, the concept of safe, clean nuclear
power remains an oxymoron. Nuclear power creates massive amounts
of hazardous radioactive waste, which must be stored somewhere, 
Julia Willebrand, cochair of the Green Party International
Committee, announced in response to the president's plans to
upgrade nuclear power. "Nobody wants to live near a nuclear
waste facility. Wherever the waste gets stored, the danger of
leakage threatens the environment, especially water tables." 
Instead, says Willebrand, we should focus on conserving more,
consuming less, and developing renewable alternative energy.

"Energy planning will always involve unknowns and trade-offs and
a mix of sources and conservation options," says Melissa
Everett, director of Sustainable Hudson Valley. She believes the
New York State Public Service Commission's Renewable Portfolio
Standard Policy, issued last September, is a hopeful sign for
the future of alternative energynot nuclear. 

The renewable portfolio policy calls for an increase in
renewable energy used in the state, from its current level of
about 19 to 25 percent by the year 2013, and utilizes a central
procurement approach that provides for increases to about 24
percent and a voluntary green market to provide one percent
minimum. New York's energy plan requires wind power to account
for 5percent of its renewable energy requirement, primarily
because Niagara Fallsalso a renewable resourcealready provides
17 percent. 

New York State's electricity is generated by means of natural
gas (29 percent), nuclear (23 percent), coal (18 percent),
hydrogen (17 percent), oil (11 percent), and biomass (2
percent). Of the 31 states with nuclear capacity, New York ranks
fourth, with six nuclear power plantsof which Indian Point,
located in Buchanan, 24 miles from New York City, ranks 67th out
of the 100 largest US power plants. Indian Point's evacuation
plan for the 20,000 people living within its 50-mile has been
judged by many as unworkable. Several citizens and environmental
groupsincluding the Westchester County Legislature and
Riverkeeperhave formed coalitions to work for its closing. But
regardless of safety issues, some believe the energy produced at
Indian Point is unnecessary. Even if Indian Point were retired,
claims Riverkeeper, New York City still would have over 13,100
megawatts of electric generating and transmission import
capacity available to meet peak demands and keep adequate system
reserves.

But James Steets, external communications manager at Entergy,
operator of Indian Point, disagrees. "Indian Point is an
important stabilizing factor, an anchor of sorts that provides
electricity for the grid," he says. The plant is safe, he says,
"because it was always regarded as a potential terrorist target,
before 9/11." Steets says that in the next 10 years nuclear
power will "play a bigger role" because it's "already been
proven safe, and the newer [reactor] designs give more
confidence." Nuclear power also has the "obvious advantages" of
being reliable without "emitting combustible toxic gasses."
Steets sees wind farms and natural gas supplementing
nuclear-produced electricity. "Coal and oil will hopefully be
diminished," he says. "Everybody wants clean air."

But nobody seems able to agree on how to get clean air and keep
life-as-we-know-it running along. "It's understandable as energy
prices rise that there would be curiosity about every possible
option," says Everett. "However, I think that the attractiveness
of nuclear energy is sharply reduced when we look at the whole
system. This is an argument environmentalists have made for the
past 30 years, but it's an argument that needs to be made until
it is heard."     [ /]     [''] [''] [''] [''] ['']   

  Copyright © 2005 Luminary Publishing, Inc.  All rights
*****************************************************************
 42   JTW News - Ukraine, Turkey Aim to Cooperate in Nuclear Power

Turkish Weekly Test

  The New Anatolian / Ankara
 
Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and his Ukrainian
counterpart Victor Yushchenko agreed yesterday to cooperate,
especially over nuclear energy and space activities.
 
Yushchenko and Sezer agreed to cooperate during their meeting at
the Cankaya Presidential Palace. Sezer welcomed his Ukrainian
counterpart with an official ceremony at the palace and an
interdelegation meeting followed their bilateral meeting.
 
"Bilateral relations between Turkey and Ukraine will be further
developed and joint activities will be carried out concerning
energy and nuclear arrangements," Sezer said, at the joint press
conference after their meeting.
 
Yushchenko, for his part, stated that an Action Plan will be
prepared towards nurturing bilateral relations between the two
countries, saying, "We aim to increase the trade volume between
our countries to $10 billion by 2010."
 
"Energy issues will be the priority of the Action Plan. Besides
these, the plan will deal with the transportation and the sale
of all energy resources, including petroleum, gas and
electricity," Yushchenko added.
 
Concerning the visa issue, Yushchenko said they discussed
current visa arrangements, adding that the Foreign Ministry will
work on the issue and will make some suggestions.
 
Describing Ukraine's visa policy as "liberal," Yushchenko said
that the necessary steps will be taken to improve the visa
regime.
 
Yushchenko also stated that Turkey might participate in the GUAM
(a coalition composed of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and
Moldova) as an observer state.
 
Stressing the importance of GUAM for Ukraine, Yushchenko said
that the coalition aims to implement energy projects in the
Black Sea and Caspian Sea regions.
 
Yushchenko also met with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan late Monday.
 
Before his meeting with Sezer, Yushchenko visited Ataturk's
mausoleum, Anitkabir, where he laid a wreath at Ataturk's grave.
 
Ukrainian delegation visits Turkish Parliament
 
A Ukrainian delegation chaired by Yushchenko met yesterday with
Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc.
 
Speaking during the meeting, Arinc said that Yushchenko had
struggled for democracy and fundamental rights in Ukraine and
congratulated him on his success.
 
Stating that Turkey and Ukraine have good relations, Arinc said
that the inter-parliamentary relations should also be
strengthened.
 
Yushchenko, for his part, said: "Looking at the composition of
my delegation, [made up of elected politicians] and you can
understand how much democratic Ukraine has in common with
Turkey."
 
"The Orange Revolution is over. The new Ukraine is working to
reconstruct its relations with its main partners. Our relations
with Turkey are developing constructively, especially in terms
of political, economic, humanitarian aid and social assistance
issues," Yushchenko added. 


Source: TNA, 8 June 2005   
  
Ukraine   
  2005-06-08 12:27:13   

     Journal of Turkish Weekly is an ISRO (USAK) publication 
     ISRO is an Ankara based NGO 														 							

www.turkishweekly.net
*****************************************************************
 43 Border Mail: Nuclear powered 
 
Thu, Jun 09, 2005


RENEWED debate over nuclear power and the Federal Governments
push for development of the uranium industry has provided a
timely boost for junior explorer Hindmarsh Resources. 

Hindmarsh is launching a uranium exploration project in South
Australia and yesterday announced plans to issue two million
shares at 28c per share ahead of their planned listing on the
Australian Stock Exchange. 

The company, which is presently listed on the Newcastle Stock
Exchange, became the owner of 10 exploration licences when it
merged with Gladstone Resources in April. 

Two of these licences have now been granted, with eight still
pending approval and the company has a stake in a further five
licence areas and three applications through a joint venture
agreements with Southern Gold. 


  All content copyright © The Border Mail and its respective
contributors, 2000. All rights reserved.
 Contact: webmaster@bordermail.com.au  

*****************************************************************
 44 AU ABC: Nuclear energy considered as a viable alternative
 
"Australian Broadcasting Corporation Online">   

The World Today - Wednesday, 8 June , 2005  12:22:00
 
Reporter: Brendan Trembath

 ELEANOR HALL: When leading supporters of nuclear power arrived
at a conference in Sydney today they were met by protestors
determined that nuclear energy should not become a part of
Australia's future energy plans.

But the nuclear energy lobby is gaining momentum around the
country, with its proposal to consider nuclear fuel as part of
the solution to Australia's environmental problems. 

The Federal Treasurer Peter Costello and the New South Wales
Premier Bob Carr have both sparked debate in recent weeks with
their calls for Australia to at least discuss the idea of using
the country's vast reserves of uranium to make electricity. 

Brendan Trembath has been at the Australian Institute of Energy
conference in Sydney and he filed this report.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: "Not in our backyard" has long been the
catchcry of the anti-nuclear fuel movement in Australia. While
Australia supplies about 20 per cent of the world's uranium,
vital for nuclear power plants, there is no domestic nuclear
energy industry.

Green groups and others would like to keep it that way, but the
organisers of a conference in Sydney today want at least more
discussion about the possibility of developing this renewable
energy source.

Dr Alan Baxter is from the US company General Atomics which
designs nuclear power plants. He recommends Australia turn to
nuclear power to help turn seawater into drinking water and
reduce emissions from coal fired power plants.

ALAN BAXTER: It can be used for desalinisation and I believe you
have a problem with water in this country. The other of course
is just electricity. I believe most of your electricity comes
from coal fire plants. Nuclear at least would prevent C and more
CO2 into the atmosphere.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: Other supporters include federal Liberal Party
politician Dr Dennis Jensen from West Australia. 

DENNIS JENSEN: You actually get two times the radiation dose by
sleeping next to your partner, that you do from the background
radiation as a result of nuclear power generation. That is
simply because in each and everyone of our bodies, we have
radioactive materials. Radioactive materials are absolutely
everywhere in the environment.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: He argues, like others, that nuclear power is
safe, but the protestors who gathered outside the conference
strongly disagree.

(Sounds of protestors: "Nuclear power, never safe, close the
reactor down.")

Not only don't the protestors want an expanded nuclear industry,
they'd like to see the Government shut down its only nuclear
reactor at Lucas Heights in Sydney, which produces radioactive
material for research. 

Kerry Nettle from the Greens says nuclear waste can't be stored
safely.

KERRY NETTLE: We'd also have this enormous amount of radioactive
waste that we've got no scientific understanding of how we deal
with the consequences of that waste that lasts for a quarter of
a million years. So it's not a long term solution and indeed the
Greens say it's not a solution at all.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: The debate about nuclear power may have
intensified but is unlikely to prompt any sudden shift in
policy. 

Few Premiers would be enthusiastic about a waste dump in their
State, and South Australian Premier Mike Rann was no exception
when he spoke earlier today.

MIKE RANN: People have got to remember the history here in South
Australian which led to our position. The history was that we
were the site of atmospheric nuclear testing in the 1950's and
1960's on Aboriginal lands, and so there was an enormous amount
of hurt and contamination and poison in the lands. 

And then after a huge campaign which I was involved in, in order
to secure the clean up of the lands, and the removal of the
plutonium and so on, that just after that was completed, we then
were told that we were the designated site for a radioactive
waste dump, for waste from the Lucas Heights reactor in Sydney.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: Tony Vassallo from the Australian Institute of
Energy, which organised the conference, says it's important to
have a debate all the same.

TONY VASSALLO: Australia is like many countries, heavily
dependent on coal-fired power. It does generate large amounts of
greenhouse gas emissions and climate change is becoming more and
more of an issue. Something needs to be done, it needs to be
addressed, and it's a long-term problem. Nuclear power is one of
the options for managing that risk.

ELEANOR HALL: Tony Vassallo, from the Australian Institute of
Energy ending that report from Brendan Trembath.   

*****************************************************************
 45 AU ABC: Debate rages over nuclear power. 

08/06/2005. ABC News Online
 	
 
Western Australian Liberal MP Dennis Jensen says green groups
have been exaggerating the dangers of nuclear power.

 Dr Jensen made the comments at a conference in Sydney which is
discussing the future use of nuclear power.

 He says nuclear power is a safe and viable alternative to
energy sourced from fossil fuels.

 "With the technology you've got today such as pebble bed
nuclear reactors, it's physically impossible to have a
meltdown," he said. 

"Clearly, they don't understand the thing, they've just got a
paranoid viewpoint.

 "When you have a look at the history of nuclear energy, nuclear
power generation has been going for 50 years and it's got an
admirable safety record."

 But outside the conference, Greens Senator Kerry Nettle and a
small group of protesters argued the dangers of nuclear power
were very real.

 "Any debate on nuclear power needs to look at all of the
negatives for which there are so many," Senator Nettle said.

 Senator Nettle says the Government should invest more money in
renewable and sustainable energy sources.

 She says the debate about nuclear power should have ended after
the Chernobyl disaster.

 "The problems with the nuclear industry are several-fold - it's
not going to provide any saviour to our climate change problems,
it creates its own health problems, it produces waste and what
it also does is it diverts funds.

 "It's a very expensive industry - it diverts funds away from a
real renewable and green energy option that we have plenty of in
this country." 


*****************************************************************
 46 AU ABC: Debate over nuclear power
 
"Australian Broadcasting Corporation Online">   

PM - Wednesday, 8 June , 2005  18:27:25
 
Reporter: Brendan Trembath
 
MARK COLVIN: The ever-growing evidence of global warming has
had one divisive effect within the environmental movement. It's
led some leading environmentalists to argue for nuclear power,
as a way to avoid the pollution from coal-burning power stations.

Supporters of the nuclear option say Australia is now much more
likely to turn to nuclear energy because of coal's effect on the
environment.

A large number of people in the nuclear industry have been
attending a major conference in Sydney to discuss whether
nuclear power is inevitable or irrelevant.

But environmentalists who protested outside the conference say
the debate over nuclear power should have ended with Chernobyl –
the world's worst nuclear accident. 

Brendan Trembath reports.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: When leading supporters of nuclear power
arrived at the conference, they came face to face with
protestors who condemned nuclear technology and called for
Australia's only nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights in Sydney to
be shut down.

(sound of protesters shouting, "Nuclear power never safe, close
the reactor down. Nuclear power never safe, close the reactor
down…")

BRENDAN TREMBATH: The reactor produces radioactive material for
research and medical treatment.

Kerry Nettle from the Greens says the conference was billed as a
debate but was really staged as part of a push by the uranium
industry to urge governments to approve more mining and begin to
use nuclear power. 

She says protecting the environment is an excuse, that using
nuclear energy won't solve the problem of warmer temperatures
known as global warming.

KERRY NETTLE: We would run out of uranium down the track and we
would be left with an enormous waste pile that we don't know how
to deal with. 

BRENDAN TREMBATH: Tony Vassallo from the Australian Institute of
Energy, which organised the conference, says the group has no
view either way but it's important to discuss the pros and cons
of nuclear power.

TONY VASSALLO: Australia is like many countries heavily
dependant on coal-fired power. Our standard of living depends
critically on it, and it does generate large amounts of
greenhouse gas emissions and climate change is becoming more and
more of an issue. Something needs to be done. It needs to be
addressed and it's a long-term problem. Nuclear power is one of
the options for managing that risk. 

BRENDAN TREMBATH: David Hawley the Managing Director of mining
company Uranium Exploration of Australia agrees.

DAVID HAWLEY: Burning coal produces too much carbon dioxide. The
greenhouse effect is affecting our climate. We're getting more
and more droughts. Our primary producers are in all sort of
strife with producing the yields that they have in the past
because of the change in climate conditions. 

BRENDAN TREMBATH: The nuclear energy lobby is gaining momentum
around the country with its proposal to consider nuclear fuel as
part of the solution to Australia's environmental problems. 

The Federal Treasurer Peter Costello and New South Wales Premier
Bob Carr have both sparked debate in recent weeks with their
calls for Australia to at least discuss the idea of using the
country's vast reserves of uranium to make electricity. 

Energy consultant Richard Hunwick says while Australia won't
turn to nuclear power anytime soon, attitudes about
uranium-derived energy are changing.

RICHARD HUNWICK: I think that there's a realisation that we
simply do have to talk about it. As global concern increases
about emissions of greenhouse gases we really have to start
casting around for alternatives, particularly as electricity
demand continues to rise. 

BRENDAN TREMBATH: But many environmentalists can't be convinced.
They say the debate over nuclear power should have ended with
the nuclear accident which devastated the northern Ukrainian
city of Chernobyl in 1986.

Nuclear physicist Leslie Kemeny visited the scene a year later
as an official Australian observer.

He stills keeps his faith in nuclear power.

LESLIE KEMENY: I can never say that it will never happen again
because no scientist can ever do that. But I'm convinced that it
was a bad design, badly operated and had a little bit of a
cover-up when it originally started. And, no, my mind hasn't
changed. 

It's like saying, you know, the first prototype aircraft in a
certain factory is sent up and crashes. I don't think that
necessarily invalidates research development. 

MARK COLVIN: That's nuclear physicist and advocate Leslie
Kemeny, who was one of the guest speakers at today's conference
in Sydney. He was speaking to Brendan Trembath.   

2005 ABC| Privacy Policy
*****************************************************************
 47 [du-list] Balkan syndrome - greek troops contaminated from
 
Date: Wed, 08 Jun 2005 14:35:16 -0700

 
<x-flowed>

(translated from the greek, so pardon any strange errors)





“Balkan Syndrome” second part

by Georgia Linardou and Paschali Koronaiou



“Sunday Eleftherotipia” ­ 05/06/2005



The nightmare of “Balkan Syndrome” strikes Greek armed forces also! Three 
military men have lost their lives from forms of malformation and all of 
them have participated in the first missions in Bosnia. The most recent 
case is of a 36-year-old Martial Navy officer, who after two years of 
‘battle’ in hospitals, died of leukaemia. A 40-year-old captain and a 
32-year-old non-commissioned officer preceded him.



The issue of repercussions from the use of Depleted Uranium has been 
introduced initially by Belgians and Italians, causing great agitation in 
Europe. From then onwards victims keep on counted in various countries, 
regardless if NATO insists that the guilty missiles are “substantially 
harmless”; an opinion with which agrees the Greek ministry of National 
Defence too.



“However, up to today, the Americans have informed no one of the Allies for 
the exact type of substance that the missiles which they threw in Bosnia 
and Kossifopedio, contained” a Pentagon officer points out.



The case of the 36-year-old frogman of Martial Navy brings the question in 
the surface again. He was one of the first who went to Bosnia as observers 
in 1997. He ‘passed’ from Visoko where the Greek pacificatory force camped 
later.



As his colleagues say, his team seems to have been found itself within a 
breath’s distance from the point that the Allies had been bombarded, hardly 
an hour and a half earlier”. The standardbearer in the degree, served 
periodically until 1997 when he returned to Greece. Leukaemia struck him 
two and a half years ago.



“The Greek Navy never admitted it but we all had the same thoughts and 
opinion” one of his colleagues admits now. When his illness was diagnosed 
the 36-year-old frogman took a leave without compensation, he went through 
medical examinations in the Naval Hospital and the last year he was 
transported in a clinic in London. His wife was also in the same hospital 
and gave birth to their child. He saw his baby only three hours before he 
died, the 5th of May.



The same also happened to his captain, with who were together in the same 
team in Bosnia, as well as to another officer who was together with them in 
that mission.



Medical ‘circles’ of the Naval Hospital claim that the standard-bearer 
suffered from “chronic leukaemia” and that in his case depleted uranium 
cannot be incriminated.



According to valid information, military circles have expressed 
occasionally fears for the Greek missions in Bosnia. They speculate that 
they have been exposed in situations of high danger and this because 
certain additional measures of precaution for the health of their personnel 
have been undertaken, after the noise publicity caused about the 
repercussions of bombardments.



Officers that have dealt closely with the possible repercussions in the 
health of military men, underline the importance of potable water. They 
suggest, for example, appliances of refinement of water with special 
filters, appliances which were only provided to the personnel of Greek 
pacificatory missions only the last five years. They argue that cases of 
leukaemia in the personnel of foreign missions situated in the same region 
with the Greeks, have been confirmed.



Furthermore, relatives of foreign military men who were attacked by 
illnesses sued Nato, that nevertheless doesn’t accept that there exists any 
such a problem of contamination, invoking that the Greeks …have not 
demonstrated any symptoms..



It is particularly curious ­the same sources point out- that after the 
bombardments in the Kossifopedio, the Americans stopped to provide their 
personnel with water from Northern Greece and started buying bottled water 
from…Loutraki. Why? I wonder



Up to now, the Ministry of National Defence has officially admitted only 
one case of a Greek sergeant that had served in Bosnia and was medically 
attended due to leukaemia in the 424 Military Hospital of Thessalonica in 
2001. The minister of National Defence at that period, A, Tsochatzopoulos 
had declared that medical examinations would be conducted on everyone of 
the military personnel that serviced in Bosnia and Kossifopedio. These were 
estimated above 3.500 thousand people. However, in reality, only few, a 
minimal number, were submitted in whole-body radiation meter examinations!



Mr. N. Katsaros (former MP), who at the time was in “Dimokritos” confirms 
today the exceptionally limited turn-out of officers served in Bosnia. 
Others from the Greek Committee of Atomic Energy confirm the same.



The question however still remains at the prophetic statement, made in 2001 
by L.Kamarinopoulos the chairman of the Greek Committee of Atomic Energy: 
“the results of this exposure will start to appear seven years later”.



It is worth noting that only the last three years additional measures and 
special examinations have started to take place for all the personnel that 
participate in pacificatory missions; after additional equipment had been 
installed in the military hospital of Athens.



In addition, every military man is submitted in specialised medical 
examinations depending on the country of destination.






		
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 48 [du-list] Possions may pass down generations - interesting
 
Date: Wed, 08 Jun 2005 14:35:22 -0700

 
<x-flowed>

  www BBC.co.uk

Poisons may pass down generations

  Chemicals can change the way genes work

Toxic chemicals that poisoned your great-grandparents may also damage your 
health, US research suggests.
A team from Washington State University has produced evidence that some 
inherited diseases may be caused by poisons polluting the womb.
Research on rats indicates man-made environmental poisons may alter genetic 
activity, giving rise to diseases that pass down at least four generations.
The research is published in the journal Science.
  It is a new way to think about disease


Dr Michael Skinner

The scientists exposed pregnant rats to two agricultural chemicals during 
the period that the sex of their offspring was being determined.
The compounds were vinclozolin, a fungicide commonly used in vineyards, and 
the pesticide methoxychlor.
Both are known as endocrine disruptors - chemicals that interfere with the 
normal functioning of reproductive hormones.
Rats exposed to the compounds produced male offspring with low sperm counts 
and poor fertility.
They were still able to produce young, however. When these rats were then 
mated with females that had not been exposed to the poisons, their male 
offspring had the same problems.
The effect persisted through at least four generations, impairing the 
fertility of more than 90% of male offspring in each generation.
The researchers found the damage was not caused by alterations in the DNA 
code, but changes in the way the genes work.
These epigenetic changes, as they are known, are caused by small chemicals 
that become attached to the DNA, modifying its activity.
Epigenetic changes have been observed before - but were not previously 
known to pass onto later generations.
Cancer clue
Lead researcher Dr Michael Skinner believes they may contribute to diseases 
such as breast cancer and prostate cancer.
  We need to find out whether this trans-generational effect is translated 
to much lower doses


Professor Alan Boobis

Both diseases are becoming more common, and Dr Skinner says that cannot be 
down to genetic mutations alone.
The researchers believe their findings suggest exposure to environmental 
toxins may play a key role in the evolutionary process.
Evolution may not be driven entirely by genetic mutations, as commonly 
thought.
Dr Skinner said: "It is a new way to think about disease. We believe this 
phenomenon will be widespread and be a major factor in understanding how 
disease develops."
However, Dr Skinner stressed more work was needed to corroborate the findings.
The levels of chemicals the rats were exposed to were very high - much 
higher than people normally ever encounter.
Professor Alan Boobis, a toxicologist at Imperial College London, UK, told 
the BBC News website the findings were interesting, but he said there was 
no need for people to be alarmed.
"This effect is likely to be concentration dependent, and these animals 
were exposed to very high levels of chemicals," he said.
"We need to find out whether this trans-generational effect is translated 
to much lower doses."





		
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 49 [du-list] Mining the   DU contaminated scrap  for recyling..
 
Date: Wed, 08 Jun 2005 14:28:58 -0700

 
<x-flowed>
www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2005/0506.roston.html



U.S.-Iraq policy and the murder of a whistle-blowing contractor.


By Aram Roston


Item about a  murdered mercenary/contactor in occupied Iraq includes 
dismantling of contaminated  vehicles and  massive recyling of  possible DU 
contaminated scrap armour  onto  new "IraqI' army vehicles......

Last summer, Stoffel finally seemed to hit pure reconstruction gold, or, 
more specifically, scrap iron-military scrap iron. Stoffel and his 
colleagues saw opportunity in the relics of Saddam's army, the thousands of 
tanks and armored vehicles stowed away in desert depots and that now 
belonged to the reconstituted Iraqi Ministry of Defense. They could be 
worth hundreds of millions on the international scrap metal market. (One of 
Stoffel's associates estimated the value of the scrap to be at least $1.5 
billion.) In a collapsing country, he figured, he could at least sell the 
junk.........................

It must have felt to Stoffel like a fantasy come true. He was now an 
integrated part of the U.S. "victory strategy" in Iraq, with tens of 
millions in profits to boot. Faced with one of their most important 
projects in Iraq, the U.S. military had turned to him.

A cultural misunderstanding

The first phase, according to Col. David Styles, a coalition advisor to the 
project, was "to refurbish vehicles and rebuild a tank maintenance depot." 
Under the plan, Styles said, Stoffel's company would bring 40 armored 
personnel carriers from an old Iraqi military fortress to the Taji base and 
then paint them, fix the engines, and get them primed for war. The tanks 
were in pretty bad shape: Stoffel's task was like taking a fleet of 1970s 
police cars that had been held in mothballs and trying to get them ready to 
patrol the streets. Stoffel's Iraqi mechanics were forced to cannibalize 
what couldn't be repaired. "For every one vehicle we were going to 
refurbish," Styles told me, "we had at least two, sometimes four, vehicles 
that we could pull parts off of."

And that's where the trouble started. The Ministry told Stoffel his 
invoices were inexact and demanded that he accept payment not directly from 
the Ministry but through a private intermediary-a financier, or "bank 
guarantor." The intermediary's name was Raymond Zayna, a cultured, suave 
French-Lebanese businessman with a company called General Investment Group.

American and British officials were confused by the arrangement; one 
British general told me he was "dissatisfied." But Styles says the Ministry 
insisted on having a financier handle the funds "as a check and balance for 
a large contract." He insists that differences over the contract are 
largely a result of cultural misunderstandings. "It's an Eastern, Arabic, 
Islamic way of business that is different than a western, Judeo-Christian 
way of business," Styles told me. "That does not mean it's corrupt." In any 
event, Stoffel signed over a limited power of attorney to Zayna, who was to 
provide "all financial services with respect to the.... Contract when and 
as requested by Wye Oak."

In October, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense disbursed the $24.7 million to 
Zayna. In a written statement sent to The Washington Monthly by a source 
close to Zayna, the source said that Zayna put the money in a trust account 
in an international bank in Lebanon; he won't say which one. The source 
says Zayna obtained a "bank guarantee," which was required by the Iraqi 
government. But the end result was that, even though Wye Oak had originally 
signed a contract with the Ministry of Defense, it wasn't getting paid. 
Though Zayna himself had spent a small amount (less than a million dollars) 
to buy Stoffel supplies such as paint, the Lebanese financier did not 
distribute any money to Stoffel's company.

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 50 [du-list] Primary USUK war crime (the USUK attack) evidence
 
Date: Wed, 08 Jun 2005 14:35:55 -0700

 
<x-flowed>
Institute for Public Accuracy
915 National Press Building, Washington, D.C. 20045
(202) 347-0020 * http://www.accuracy.org * ipa@accuracy.org
___________________________________________________

         PM Wednesday, June 8, 2005

         Bush on Iraq: "Comforting Families" and Telling Lies

         Interviews Available

Yesterday, President Bush, in an appearance with British Prime Minister 
Tony Blair, addressed the Downing Street Memo -- minutes from a July 23, 
2002, meeting of British foreign policy leadership -- for the first time. 
The memo is evidence that Bush lied about his reasons for invading Iraq and 
the timing of his decision.

The following are available for interviews:

CINDY SHEEHAN, cell: (707) 365-7750, scindy121@aol.com, 
http://www.gsfp.org, http://www.afterdowningstreet.org
     Sheehan is co-founder of Gold Star Families for Peace, a member 
organization in the AfterDowningStreet.org coalition. She said today: "The 
evidence is overwhelming that George Bush wanted to invade Iraq at all 
costs and the lack of intelligence giving him a reason for going to war 
didn't stop him. Iraq posed no threat to the United States, but this didn't 
get in the way of Bush's and Blair's plans. The Downing Street Memo is the 
smoking gun that proves the intelligence was 'fixed around the policy.' 
Tens of thousands of innocent people, including my son, Spc. Casey Sheehan, 
are dead because of these deceits."
     Yesterday, Bush claimed: "You know, one of the hardest things I do as 
the president is to try to comfort families who've lost a loved one in 
combat." Responded Sheehan: "George met with my family in June of 2004. He 
was ostensibly there to give our family some comfort, but his 'tea party' 
attitude, his cavalier, inappropriate comments, and his lack of respect for 
our family and my son were more hurtful than comforting. We left the 
meeting even more distraught. If he cares about our troops and we families, 
why has he never attended a funeral? Why doesn't he sign the so-called 
'death letters' that are sent to the families of fallen soldiers?"
      Bush also claimed that committing troops to military combat is the 
"last option" and that "We worked hard to see if we could figure how to do 
this peacefully." Sheehan's response: "They worked hard trying to convince 
the world and the U.S. that Saddam had weapons that didn't exist and that 
we may be looking into a mushroom cloud if we didn't invade Iraq. ... Bush 
misused, abused and fraudulently rushed our troops into a war that had no 
basis in reality."

JAMES JENNINGS, (678) 513-7565, jimjennings@earthlink.net, 
http://www.conscienceinternational.org
      President of Conscience International, based near Atlanta, Jennings 
made numerous humanitarian trips to Iraq between 1991 and 2003. He said 
today: "The Iraq war was a war of choice, not necessity. This is now widely 
known throughout the world. For Bush and Blair to say that the U.S. and 
U.K. went to war as a 'last option' and that Saddam Hussein forced them 
into it is more than disingenuous, it is an outright falsehood. Because two 
people agree to repeat the same lie does not make it true. With so many 
Iraqis and Americans already killed unnecessarily and with U.S. involvement 
stretching out interminably into the future, these are not just lies, but 
damned lies. The Downing Street Memo proves that the Bush administration 
intended go to war months before they claimed the decision was made and 
that the intelligence was then cooked to fit the policy.
      "Even more damning is the British Attorney General's pre-war report 
to Blair, which stated: 'Given the controversy surrounding the legal basis 
for action, it is likely that the Court [International Court of Justice] 
will scrutinize any allegations of war crimes by U.K. forces very closely.'"

RAHUL MAHAJAN, cell: (512) 589-3435, rahul@empirenotes.org, 
http://www.empirenotes.org
      Mahajan, author of the book "Full Spectrum Dominance: U.S. Power in 
Iraq and Beyond," said today: "In their appearance yesterday, when asked if 
the decision to invade Iraq had been made by the summer of 2002 and claims 
about weapons of mass destruction had been 'fixed' in accordance with that 
decision, both President Bush and Prime Minister Blair denied it 
strenuously. The facts are becoming all too clear, however, and Bush and 
Blair are both refusing to acknowledge the evidence.
      "If their denials are true, then why does the Downing Street memo, a 
secret internal British government document describing minutes of a 
classified briefing about the stance of the U.S. government, say that 
'military action was now seen as inevitable' and that 'intelligence and 
facts were being fixed around the policy'?
      "Why, if UN Resolution 1441 about disarming Iraq was really Bush and 
Blair's reason for going to war, does the memo repeatedly mention 'regime 
change' rather than disarmament as the goal?
      "And why, if they were waiting on the outcome of U.N. deliberations 
and negotiations with Iraq, does the memo mention 'already begun "spikes of 
activity" to put pressure on the regime'? The Sunday Times recently 
reported that a 'full air offensive' was underway in 2002 designed to 
'provoke Saddam Hussein into giving the allies an excuse for war.'
      "The recent revelations simply crown a large and growing body of 
evidence that the war was an act of premeditated aggression and thus a 
violation of international law. Congress, the media, and the American 
people should hold the president accountable."

For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020, (202) 421-6858; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167




For all list information and functions, including changing
your subscription mode and options, visit the Web page:
      http://lists.accuracy.org/lists/info/mediagen


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 51 AP Wire: Protesters say adult children should benefit from nuclear 
compensation program

| 06/08/2005 | 

Associated Press

PADUCAH, Ky. - A small group of protesters gathered outside a
U.S. Department of Labor office to complain that children of
former nuclear workers were left out of a government
compensation program. 

Up to 20 people protested outside the Labor Department's claim
center Tuesday. 

Sylvia Dodson drove from Knoxville, Tenn., to join the protest.
Her dad, John Dodson, 64, died in 1988 of lung cancer that had
spread throughout his body. He worked at the nuclear plant in
Oak Ridge, Tenn. 

"He was exposed to every chemical and toxic substance you can
imagine," Dodson said. 

Her mother, Jean Dodson, died in 2002. Two weeks before her
death, she was paid $150,000 from the U.S. Department of Labor
because her husband's cancer was deemed related to radiation
exposure. 

But Sylvia Dodson and her sister are trying to collect up to
$175,000 under a new Labor Department program that compensates
families of workers exposed to toxins. The Dodson sisters, like
the other protesters, are ineligible because the law - passed
last fall - excludes adult surviving children. 

Gena Baker, a Livingston County resident who organized Tuesday's
protest, said she wants to put pressure on Congress to change
the toxin-exposure law. It allocates cash payments for workers,
surviving spouses and children who were considered dependent at
the time of the worker's death. 

"We've got a story to tell, and we're going to tell it," said
Phyllis Helm, whose father died in 1987 from beryllium disease,
asbestosis and other diseases. He insulated pipes during atomic
plant construction. Helm, of Paducah, said she spent
considerable time caring for her dad. 

Information from: The Paducah Sun, http://www.paducahsun.com  

*****************************************************************
 52 NEWS.com.au: Depleted uranium threat 'low' |

(08-06-2005)
 
By Max Blenkin June 08, 2005                    From: AAP                                              

A SURVEY of the Australian area of operations in Al Muthanna 
province in southern Iraq has found no risk to troops from 
potentially harmful depleted uranium (DU) residues left over from 
past conflicts. Commander of the Australian taskforce Lieutenant 
Colonel Roger Noble said the survey team had looked everywhere in 
the vast province where DU had been reported or it was thought it 
might be found.

 "They have made a report on that. The way of summarising it is 
the risk from any radiation – depleted uranium is part of it – is 
extremely low," he said.

 "In my list of threats to us, it is way, way down. Having said 
that, it was good to come and get them to confirm that."

 Defence declined to release the report.

 But a defence spokesman said the safety and wellbeing of 
Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel was of paramount 
importance.

 "The ADF included a specialist environmental assessment team
within the Task Group advance party to assess and report on
possible environmental threats to our troops, including any risk
from depleted uranium," he said.

 "Appropriate health countermeasures are in place based on
environmental and health threat assessments."

 Depleted uranium is a waste product of the nuclear enrichment
process, which is used to make armour-piercing projectiles
because of its extreme hardness. In solid form it produces
almost no radioactivity.

 But on striking a target, it produces fine toxic dust, which
contains uranium oxide. Some adverse health effects have been
attributed to DU exposure although there is vigorous
international debate about just how harmful it is.

 DU munitions were used by US and British forces in Al Muthanna
province during the 1991 and 2003 conflicts.

 Before the troops headed for southern Iraq, the Australian
Democrats warned of the dangers from DU while the Medical
Association for Prevention of War said the risk of cancer and
birth defects was so high that the deployment should not proceed.

 Colonel Noble said the survey team checked locations where
Dutch troops, replaced by the Australian task group, reported
possible DU contamination.

 That included damaged vehicles and locations where damaged
vehicles may have been stored, as well as sites of unexploded
munitions.

 "They drove all around the province. It took about three weeks
to do. So we are pretty confident the threat is low," he said.

 "One top of that we have a set of rules. You don't climb on top
of damaged vehicles. That is pretty much where you are going to
find the threat." 

The defence spokesman said the Defence Health Service had
developed a DU testing protocol for ADF personnel deployed to
the Middle East.

 "As at January, 14 2005, all results have been normal, that is
less than 70 parts per trillion which is the normal level found
in non-exposed civilian populations," he said. 		  		 		


*****************************************************************
 53 Brattleboro Reformer: VY dry cask storage plan now goes to PSB

June 08, 2005 Brattleboro, VT                                                                                 
 			 								 					
By CAROLYN LORIÉ 
Reformer Staff

BRATTLEBORO -- Now that the Vermont Legislature has passed a
bill on dry cask storage at Vermont Yankee, company officials
can apply to the state Public Service Board for a certificate of
public good.

 The three-member, quasi-judicial board will decide whether
allowing the installation of the steel and concrete containers
that will store high-level spent nuclear fuel at Vernon power
plant in is the best interest of the state.

 The case could take up to a year, or possibly longer, depending
on the number of intervenors.

 Vermont Yankee spokesman Rob Williams said the company was
looking over the terms laid out in the deal struck with the
state in order to incorporate them into the application.

 According to Williams, an application would most likely be
filed within a few weeks. 

Although Vermont Yankee officials already filed with the Windham
Regional Commission -- which is required before going to the PSB
-- it is unclear whether the company must file again with an
updated proposal.

 WRC Executive Director Jim Matteau said that unless the
application to the PSB is substantially different than what was
submitted to the commission earlier this year, he did not
believe re-filing would be necessary.

 The WRC has not yet reviewed the recently passed legislation,
but will do so next week. Matteau said he was concerned about
the final bill because it does not require the company to return
to the Legislature for re-licensing.

 "There's not going to be public discussion about re-licensing.
There will be a Public Service Board proceeding, but that's not
really accessible to the public," he said.

 Members of the public may attend the board hearings, but only
parties officially involved in the case can participate.

 Before an agreement was reached between the state and Entergy
Nuclear Vermont Yankee, a bill crafted by the House Committee on
Natural Resources and Energy included a provision requiring the
company to seek legislative approval to operate beyond its
current license, which expires in 2012.

 While the corporation will need legislative permission to store
any waste produced past 2012, the only state approval needed to
re-license will come from the Public Service Board.

 The Windham Regional Commission will be a party in the dry cask
storage case, as it was in the "uprate" case before the board.

 The New England Coalition, a Brattleboro-based nuclear watchdog
group, announced that it will intervene before the board in the
matter of dry cask storage.

 Raymond Shadis, technical advisor for the coalition, did not
want to reveal the exact strategy the group planned to use but
did say it would push for more stringent conditions.

 Because the PSB is precluded from dealing with any nuclear
issue having to do with health and safety -- which is under the
sole purview of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission -- the
parameters of the case will be limited to environmental,
aesthetic and economical concerns.

 This means that intervenors, including the coalition, cannot
present arguments based on health and safety concerns.

 Shadis accused state lawmakers of squandering Vermont's only
opportunity to impose safety conditions on Entergy's plans.

 "What we wanted was for the Legislature to send Entergy home
and come back with a package that offered the best possible
practices for the environment and for the people," said Shadis.

 "What Entergy offered was a vanilla plan -- no jimmies, no
sprinkles, no toppings, no nothing."

 		   	 	
       Copyright ©1999-2005 New England Newspapers, Inc., 
*****************************************************************
 54 RGJ: Circular reasoning in Indian decisions
 
Letters to the Editor for June 8, 2005

[Reno Gazette-Journal]  June 08, 2005

I read with interest the article “Judge denies plea to halt
nuclear dump” about the Western Shoshone’s valiant, though so
far unsuccessful, effort to prevent establishment of the
proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump on ancestral land.

The federal judge ruled that the tribe couldn’t stop the opening
of the Yucca Mountain project on the dubious grounds that the
opening of the waste dump hasn’t happened yet; the same article
reports that the federal government had earlier ruled that the
tribe couldn’t reverse the taking of their lands on the equally
dubious grounds that that had already happened. 

So, it’s too early to stop Yucca Mountain before it opens; but
after it does open, why, then it will be too late to stop it!
Following the same twisted logic, it’s difficult to see why we’d
ever charge people with, say, attempted murder — or, for that
matter, why we’d ever charge them with murders we believe
they’ve already committed.

It is often said that “judge” is just a polite word for “lawyer”
and connotes no particular wisdom or impartiality. Perhaps this
is too unkind — but say what you will, you can’t say that
federal judges don’t know who it is that signs their paychecks!

Mark Montague, Reno

© Copyright Reno Gazette-Journal, a Gannett Co. Inc.Newspaper.
*****************************************************************
 55 Bradenton Herald: 'Move these people out' of Tallevast

| 06/08/2005 | 

 BRIAN BLANCO-The Herald   
 
 Tallevast residents and FOCUS group members Wanda Washington,
left, and Laura Ward wipe away tears that Washington described
as "tears of joy" as they listen to County Commissioner Amy
Stein during Tuesday's Tallevast update in front of the County
Commission.  

County commissioners tell Lockheed Martin Corp. to 'wake up' and
take action

 DONNA WRIGHT

 Herald Staff Writer

A vehement county commission demanded Tuesday that Lockheed
Martin Corporation relocate Tallevast residents to safeguard
them from health risks posed by an underground plume of
pollution. 

"Lockheed Martin needs to step up to its corporate
responsibility and move these people out of the community," said
Commissioner Amy Stein, her voice breaking with emotion.
"Anything short of that is totally irresponsible. Tick tock,
Lockheed Martin, wake up." 

Commissioner Donna Hayes, whose district includes Tallevast,
demanded the commissioners' message be taken to the chief
executive and board of Lockheed Martin. 

"I will take your concerns back to the people you describe,"
said Ron Helgerson, Lockheed's point man for the Tallevast
project, "At least, as close to them as I can get." 

Helgerson had come prepared to deliver good news - the last
results came in Tuesday morning confirming the drilling crews
had located the final outline of the plume, he said. It is
essentially the same size as reported in April. 

But even that news could not deflect the commissioners' anger.
Twice before they had accepted reports that said Lockheed had
found the outlaying boundaries only to learn later that the
plume had actually doubled in size. 

Helgerson also told commissioners that tests showed that levels
of contaminants in the soil and water pose little or no risk to
residents. 

Commissioners didn't buy it this time around. 

Stein said she was very skeptical of Helgerson's comment given a
recent state report that said Lockheed had failed to adequately
assess health risks. 

"This is deplorable," Stein said. 

As former owners of the old Loral American Beryllium Co. plant,
Lockheed has accepted responsibility for the underground plume
of toxic waste covering more than 131 acres. 

Although the defense giant was aware of the contamination in
2000, Tallevast residents did not learn about the poisons in
their back yards until nearly four years later. 

One by one, the commissioners expressed outrage about the
Florida Department of Environmental Protection's May 26 report
on Lockheed's failure to adequately measure the plume and
address the health risk to humans and the environment. 

"Does DEP have the authority to force Lockheed to relocate
Tallevast residents?" Commission Chairman Ron Getman asked. 

"Yes, we do have that option," said Bill Kutash, DEP's project
director for the Tallevast clean-up. "But it is fairly extreme
and has never happened in Florida. We do have police authority
to move people." 

The commission's push for relocation brought tears to the eyes
of Tallevast leaders. 

"Manatee County clearly supported the residents' concerns," said
a grateful Wanda Washington, vice president of Family Oriented
Community United and Strong. "They really heard us. They took
our concerns to heart." 

The question that must be answered is very simple, said
Commissioner Joe McClash. 

"How's their health?" 

If contaminants in the plume have made Tallevast residents sick
or pose a danger to them, then the community must be moved out
of harm's way, McClash said. 

If Lockheed can spend a fortune testing the soil and water for
chemicals, then Lockheed can spend money to hire an independent
consultant to do a thorough health-risk assessment that will
answer the community's concerns, McClash said. 

And that assessment, McClash added, must include a health
history survey of problems Tallevast residents have faced over
the years. 

The local health department, McClash said, should not be
expected to do the health study. 

Limited public health resources should not be taken away from
deserving projects such as hurricane preparation to complete a
health survey that should be the Lockheed's responsibility,
McClash said. 

In his review of Lockheed's work to date, Kutash has ordered
Lockheed to do a risk assessment addressing the danger the plume
poses to humans as well as the environment and endangered
species. 

Tim Varney, the technical adviser for FOCUS, warned
commissioners that the health assessment DEP is asking for will
take much longer than the 60-day time limit imposed in the
report. 

Nothing less than a thorough and accurate assessment will be
fair to Tallevast residents, Varney said, because mistakes or
omissions could expose them to further risk. 

Historical exposure risk must be part of that assessment, Stein
said. Even though current pathways of exposure may have been
eliminated by switching residents from private wells to county
water, those families drank and used that water for years, Stein
said. The accumulative exposure and the synergistic effect of
one toxin upon another must be part of the analysis. 

Although all of the data has yet to come in from additional soil
and vapor tests required by DEP, Kutash said Lockheed has
already begun to remediate some of the hottest spots of
contamination. His quiet remark went by commissioners without
comment, but caught the attention of FOCUS leaders. 

After Tuesday's commission meeting, Tallevast leaders said they
did not think Lockheed could start remediation without notifying
the community. 

Herald watchdog 

This report is part of The Herald's in-depth coverage of toxic
contamination stemming from the former Loral American Beryllium
Corp. plant in Tallevast. 

HeraldToday.com 

Explore more in The Herald's extensive archive coverage of the
Tallevast contamination.   

*****************************************************************
 56 Sarasota Herald-Tribune: County's frustration with Lockheed showing

heraldtribune.com

By CORY SCHOUTEN cory.schouten@heraldtribune.com

MANATEE COUNTY -- During a wide-ranging discussion of 
contamination in the Tallevast neighborhood, county commissioners 
on Tuesday declared war on defense industry giant Lockheed 
Martin.

The company is responsible for the cleanup of pollution
emanating from the former American Beryllium Co. plant on
Tallevast Road in south Manatee County. Officials from Lockheed,
which now owns the site, said Tuesday the boundary of a plume of
ground-water pollution is the same as the company estimated in
April. And it said a cleanup plan is in the works.

That didn't deter commissioners, who asked for a study of the
health of Tallevast residents, voted to suspend the allocation
of public money for new homes in the area and called on Lockheed
to relocate families from the neighborhood.

Tallevast community leaders sat quietly while county officials
vented many of the concerns residents of the small community
near the Sarasota airport have sounded for years.

Commissioner Amy Stein choked up as she spoke about the plight
of Tallevast residents. She threatened to write to Lockheed
shareholders and show up at a shareholder meeting to voice her
frustration.

"Lockheed Martin needs to step up and show some corporate
responsibility and relocate people out of this community," she
said. "Anything short of that is absolutely irresponsible."

Retired Lockheed employee Ron Helgerson, who represented the
company at the meeting, said relocating residents isn't
necessary. He said he knows of no one currently exposed to
chemicals in the groundwater.

Lockheed dug more than 100 wells and took more than 400 soil
samples, he said, and most of the samples taken near the surface
had no contamination.

The pollution has seeped more than 300 feet below the surface
into what is known as the intermediate aquifer. Just below that
is the Floridan aquifer, which provides drinking and irrigation
water for most of Florida. But there is no evidence the
chemicals have leaked that far, the company has said.

The DEP has asked Lockheed to begin cleaning up the pollution
and working to pinpoint any threat it poses to human health and
the environment, said DEP official Bill Kutash.

"Ultimately we will address the entire plume and the entire
community," he said.

Kutash said relocation of residents is a possible but extreme
option. But some commissioners pushing for it anyway.

"I don't think anyone in this room would feel comfortable 	 	
living there," said Commissioner Donna Hayes.

She suggested Kutash take the message to the company's CEO and 
board of directors. Lockheed employees 130,000 people and had 
sales last year of $35.5 billion, according to the company's Web 
site.

Tallevast resident and activist Wanda Washington said the county 
did what needed to be done and asked the right questions.

"I don't trust Lockheed Martin at all," Washington said. "It's 
not that we're looking for the worst; we're looking for the 
truth."

But she said she was heartened to learn that spot checks of 
Lockheed's tests by the DEP have affirmed the company's findings.

In 1961, American Beryllium opened the plant, where most of the 
work involved beryllium, an extremely strong and light metal, to 
make aircraft parts, weapon casings and other military products.

Lockheed Martin bought the plant property in 1996 and is 
responsible for the cleanup.

In 1997, Lockheed conducted tests at the site and detected 
beryllium, arsenic and other dangerous compounds.

But Lockheed officials say it wasn't until two years later, when 
they wanted to sell the property, that they discovered the 
pollution was more widespread and in higher concentrations than 
believed.

In January 2000, Lockheed told the state Department of 
Environmental Protection and Manatee County that the site was 
contaminated and needed cleaning. Neither the state nor the 
county tested the wells or told residents about the potential 
harm.

Residents didn't learn about the soil and ground-water pollution 
in their neighborhood until fall 2003, when Lockheed held a 
community meeting.

Residents were told the ground-water plume covered about five 
acres, and didn't pose a health threat. A second round of tests 
last summer indicated the plume covered about 50 acres.

Lockheed's final report shows a plume of about 130 acres, said 
Meredith Rouse Davis, a spokeswoman for the company.

The findings will be submitted to the DEP for approval. After 
that, the company will hold a meeting with the community and 
discuss cleanup options, Davis said.                                                                                  1 | 2 | Next >> 

Last modified: June 08. 2005 8:12AM 	 	 		 		 		 

Serving the Herald-Tribune newspaper and SNN Channel 6 ©
Sarasota Herald-Tribune. All rights reserved. Starting first

*****************************************************************
 57 The Dispatch: Duke Power starts testing of fuel made of weapons-grade plutonium

Serving the Lexington, North Carolina Area
 		
June 08. 2005 11:40AM

The Associated Press
 
Duke Power has started testing at a South Carolina nuclear power
plant of a fuel made of surplus weapons-grade plutonium.

A reactor at Catawba Nuclear Plant in Lake Wylie, S.C., was
restarted Monday afternoon using MOX fuel and conventional fuel,
said Duke spokesman Rita Sipe. It will take a few days for the
reactor to reach full power.

Catawba is the first commercial power plant to make electricity
from weapons plutonium. The fuel blends 5 percent plutonium
oxides with 95 percent uranium oxides.

A slightly different version of MOX that doesn't use
weapons-grade plutonium has been used in European power plants
for more than 20 years.

Duke, based in Charlotte, intends to test MOX at Catawba for
about 4 1/2 years.

The fuel will be examined when the reactor is shut down for
refueling about every 18 months. The tests are intended to
confirm that the fuel behaves much like the enriched-uranium
fuel commonly used in U.S. power plants.

The utility plans to expand its use of the fuel at Catawba and
its sister plant on Lake Norman, in 2011 or after. MOX would
account for up to 40 percent of the fuel for the four reactors
at those plants.

Construction of a MOX fuel fabrication plant at the Savannah
River Site, a federal installation near Aiken, S.C., is to begin
next year. The plant will turn 34 metric tons of plutonium into
nuclear fuel, as part of a U.S.-Russia agreement to dispose of
surplus weapons material.

---

Information from: The Charlotte Observer, 

*****************************************************************
 58 TheDenverChannel.com: Last Chance Radioactive Waste Dump Gets Permit

More Approval Necessary Before Site Can Accept Waste

UPDATED: 2:01 pm MDT June 8, 					 					2005

DENVER -- A hazardous-waste dump in Eastern Colorado won approval 
Wednesday to accept its first low-level radioactive waste.

 The Rocky Mountain Low-Level Radioactive Waste Board awarded a 
permit to Clean Harbors Environmental Services' site near Last 
Chance, about 70 miles east of Denver. Clean Harbors expects an 
estimated 16,000 cubic yards of material over three years that 
was left over from radium processing operations in Denver.

 The city of Denver, which has been removing the radioactive 
material, had been sending it to a site in Idaho.

 Clean Harbors still must get permits from other agencies,
including the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment, before it can begin accepting the waste.

 Pam Whelden of Concerned Citizens of Eastern Colorado argued
against the permit, saying it could open the door for other
types of waste and for material from other states to be dumped
at the Last Chance site.

 The permit allows Clean Harbors to accept low-level radioactive
material only from the Rocky Mountain waste board's three-state
region, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico.



Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
 59 Korea Times: South Korea Reattempts to Select Nuclear Waste Site 

Hankooki.com > The Korea Times > Biz/Finance   

By Seo Jee-yeon Staff Reporter 

South Korea, the world's sixth largest nuclear power plant
operator, will select another disposal site for low- and
intermediate-level radioactive waste next week with new
selection procedures. 

``The revised procedures for the selection will be announced
around June 16,¡¯¡¯ Chung Jae-hwan of the Ministry of Commerce,
Industry and Energy (MOCIE) said Wednesday.

 ``We plan to choose the final candidate by the end of
November,¡¯¡¯ he said. 

It will be the government¡¯s last-ditch effort to select a
nuclear dumpsite as it cannot hold it off any longer,
considering the fact that the storage capacity for the nation¡¯s
low-level radioactive waste is expected to run out by 2008.

 ``Considering the time required for the construction, we must
choose the candidate soon,¡¯¡¯ Chung said. 

Despite its 27-year history of nuclear energy generation since
1978, Korea has yet to select a site for the radioactive waste
repository as it failed to build social consensus.

 In 2003, the government selected Wido, a small island located
14 kilometers off the southwestern coast, as the site for the
nation¡¯s first nuclear waste repository. However, it scrapped
the construction project, pressed by strong protests from
residents and environmental activists. 

To attract local governments, the revised announcement for the
selection of the site will strengthen financial support and
streamline criteria for the selection to improve transparency.

 The government will announce 300 billion won in financial
support for a local government that houses a waste dump site,
the ministry official said. 

``To avoid resistance from residents, the MOCIE will require a
residential vote before submitting an application,¡¯¡¯ he said,
adding the residential vote is scheduled for the end of October. 

``The result of the vote will be one of the most important
criteria for the selection of the site.¡¯¡¯

 Another key criterion will be geological and environmental
surveys on a candidate site. 

The MOCIE official declined to comment on the ratio of each
criterion, saying the ministry is still debating the issue. 

The ministry expects to have at least five applications from
cities that have already expressed their interests, such as
Kyongju, Pohang, Uljin, Kunsan and Yongduk.

 Since commercial operation of the first Korean nuclear power
plant began in April 1978, nuclear power has played a key role
in the economic development of natural resources-poor Korea.

 In 2003, Korea operated 18 nuclear power plants at four
different locations with a total generating capacity of 15,716
megawatts, accounting for 29.2 percent of overall generating
capacity of 53,801 megawatts. Nuclear plants account for about
40 percent of total power generation. 

Two units of Korean Standard Nuclear Plants (KSNP) for 1,000
megawatts were launched in 2004 and 2005, respectively. 

In addition, four additional KSNP units and four next-generation
Advanced Power Reactor (APR)-1400 units with a combined
generating capacity of 11,600 megawatts are planned to be
commissioned by 2015. The Korean government will begin
construction of its first APR-1400 by 2006 for operation in
2010. 

If everything goes as planned by the year 2015, a total of 28
nuclear power plants at six locations with a generation capacity
of 26,637 megawatts, 31.2 percent of the total power generation
capacity of 85,438 megawatts, will be in operation, accounting
for 46.4 percent of a total power generation of 433,508
gigawatts per hour. 

jyseo@koreatimes.co.kr 06-08-2005 20:48         
  
*****************************************************************
 60 Resource Investor: Yellowcake Glows Hot Again as Uranium Price Powers Back Up
	 		 		
By Ben Abelson

07 Jun 2005 at 11:32 PM EDT                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
									
NEW YORK () -- The charts of uranium miners, processors and
explorers have begun to show signs of life once more as the
market has proven $29 per pound to be something akin to the new
going rate for yellowcake. 

For a while it looked like uranium equities were in danger of a
longer-term breather. With the spot price of uranium leveling
off in the low-$20/lb range just a few months ago – at that
point up about 50% year-over-year – uranium equities found
themselves slumping along with an overall pullback for
commodity-linked stocks. Industry bellwether Cameco [NYSE:CCJ],
for example, hit a 52-week high of $49.49 in mid-March before
plunging by more than 27% in just over one month to trade in the
$35 range. 							 	 					 

But, with spot prices up some 30% in just over two months, and a
host of new projects being announced by juniors worldwide,
uranium stocks have found themselves back in the spotlight. 

In just the past few weeks miners and explorers have begun to
rebound as the market has risen to – and then held – the $29/lb
level. Cameco, for one, recently jumped back over $41 – while
several juniors have made up for lost time by climbing back to
within spitting distance of their old highs. 

Demand-Driven Projects Help Lead Rebound 

Given the annual uranium production shortfall of 71 million
pounds, the most active explorers and land-acquirers are among
the companies that have seen their shares best re-established
their footing. 

Foremost among the beneficiaries of continued investor demand
for U3O8 has been Australia’s Paladin Resources
[TSX:PDN|ASX:PDN]. Following a May 9 announcement revealing the
company’s plans to develop Namibia’s Langer Heinrich project,
Paladin saw its shares jump by more than 20%, trading back up
toward its March highs of A$1.22 before cooling in the following
days. The company plans to spend a total of $92 million on the
project, said to be the first conventional uranium mining
operation to be developed outside of Canada in 20 years. Paladin
recently traded at about A$1.10. 

For the die-hard uranium speculators, Paladin has been the go-to
choice over the past year – soaring by more than 2,500% from its
early 2004 lows. 

Toronto-based Laramide Resources [TSX:LAM] has been carving out
a base in the C$1.50-C$1.60 range, supported by new acquisitions
of Australian land holdings and a deal to explore nearly 50
mining claims in Quebec. The stock currently trades about 14%
below its 52-week highs of C$1.85. 

The Australian land holdings are located next to Laramide’s
highly prospective Westmoreland project. Through a deal with
Australian-listed Arafura Resources, Laramide can earn a 50%
stake in the Northern Territory’s Lagoon Creek property by
spending A$3 million over the next four years. 

Shares of International Uranium [TSX:IUC] have followed a
similar trajectory, having peaked earlier in late-February at
C$6.39 before slumping back to C$3.93 over the course of two
months.  Lately, shares of IUC have traded back up in the C$5.60
range on the back of continued project development. 

In the past few months, the company has continued exploratory
drilling programmes at several of its uranium projects,
including one of its most-prospective – the Moore Lake Project
in northwestern Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin. The project is
located just 35 km from Cameco’s world-class McArthur River
mine, and has exhibited mineralization common to other uranium
deposits, according to the company. IUC has been drilling on the
site since 2003, and can solidify a 75% ownership of the site
from partner JNR Resources [TSX:JNN] with aggregate expenditures
of C$4.4 million by 2007. 

IUC also recently announced an agreement to acquire a 65%
interest in Erdene Gold’s [TSX:ERD] Mongolian uranium properties
by spending C$6 million over the next four years, and purchasing
1 million common shares of Erdene at a price of C$1. The
properties are located nearby to other IUC-owned Mongolian
properties where the company has identified inferred resources
containing 22.6 million pounds of U3O8. 

The company funds its exploration through its uranium-recycling
operations. Its 2,000 ton/day White Mesa Mill, located in
southeast Utah, is one of only two permitted facilities in the
U.S. able to process uranium, vanadium and tantalum. 
Uranium getting press – USEC under fire 
But while some of the “uraniums” have been trading up, investors
in others have not seen as smooth a ride. 

USEC [NAQ:USU] saw its shares take a small beating in late May
after an article in Barron’s questioned the viability of the
company’s business model – and labeled the company’s ability to
cash in on the uranium boom “limited.” 

Analysts have speculated that the company, which doesn’t break
out earnings from its units, is generating only minimal profits
from its core uranium enrichment business. In addition, many of
the company’s uranium sales are thought to be hedged at prices
far below spot. And while the company is said to generate
significant profits from a deal to resell uranium from
dismantled Russian warheads, that generous contract is set to
expire in 2013 – and analysts don’t believe a renewal is likely. 
USEC has tracked steadily downward since hitting highs close to
$19 in March, and recently traded at $13 and change. 

Smallest Uranium Equities Among the Hardest Hit 

As might be expected in any industry pull-back, the smallest
uranium plays have been among those hardest hit over the past
few months. Uranium Resources [OTC:URIX], with a market cap of
just $62 million, has seen its share price halved from its early
2005 highs above $0.90. Today, the company trades at about $0.47
per share. 

Texas-based Uranium Resources, whose one-page website bills the
company as “the oldest uranium in situ leach company in the
United States,” may also have been held back by its lack of
investor information and a recent $1.5 million equity financing. 

Hornby Bay Exploration [TSX:HBE] and Fronteer Development Group
[TSX:FRG] are two other micro-caps that have experienced similar
pain. Shares of both companies, which also underwent equity
financings in the past several weeks, are down by more than 40%
from their early 2005 highs.  The stock prices of both
companies, however, have begun to level off in recent weeks –
and still remain significantly above their 52-week lows. 

Conclusion 

The biggest factor affecting uranium prices – and the share
prices of uranium-linked companies – is the same as with nearly
all industrial commodities: Chinese demand. With demand for
energy production growing through the world’s emerging markets,
and with India, China and Russia each expecting to build some
20-odd nuclear reactors in the next 15 years, uranium production
will likely need to take a step up in the future. 

Of course, shares of uranium producers, miners and processors
may not always provide directly-correlated exposure to U3O8
prices. But considering the minuscule size of the uranium
marketplace, should uranium prices remain high into the future
we may see one of the best examples of the much-clichéd “rising
tide” analogy. 								 							 								 								

*****************************************************************
 61 NEWS.com.au: NT nuclear dump likely

(09-06-2005)
 
The Territory has again been named as the most likely site of a 
nuclear waste dump, it has been reported. The Federal Government 
had ruled out South Australia and the NT was the most likely 
site, it said on Tuesday. 

Canberra is expected to scrap a plan to ship nuclear waste
overseas and instead build a dump on federal land. 

A Federal Government source said the dump would take only
Commonwealth waste. 

States and territories would have to make arrangements for their
own waste. 

Chief Minister Clare Martin yesterday reiterated her opposition
to an NT dump. 

"On behalf of all Territorians and say to the Prime Minister
very clearly: Do not use the Territory as the dumping ground for
Australia's nuclear waste," she said. 

A Senate Estimates Committee heard last week almost $14 million
had been set aside for an assessment of suitable locations. 		 

The Courier-Mail                                                                                
The Advertiser Herald Sun                                                                              
NT News                                                                                 
The Mercury The Daily Telegraph                                                                     
*****************************************************************
 62 PRN: LES Prevails on All Environmental Contentions 

[PR Newswire - A United Business Media Company]   	 

    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the Atomic 
Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) of the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission in Washington, DC ruled in favor of Louisiana Energy 
Services (LES) on all environmental contentions filed by Nuclear 
Information and Resource Service and Public Citizen (NIRS/PC) in 
the LES licensing process.

    The contentions dealt with National Enrichment Facility (NEF) 
impacts on ground and surface water, water supplies, 
environmental impacts of deconversion and need for the facility.  
In each case the Board ruled in LES's favor.

    "We are quite pleased with the ASLB's ruling today," said LES 
Vice President of Communications and Government Relations, 
Marshall Cohen.  "These decisions confirm that we will be 
building a facility that is environmentally sound and a facility 
that is clearly needed in the United States energy fuel supply 
system."

    The ASLB ruled:

     *  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff adequately 
assessed the potential environmental impacts of the proposed NEF 
on ground and surface water.

     *  "No credible evidence" was offered by NIRS/PC regarding 
the impact of the proposed NEF on the local water supply.

     *  None of the NIRS/PC claims regarding the environmental 
impacts of a proposed uranium hexafluoride deconversion facility, 
being built to handle the NEF byproduct, has merit.

     *  LES has proven that there is a need for the NEF.

    These rulings in favor of LES move the facility one step 
closer to licensing, construction and operation.  Still pending 
before the Board for decision are several contentions regarding 
the disposition of DUF6 and the NEF radiation protection program.  
When the license application is approved, the NEF will introduce 
the world's most advanced uranium enrichment technology into the 
U.S. and provide an alternative, domestic enrichment supply 
source to U.S. nuclear energy companies.

    The NEF will provide more than 200 permanent jobs and more 
than 400 multi- year construction jobs in Southeast New Mexico.  
It will use a proven technology that has operated safely in 
Europe for over 30 years.

    LES is a partnership of major nuclear energy companies. 
Partners include Urenco, Westinghouse and U.S. energy companies 
Duke Power, Entergy and Exelon. SOURCE Louisiana Energy Services 
(LES)
 
Copyright © 1996- PR Newswire Association LLC. All Rights 
Reserved. A company.
*****************************************************************
 63 WMCTV.com: Community luke-warm on radioactive waste disposal

June 9, 2005   

Action News 5 first told you the state slapped RACE with 13
safety violations late last year. RACE says the problems were
minor and have been corrected. And today we got our first look
inside the facility at the center of this community controversy.
Despite community efforts to shut the place down, employees at
the RACE company facility on Presidents Island still work
24-7--processing and disposing ton after ton of low level
radioactive waste. 

"Day after day they work with it, they take the waste out of the
containers, they surround themselves with it and there's no
detrimental health effects," said RACE President Robert
Applebaum. 

Employees wear protective clothing and work with radioactive
material inside sealed ventilated rooms, then store the material
inside sealed containers. Plus each worker is scanned for
radiation before leaving the plant. All safety measures, the
public never sees. 

"Our opponents have not made any real efforts to make an
outreach with us on the front end and have just jumped into
lawsuits," said Applebaum. 

A lawsuit, filed last week by one group of mid-southerners
claims a planned incinerator at the site would endanger the
heath of those who live nearby. Because RACE put the project on
hold despite a green light from State and County agencies, while
the company petitions the City for a "special use permit." A
permit, RACE's officials say none of the 70 plus other
facilities who handle radioactive material in Memphis seem to
need. 

"Just the fear of the unknown, people see this type of material
leaving a place like this, and people instead of getting they
facts, they jump to conclusions," said Wesley Tayloir of RACE. 

Even if RACE does get the permit from the City it would still
take three months before the incinerator is put together and
brought online. City Council would have to approve a special use
permit for RACE. As for the incinerator, while RACE has these
permits to build it, the Memphis and Shelby County Health
Department will have to inspect it before it goes on line to
make sure it's safe to operate.   

      All content © Copyright 2000 - 2005 WorldNow and WMCTV, a
Raycom Media station. All Rights Reserved.
*****************************************************************
 64 WCAX.com: Next stop for dry-cask storage plan - PSB

June 8, 2005   

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. The next stop for Vermont Yankee's plan to store 
highly radioactive waste in dry casks on the nuclear plant's 
grounds in Vernon is the Public Service Board.

Plant spokesman Robert Williams says now that lawmakers have 
given Vermont Yankee the O-K to do so, it will make its formal 
application to the board for dry-cask storage within a few weeks.

Plant officials say they're running out of room to store spent 
nuclear fuel in a pool of water inside the plant for that 
purpose.

They say that to continue operating after 2008, they need to 
begin storing the spent fuel in concrete and steel casks on the 
plant's grounds.                                                 



Copyright 2005 Associated Press.

Copyright 2001 - 2005 WorldNow and WCAX. All Rights Reserved.
*****************************************************************
 65 Corvallis Gazette-Times: Hanford contractor may cut 350 jobs

[gazettetimes.com] 

Last modified Tuesday, June 7, 2005 11:12 PM PDT   
    
By The Associated Press 

RICHLAND, Wash. — A contractor at the Hanford nuclear site has
warned employees that layoffs loom if funding cuts are not
restored to the federal government's proposed 2006 cleanup
budget.

CH2M Hill Hanford Group will cut as many as 350 jobs if the U.S.
Department of Energy's proposed budget cuts for Hanford are
adopted. However, that number represents a worst-case scenario
for the contractor's 1,400 employees, the company said. 

"We have already seen positive signs coming from Congress and we
remain hopeful that our work scope reduction for 2006 will be
less than initially thought,'' Ed Aromi, CH2M Hill Hanford Group
president, said in a memo to employees Monday. 

The 2006 cleanup budget proposed by the Bush administration cuts
funding for Hanford by as much as $290 million from the 2005
budget of about $2.1 billion.

A House committee restored about $200 million of the cuts to an
appropriations bill, putting the proposed budget at about $2
billion.

The Energy Department has said the cuts were made, in part, as a
result of work being completed at the site. But state officials
and the Washington and Oregon congressional delegations have
said that as projects are completed, spending must be shifted to
other cleanup work at Hanford where little progress has been
made.

Last month, another contractor at the site announced plans to
lay off as many as 1,000 workers — nearly one-fourth of its work
force — in late September. The contractor, Fluor Hanford,
employs 3,886 people at the site.

Those layoffs are in addition to 700 construction workers who
were laid off by Bechtel National at the waste treatment plant
earlier this year. Another 300 nonconstruction workers for
Bechtel will lose their jobs in June.

The federal government created Hanford as part of the top-secret
Manhattan Project to build an atomic bomb. For 40 years, the
south-central Washington reservation made plutonium for the
nation's nuclear weapons arsenal.

Today, it is the nation's most contaminated nuclear site.
Cleanup costs are expected to total $50 billion to $60 billion
by the time the work is completed in 2035. 

Copyright © 2005 • Lee 
  Enterprises
    
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