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                         NUCLEAR POLICY
 
1 U.S. Cold War gift: Iran nuclear plant 24 Aug 2006 
2 [NYTr] US 'lacks Iran arms intelligence'
3 IRNA: US should offer Iran 'real incentives,' says UK editor 
4 Guardian Unlimited: U.N. May Be Next Stop for Iran Nuke Issue
5 Guardian Unlimited: Iran Nuclear Issue May Head Next to U.N.
6 Guardian Unlimited: Iran nuclear response leak reveals demands
7 IRNA: Iran to pursue enrichment quite powerfully - party leader - 
8 IRNA: Elham: Iran prepared to face anything concerning its nuclear i
9 IRIB PERSIAN NEWS: IRI expects rationality over N-offer 
10 AFP: Iran heads for showdown in nuclear row 
11 AFP: Iran heads for showdown in nuclear row - 
12 AFP: World powers give cool response to Iran nuclear offer 
13 AFP: US rallying allies, partners on Iran 
14 Guardian Unlimited: U.S., Allies Likely to Reject Iran Offer
15 Guardian Unlimited: U.S. Awaits U.N. Deadline on Iran
16 Guardian Unlimited: West Likely to Reject Iran's Response
17 [NYTr] Activity at North Korean nuclear testing site
18 Guardian Unlimited: Japan: Activity Around North Korean Site
19 Korea: Digital Chosunilbo: ¡¯Too Soon¡¯ to ask N.Korea to Halt Nuke 
20 AFP: China invites NKorea's Kim to visit
21 PakTribune: Pak-US in close contact to control nuclear proliferation
22 UPI: India wants to keep right to test nukes
23 Guardian Unlimited: Israel Adds 2 Nuclear-Capable Submarines
24 Guardian Unlimited: Rumsfeld Meeting With Russian Counterpart
 
                         NUCLEAR REACTORS
 
25 [NYTr] Argentina to expand nuclear program
26 [NukeNet] Argentina to Expand Nuclear Program
27 [NukeNet]Cost of nuclear clean-up soars - UK
28 Guardian Unlimited: Argentina to Expand Nuclear Program
29 US: MiamiHerald.com: Go nuclear for electricity
30 US: MiamiHerald.com: Nuclear not viable option
31 MercoPress: Argentina re-floats nuclear energy program 
32 US: St. Petersburg Times: Down 4½ days, nuclear plant resumes operat
33 US: NRC: Duke Power Company LLC; Notice of Consideration of Issuance
34 IPS: ARGENTINA: Activists Up in Arms Over Controversial Nuclear Ener
35 Buenos Aires Herald: Govt dusts off atomic energy plan
36 PIB Press Release: NUCLEAR REACTORS OF PAKISTAN                     
37 US: Wtnh.com: Goat's death blamed on Millstone radiation
 
                          NUCLEAR SECURITY
 
38 IRNA: Court case exposes UK role in ferrying US bombs to Israel 
 
                          NUCLEAR SAFETY
 
39 US: Platts: Commissioners back NRC staff's rejection of ICRP changes
40 US: APP.COM: NRC goes by rule book in ignoring plant safety |
41 Leuren Moret: Depleted Uranium is WMD
42 Whitehaven News: BNG sale â€˜recipe for disasterâ€™
 
                         NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE
 
43 US: Bradenton Herald: DEP: Lockheed is in compliance
44 BBC: Councils unite in  in Wylfa aid call
45 reviewjournal.com" Porter calls repository 'broken'
46 US: Carlsbad Current-Argus: Council OKs WIPP funds for road project 
47 US: AU ABC: CLP wants uranium enrichment for NT. 
48 US: AU ABC: NT uranium enrichment would 'decimate tourism industry'.
49 US: AU ABC: NT Opposition in favour of uranium enrichment
50 US: AU ABC: Opposition to support analysis of uranium enrichment via
 
                           PEACE
 
 
                        US DEPT. OF ENERGY
 
51 DOE: USDA-DOE Announce Additional Keynote Speakers for National Rene
52 DBJ: Slick Rock uranium site case results in $35.8M award - 
53 DOE: Agency Information Collection Extension
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                         FULL NEWS STORIES
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 1 U.S. Cold War gift: Iran nuclear plant 24 Aug 2006 
 
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 13:34:32 -0500 (CDT)

X-Sender-Host-Name: chumbly.math.missouri.edu
X-Spam-Class: HAM-VERY

Breaking News and Commentary from Citizens for Legitimate Government
24 August 2006 http://www.legitgov.org/ All links to articles as
summarized below are available here:

http://www.legitgov.org/index.html#breaking_news U.S. Cold War gift:
Iran nuclear plant --Now cited as evidence of weapons activity,
facility was provided to shah's government 24 Aug 2006 In the heart
of Tehran sits one of Iran's most important nuclear facilities, a
dome-shaped building where scientists have conducted secret experiments
that could help the country build atomic bombs. It was provided to
the Iranians by the United States. The Tehran Research Reactor
represents a little-known aspect of the international uproar over
the country's alleged weapons program. Not only did the U.S. provide
the reactor in the 1960s as part of a Cold War strategy, America
also supplied the weapons-grade uranium needed to power the
facility--fuel that remains in Iran and could be used to help make
nuclear arms.

Bush Ensured Iran Offer Would Be Rejected By Gareth Porter 22 Aug
2006 Even before Iran gave its formal counter-offer to ambassadors
of the P5+1 countries (the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Russia
and China) Tuesday, the George W.

Bush administration had already begun the process of organising
sanctions against Iran. Washington had already held a conference
call on sanctions Sunday with French, German and British officials,
the Washington Post reported.

Report rips U.S. intelligence on Iran --House panel points to 'major
gaps,' draws parallels to Iraq failures 23 Aug 2006 The U.S.
intelligence community is ill-prepared to assess Iran's nuclear
weapons capabilities and its intentions for developing weapons of
mass destruction, a congressional report said Wednesday.

U.S. Spy Agencies Criticized On Iran --GOP-Led Panel Faults
Intelligence 24 Aug 2006 A key House committee issued a stinging
critique of U.S. intelligence on Iran yesterday, charging that the
CIA and other agencies lack "the ability to acquire essential
information necessary to make judgments" on Tehran's nuclear program,
its intentions or even its ties to terrorism.

Some in G.O.P. Say Iran Threat Is Played Down 24 Aug 2006 Some
senior Bush administration officials and top Republican lawmakers
are voicing anger that American spy agencies have not issued more
ominous warnings about the threats that they say Iran presents to
the United States. [It can't possibly be as great a threat as Bush
is to the United States.]

US Marine call-up signals a long war --Troop levels in Iraq could
remain at current levels for two years, experts say. 24 Aug 2006
With the "global war on [of] terrorism" in Afghanistan and Iraq now
well into its fourth year, the strain is starting to show on US
troop levels. The Marine Corps announced this week that it will
involuntarily activate 2,500 reservists. Briefing reporters Tuesday,
Col. Guy Stratton, head of Marine Corps manpower mobilization,
acknowledged that "this is going to be a long war" and that there
is "clearly a need" for more marines in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Implanted Chips in Our Troops? 21 Aug 2006 VeriChip Corp, based in
Delray Beach, Fla., is hoping to convince the Pentagon to allow
them to insert the chips, known as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)
chips under the skin of the right arms of U.S. servicemen and
servicewomen to enable them to scan an arm and obtain that person's
identity and medical history. The chips would replace the legendary
metal dog tags that have been worn by U.S. military personnel since
1906.

U.S.: 7 'Operatives' Killed in Afghanistan 24 Aug 2006 The U.S.
military said American and Afghan forces killed seven suspected
'al-Qaida operatives' [civilians] Thursday after coming under fire
during a raid in eastern Afghanistan. Police, however, claimed those
killed were members of two families trying to resolve a dispute.
[Interesting oddity: Email snapshot from my inbox - From: "MSNBC
Breaking News" To: BREAKINGNEWS@LISTS.MSNBC.COM Sent:

Thursday, August 24, 2006 1:10 AM Subject: Breaking News - Air
strike kills 7 Afghan civilians, officials say. Now, here is the
time-stamp and headline from MSNBC's website: Updated: 2:37 a.m.
ET Aug 24, 2006 7 suspected al-Qaida killed in Afghanistan" --In a
little over an hour, the civilians morphed into al-Qaida operatives!!!
--LRP]

More war crimes by US terrorists: Witness: Taliban dead may be
civilians 23 Aug 2006 Nato's claims to have killed 11 Taliban who
were preparing an ambush in Afghanistan have been disputed by local
people who have said that the dead were civilian grape-pickers.

Troops kill boy, 10, after Afghan attack --Canadian killed, three
wounded in Kandahar suicide bombing 23 Aug 2006 A single bullet
fired by a Canadian soldier killed a 10-year-old boy and wounded a
teenager who approached a security cordon on a motorcycle about two
hours after a suicide bomber killed a Canadian soldier and a young
Afghan girl in a fiery strike outside the gates of Camp Nathan
Smith.

Iraq official escapes roadside bomb 23 Aug 2006 Iraq's interior
minister narrowly escaped a roadside bomb blast Wednesday in a
mainly Sunni part of the capital that U.S. officials had said had
been virtually cleared of [their] death squad cells. [What a shame!]

Fifteen killed in Iraq violence 24 Aug 2006 At least 12 Iraqis and
three US soldiers have died in bombings and gun attacks across Iraq
in the last 24 hours, officials say. The attacks included three car
bombings in different parts of Baghdad, which killed four people
and injured several.

Soldier Killed in Iraq 24 Aug 2006 A Multinational Division Baghdad
soldier died at about 8 a.m. today when an improvised explosive
device struck the vehicle he was riding in south of Baghdad, U.S.
military officials reported.

Looters strip British camp days after troops depart 24 Aug 1006 The
first British army camp to be handed to Iraqis was looted almost
bare within days of the soldiers' departure.

Bid to block US bomb flights fails 23 Aug 2006 A legal bid to block
the use of British airports by US planes supplying bombs to Israel
has been rejected by the High Court. A judge in London dismissed a
plea by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) for permission
to seek judicial review and an injunction against the Government,
based on the argument that it was knowingly assisting "acts of
terrorism" by Israel in its campaign against Hezbollah in southern
Lebanon.

Germany announces plans to deliver two submarines to Israel 23 Aug
2006 Germany plans to deliver two submarines to Israel, a German
Defense Ministry spokesman said Wednesday. German shipyard HDW
signed a contract with Israeli authorities on July 6 to build the
two submarines, the spokesman said on customary condition of
anonymity.

Hizbollah's reconstruction of Lebanon is winning the loyalty of
disaffected Shia By Robert Fisk 24 Aug 2006 ...Hizbollah has already
won the war for "hearts and minds". Most householders in the south
have received - or are receiving - a minimum initial compensation
payment of $12,000 (#6,300), either for new furniture or to cover
their family's rent while Hizbollah construction gangs rebuild their
homes. The money is being paid in cash - almost all in crisp new
$100 bills - to up to 15,000 families across Lebanon whose property
was blitzed by the Israelis, a bill of $180m which is going to rise
far higher when reconstruction and other compensation is paid.

PM says Australia to boost military 23 Aug 2006 Australia's prime
minister announced plans Thursday to substantially increase the
size of the army to foster regional stability and contribute to the
war on terror.

Fascism on a plane: 12 Arrested After Northwest Jet Diverted
--Suspicious Activity Reported By Passengers 23 Aug 2006 A dozen
passengers were under arrest Wednesday after their flight got a
fighter jet escort back to the Amsterdam airport. Dutch police said
12 people are in custody, although it was not immediately clear
what the charges are. [It never is.]

Incident Aboard Plane Not Linked to Terrorism 24 Aug 2006 Dutch
authorities said today that an incident aboard a Northwest Airlines
jet on Wednesday that led to a panicked early landing and the
detention of 12 passengers probably had nothing to do with terrorism.

Two bomb plot suspects freed 24 Aug 2006 British police investigating
a suspected plot to blow up transatlantic airliners freed two
suspects today and obtained permission to continue questioning nine
others.

U.K. Police Given More Time to Quiz Plane Bomb Terror Suspects 23
Aug 2006 U.K. anti[pro]-terrorist police were today given more time
to question nine suspects over an alleged plot to blow up trans-Atlantic
airliners.

Arrests expose internet fundraising for terrorism 24 Aug 2006
Indonesian police say they have arrested two "cyber-terrorists" who
were helping imprisoned Bali bomber Imam Samudra and using the
internet to raise funds for more terrorist attacks.

Poll: GOP up after terror arrests 22 Aug 2006 The arrest of terror
suspects in London has helped buoy President Bush to [sic] his
highest approval rating in six months and dampen Democratic
congressional prospects to their lowest in a year.

Suspicious Powder Called Corn Starch (Harrisburg, PA) White powder
was found in promotional mailings sent to medical centers, raising
suspicions until it was found to be corn starch, authorities said
Thursday.

Remarks on Mississippi River dam draw FBI's attention 21 Aug 2006
It wasn't the first time Jim Bensman of Alton has questioned the
need for costly dams on the Mississippi River. But after a public
hearing last month at which he urged the Army Corps of Engineers
to consider removing a dam, Bensman got a telephone call from an
FBI agent investigating his remarks as a possible threat.

Transportation worker ID plan 'gutted' 24 Aug 2006 The Department
of Homeland Security quietly announced this week that port facility
and merchant vessel owners and operators will not be required to
install readers for the biometric ID cards it plans to issue to the
nation's transportation workers. The change, which critics says
guts the security benefit of the proposal, is the latest stumble
for the controversial ID card project, called the Transportation
Worker Identity Credential, or TWIC program.

Who's Watching? By Eric Peters 21 Aug 2006 Big Brother will be
watching you for sure by 2008 -- the year a proposed requirement
that Event Data Recorders (EDRs) become mandatory standard equipment
in all new cars and trucks will become law unless public outrage
puts the kibosh on it somehow. EDRs are "black boxes" -- just like
airplanes have.

Lieberman's lead on anti-war rival narrows 23 Aug 2006 U.S. Sen.
Joseph LieberBush's lead over anti-war challenger Ned Lamont has
narrowed to a razor-thin margin, two polls showed on Wednesday.

Allen Calls Webb Aide, Apologizes For Remark 24 Virginia Sen. George
Allen apologized directly to S.R. Sidarth yesterday, telling the
20-year-old Democratic campaign staffer that he was sorry for
offending him with remarks that have generated nationwide criticism
for being racially insensitive.

Black students ordered to give up seats to white children --Status
of Red River Parish bus driver is unknown. 24 Aug 2006 Nine black
children attending Red River Elementary School were directed last
week to the back of the school bus by a white driver who designated
the front seats for white children. The situation has outraged
relatives of the black children who have filed a complaint with
school officials.

Canada reports new case of mad cow disease 23 Aug 2006 The Canadian
Food Inspection Agency confirmed on Wednesday a new case of mad cow
disease in Alberta.

Durban hospitals put bird flu plan in place 23 Aug 2006 Durban
hospitals are implementing stringent infection control measures to
counter a possible bird flu pandemic despite the government's
assurances that South Africa is not yet home to the deadly H5N1
virus.

Astronomers Say Pluto Is Not a Planet 24 Aug 2006 Leading astronomers
declared Thursday that Pluto is no longer a planet under historic
new guidelines that downsize the solar system from nine planets to
eight.

Tropical wave heads for Caribbean, eclipsing Debby 24 Aug 2006 A
strong tropical wave approaching the Windward Islands could strengthen
into a tropical depression or tropical storm Thursday, eclipsing
Tropical Storm Debby, which was spinning in the Atlantic Ocean, the
U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

[23 August lead stories:] US sues Maine officials for probe on
Verizon, NSA 22 Aug 2006 The U.S. government sued Maine officials
on Tuesday to block their demand that Verizon disclose whether it
gave the government's spying program access to its customer data,
documents showed.

Reid seeking much tougher terror policy 22 Aug 2006 Powers to detain
terror suspects without trial are being sought by the Home Secretary
John Reid, The Independent on Sunday revealed. Reid wants much
tougher anti-terrorism powers in the wake of the alleged plot to
blow up transatlantic flights, and has instructed his officials to
draft new measures that would allow him to bypass human rights
legislation. Backed by Tony Blair, the home secretary is also
considering introducing even tougher powers to put suspects under
house arrest, known as "control orders", without them being charged
or convicted of any offence.

Bomb Plot Evidence 'Immense,' British Say --But as 11 suspects are
charged, authorities face skepticism from the nation's Muslims. 22
Aug 2006 In the first unveiling of evidence in the alleged plot to
down U.S.-bound airliners, British authorities said Monday that
their searches had turned up [planted] "martyrdom videos," suicide
notes, bomb-making equipment and maps. But less than two weeks after
arresting two dozen suspects, British authorities have faced increased
skepticism from the public.

CLGers: Please contribute for August's expenses, thank you! And,
thank you to all who have donated previously! We are a reader-supported
news service, and cannot continue without your help. Thank you.

http://www.legitgov.org/#contribute

Please forward this Newsletter to anyone you think might be interested.
Those who'd like to be added to the Newsletter list can sign up:

http://www.legitgov.org/#subscribe_clg.

Please write to: signup@legitgov.org for inquiries. lrp/mdr

CLG Newsletter editor: Lori Price, General Manager. Copyright )
2006, Citizens For Legitimate Government . All rights reserved. CLG
Founder and Chair is Michael Rectenwald, Ph.D.

*****************************************************************
 2 [NYTr] US 'lacks Iran arms intelligence'
 
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 17:39:17 -0500 (CDT)

X-Sender-Host-Name: chumbly.math.missouri.edu
X-Spam-Class: HAM-VERY

Via NY Transfer News Collective  *  All the News that Doesn't Fit
 
[... among many other kinds of intelligence the US lacks.-NY Transfer]

BBC - Aug 24, 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/5281052.stm

US 'lacks Iran arms intelligence'

The US lacks reliable intelligence on Iran's weapons capability,
including its possible plans to develop a nuclear bomb, a US
Congressional report says.

The House Intelligence Committee report says more must be spent spying
on Iran.

Given the "significant gaps" in US intelligence, the report questions
whether the US can engage in effective dialogue with Iran.

Iran this week offered to discuss its nuclear work with world powers who
suspect it is trying to build a bomb.

Iran maintains its nuclear programme has a purely civilian purpose and
has rejected a UN demand to immediately stop uranium enrichment.

Iran's proposal for "serious talks" - made in response to a package of
incentives offered in exchange for abandoning uranium enrichment - has
drawn a cool response from Washington.

The US has indicated it is considering the threat of sanctions against
Iran because its response falls short of UN demands.

Iraq echoes

The House Intelligence Committee report says: "Iran is a serious
security threat on which the United States needs better intelligence."

"There is a great deal about Iran that we do not know," it says,
warning that "policymakers will need high-quality intelligence to assess
Iranian intentions to prepare for any new round of negotiations".

"A special concern is major gaps in our knowledge of Iranian nuclear,
biological, and chemical programmes," the report says.

The committee's report recommends the US strengthen its ability to
gather information on Iran's nuclear capability by hiring more agents
fluent in Farsi.

According to the BBC's Jonathan Beale in Washington, the report contains
worrying echoes of US intelligence failures over the weapons programme
of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

The report says Iran presents a serious security to the US and cites
intelligence sources as saying it could have a nuclear weapon within a
decade.

However, the report says, Iran may equally be engaged in a campaign of
denial and deception designed to make its nuclear programme appear more
advanced than it is.

A spokesman for the Bush administration said intelligence chiefs were
"already taking steps along the lines the committee has recommended".

) BBC MMVI

       
                                *
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.          Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us         .
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*****************************************************************
 3 IRNA: US should offer Iran 'real incentives,' says UK editor 

London, Aug 24, IRNA

Iran-UK Editor 

An editor of a leading right-wing British daily said that the US 
should reverse its failed strategy against Iran's nuclear program 
and start what he called bringing Tehran back into the 
international community.

 "The only way to do that is to stop issuing empty threats and to 
start offering Iran real incentives for cooperative behaviour," 
said associate editor of the Times newspaper Anatole Kaletsky.

 Kaletsky suggested this should include "non-aggression 
guarantees from America and Israel, removal of the residual US 
economic sanctions dating back to the 1980s and the prospect of 
steadily improving treatment in investment and trade." "To gain 
victory, the West must first concede defeat," he said in his 
weekly column. "Iran has won this tussle and there is no point in 
pretending otherwise," he said.

 The 54-year old Russian-born associate editor, who gained a
master's degree in Economics at Harvard University in the US,
based his arguments on the counter-productive nature of
Washington's policy towards Iran largely on economic grounds.

 "The 'international community' is now totally powerless in its
nuclear confrontation with Iran, even more so than with North
Korea," he said. "Iran, at the moment flush with oil wealth,
needs nothing and is not dependent on anyone."
 "The sort of economic and diplomatic sanctions being ominously
debated by the UN Security Council - curbing investment in
Iran's oil industry or banning exports of machinery and luxury
goods - would be worse than ineffective," Kaletsky warned.

 He said that financial sanctions would be counterproductive and
would also strengthen anti-Americanism sentiments in Iran while
reinforcing nationalist tendencies.

 "Far from defeating Iran through economic exhaustion, sanctions
would make the country, or at least its Government, even richer
and more powerful than it is today," the editor said.

 He warned that sanctions were "doomed to failure" as Iran was
likely to benefit financially from oil prices shooting up to
Dlrs 100 or more even if part of its exports were removed.

 Kaletsky also dismissed claims about the use of military
options, saying that the US and the Zionist regime "shot their
bolts in Iraq and Lebanon respectively" and that they "have
neither the firepower nor the willpower to do anything."
*****************************************************************
 4 Guardian Unlimited: U.N. May Be Next Stop for Iran Nuke Issue
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Thursday August 24, 2006 11:01 AM

AP Photo XHS102 

By BARRY SCHWEID 

AP Diplomatic Writer 

WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States is working with European
allies and other governments over a possible U.N. response to
what the Bush administration characterizes as Iran's inadequate
answer to demands that it cease uranium enrichment. 

Iran maintains it has offered ``positive and clear signals'' to
resolve the dispute over its nuclear program, but could face
U.N. sanctions unless it reverses course and agrees to a
verifiable halt to enrichment activities that can be a precursor
to the manufacture of nuclear weapons. 

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy says Iran must
suspend uranium enrichment if it wants to return to
negotiations, but Russia's foreign ministry said it would
continue to seek a negotiated solution and China appealed for
patience and more dialogue. 

The State Department acknowledged that Iran considered its
proposal to be a serious one and promised to ``review it.'' 

But the U.S. statement issued Wednesday went on to say that
Iran's response to a joint offer of U.S, and European trade and
other benefits if the enrichment program was halted ``falls
short of the conditions set by the Security Council'' - full and
verifiable suspension of all uranium-enrichment activity. 

``We are consulting closely, including with other members of the
Security Council, on next steps,'' it said. 

The United Nations has set a deadline of next Thursday for a
formal reply by Tehran. 

President Bush met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at
the White House and then discussed Iran's proposal in a
telephone call from U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Rice
telephoned with Javier Solana, the senior European Union
diplomat who oversees exchanges with Iran. 

No account of either telephone conversation, nor of Rice's
meeting with the president, was provided. 

The administration has told Iran that it will seek unspecified
sanctions in the Security Council if Tehran does not step
enriching uranium. 

But by not rejecting Iran's proposal outright, the
administration indicated there may be a basis for dealing with
long-held concerns that Tehran is developing nuclear weapons, an
allegation the Iranians deny. 

``The diplomats are continuing to look at it,'' said White House
spokeswoman Dana Perino. ``We're working with our allies.'' 

The Iranians' offer, which they portrayed as a major advance,
appeared to be aimed at least in part at dividing the Security
Council members with vetoes - the U.S., Britain and France on
one side and Russia and China on the other. 

Iran met its self-imposed deadline Tuesday for responding to the
U.S.-European offer, which includes the possibility of U.S. help
for civilian nuclear programs - but only if Iran stops uranium
enrichment. 
		 	 	   
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006
*****************************************************************
 5 Guardian Unlimited: Iran Nuclear Issue May Head Next to U.N.
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Thursday August 24, 2006 8:16 PM

AP Photo XHS102 

By BARRY SCHWEID 

AP Diplomatic Writer 

WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States is working with European
allies and other governments over a possible U.N. response to
what the Bush administration characterizes as Iran's inadequate
answer to demands that it cease uranium enrichment. 

Iran maintains it has offered ``positive and clear signals'' to
resolve the dispute over its nuclear program. But the country
could face U.N. sanctions unless it reverses course and agrees
to a verifiable halt to enrichment activities that can be a
precursor to the manufacture of nuclear weapons. 

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy says Iran must
suspend uranium enrichment if it wants to return to
negotiations, but Russia's foreign ministry said it would
continue to seek a negotiated solution and China appealed for
patience and more dialogue. 

The State Department acknowledged that Iran considered its
proposal to be a serious one and promised to ``review it.'' 

But the U.S. statement issued Wednesday went on to say that
Iran's response to a joint offer of U.S, and European trade and
other benefits if the enrichment program was halted ``falls
short of the conditions set by the Security Council'' - full and
verifiable suspension of all uranium-enrichment activity. 

``We are consulting closely, including with other members of the
Security Council, on next steps,'' it said. 

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said President Bush spoke
about Iran Thursday morning with Italian Prime Minister Romano
Prodi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Perino would not say
whether Bush agreed with Merkel that Iran's response was
``unsatisfactory,'' but she noted Wednesday's State Department
statement. She would not say whether the leaders were of the
same mind about what should be done next. 

President Bush met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at
the White House and then discussed Iran's proposal in a
telephone call from U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Rice
telephoned with Javier Solana, the senior European Union
diplomat who oversees exchanges with Iran. 

No account of either telephone conversation, nor of Rice's
meeting with the president, was provided. 

The administration has told Iran that it will seek unspecified
sanctions in the Security Council if Tehran does not step
enriching uranium. 

But by not rejecting Iran's proposal outright, the
administration indicated there may be a basis for dealing with
long-held concerns that Tehran is developing nuclear weapons, an
allegation the Iranians deny. 

``The diplomats are continuing to look at it,'' said White House
spokeswoman Dana Perino. ``We're working with our allies.'' 

It could be some time before there's any agreement among them. 

``They're analyzing the Iranian response in the capitals,''
Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Thursday. ``Then
there will be consultations between the capitals, and at some
point we'll get some instructions here in New York.'' 

The Iranians' offer, which they portrayed as a major advance,
appeared to be aimed at least in part at dividing the Security
Council members with vetoes - the U.S., Britain and France on
one side and Russia and China on the other. 

Iran met its self-imposed deadline Tuesday for responding to the
U.S.-European offer, which includes the possibility of U.S. help
for civilian nuclear programs - but only if Iran stops uranium
enrichment. 
		 	 	   
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006
*****************************************************************
 6 Guardian Unlimited: Iran nuclear response leak reveals demands

Ian Traynor

Friday August 25, 2006
The Guardian 		 

The US would have to lift decades-old sanctions against Iran and 
probably give assurances that it has no policy of regime change 
towards the Islamic republic to settle Iran's nuclear dispute 
with the west, according to leaks of the Iranian response.

Iran is demanding firmer guarantees on trade and nuclear 
supplies, a tighter timetable for implementing agreements and 
clearer security pledges from the west before it decides whether 
to freeze its uranium enrichment programme and explore an offer 
of a new relationship.

Details of its response delivered this week to diplomats, 
disclosed yesterday by two well-connected Iranian political 
scientists, claimed moderates in Tehran had won an important 
power struggle and were offering a negotiated settlement of the 
nuclear row.

If the US spurns the Iranian olive branch and forces through
sanctions from the UN security council, "the stage will be set
for a full-scale international crisis", the response's authors
stated.

Under the terms of a UN resolution the Iranians have until
Thursday to freeze all uranium enrichment activities or face the
prospect of sanctions. The same day the head of the
International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammed ElBaradei, is to
tell the security council that Iran has not suspended uranium
enrichment. He is also likely to report additional frustrations
in the agency's effort to penetrate the details of Iran's
nuclear programmes.

In June the Europeans, the US, Russia and China offered Iran an
extensive package of incentives if it delivered a verifiable
halt to uranium enrichment, a process that can deliver the
wherewithal for nuclear bombs.

But the negotiations on that package - everything from the fine
print of Iran-EU trade agreements to a pact on "regional
security arrangements" and the details of European supplies of
nuclear reactors for a civil nuclear programme - could take at
least 10 years.

The Iranians are balking at having to pay up front, by freezing
uranium enrichment now, for a set of contracts and agreements
that may - or may not - deliver years down the line.

The Iranian response to the international offer tabled in June
is said to contain about 100 queries. The Iranians want more
explicit international recognition of and support for Iran's
right to peaceful nuclear energy.

American sanctions in place against Iran would prevent, for
instance, European firms supplying nuclear technology to Iran
because the companies would imperil their trade in America.

"Is the United States willing to lift some if not all of those
sanctions?" Tehran has asked, according to the leak.

The response's authors suggest Iran will freeze uranium
enrichment if it is persuaded the deal on offer is iron-clad.
But European diplomats see the Iranian move as a stalling
tactic, while international reaction to the response has been
mixed.
 
[UP] 

Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006
*****************************************************************
 7 IRNA: Iran to pursue enrichment quite powerfully - party leader - 

Tehran, Aug 24, IRNA

Iran-Party Leader-Nuclear 

Secretary General of Iran's Islamic Coalition Party,
'Mo'talefeh', Mohammad-Nabi Habibi said here on Wednesday that
Iran would "God willing" pursue uranium enrichment "quite
powerfully."

 Speaking at a medal decoration ceremony of his party, Habibi
focuses on the reply of Iran to the 5+1 package of the West,
adding, "The Islamic Republic of Iran's response to that package
was in fact an ultimatum to the world and regional powers and an
end point to their intentions to create more crises."

 The Islamic Coalition Party's Secretary General reiterated,
"Nothing in the world can halt Iran's will to master the full
cycle of the nuclear technology for peaceful purposes."

 Habibi added, "The Islamic Republic of Iran patiently surveyed
the 5+1 package and prepared its response to it quite logically,
based on its full abidance by the articles of the NPT, while
pointing out how all big powers in the world have on the
contrary breached those articles, creating problems for the
world nations."

 Stressing that Iran is by no means an adventurist country, he
stressed, "But it is definitely powerful enough to give a
decisive response to the possible adventurist moves of the
United States, Britain and the racist-Zionist regime regarding
its nuclear program." The party leader said, "No Iranian would
yield to the irrational demand of being deprived of the right to
master the nuclear sciences and technology, and those that
intend to keep on negotiating with us had better keep that basic
rule in mind."

*****************************************************************
 8 IRNA: Elham: Iran prepared to face anything concerning its nuclear issue - 

Tehran, Aug 23, IRNA

Iran-Elham-Nuclear 

Government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham here Wednesday said 
that though Iran expects a rational and just reaction to its 
response to the proposal of the five permanent members of the UN 
Security Council plus Germany (5+1 group), it is prepared to face 
anything.


 He told IRNA that all problems are believed to be solved within
the framework of international principles.

 "In case no framework is taken into view and if we find the
atmosphere of talks unfair, we shall proceed in accordance with
their approach.

 "To protect the inalienable rights of the Iranian nation, we
remain committed to international rights, frameworks and laws
and will comply with them," he added.

 In response to a question about the content of Iran's response
to the 5+1 group and the time it is expected to be released, he
said, "We decided that our response should be pursued
diplomatically rather than being released to the media."
 Elham said that at present the conditions are not favorable for
revealing details of the response, given that making comments on
it by the media does not accord the policies of either side.

 "If our partners change their approach and reveal the issue to
the media, we will also have the right to revise our policy," he
said.

 In reply to the question whether Iran has agreed to suspend its
enrichment process for a short time, he refrained from
responding to such a question and said that the relevant
activities are currently underway and that nuclear research is
being conducted.

 The government spokesman said that no change has been made in
Iran's nuclear trend, except that it is prepared for talks.

 Elham repeated that nothing has changed, adding that Iran has
responded to the received proposal and expects talks to be
resumed, according to its offer.
*****************************************************************
 9 IRIB PERSIAN NEWS: IRI expects rationality over N-offer 

  2006/08/24   
  
Government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham in Tehran Wednesday
said that though Iran expects a rational and just reaction to
its response to the proposal of the five permanent members of
the UN Security Council plus Germany (5+1 group), it is prepared
to face anything. 

He told IRNA that all problems are believed to be solved within
the framework of international principles. 

Elham said, "In case no framework is taken into view and if we
find the atmosphere of talks unfair, we shall proceed in
accordance with their approach." 

"To protect the inalienable rights of the Iranian nation, we
remain committed to international rights, frameworks and laws
and will comply with them," he added. 

In response to a question about the content of Iran's responseto
the 5+1 group and the time it is expected to be released, he
said, "We decided that our response should be pursued
diplomatically rather than being released to the media." 

Elham said that at present the conditions are not favorable for
revealing details of the response, given that making comments on
it by the media does not accord the policies of either side. 

"If our partners change their approach and reveal the issue to
the media, we will also have the right to revise our policy," he
said. 

In reply to the question whether Iran has agreed to suspend its
enrichment process for a short time, he refrained from
responding to such a question and said that the relevant
activities are currently underway and that nuclear research is
being conducted. 

The government spokesman said that no change has been made in
Iran's nuclear trend, except that it is prepared for talks. 

Elham repeated that nothing has changed, adding that Iran has
responded to the received proposal and expects talks to be
resumed, according to its offer. 

SAM   
  
  Copyright 2004, All Rights Reserved By Islamic Republic of Iran 
Broadcasting News Network Sponsored By IRIB News Computer Center. 
E-Mail: Info@IRIBNEWS.ir     
*****************************************************************
 10 AFP: Iran heads for showdown in nuclear row 

 by Aresu Eqbali Thu Aug 24, 5:47 AM ET 		 	 

TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran" /> Iranhas appeared heading for a showdown 
at the UN Security Council next week over its nuclear programme, 
facing the threat of sanctions after failing to freeze key fuel 
cycle work. 

Western nations reacted coolly to Iran's response to a 
international offer of incentives in return for a halt to uranium 
enrichment, with the United States warning it fell short of UN 
demands and France insisting Tehran immediately suspend nuclear 
activities. 

However, fellow permanent Security Council members China and
Russia have appealed for a peaceful solution to the long-running
standoff. 

The Security Council adopted a resolution last month giving Iran
until August 31 to freeze its uranium enrichment programme or
face sanctions. 

The US State Department said Washington was still consulting
with fellow Security Council members after Tehran said it was
ready for talks but declined to announce a moratorium on
enrichment. 

"We acknowledge that Iran considers its response as a serious
offer, and we will review it," spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said. 

"The response, however, falls short of the conditions set by the
Security Council, which require the full and verifiable
suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing
activities," he said. 

Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said Tuesday Tehran
was ready for "serious talks" but no details were made public of
its response to a package of trade, technology and security
incentives offered by the five permanent Security Council
members plus Germany. 

The United States and other powers suspect the nuclear programme
is a smokescreen for an attempt to produce a bomb. Enrichment
can make fuel for nuclear power stations or be extended to
create the core of atomic weapons. 

However, Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil producer, insists
it is purely for peaceful power generation and that it has the
right to the technology as a signatory of the nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). 

Government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham said Tehran was
"waiting for a logical and just reaction from the major powers
(but) we are ready to face any situation. 

"If there is no international (negotiating) partner or a climate
favourable to fair negotiations, we will react accordingly." 

Elham declined to say whether Iran might accept a short-term
suspension. "Nothing has changed. We will continue our research
activities, but we want understanding and dialogue." 

The Islamic republic has also been flexing its military might
during nationwide war games it says are aimed at demonstrating
it can respond to "any threat." 

France insisted future talks would depend on a freeze. 

"Our hand is still extended. The Iranians know the rules of the
game: first a suspension of sensitive nuclear activities,"
Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said. 

Russia, which is building Iran's first nuclear power plant at
Bushehr, said it would continue to press for a political
solution and wanted to keep the UN nuclear watchdog -- not the
Security Council -- at the centre of the process. 

China's special envoy to the Middle East, Sun Bigan, said
Beijing sought a "peaceful settlement rather than resorting to
force or threatening sanctions". 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir 
Putin" /> Vladimir Putindiscussed the issue by telephone 
Wednesday while Bush and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice" 
/> Condoleezza Ricespoke by telephone with UN Secretary General 
Kofi Annan" /> Kofi Annan, who was expected to travel to Tehran 
next week. 

As the Security Council deadline neared, International Atomic 
Energy Agency" /> International Atomic Energy Agencyinspectors 
are in the final stages of preparing a report on Iran's uranium 
enrichment work. 

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei is to report back to the Security 
Council on Iran's compliance and if it is deemed to have failed, 
the Council will consider adopting "appropriate measures" under 
Article 41 of Chapter Seven of the UN Charter, which sets out 
enforcement powers. 

But an Iranian news agency reported that Iran would soon announce 
a breakthrough which would "highlight its mastery of different 
areas in nuclear science and reinforce Iran's position as a 
nuclear country". 

In Washington, a congressional committee warned of "significant" 
gaps in US intelligence on Iran, a scenario it said precluded 
confident assessments on Tehran's suspected weapons of mass 
destruction programmes. 

Copyright © 2006 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. The
*****************************************************************
 11 AFP: Iran heads for showdown in nuclear row - 

 by Pierre Celerier Thu Aug 24, 3:20 PM ET 		 	 

TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran" /> appeared headed for a showdown at the UN 
Security Council next week over its nuclear program, facing the 
threat of sanctions after refusing to freeze sensitive fuel cycle 
work. 

Western nations reacted coolly to Iran's response to an offer by 
the five permanent Security Council members and Germany of 
incentives in return for a halt to uranium enrichment. 

Iran's approach was based on "removal of the other side's 
concerns along with preservation of Iran's rights," chief Iranian 
negotiator Ali Larijani was quoted as saying by official media 
Thursday. 

"We are ready to reach an understanding in constructive and 
serious talks." 

The United States has already said the initial response fell 
short of UN demands, Germany described it as unsatisfactory and 
France insisted Tehran immediately suspend nuclear activities. 

In contrast, China and Russia have appealed for a peaceful
solution to the standoff. 

The Security Council adopted a resolution last month giving Iran
until August 31 to freeze its uranium enrichment program or face
sanctions. 

The US State Department said Washington was consulting with
fellow Security Council members after Tehran declined to
announce a moratorium on enrichment. 

"We acknowledge that Iran considers its response as a serious
offer, and we will review it," spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said. 

"The response, however, falls short of the conditions set by the
Security Council, which require the full and verifiable
suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing
activities," he said. 

On Thursday, IRNA quoted Larijani as saying: "We have responded
to all the important issues proposed in the package with a
serious and just attitude, including Iran's duties and rights
under the NPT" or nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to which
Tehran has adhered. 

The United States and other powers suspect the nuclear program
is a smokescreen for an attempt to produce a bomb. Enrichment
can make fuel for nuclear power stations or be extended to
create the core of atomic weapons. 

However, Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil producer, insists
it is purely for peaceful power generation and that it has the
right to the technology as an NPT signatory. 

In Paris, an Iranian opposition group announced that Tehran has
assembled and is testing 15 so-called P2 centrifuges, which can
speed up enrichment. 

Mohammad Mohadessin, of the National Council of Resistance of
Iran, told a press conference the test site was off a main road
northeast of Tehran. 

In Tehran, Larijani said Iranian officials had addressed
regional security concerns by the six world powers and was now
waiting in turn for their response. 

"Considering the critical conditions of the region, Iran is
ready to help with stable peace in the region under a just
mechanism," he said. 

Government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham declined on Wednesday
to say whether Iran might accept a short-term suspension of its
nuclear program. 

"Nothing has changed. We will continue our research activities,
but we want understanding and dialogue," he had said. 

The Islamic republic has also been flexing its military might
during nationwide war games it says demonstrate it can respond
to "any threat." 

France insisted future talks would depend on a freeze. 

"Our hand is still extended. The Iranians know the rules of the
game: first a suspension of sensitive nuclear activities,"
Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said. 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said "we are still reviewing
(Iran's response) but from everything I hear we cannot be
satisfied with it. 

"It does not state what we expect -- namely 'we are suspending
uranium enrichment, coming to the negotiating table and will
speak about the opportunities and possibilities for Iran'. That
is unfortunately not the case." 

Russia, which is building Iran's first nuclear power plant at
Bushehr, said it would continue to press for a political
solution and wanted to keep the UN nuclear watchdog -- not the
Security Council -- at the centre of the process. 

China's special envoy to the Middle East, Sun Bigan, said
Beijing sought a "peaceful settlement rather than resorting to
force or threatening sanctions." 

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan" /> was expected to travel to
Tehran next week. 

As the Security Council deadline neared, International Atomic
Energy Agency" /> inspectors were in the final stages of
preparing a report on Iran's uranium enrichment work. 

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei is to report back to the Security
Council on Iran's compliance and if it is deemed to have failed,
the Council will consider adopting "appropriate measures" under
Article 41 of Chapter Seven of the UN Charter, which sets out
enforcement powers. 

But an Iranian news agency reported that Iran would soon
announce a breakthrough which would "highlight its mastery of
different areas in nuclear science and reinforce Iran's position
as a nuclear country." 

In Washington, a congressional committee warned of "significant"
gaps in US intelligence on Iran, a scenario it said precluded
confident assessments on Tehran's suspected weapons of mass
destruction programs. 	 		 			

Copyright © 2006 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. The
*****************************************************************
 12 AFP: World powers give cool response to Iran nuclear offer 

 Thu Aug 24, 4:39 AM ET 		 	 

WASHINGTON (AFP) - World powers reacted coolly to Iran" /> Iran's 
response in the dispute over its nuclear program, with the United 
States warning it fell short of UN demands and France insisting 
Tehran immediately suspend uranium enrichment activities. 

Some 24 hours after Iran said it was willing to negotiate over
its nuclear program, US State Department spokesman Gonzalo
Gallegos said Washington was still consulting with fellow UN
Security Council members on how to respond. 

"We acknowledge that Iran considers its response as a serious
offer, and we will review it," Gallegos said. 

"The response, however, falls short of the conditions set by the
Security Council, which require the full and verifiable
suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing
activities," he said. 

"We are consulting closely, including with other members of the
Security Council, on next steps." 

The Security Council adopted a resolution last month giving Iran
until August 31 to freeze its uranium enrichment program or face
sanctions. 

Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, said Tehran was
ready for "serious talks" but no details were made public of the
document in which it responded to a package of incentives
offered by world powers in return for a moratorium on enrichment
by an August 31 UN deadline. 

Iran was responding Tuesday to incentives provided on June 6 by
the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China
designed to entice Tehran to abandon uranium enrichment in
return for various concessions, including help developing a
civilian nuclear power industry. 

Tehran's reply offered to hold immediate "serious talks" on the
matter, stopped short of accepting a freeze to uranium
enrichment, a process which could lead to production of nuclear
weapons. 

The United States and other powers suspect the nuclear program
is a smokescreen for an attempt to produce a bomb. Enrichment
can make fuel for nuclear power stations or be extended to
create the core of atomic weapons. 

However, Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil producer, insists
it is purely for peaceful power generation and that it has the
right to the technology as a signatory of the nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). 

Iranian government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham said Tehran was
"waiting for a logical and just reaction from the great powers
(but) we are ready to face any situation. 

"If there is no international (negotiating) partner or a climate
favorable to fair negotiations, we will react accordingly." 

Elham, speaking prior to the US response, declined to say
whether Iran might accept a short-term suspension of enrichment. 

"We cannot enter into the details of the response ... because we
have decided not to talk through the media and to follow the
matter through diplomatic channels." 

However, he said: "Nothing has changed. We will continue our
research activities, but we want understanding and dialogue." 

France, meanwhile, insisted future talks would depend on a
freeze. Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said Wednesday
"our hand is still extended. The Iranians know the rules of the
game: first a suspension of sensitive nuclear activities." 

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the last
word on all key policy issues, said Monday Iran was determined
to press ahead with its nuclear program. 

But an Iranian official who asked not to be named insisted: "We
can discuss all the items of the proposal; this is a sign of
flexibility on Iran's part." 

The response from the countries behind the offer to Iran
remained muted. The White House warned that a nuclear-armed Iran
would be "dangerous" to the world. 

Russia, which is building Iran's first nuclear power plant, said
it would continue to press for a political solution and wanted
to keep the UN nuclear watchdog -- not the Security Council --
at the center of the process. 

China's special envoy to the Middle East, Sun Bigan, said that
Beijing sought a "peaceful settlement rather than resorting to
force or threatening sanctions". 

European Union" /> European Unionforeign policy chief Javier
Solana said he would remain in contact with Larijani, adding
that the Iranian document "requires a detailed and careful
analysis". 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir
Putin" /> Vladimir Putindiscussed the Iran issue in telephone
talks late Wednesday while Bush and US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice" /> Condoleezza Ricespoke by telephone with UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan" /> Kofi Annan, who was expected to
travel to Tehran next week. 

As the Security Council deadline nears, International Atomic
Energy Agency" /> International Atomic Energy Agencyinspectors
are in the final stages of preparing a report that will dispel
any doubts about Iran's uranium enrichment work. 

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei is to report back to the Security
Council on Iran's compliance and if it is deemed to have failed,
the Council will consider adopting "appropriate measures" under
Article 41 of Chapter Seven of the UN Charter, which sets out
enforcement powers. 

But an Iranian news agency reported Wednesday that Iran would
soon announce a nuclear breakthrough which would "highlight its
mastery of different areas in nuclear science and reinforce
Iran's position as a nuclear country". 

In Washington, a US congressional committee meanwhile warned
Wednesday of "significant" gaps in US intelligence on Iran, a
scenario it said precluded confident assessments on Tehran's
weapons of mass destruction programs. 

The unclassified report called on US intelligence agencies to
offer better information to policymakers in the event of any
talks on the current nuclear showdown, or to check compliance
with sanctions if negotiations founder. 

"There is a great deal about Iran that we do not know," the
report, issued by the House of Representatives Permanent Select
Committee on Intelligence, said. 

"The United States lacks critical information needed for
analysts to make many of their judgments with confidence about
Iran and there are many significant information gaps," said the
report, accompanied by a classified annex. 

The committee declined to specify where gaps were evident,
saying it did not want to tip off the Iranian government, but
added that more needed to be done to decipher Iran's nuclear,
biological and chemical weapons efforts, its political and
economic strategy, alleged support for terrorism and involvement
in fomenting violence in Iraq" /> Iraq. 

"US policymakers and intelligence officials believe, without
exception, that the United States must collect more and better
intelligence on a wide range of Iranian issues," the report
said. 	 		 			

Copyright © 2006 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. The
*****************************************************************
 13 AFP: US rallying allies, partners on Iran 

 Thu Aug 24, 3:07 PM ET 		 	 

KENNEBUNKPORT, United States (AFP) - US President George W. Bush" 
led a US diplomatic effort to ensure a united response to Iran" 
/> Iran's nuclear program one week before Tehran may face United 
Nations" /> United Nationssanctions. 

 Bush telephoned the leaders of Germany and Italy, while US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice" /> Condoleezza Ricecalled
her Russian and German counterparts as well as EU foreign policy
chief Javier Solana, US officials told reporters. 

Iran appears headed for a showdown with the UN Security Council,
which is expected to use an August 31 meeting to take up
Tehran's refusal to freeze uranium enrichment and reprocessing
activities as demanded by world powers. 

"There is still time before August 31 for Iran to comply," US
State Department acting spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos told
reporters. "We encourage Iran to make the right choice." 

The United States and other world powers have reacted coolly to
Iran's response to a package of incentives offered by the five
permanent Security Council members and Germany -- colloquially
known as "P5 plus one" -- in return for a moratorium on
sensitive uranium activities. 

"Their response fell short," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino
told reporters as Bush traveled here to his parents' oceanside
compound for a weekend family wedding. 

"Security Council Resolution 1696 has the deadline of August
31st, and so the members of P5 plus one are going to be
discussing and communicating amongst themselves, reviewing the
response from Iran and then meeting on August 31st, as spelled
out in that resolution, as well," said Perino. 

"We are looking at the August 31 date and once we get there
we'll begin to take action," Gallegos said in Washington. "We
are working with the UN Security Council to do this in an
expedited manner." 

In his conversations with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and
Italian Prime Minister Romani Prodi, Bush "discussed diplomatic
efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapon
capability," said Perino. 

He also discussed efforts to assemble a multinational force for
Lebanon to enforce a fragile ceasefire, the spokeswoman said. 

There were no other details from Rice's telephone conversations
with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Russian
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. 

Washington accuses Tehran of using a civilian nuclear program as
cover for a quest for atomic weapons. The Islamic republic
denies the accusation. 

Copyright © 2006 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. The
*****************************************************************
 14 Guardian Unlimited: U.S., Allies Likely to Reject Iran Offer
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Thursday August 24, 2006 5:46 PM

AP Photo XTH104 

By GEIR MOULSON 

Associated Press Writer 

BERLIN (AP) - Germany said Thursday that Iran's response to a
package of incentives for halting its nuclear program appears
unsatisfactory because it is missing a reference to whether
Tehran will suspend uranium enrichment. 

Two senior diplomats who have been briefed on the Iranian
response told The Associated Press that the six world powers
studying it will likely reject Tehran's terms for talks because
they do not even touch on the possibility of freezing
enrichment. 

The diplomats said the 25-page document from Tehran does not
suggest an enrichment moratorium once negotiations start and
includes only a vague reference to a willingness to discuss all
aspects of Iran's nuclear program. The diplomats, who spoke from
two European capitals, asked for anonymity because they were not
authorized to discuss the confidential Iranian proposal. 

The diplomats variously described the reaction to the Iranian
reply in the capitals of the six powers as disappointed and even
angry because of the lack of response to the main demand - a
freeze on enrichment, which can be used to generate energy but
also to make the fissile core of nuclear warheads. 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told N24 television that ``we
are still examining'' the Iranian response, ``but from
everything that I hear we cannot be satisfied.'' 

None of the six nations has yet to flatly say the Iranian
counteroffer is inadequate. 

Tehran presented its response Tuesday to the package of
incentives, drawn up by the five permanent U.N. Security Council
members and Germany. It did not publicly disclose full details
of its response. 

But two well-informed Iranian academics said it included about
100 questions, including a request for a timetable for the West
to implement its incentives package and a query about whether
the U.S. is willing to lift some sanctions. 

The Security Council has set an Aug. 31 deadline for Iran to
halt enrichment or face the possibility of wider economic and
political sanctions. 

Merkel said Germany and its partners had hoped for Tehran to
say, ``'We are suspending our uranium enrichment, we are coming
to the negotiating table and we will then talk about the chances
and possibilities for Iran.'' 

``That unfortunately is not the case,'' she said. ``We will call
for this to happen in the coming days, but the decisive sentence
is missing in this answer,'' she added. 

Tehran says its enrichment is for purely peaceful purposes. The
U.S. and some allies suspects that the program is cover for
making atomic weapons. 

Iran maintains it has offered ``positive and clear signals'' to
resolve the dispute over its nuclear program. 

Abbas Maleki, director of the International Institute For
Caspian Studies in Tehran, and Kevah Afrasiabi, an author and
political scientist, said in a report distributed by the
syndication agency Agence Global that: ``By agreeing to put the
issue of suspension of enrichment activities on the table and to
commence the talks immediately, Iran has sent a strong signal
that the internal debate between power centers in Iran's
leadership has ended in favor of voices of moderation seeking a
mutually satisfactory resolution of the nuclear standoff with
the West.'' 

The two also said that Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali
Larijani, had declared Iran's willingness to use its influence
in Lebanon to facilitate an exchange of prisoners held by
Hezbollah and Israel. 

The State Department has acknowledged that Iran considered its
nuclear proposal to be a serious one and promised to ``review
it.'' 

But a U.S. statement issued Wednesday went on to say that Iran's
response ``falls short of the conditions set by the Security
Council'' - full and verifiable suspension of all
uranium-enrichment activity. 

Among other measures, the benefits include a joint offer of U.S,
and European trade and the possibility of U.S. help for civilian
nuclear programs. 

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said President Bush spoke
with Merkel by phone Thursday about Iran and the diplomatic
effort in reaction to Tehran's response. 

Perino would not say whether Bush agreed with Merkel that Iran's
response was ``unsatisfactory,'' pointing to Wednesday's State
Department statement that it ``fell short.'' And she would not
say whether the two leaders were of the same mind about what
should be done next. 

The administration has told Iran that it will seek unspecified
sanctions in the Security Council if Tehran does not step
enriching uranium. 

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy has said Iran must
suspend uranium enrichment if it wants to return to
negotiations, but Moscow and Beijing have steadily braked
U.S-backed efforts to punish Tehran quickly, both as nations in
the six-power alliance offering rewards to Iran if it suspends
enrichment and permanent members of the Security Council. 

The Iranians' offer, which they portrayed as a major advance,
appeared to be aimed at least in part at dividing the Security
Council members with vetoes - the U.S., Britain and France on
one side and Russia and China on the other. 

Still, one of the diplomats told the AP that the lack of Iranian
flexibility on enrichment would likely leave even Russia and
China no choice but to ultimately endorse U.N. sanctions against
Iran. 

--- 

AP writers George Jahn in Vienna, Austria, and Barry Schweid in
Washington contributed to this report. 
		 	 	   
      Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006
*****************************************************************
 15 Guardian Unlimited: U.S. Awaits U.N. Deadline on Iran
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Thursday August 24, 2006 11:01 PM

AP Photo XHS102 

By ANNE GEARAN 

AP Diplomatic Writer 

WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States is awaiting a formal U.N.
deadline before seeking any new measures to coerce or punish
Iran over its disputed nuclear program, the State Department
says. 

``We're looking at the Aug. 31 date and I think once we get
there, we'll begin to take action,'' State Department spokesman
Gonzalo Gallegos said Thursday. 

The U.N. Security Council is set to take up the Iran case on
Aug. 31, and could soon consider a new resolution to impose
economic or other sanctions on Tehran. The U.S. has long favored
sanctions. 

The U.N. Security Council gave Iran until the end of August to
stop enriching uranium, a key component of both nuclear weapons
and the peaceful nuclear energy that Tehran says it wants. The
suspension is a precondition before Iran could bargain with
European nations and the United States over a package offering
Iran economic and other incentives if it gives up portions of
its nuclear program that the West fears could produce a bomb. 

Iran made a counteroffer to the proposal Tuesday that ignores
the U.N. demand on uranium. 

Germany said Thursday that Iran's response appears
unsatisfactory, and Gallegos repeated the U.S. assessment that
the response ``falls short'' of U.N. conditions. 

``We've acknowledged that Iran considers its response a serious
offer and we're reviewing it,'' Gallegos said. ``I note that
there is still time before Aug. 31 for Iran to comply.'' 

Meanwhile, two senior diplomats who have been briefed on the
Iranian response told The Associated Press that the U.S. and
other world powers will likely reject Tehran's terms. 

The diplomats said the 25-page Iranian document does not suggest
an enrichment moratorium once negotiations start and includes
only a vague reference to a willingness to discuss all aspects
of Iran's nuclear program. The diplomats, who spoke from two
European capitals, asked for anonymity because they were not
authorized to discuss the confidential proposal. 

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said President Bush spoke
with German Chancellor Angela Merkel by phone Thursday about
Iran and the diplomatic effort in reaction to Tehran's response. 

Perino would not say whether Bush agreed with Merkel that Iran's
response was ``unsatisfactory.'' And she would not say whether
the two leaders agreed on what should be done next. 

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke Thursday with
diplomatic counterparts from the European Union, Russia and
Germany, all participants in the international outreach to Iran,
but Gallegos provided no details of the conversations. 

Despite cooperation so far from Russia and China, which, like
the U.S., hold veto power at the U.N. Security Council, it is
not clear that those nations would agree to impose harsh
sanctions on Iran once the deadline passes. 

^--- 

Associated Press Writers George Jahn in Vienna, Austria, and
Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report. 
		 	 	   
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006
*****************************************************************
 16 Guardian Unlimited: West Likely to Reject Iran's Response
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Thursday August 24, 2006 11:16 PM

AP Photo MSC112 

By GEORGE JAHN 

Associated Press Writer 

VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Germany said Thursday that Iran's
response to a package of incentives to halt its nuclear program
was unsatisfactory because of its refusal to freeze uranium
enrichment, and diplomats suggested Tehran now faces a greater
risk of U.N. sanctions. 

Two senior diplomats who were briefed on the Iranian response
told The Associated Press that world powers would likely reject
it. 

The U.N. Security Council has set a deadline of next Thursday
for Iran to freeze enrichment - a possible pathway to nuclear
arms - and the six nations offering to talk to Iran say such a
step must precede the start of any discussions. 

But the diplomats said the 25-page document does not directly
suggest an enrichment moratorium even after negotiations start. 

Instead, it includes only a vague reference to a willingness to
discuss all aspects of the country's nuclear program, said the
diplomats who spoke from two European capitals and asked for
anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the
confidential proposal. 

They said the reaction among the six powers - France, Germany,
Britain, Russia, the United States and China - was one of
disappointment and even anger that Tehran would not consider a
suspension of uranium enrichment as a precondition for any new
talks. 

A day after the U.S. administration issued a guarded assessment
of Iran's long-awaited response, German Chancellor Angela Merkel
on Thursday said it was unsatisfactory, and was missing a
``decisive sentence'' on whether it would halt uranium
enrichment. 

``We are still examining it, but from everything that I hear we
cannot be satisfied,'' Merkel said in an interview with N24
television. ``What we expected is not set down here: 'We are
suspending our uranium enrichment, we are coming to the
negotiating table and we will then talk about the chances and
possibilities for Iran.''' 

The comments by Merkel, a close ally of President Bush, reflect
the increasing frustration of the United States and its key
European allies who have been forced to wait for several weeks
for an Iranian response. 

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Bush spoke Thursday
with Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi about Iran,
but Perino would not say whether the leaders were of the same
mind about what should be done next. 

The U.S. State Department has said that Iran considered its
proposal to be a serious one and promised to review it, as did
the five other nations that offered political and economic
rewards to Tehran July 1 if it agreed to a freeze enrichment. 

But the diplomats suggested that despite assurances of a serious
review, the capitals involved found little of substance in the
document. 

One of them said that much of the Iranian response, delivered
Tuesday, confines itself to ``a history of Iran's nuclear
program from Tehran's point of view,'' including arguments that
enrichment was its right under the Nuclear Nonproliferation
Treaty. 

In it, Iran also asks for more information on various elements
of the July 1 offer, including hints that Tehran's cooperation
could lead to bolstered security for the country and the
possibility that some or all U.S. sanctions might be lifted if
there is agreement, said one of the diplomats. 

One of the diplomats told AP that the lack of Iranian
flexibility on enrichment would likely leave even Russia and
China no choice but to ultimately endorse U.N. sanctions against
Iran. Moscow and Beijing previously have steadily put the brakes
on U.S-backed efforts to punish Tehran quickly but have
stipulated that Iran must freeze enrichment. 

Iran maintains it has offered ``positive and clear signals'' to
resolve the dispute over its nuclear program. 

Although neither Iran nor its six interlocutors have released
the text of Tehran's counteroffer, two well-informed Iranian
academics said it included about 100 questions, including a
request for a timetable for the West to implement its incentives
package. 

Abbas Maleki, director of the International Institute For
Caspian Studies in Tehran, and Kevah Afrasiabi, an author and
political scientist, made the statement Thursday in a report
distributed by Agence Global. 

The two also said that Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali
Larijani, had declared Iran's willingness to use its influence
in Lebanon for an exchange of prisoners held by Hezbollah and
Israel, ``reminding the world of Iran's stabilizing role.'' 

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said Wednesday
that Iran must suspend uranium enrichment if it wants to return
to negotiations. 

And the U.S. statement issued Wednesday went on to say that
Iran's response to a joint offer of U.S, and European trade and
other benefits if the enrichment program was halted ``falls
short of the conditions set by the Security Council'' - full and
verifiable suspension of all uranium-enrichment activity. 

Others are urging patience in dealing with Iran. Russia's
foreign ministry said it would continue to seek a negotiated
solution, and China appealed for patience and more dialogue. 

The Security Council resolution gives Iran until next Thursday
to suspend enrichment. The Vienna-based International Atomic
Energy Agency then will report on the state of the program by
mid-September. If IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei's report finds
that enrichment is continuing, as expected, the council is then
likely to move toward economic and political sanctions. 

--- 

Associated Press reporters from Europe and the Middle East
contributed to this report. 
		 	 	   
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006
*****************************************************************
 17 [NYTr] Activity at North Korean nuclear testing site
 
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 17:41:27 -0500 (CDT)

X-Sender-Host-Name: chumbly.math.missouri.edu
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Via NY Transfer News Collective  *  All the News that Doesn't Fit
 
AP via USA Today - Aug 24, 2006
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-08-24-north-korea_x.htm?csp=34

Report: Activity observed at suspected North Korean nuclear testing site

TOKYO (AP)  Japan has boosted surveillance of North Korea after seeing
vehicles entering and leaving a suspected nuclear test site but does not
know whether a test is imminent, a news report said Thursday.

The vehicles have been seen in recent days at what is thought to be a
nuclear testing site in the northeast of North Korea, Kyodo News agency
reported, citing an unnamed government official.

It was unclear whether any nuclear tests by the North were imminent, but
Japan is closely monitoring the situation, the official was quoted as
saying.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry said Tokyo had boosted surveillance of the
area and would continue to closely analyze intelligence, but said the
government would not discuss specifics because of the sensitivity of the
matter.

Defense officials also refused to confirm the Kyodo report.

American media reported last week that U.S. officials were monitoring
potentially suspicious activity at a suspected underground nuclear site.

The report sent diplomats in the region scrambling to avert a possible
test and get the North to return to multinational talks on its nuclear
ambitions, which have stalled since November.

South Korea on Wednesday warned North Korea not to conduct a nuclear
weapons test, saying it would further isolate the communist regime,
while countries launched new efforts to persuade the North to resume
stalled disarmament talks.

South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon said a nuclear test by North
Korea would be much more serious than its July missile tests and create
a "threatening situation that will shake the foundation of the global
non-proliferation system and will further isolate the North."

Concerns about a possible North Korean nuclear test grew after an ABC
News report last week cited U.S. officials as saying that potentially
suspicious activity had been observed at a suspected underground nuclear
test site.

South Korea's military has said it sent personnel to keep a
round-the-clock watch at a seismic monitoring station to detect tremors
that could indicate a nuclear explosion.

North Korea's missile tests last month raised regional tensions and
prompted U.N. Security Council sanctions against the North.

North Korea has claimed it has nuclear weapons, but hasn't performed any
known test to confirm it has successfully manufactured an atomic bomb.
However, many experts believe the North has enough radioactive material
to build at least a half-dozen or more nuclear weapons.

Talks on North Korea's nuclear program have been deadlocked since
November, when negotiators failed to make headway in implementing a
September agreement in which North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear
program in exchange for aid and security guarantees.

North Korea has since refused to attend six-nation talks on its nuclear
program until Washington stops blacklisting a bank where the communist
regime held accounts, a restriction imposed over alleged counterfeiting
and money laundering.

Washington has called on the North to return to the nuclear talks
without conditions, saying the issue is unrelated to the financial
restrictions. The talks involve the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and
the U.S.

North Korea insi

sted Wednesday it posed no threat to the South and condemned ongoing
U.S.-South Korea joint military drills as a prelude to war.

"There are no forces of war threatening South Korea in the Korean
Peninsula at present," the North's main newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, wrote
in a commentary carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.

Seoul and Washington have said the exercises  mostly simulation-driven
drills that run through Sept. 1 and involve some 17,000 troops  are
defensive in nature.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press.
       
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*****************************************************************
 18 Guardian Unlimited: Japan: Activity Around North Korean Site
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Thursday August 24, 2006 3:16 PM

AP Photo SEL801 

By KOZO MIZOGUCHI 

Associated Press Writer 

TOKYO (AP) - Japan has boosted surveillance of North Korea after
seeing vehicles entering and leaving a suspected nuclear test
site but does not know whether a test is imminent, a news report
said Thursday. 

The vehicles have been seen in recent days at what is thought to
be a nuclear testing site in the northeast of North Korea, Kyodo
News agency reported, citing an unnamed government official. 

It was unclear whether any nuclear tests by the North were
imminent, but Japan is closely monitoring the situation, the
official was quoted as saying. 

The Japanese Foreign Ministry said Tokyo had boosted
surveillance of the area and would continue to closely analyze
intelligence, but said the government would not discuss
specifics because of the sensitivity of the matter. 

Defense officials also refused to confirm the Kyodo report. 

American media reported last week that U.S. officials were
monitoring potentially suspicious activity at a suspected
underground nuclear site. 

The report sent diplomats in the region scrambling to avert a
possible test and get the North to return to multinational talks
on its nuclear ambitions, which have stalled since November. 

South Korea on Wednesday warned North Korea not to conduct a
nuclear weapons test, saying it would further isolate the
communist regime, while countries launched new efforts to
persuade the North to resume stalled disarmament talks. 

South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon said a nucle isolate
the North.'' 

Concerns about a possible North Korean nuclear test grew after
an ABC News report last week cited U.S. officials as saying that
potentially suspicious activity had been observed at a suspected
underground nuclear test site. 

South Korea's military has said it sent personnel to keep a
round-the-clock watch at a seismic monitoring station to detect
tremors that could indicate a nuclear explosion. 

North Korea's missile tests last month raised regional tensions
and prompted U.N. Security Council sanctions against the North. 

North Korea has claimed it has nuclear weapons, but hasn't
performed any known test to confirm it has successfully
manufactured an atomic bomb. However, many experts believe the
North has enough radioactive material to build at least a
half-dozen or more nuclear weapons. 

Talks on North Korea's nuclear program have been deadlocked
since November, when negotiators failed to make headway in
implementing a September agreement in which North Korea agreed
to give up its nuclear program in exchange for aid and security
guarantees. 

North Korea has since refused to attend six-nation talks on its
nuclear program until Washington stops blacklisting a bank where
the communist regime held accounts, a restriction imposed over
alleged counterfeiting and money laundering. 

Washington has called on the North to return to the nuclear
talks without conditions, saying the issue is unrelated to the
financial restrictions. The talks involve the two Koreas, China,
Japan, Russia and the U.S. 

North Korea insisted Wednesday it posed no threat to the South
and condemned ongoing U.S.-South Korea joint military drills as
a prelude to war. 

``There are no forces of war threatening South Korea in the
Korean Peninsula at present,'' the North's main newspaper,
Rodong Sinmun, wrote in a commentary carried by the official
Korean Central News Agency. 

Seoul and Washington have said the exercises - mostly
simulation-driven drills that run through Sept. 1 and involve
some 17,000 troops - are defensive in nature. 
		 	 	   
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006
*****************************************************************
 19 Korea: Digital Chosunilbo: ¡¯Too Soon¡¯ to ask N.Korea to Halt Nuke Test

: Seoul 
 
Updated Aug.24,2006 20:44 KST   
 
  Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok said Thursday the 
possibility that North Korea will conduct a nuclear test cannot 
be ruled out, but more analysis is needed to see if it will 
happen. "North Korea declared last year that it has nuclear arms, 
and it appears that there is a logical possibility that the test 
may occur,¡± Lee told the National Assembly's Unification, 
Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee. ¡°We will have to proceed 
with various kinds of analysis." He claimed Seoul was the first 
in mid-May to warn of the North¡¯s impending missile launches 
early last month, ¡°but with the nuclear test the time is not yet 
ripe.¡± 

The minister said South Korea is preparing for all eventualities
but ¡°has still not reached a point where we can concretely ask
North Korea to not run the test." Lee added there had also been
no official contact between the U.S. or other powerful nations
on the issue. Unnamed U.S. officials warned earlier this week
the North may be preparing to test a nuclear device. 

(englishnews@chosun.com ) 

  
*****************************************************************
 20 AFP: China invites NKorea's Kim to visit

 Thu Aug 24, 4:23 AM ET 		 	 

SEOUL (AFP) - China has invited North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il 
to visit "as soon as possible" amid reports that Pyongyang is 
preparing for a nuclear bomb test, South Korean media said. 

Beijing "has asked Kim to visit China as soon as possible, as it
believes such a visit will help resolve problems" related to
North Korea" /> 's July missile tests, Yonhap news agency said,
quoting a "North Korea watcher" in China. 

"The government hopes the visit will take place within this
year," the unnamed source added, according to Yonhap. 

South Korea" /> has stepped up monitoring of North Korea's
nuclear activities after the US television network ABC reported
last week, citing US officials, that North Korea may be
preparing to conduct an underground nuclear bomb test. 

The United States and South Korea -- both parties to stalled
six-way nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea, along with
China, Japan and Russia -- have both warned Pyongyang against
any nuclear tests. 

US President George W. Bush" /> said Monday he had pressed
Chinese President Hu Jintao" /> to keep up pressure on Kim to
end his country's nuclear weapons drive. 

"I talked to Hu Jintao this morning about the six-party talks
and about the need for us to continue to work together to send a
clear message to the North Korean leader that there is a better
choice for him than to continue to develop a nuclear weapon,"
Bush told reporters. 

North Korea, which says it has developed nuclear weapons,
test-fired seven missiles on July 5, drawing the anger of the
international community and criticism from the UN Security
Council. 

Diplomatic efforts have been intensifying to restart six-party
talks on North Korea's nuclear programme as this issue took on
more urgency amid the reports that Pyongyang was preparing for a
nuclear test. 

South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon said here Thursday
that President Roh Moo-Hyun" /> planned to visit Beijing in
October for a summit focusing on North Korea and bilateral
economic ties. 

"China is a key trade partner for us, which also plays crucial
roles in helping secure peace and stability on the Korean
peninsula and resolve the nuclear issue," Ban said. 

If realized, Roh's visit would come on the heels of his summit
with Bush in Washington on September 14 on a bilateral trade
pact and North Korea's nuclear ambitions. 

Roh's chief security advisor, Song Min-Soon, is set to leave for
China Thursday and the top US envoy on North Korea, Christopher
Hill, will reportedly visit East Asia early next month. 

Japan's top nuclear envoy Kenichiro Sasae met his South Korean
counterpart Chun Yung-Woo Thursday for talks on how to ease
tensions over North Korea's missile and nuclear programs, Chun's
office said. 

Analysts here said the North might pretend to prepare for a
nuclear test to push the United States into looking afresh at
the stalled nuclear negotiations. 

"We have no specific information about North Korea's nuclear
testing. But I believe it is theoretically possible as North
Korea declared last year it has nuclear weapons," South Korean
Unification Minister Lee Jong-Seok testified in parliament. 

An imminent test in North Korea was wrongly predicted last year. 

The North, which left the multilateral talks last November, said
it would not return until US financial sanctions against it were
dropped. 	 		 			

Copyright © 2006 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. The
*****************************************************************
 21 PakTribune: Pak-US in close contact to control nuclear proliferation - Hunt

Pakistan News Service - 

Rajab 28, 1427 Hijri August 24, 2006

Nawaz Sharif  
Pakistan blasts world’s negligence towards nuclear smugglers 
Pakistan is against nuclear proliferation: Shaukat Dr Khan's 
transfer of centrifuge designs did not help N. Korea become N 
power: Musharraf NSG briefed on Pak measures against 
N-proliferation  

LAHORE: Principle Officer of American Consulate in Lahore Brian
De Hunt on Thursday said the US and Pakistan had been in close
contact to halt proliferation of nuclear weapons, adding that no
demand had been made to government of Pakistan to hand over Dr
Abdul Qadeer Khan. 

Talking to media during his visit to Jamia Manzoor-ul-Islamia
here, he lauded the functioning of seminaries and expressed his
reservations that some seminaries were involved in propagating
the violent and hate literature to fan sectarianism. 

US do not want that such seminaries should function. It is duty
of the government of Pakistan and other Madaris to identify
seminaries which are engaged in fomenting sectarian hatred, he
said, adding that some people in every religions adopt
extremism. 

Over the deteriorating health condition of Dr A Q Khan, he
expressed sorrow and sympathy with Drâ€™s family. 

He said that US was satisfied over the steps taken by Pakistan
against terrorism and investigation against nuclear
proliferation. 
     
Pakistan News Service © PakTribune.com Pvt Ltd 2003-2004   
*****************************************************************
 22 UPI: India wants to keep right to test nukes
     
United Press International - NewsTrack - 

8/23/2006 11:31:00 PM -0400                                                                                                                     
 
NEW DELHI, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
says India will not allow the United States to put a cap on the
country's ability to conduct future nuclear tests. 

The Press Trust of India sys New Delhi will retain the right to
decide whether to carry out future atomic tests despite the
civil nuclear deal with Washington. 

Singh said the deal would put India on a par with five nuclear
weapon states, although there remains a question about the issue
of interchangeability between military and civilian nuclear
reactors, the news service said.

© Copyright 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights
Reserved
			 			
 				 		 					 		 		


*****************************************************************
 23 Guardian Unlimited: Israel Adds 2 Nuclear-Capable Submarines
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Thursday August 24, 2006 9:16 PM

AP Photo JRL112 

By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI 

Associated Press Writer 

JERUSALEM (AP) - With the purchase of two more German-made
Dolphin submarines capable of carrying nuclear warheads,
military experts say Israel is sending a clear message to Iran
that it can strike back if attacked by nuclear weapons. 

The purchases come at a time when Iran is refusing to bow to
growing Western demands to halt its nuclear program, and after
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for Israel to
be ``wiped off the map.'' 

The new submarines, built at a cost of $1.3 billion with Germany
footing one-third of the bill, have propulsion systems that
allow them to remain submerged for longer periods of time than
the three nuclear-capable submarines already in Israel's fleet,
the Jerusalem Post reported. 

The latest submarines not only would be able to carry out a
first strike should Israel choose to do so, but they also would
provide Israel with crucial second-strike capabilities, said
Paul Beaver, a London-based independent defense analyst. 

Israel is already believed to have that ability in the form of
the Jericho-1 and Jericho-2 nuclear-capable ballistic missiles,
which are buried so far underground they would survive a nuclear
strike, he said. 

``The Iranians would be very foolish if they attacked Israel,''
Beaver said. 

German officials have said the contract for the new submarines
was signed on July 6, and the Jerusalem Post reported this week
the subs will be operational shortly. 

Israel, operating on a policy of nuclear ambiguity, has never
confirmed or denied whether it has nuclear weapons. It is
believed, however, to have the world's sixth-largest stockpile
of nuclear weapons, including hundreds of warheads. 

Iran so far has resisted calls by the U.N. Security Council to
halt uranium enrichment, despite an Aug. 31 deadline that is
accompanied by the threat of sanctions. 

The dispute over Tehran's nuclear program revolves around Iran's
insistence that it wants to master the technology simply to
generate electricity. Critics say Iran wants to make nuclear
weapons. 

The Dolphin submarine could be one of the best deterrents,
Beaver said. The technology on the submarines makes them
undetectable and gives them defensive capabilities in the case
of attack, he said. 

``They are very well-built, very well-prepared, lots of
interesting equipment, one of the best conventional submarines
available,'' Beaver said. ``We are talking about a third string
of deterrence capabilities.'' 

Michael Karpin, an expert on Israel's nuclear capabilities who
published a book on the issue in the United States, said nuclear
submarines provide better second-strike capabilities than
missiles launched from airplanes. 

``Planes are vulnerable, unlike nuclear submarines that can
operate for an almost unlimited amount of time without being
struck,'' Karpin said. ``Second-strike capabilities are a
crucial element in any nuclear conflict.'' 

In Germany, members of two opposition parties criticized the
deal. Winfried Nachtwei, national security spokesman for the
Greens, said the decision was wrong because Germany had obtained
no guarantee the submarines would not be used to carry nuclear
weapons. 

``This red line should not be crossed,'' Nachtwei was quoted as
saying by the taz newspaper. ``Otherwise it is a complete
renunciation of Germany's policy of non-proliferation.'' 

David Menashri, an Israeli expert on Iran, said Tehran is
clearly determined to obtain nuclear power and ``the purchase of
additional Dolphin submarines by Israel is a small footnote in
this context.'' 

What also makes Tehran dangerous, Beaver said, is that it may
not understand the consequences of carrying out a nuclear
strike. 

``They (Iran) have a belligerent leadership and that's why
Israel is prudent in ensuring that it has that deterrent
capability,'' Beaver said. ``What they (the submarines) are is a
very good insurance policy.'' 
		 	 	   
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006
*****************************************************************
 24 Guardian Unlimited: Rumsfeld Meeting With Russian Counterpart
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Thursday August 24, 2006 11:46 PM

By LOLITA C. BALDOR 

Associated Press Writer 

WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld will
travel to Alaska this weekend and meet with his Russian
counterpart to discuss North Korea's nuclear program and other
issues. 

Pentagon spokesman Eric Ruff said Thursday that Rumsfeld and
Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov also will probably talk about the
troubled Middle East and the continued development of a military
relationship between the U.S. and Russia. 

Rumsfeld's meeting with Ivanov, scheduled for Sunday, is part of
a four-day trip during which he will visit privately with family
members of an Alaska-based brigade that was recently ordered to
extend its one-year tour in Iraq for four months to help tamp
down violence in Baghdad. 

``The 172nd has done some great work in Iraq and they have
another important mission,'' said Ruff. ``The secretary
understands there is some natural disappointment among some of
the family members, and he intends to visit with them and thank
them for their support and that of their spouses who are serving
in Iraq.'' 

The Stryker Brigade had been serving in northern Iraq but was
moved to Baghdad, where sectarian violence had escalated between
Shiite and the Sunni extremists. 

Rumsfeld is also planning stops in Utah and Nevada to give
speeches. 

The discussions with Ivanov come less than a week after
President Bush spoke with Chinese President Hu Jintao about how
to persuade North Korea to return to deadlocked international
talks on its nuclear weapons program. 

--- 

On the Net: 

Defense Department: http://www.defenselink.mil 
		 	 	   

      Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006
*****************************************************************
 25 [NYTr] Argentina to expand nuclear program
 
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 17:39:29 -0500 (CDT)

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X-Spam-Class: HAM-VERY

Via NY Transfer News Collective  *  All the News that Doesn't Fit
 
AP - Aug 23, 2006
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060824/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/argentina_nuclear_energy

Argentina to expand nuclear program

By BILL CORMIER
Associated Press Writer

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Argentina announced an ambitious plan
Wednesday to expand its nuclear program to meet rising energy demands,
including extending the life of existing plants and possibly resuming
uranium mining.

At a Government House news conference, Planning Minister Julio de Vido
said the plan calls for increasing the life span of the aging Atucha I
and Embalse nuclear power plants and completing construction by 2010 on
the long-stalled Atucha II plant.

Two decades of delays have hampered completion of the Atucha II project,
located some 75 miles northwest of the capital of Buenos Aires.

The nearby Atucha I facility has been operating since the mid-1970s, in
conjunction with the Embalse plant in central Argentina.

The planning minister was flanked by President Nestor Kirchner, who did
not comment on the plan nor on a report by the leading newspaper Clarin
saying the nuclear program could cost the government $3.5 billion over
eight years.

"When this government took office in 2003, the nuclear energy sector was
reactivating," De Vido said. "Today we come to establish a strategic
plan for the Argentine nuclear energy sector for the coming years."

The program calls for large-scale power generation to meet fast-growing
energy demands, amid careful regulation by national authorities. Among
other steps, De Vido announced plans for "concrete steps" toward
resumption of uranium mining.

De Vido did not comment on a Clarin report that Argentina might revive a
uranium enrichment program shut down in 1983 due to budget constraints.
Enrichment provides the fuel needed to operate such nuclear plants, but
can also be a central to building nuclear weapons.

Argentina, one of the leading Latin American nations in nuclear power
generation, has had to stave off potential energy shortfalls in recent
years.

The move comes as Argentina and Brazil are seeking new energy sources to
counter crude oil prices that have passed $70 a barrel, along with
soaring prices in natural gas and other fuels.

Last May, Brazil inaugurated a uranium enrichment center capable of
producing nuclear fuel. The center is expected to save South America's
largest economy millions of dollars that the country now spends to
enrich fuel at Urenco, the European enrichment consortium.

Both nations have stressed the strictly peaceful nature of their nuclear
programs, given a backdrop of international pressure against Iran to
halt expansion of its nuclear program. Washington has cautioned Iran
that it will seek sanctions in the U.N. Security Council if Tehran does
not step enriching uranium.
       
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 26 [NukeNet] Argentina to Expand Nuclear Program
 
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 17:09:45 -0700

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http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Argentina-Nuclear-Energy.html
    Argentina to Expand Nuclear Program

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: August 23, 2006
Filed at 10:41 p.m. ET

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) -- Argentina
announced an ambitious plan Wednesday to expand
its nuclear program to meet rising energy demands,
including extending the life of existing plants
and possibly resuming uranium mining.

At a Government House news conference, Planning
Minister Julio de Vido said the plan calls for
increasing the life span of the aging Atucha I and
Embalse nuclear power plants and completing
construction by 2010 on the long-stalled Atucha II
plant.

Two decades of delays have hampered completion of
the Atucha II project, located some 75 miles
northwest of the capital of Buenos Aires.

The nearby Atucha I facility has been operating
since the mid-1970s, in conjunction with the
Embalse plant in central Argentina.

The planning minister was flanked by President
Nestor Kirchner, who did not comment on the plan
nor on a report by the leading newspaper Clarin
saying the nuclear program could cost the
government $3.5 billion over eight years.

''When this government took office in 2003, the
nuclear energy sector was reactivating,'' De Vido
said. ''Today we come to establish a strategic
plan for the Argentine nuclear energy sector for
the coming years.''

The program calls for large-scale power generation
to meet fast-growing energy demands, amid careful
regulation by national authorities. Among other
steps, De Vido announced plans for ''concrete
steps'' toward resumption of uranium mining.

De Vido did not comment on a Clarin report that
Argentina might revive a uranium enrichment
program shut down in 1983 due to budget
constraints. Enrichment provides the fuel needed
to operate such nuclear plants, but can also be a
central to building nuclear weapons.

Argentina, one of the leading Latin American
nations in nuclear power generation, has had to
stave off potential energy shortfalls in recent
years.

The move comes as Argentina and Brazil are seeking
new energy sources to counter crude oil prices
that have passed $70 a barrel, along with soaring
prices in natural gas and other fuels.

Last May, Brazil inaugurated a uranium enrichment
center capable of producing nuclear fuel. The
center is expected to save South America's largest
economy millions of dollars that the country now
spends to enrich fuel at Urenco, the European
enrichment consortium.

Both nations have stressed the strictly peaceful
nature of their nuclear programs, given a backdrop
of international pressure against Iran to halt
expansion of its nuclear program. Washington has
cautioned Iran that it will seek sanctions in the
U.N. Security Council if Tehran does not step
enriching uranium.


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 27 [NukeNet]Cost of nuclear clean-up soars - UK
 
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 17:03:07 -0700

Kathleen Burns, Ph.D.
Sciencecorps
Lexington, Massachusetts


The cost of cleaning up the UK's nuclear industry is set to soar beyond the 
current £70bn estimate, House of Commons select
committee report warned last week. 

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmtrdind/1028/1028.pdf 

The Trade and Industry Committee is also worried that the 
position of the UK as number one in the field could be undermined 
because the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's future 
depends on it winning decommissioning deals in the face of fierce 
international competition.

The committee says that the final costs of decommissioning are 
"still unclear", after noting that estimated prices are shooting 
up year-on-year. Costs have rocketed from £48bn four years ago, 
to £56bn in 2004 and £70.2bn this year. The report warns that the 
present estimate is likely to be "significantly" less than the 
actual costs because of further investigative work at Sellafield 
and Dounreay and because "the industry appears reluctant to 
continue reprocessing spent fuel while it is more expensive than 
buying new stocks of uranium".
z The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority was given a series of 
assets to fund its clean-up work - including the ageing Magnox 
rectors and the "trouble prone" Thorp and Mox fuel reprocessing 
plants at Sellafield.However, the committee remains worried that 
the plants will not generate enough cash.

[Contract Journal, 23 August 2006, p 4]
http://www.contractjournal.com/Articles/2006/08/23/51953/Cost+of+nuclear+clean-up+soars.html

Mick Holder - Advice Worker     mick@lhc.org.uk
********************************************
London Hazards Centre                   mail@Lhc.org.uk
tel +44-(0)20-7794-5999     fax +44-(0)20-7794-4702
213 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4QP, UK
********************************************
information for health and safety activists at http://www.lhc.org.uk
********************************************





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 28 Guardian Unlimited: Argentina to Expand Nuclear Program
 
From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Thursday August 24, 2006 3:46 AM

AP Photo XNP102 

By BILL CORMIER 

Associated Press Writer 

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - Argentina announced an ambitious
plan Wednesday to expand its nuclear program to meet rising
energy demands, including extending the life of existing plants
and possibly resuming uranium mining. 

At a Government House news conference, Planning Minister Julio
de Vido said the plan calls for increasing the life span of the
aging Atucha I and Embalse nuclear power plants and completing
construction by 2010 on the long-stalled Atucha II plant. 

Two decades of delays have hampered completion of the Atucha II
project, located some 75 miles northwest of the capital of
Buenos Aires. 

The nearby Atucha I facility has been operating since the
mid-1970s, in conjunction with the Embalse plant in central
Argentina. 

The planning minister was flanked by President Nestor Kirchner,
who did not comment on the plan nor on a report by the leading
newspaper Clarin saying the nuclear program could cost the
government $3.5 billion over eight years. 

``When this government took office in 2003, the nuclear energy
sector was reactivating,'' De Vido said. ``Today we come to
establish a strategic plan for the Argentine nuclear energy
sector for the coming years.'' 

The program calls for large-scale power generation to meet
fast-growing energy demands, amid careful regulation by national
authorities. Among other steps, De Vido announced plans for
``concrete steps'' toward resumption of uranium mining. 

De Vido did not comment on a Clarin report that Argentina might
revive a uranium enrichment program shut down in 1983 due to
budget constraints. Enrichment provides the fuel needed to
operate such nuclear plants, but can also be a central to
building nuclear weapons. 

Argentina, one of the leading Latin American nations in nuclear
power generation, has had to stave off potential energy
shortfalls in recent years. 

The move comes as Argentina and Brazil are seeking new energy
sources to counter crude oil prices that have passed $70 a
barrel, along with soaring prices in natural gas and other
fuels. 

Last May, Brazil inaugurated a uranium enrichment center capable
of producing nuclear fuel. The center is expected to save South
America's largest economy millions of dollars that the country
now spends to enrich fuel at Urenco, the European enrichment
consortium. 

Both nations have stressed the strictly peaceful nature of their
nuclear programs, given a backdrop of international pressure
against Iran to halt expansion of its nuclear program.
Washington has cautioned Iran that it will seek sanctions in the
U.N. Security Council if Tehran does not step enriching uranium. 
		 	 	   
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006
*****************************************************************
 29 MiamiHerald.com: Go nuclear for electricity

08/24/2006 | 

 BY LLEWELLYN KING www.kingpublishing.com

There is a feeling that after almost 35 years of drought, some
rain is going to fall on the nuclear meadow; that this year, or
next, the first new nuclear plant in decades will be ordered in
the United States. 

If so, a return to nuclear is not only long overdue, it also is
an environmental necessity and national security imperative. 

The forces of public policy are waking to the reality that if
the United States wants abundant electricity, it has to
rediscover nuclear as the low-impact form of electric
generation. 

The facts are catching up with the malicious fiction that
consigned nuclear -- the high-technology alternative way to
produce electricity -- to limbo. 

Not only is the United States looking afresh at nuclear, but
some stubbornly hostile foreign governments have already done
so, or are doing so. 

Finland, with a small population dedicated to the environment,
realized that it could not increase its dependence on Russian
natural gas and reluctantly ordered its fifth reactor. British
Prime Minister Tony Blair, against the rump of his Labor Party,
is advocating more nuclear power. Blair has come to realize that
Britain needs nuclear power; that alternatives will not fill the
gap; and that his only other option is gas from Russia -- a
mercurial supplier at best. 

The days of anything-but-nuclear are not over. But the crushing
demands of the U.S. economy point to the need for a reliable
electric base that will extend 50 years into the future, not
just to the next election cycle. 

Even the environmental community is beginning to realize that if
you want a lot of electricity permanently, from known sources,
nuclear stands out as domestic, reliable and adding nothing to
global warming. What is more, if progress continues in an
evolutionary manner, and we proceed from light water reactors to
breeder reactors, the electric future becomes infinite. 

Two new technologies suggest that the need for electricity will
increase rather than decline in the United States. 

The first is the plug-in hybrid car, and the second is the
greater use of hydrogen in the economy. Both will reduce
emissions. But if the new electric demand is met with fossil
fuels, the pollution will simply be moved from the tailpipe to
the smokestack. 

With abundant electricity, the human prospect improves.
Electricity has already transformed the world. It has improved
the quality of life for hundreds of millions of people. Without
it, only the rich could hope for lives of comfort. It is so
beneficial that aside from clean water, it has no peer insofar
as human well-being. 

I believe so deeply in America's ability to engineer its way out
of its problems that it seems incomprehensible that we do not
pledge ourselves wholeheartedly to an electric future. So, back
to the future -- one that is less volatile and more reverential
of the environment. 

Llewellyn King is the publisher of White House Weekly and host
of the weekly PBS television show White House Chronicle. 

©2006 King Publishing Co. 

*****************************************************************
 30 MiamiHerald.com: Nuclear not viable option

08/24/2006 | 

 BY MATTHEW R. AUER 

More nuclear plants in the United States will not alleviate the
global-warming problem, so long as other countries roll out new
coal-fired power plants. By some estimates, China commissions a
new coal-fired power station every 10 days, even as it moves
forward on plans to open nuclear plants. 

In the United States, hundreds of nuclear plants would be
required to replace the current supply of electricity generated
from coal. Siting even a handful, not to mention hundreds, of
new plants would send attorneys on both sides of the debate back
to school for refresher courses on plant commissioning; no
nuclear-power station has been commissioned in the United States
in more than 25 years. Imagine nuclear waste stored at hundreds
of surface sites at new nuclear plants around the nation. 

The probability for a serious accident grows as opportunities to
mishandle radioactive materials increase. More plants mean more
chances for waste to seep out, or that mistakes will be made
processing, transporting or keeping track of fissile materials. 

As the United States ramps up nuclear-power production, thereby
generating greater amounts of reusable nuclear fuels and
radioactive wastes, nuclear-proliferation risks mount. The
thousands of new jobs created to mine and process uranium, to
manufacture, load and unload fuel rods and to transport and
store waste represent thousands of additional people with
discretion over potent and greatly feared forms of energy. 

A full-steam-ahead plan for nuclear energy means millions of
additional chances for radioactive products and byproducts to
end up in the wrong hands. Nuclear-power plants offer one-stop
shopping for terrorists. These risks should urge us to keep
developing alternatives, be it wind energy, fuel cells,
biofuels, reduced energy demand, deep injection of carbon
dioxide or any number of other plausible options. None of these
options alone will solve the global warming problem. But nuclear
power does not belong on the option list, period. 

Matthew R. Auer is a professor of public and environmental
affairs at Indiana University. 

©2006 Matthew R. Auer 
*****************************************************************
 31 MercoPress: Argentina re-floats nuclear energy program 

Falklands-Malvinas & South Atlantic News

[MercoPress - www.mercopress.com]   

- Wednesday, 23 August

The first stage of the “Argentine Nuclear Plan” announced
Wednesday includes finishing the Atucha II plant, building a
fourth atomic unit and returning to the world market with
nuclear related equipments and services to countries which lack
the technology and infrastructure. 

Australia earlier this year inaugurated a nuclear reactor which
was supplied by Argentina in the late nineties. 

In the eighties Argentina under strong international pressure
was forced to cease production of enriched uranium, of which the
country was a pioneer in Latinamerica. 

Argentina was also the first in the region to have electricity
generating nuclear plants, (two are currently on service) and
developing nuclear technology for health, industry and
scientific research purposes. 

The plan which was announced Wednesday besides the conclusion of
the Atucha II plant includes extending the life span of the
Embalse nuclear plant, increasing heavy water production in the
Neuquen plant of Arroyito and begin working on the commercial
version of the Carem prototype reactor. 

According to the Argentine press the resurrection of the Nuclear
Plan is based on economic and political reasons. 

Argentina desperately needs alternative energy resources to face
the growing domestic demand for electricity, oil and gas and
rapidly declining hydrocarbons reserves. 

Once Atucha II is finished in a couple of years, Argentina’s
Energy Secretary estimates that three million cubic metres per
day will be liberated for industrial and residential
consumption. 

The plant is forecasted to consume 200 kilos of uranium per
year, of which Argentina has an abundant supply plus technology
and know-how dating back to the early fifties. 

The construction of the fourth nuclear plant is scheduled to
begin in 2010 with a generating capacity of 1.000 MW. Nuclear
energy will also help Argentina comply with global regulations
regarding CO2 emissions. 

On the political side, Argentina will resume its leading
regional role in nuclear technology development and alternative
non contaminating energies. 

Fin del Texto - Mercosur - Wednesday, 23 August 

E-mail: merco@mercopress.com- Web technical help:
webmaster@mercopress.com  
*****************************************************************
 32 St. Petersburg Times: Down 4½ days, nuclear plant resumes operation

Hernando County
                      
Progress Energy says it will pass on the cost of buying
substitute power to customers.

 By JORGE SANCHEZ, Times Staff Writer

 Published August 24, 2006
 
CRYSTAL RIVER - The nuclear-powered electrical generator at the
Progress Energy site came back on line at 5 p.m. Wednesday,
following an outage that began early Saturday.

The nuclear plant was shut down at 2 a.m. Saturday when a water
line for a steam generator sprang a leak.

While the incident was not termed as major, a Progress Energy
spokeswoman said the utility had to purchase power to make up
the shortfall, a cost that would be passed on to customers.

"Of course, it will have that effect, because nuclear power is
the least expensive form of energy," said Progress Energy
spokeswoman Carla Groleau. "That's the way rates are structured."

In announcing the outage, Progress Energy officials first
declined to say when the 838-megawatt nuclear reactor would be
turned back on, citing competitive reasons.

"There are very good reasons not to share that information,"
Groleau said. "That gives the energy sellers a competitive
advantage."

She also said the Progress Energy has a diverse portfolio of
energy interests, and focuses on using the cheapest form of
energy available. 

"If natural gas is low one day, then that's what we'll be using
the most of ," she said. "We are protecting our customers this
way."

Jorge Sanchez can be contacted at sanchez@sptimes.comor 860-7313
or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505 ext. 7313. [Last modified August
23, 2006, 20:48:01]

© 2006  All Rights Reserved  St. Petersburg Times 490 First 
Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111                                                    
*****************************************************************
 33 NRC: Duke Power Company LLC; Notice of Consideration of Issuance of 
 
                        FR Doc E6-14039 
[Federal Register: August 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 164)] 
[Notices] [Page 50105-50106] From the Federal Register Online via 
GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr24au06-81]                         
 
Amendment to Facility Operating License and Opportunity for a 
Hearing The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) 
is considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating 
Licenses NPF-9 and NPF-17, issued to Duke Power Company (the 
licensee), for operation of the McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 
and 2, located in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
 
The proposed amendment would revise the McGuire Nuclear Station's 
licensing basis to adopt the alternative source term radiological 
analysis methodology in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations (10 CFR) section 50.67. Before issuance of 
the proposed license amendment, the Commission will have made 
findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended 
(the Act), and the Commission's regulations.
 
Within 60 days after the date of publication of this notice, the 
licensee may file a request for a hearing with respect to 
issuance of the amendment to the subject facility operating 
license and any person whose interest may be affected by this 
proceeding and who wishes to participate as a party in the 
proceeding must file a written request for a hearing and a 
petition for leave to intervene. Requests for a hearing and a 
petition for leave to intervene shall be filed in accordance with 
the Commission's ``Rules of Practice for Domestic Licensing 
Proceedings'' in 10 CFR part 2. Interested persons should consult 
a current copy of 10 CFR 2.309, which is available at the 
Commission's public document room (PDR), located at One White 
Flint North, Public File Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first 
floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be 
accessible from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management 
System's (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet 
at the NRC Web site, .
 
If a request for a hearing or petition for leave to intervene is 
filed by the above date, the Commission or a presiding officer 
designated by the Commission or by the Chief Administrative Judge 
of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, will rule on the 
request and/or petition; and the Secretary or the Chief 
Administrative Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board 
will issue a notice of a hearing or an appropriate order.
 
As required by 10 CFR 2.309, a petition for leave to intervene 
shall set forth with particularity the interest of the 
petitioner/ requestor in the proceeding, and how that interest 
may be affected by the results of the proceeding. The petition 
should specifically explain the reasons why intervention should 
be permitted with particular reference to the following general 
requirements: (1) The name, address and telephone number of the 
requestor or petitioner; (2) the nature of the 
requestor's/petitioner's right under the Act to be made a party 
to the proceeding; (3) the nature and extent of the requestor's/ 
petitioner's property, financial, or other interest in the 
proceeding; and (4) the possible effect of any decision or order 
which may be entered in the proceeding on the 
requestor's/petitioner's interest. The petition must also 
identify the specific contentions which the petitioner/requestor 
seeks to have litigated at the proceeding.
 
Each contention must consist of a specific statement of the issue 
of law or fact to be raised or controverted. In addition, the 
petitioner/requestor shall provide a brief explanation of the 
bases for the contention and a concise statement of the alleged 
facts or expert opinion which support the contention and on which 
the petitioner intends to rely in proving the contention at the 
hearing. The petitioner must also provide references to those 
specific
 
[[Page 50106]] sources and documents of which the petitioner is 
aware and on which the petitioner intends to rely to establish 
those facts or expert opinion. The petition must include 
sufficient information to show that a genuine dispute exists with 
the applicant on a material issue of law or fact. Contentions 
shall be limited to matters within the scope of the amendment 
under consideration. The contention must be one which, if proven, 
would entitle the petitioner/requestor to relief. A petitioner/ 
requestor who fails to satisfy these requirements with respect to 
at least one contention will not be permitted to participate as a 
party.
 
Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding, 
subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to 
intervene, and have the opportunity to participate fully in the 
conduct of the hearing.
 
Nontimely requests and/or petitions and contentions will not be 
entertained absent a determination by the Commission or the 
presiding officer of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that 
the petition, request and/or the contentions should be granted 
based on a balancing of the factors specified in 10 CFR 
2.309(a)(1)(i)-(viii). A request for a hearing or a petition for 
leave to intervene must be filed by: (1) First class mail 
addressed to the Office of the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, 
Attention: Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff; (2) courier, 
express mail, and expedited delivery services: Office of the 
Secretary, Sixteenth Floor, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852, Attention: Rulemaking 
and Adjudications Staff; (3) E-mail addressed to the Office of 
the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ; or (4) 
facsimile transmission addressed to the Office of the Secretary, 
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC, Attention: 
Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff at (301) 415-1101, 
verification number is (301) 415-1966. A copy of the request for 
hearing and petition for leave to intervene should also be sent 
to the Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, and it is requested that 
copies be transmitted either by means of facsimile transmission 
to 301-415-3725 or by e-mail to . A copy of the request for 
hearing and petition for leave to intervene should also be sent 
to Ms. Lisa F. Vaughn, Duke Power Company LLC, 422 South Church 
Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28201-1006, attorney for the 
licensee.
 
If a request for a hearing is received, the Commission's staff 
may issue the amendment after it completes its technical review 
and prior to the completion of any required hearing if it 
publishes a further notice for public comment of its proposed 
finding of no significant hazards consideration in accordance 
with 10 CFR 50.91 and 50.92. For further details with respect to 
this action, see the application for amendment dated December 20, 
2005, as supplemented by letter dated May 4, 2006, which are 
available for public inspection at the Commission's PDR, located 
at One White Flint North, Public File Area O1 F21, 11555 
Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly 
available records will be accessible electronically from the 
ADAMS Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC 
Web site, . 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 21st day of August 2006.
 
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
 
John F. Stang, Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch 
II-1, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation.
 
[FR Doc. E6-14039 Filed 8-23-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

 
*****************************************************************
 34 IPS: ARGENTINA: Activists Up in Arms Over Controversial Nuclear Energy Plan

Inter Press Service News Agency     

Marcela Valente
 
BUENOS AIRES, Aug 23 (IPS) - Despite the opposition of
environmentalists, the Argentine government launched a
controversial plan Wednesday to complete a partially-built
nuclear power plant, study the feasibility of building a fourth
plant (two are already operational), and resume production of
enriched uranium and heavy water.

 The government of President Néstor Kirchner is interested in
promoting "the massive production of nuclear energy," announced
Planning Minister Julio De Vido at the launch of the plan in the
presidential palace, alongside the president, high-level
officials and ambassadors from several countries in the region.

 The aim is to boost the production of energy in order to meet
growing industrial demand, as well as use the development of
nuclear energy to the benefit of public health services, through
the distribution of free radiopharmaceuticals to hospitals, said
De Vido, who underlined that Argentina's nuclear power would
only be used for peaceful purposes.

 The unexpected announcement drew an outcry from
environmentalists, who are staunchly opposed to the expansion of
the nuclear power industry, given the risk of accidents and the
problem of what to do with the toxic waste.

 Environmentalists argue that the funding should go towards the
development of alternative energy sources that have great
potential in Argentina, like wind power.

 In a statement, Greenpeace Argentina accused the centre-left
Kirchner administration of "ignoring the wishes of the majority
of the population." 

In a survey carried out in May by the Mori polling firm, 67
percent of respondents said the state should invest in wind
energy and other alternative sources and abandon the nuclear
power plants, while only three percent said part of the public
budget should go towards expanding the country's nuclear power
industry.

 The Foundation for the Defence of the Environment (FUNAM) had
already stated its opposition to the possibility of building
additional nuclear power plants. "It is outrageous and
unacceptable," the head of the environmental organisation, Raúl
Montenegro, told IPS when he heard about the plan.

 In this South American country of nearly 37 million people, 51
percent of electricity comes from thermal power plants, 42
percent from hydroelectric plants, and seven percent from two
nuclear plants: Atucha I in the province of Buenos Aires and
Embalse in the central province of Córdoba.

 Atucha I, which generates 357 megawatts, became the first
nuclear power plant in Latin America when it began to operate in
1974. Embalse came onstream in 1984, and now produces 650
megawatts. 

The government proposes to complete Atucha II -- which began to
be built in 1981 but whose construction came to a halt in the
1990s -- at an estimated cost of 600 million dollars.

 According to De Vido, Atucha II, which is located near Atucha
I, could be completed by late 2010, and would generate 740
megawatts. "The formal resumption of work on Atucha II has a
vital significance for the country," as it would put Argentina
at the forefront of nuclear energy production in Latin America,
said the minister.

 But even more controversial than the plan to finish Atucha II
was the announcement that studies would be carried out to
determine the feasibility of building a fourth plant, which
would generate 1,000 megawatts. The minister did not state where
the plant would be built.

 Montenegro warned that resistance would be put up. "The
military built a nuclear plant without consulting us, but that
isn't going to happen this time," warned the environmentalist,
who won the Alternative Nobel Prize in 2004. 

He was referring to Embalse, which was largely built during the
1976-1983 dictatorship in the province where FUNAM is based.

 De Vido also reported plans to extend the useful life of
Embalse, which was to stop operating in 2018, by investing some
400 million dollars in upgrading the plant, to allow it to
continue producing energy until 2043.

 To supply the power plants, the government will reopen a plant
for the enrichment of uranium in the southern province of
Neuquén, which was shut down in 1983, as well as a factory that
will produce heavy water in the same province.

 The government plan will also involve the signing of agreements
for the training of human resources at the U.S. National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the free
delivery to public hospitals of radiopharmaceuticals produced by
National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) plants. (END/2006) 

  Copyright © 2006 IPS-Inter Press Service. All rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
 35 Buenos Aires Herald: Govt dusts off atomic energy plan

August 25, 2006                                                                                                                                                                         
        
De Vido emphasizes strictly peaceful purposes.  

The government yesterday pulled its nuclear industry out of 
mothballs with a plan that sees some $3.5 billion dollars being 
invested in developing this sector over the next eight years.

At an event in Government House headed by President Néstor 
Kirchner, Federal Planning Minister Julio De Vido emphasized that 
the projects to be started will be used for peaceful purposes 
such as public health and electricity generation.

The plan calls for construction to resume on the country’s third 
nuclear station, Atucha II, begun over 25 years ago, that will 
require an investment of 1.8 billion pesos.

Atucha II is expected to add a further 745 megawatts of 
electricity to the national grid.

Although Atucha II will have priority, the government will also
carry out a feasibility study to build a fourth nuclear reactor
with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts.

With declining oil and gas reserves brought on by a lack of
investment in recent years, analysts have been warning of an
impending energy crunch in the wake of high economic growth
rates that have averaged about nine percent a year in the last
three years. 

The government also announced that work has begun to extend the
life of the Embalse Río Tercero nuclear power plant, built in
the 1970s.

After a 25-year hiatus the government will also reactivate the
Pilcaniyeu uranium enrichment plant, closed in 1983 because it
operated at a loss.

A heavy water plant in the province of Neuquén, that has also sat 
idle for years, will also be started up to produce the 600 tons 
of heavy water that Atucha II will require to operate. De Vido 
was the only spokesman at yesterday’s event.
           
(Herald staff with Telam)                                                                            
                                                                        
S.A. The Buenos Aires Herald Ltd. All rights reserved   Política
de Privacidad 												 										   										 									
*****************************************************************
 36 PIB Press Release: NUCLEAR REACTORS OF PAKISTAN                                                                                                                    
 
Thursday, August 24, 2006   
  
Rajya Sabha

 The Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs, Shri
Anand Sharma informed the Rajya Sabha today that a US based
non-governmental Institute for Science and International
Security (ISIS) in a recent report stated that Pakistan was
making a second heavy water production reactor inside the
Khushab nuclear complex which was capable of producing enough
plutonium for 40 to 50 nuclear weapons a year. Pakistani
Ambassador to Washington, Mahmud Ali Durrani in an interview to
“The Washington Times” on 4th August, 2006 however stated that
the ISIS report was grossly exaggerated. He also stated that
“the plutonium may certainly be used for military purposes, but
it is simply not the case that it will increase our capability
X-fold.” The ISIS report was subsequently disputed by the US
National Security Council. According to a New York Times report
of August 3, 2006, US National Security Council Spokesman,
Frederick Jones said that “US Government experts believe that
the reactor is expected to be substantially smaller and less
capable than reported”.

 Government constantly monitors all developments that have a
bearing on India’s security environment and is committed to
taking all necessary steps to safeguard the nation’s security. 

This information was given by the Minister in reply to a
question by Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, MP and Shri Raj Mohinder
Singh Majitha, MP. 

AK/MK   

  Site Content Administered by : Y.S.R. Murthy Director, PR(PM 
&Web Administration Cell) Press Information Bureau "A" - Wing, 
Shastri Bhawan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi - 110 001
*****************************************************************
 37 Wtnh.com: Goat's death blamed on Millstone radiation

(Waterford-WTNH, Aug. 24, 2006 6:31 AM) _ 

The Connecticut Coalition Against Millstone claims that radiation 
from the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant may be to blame for the 
death of a goat that lived nearby. 

The goat died last month; it suffered a rare bone marrow 
condition. 

A veterinarian believes it may have been caused by radiation 
released by Millstone.
   

      Content © Copyright 2000 - 2006 WorldNow, WTNH, and
Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or
redistributed.
For more information on this site, please read our Privacy
Policy and Terms of Service.   

  

*****************************************************************
 38 IRNA: Court case exposes UK role in ferrying US bombs to Israel 

, Aug 24, IRNA
- 

Britain's role in aiding and abetting the supply of US bombs to
Israel is far greater than previously revealed, according to
documents produced at the High Court in London.

 Evidence that gives an insight to the extent of British
government's complicity was shown in defending legal action to
stop UK airports being used by American arms flights to refuel
on their way to Israel.

 An indication was given by Channel Four News, which said it had
seen documents on the cargo of just two of the flights, which
included a total of 15.9 tons of bombs and 9.1 tons of
detonation fuses.

 It further reported that another two flights carried bunker-
busting smart bombs stopped over at Gatwick airport in south
London without appropriate permission.

 The High Court in London on Wednesday rejected a case brought
by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHCR) that the UK
government did not knowingly assist "acts of terrorism" by
allowing US aircraft carrying bombs to Israel to stop at UK
airports.

 The judge, Mr Justice Ouseley, dismissed a plea for a judicial
review and an injunction against the government, ruling that the
case was "misconceived."

 IHRC Chair Massoud Shadjareh said that he was "disappointed" at
the decision as there were "not many avenues open to civil
society to challenge when they see wrongs done by their
government."

 The use of British airports by US arms flights to Israel was
first disclosed last month during Israel's incessant bombing of
Lebanon's civilian infrastructure, resulting in more than 1,300
people being killed and one million being displaced.

 It was since revealed that several airports were involved in
the cargo flights that require special clearance by Britain's
Civil Aviation Authorities.

 But according to Channel Four News, arms are also carried
sometimes on military flights that are given diplomatic
clearance and that the Defence Ministry has admitted that there
also been an "unspecified" number.
*****************************************************************
 39 Platts: Commissioners back NRC staff's rejection of ICRP changes
 
Washington (Platts)--23Aug2006
 
NRC should not adopt the changes in the latest draft 
International Commission on Radiological Protection 
recommendations on radiological protection because there has not 
been any significant change in radiation risks, the commissioners 
said August 23 in support of the staff's assessment. 

In a staff requirements memorandum, the commissioners said they 
also did not believe it was necessary to develop a framework for 
radiological protection of non-human species or a separate 
standards for flora and fauna. The commissioners also backed the 
staff's view that there should not be a numerical value set that 
could be used as the basis for terminating a pregnancy. 

In a section on exposure of pregnant patients, the ICRP 
recommends that doses above 100 milliGray to the fetus should be 
taken into consideration as a reason for terminating a pregnancy, 
depending on individual circumstances, including the magnitude of 
the estimated dose. The ICRP last published its recommendations 
in 1991 and since has issued 17 additional guidance documents. 
The draft ICRP recommendations, which were released for comment 
in June, are intended to consolidate the advice developed over 
the past 15 years. The ICRP wants to issue final recommendations 
in 2007.
 
Copyright © 2006 - Platts, All Rights Reserved
 [The McGraw-Hill Companies]       

*****************************************************************
 40 APP.COM: NRC goes by rule book in ignoring plant safety |
         
Asbury Park Press Online
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Thursday, August 24, 2006
  	 	 
BY JANET TAURO 		 		 		 

Sadly, I am not at all surprised by the report released Monday by 
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that found no apparent safety 
problems to prohibit Oyster Creek, the nation's oldest nuclear 
power plant, from chugging along for another 20 years.

Why would we expect otherwise? This is the same agency that found 
that the operation of Oyster Creek had no significant 
environmental impact to Barnegat Bay, even though the data used 
by plant operator AmerGen to justify that conclusion was 35 years 
old. That would be like using a picture of what I looked like in 
1970 to get a passport.

A year ago, two NRC officials visited Brick Mayor Joseph C.
Scarpelli's office. In attendance were several citizens and
environmentalists who have since become embroiled in a legal
tango with the agency over safety issues.

After three hours of conversation that left our heads spinning
and stomachs churning, it became apparent that a green light was
in the future for an Oyster Creek license renewal. All of the
safety concerns that had prompted state and local officials to
oppose relicensing were tangled in a Catch-22. No matter how
valid the argument, if it wasn't spelled out in the NRC rule
book, it was not up for discussion. It wouldn't matter if King
Kong took over the controls, if NRC rules didn't specifically
mention gorillas, then, sorry, that's not something for NRC
investigators to evaluate.

It is unconscionable for this agency to fail to take into
account life in the 21st century, when the risk of terrorism is
a part of our daily lives.

It is unconscionable for the NRC to allow AmerGen to store more
than 2,000 pounds of highly radioactive waste in a pool of water
elevated 70 feet above ground and protected only by a thin metal
sheet.

It is unconscionable for the NRC not to consider the exploding
population in the 10-mile radius around the plant, and the
impossibility of moving hundreds of thousands of people out of
harm's way in the event of an accident or terrorist attack.

It is unconscionable for the NRC to fail to require evacuation
plans for day care centers and nursery schools.

It is unconscionable for the NRC to dogmatically cling to
regulations that preclude public participation in the hearing
process. They are anti-democracy, shoving citizens aside in an
effort to streamline the approval process for the nuclear
industry.

Before 9/11, FBI agents who questioned why groups of men were
suddenly signing up for flight lessons without wanting to learn
how to land were not taken seriously by their superiors.
Engineers who worried about faulty O-rings on the space shuttle
Challenger were shunned. We see the disastrous outcomes when
warning bells are sounded and there is no response from those
who can make a difference.

Our coalition has fought doggedly to bring to light the
dangerous corrosion of the drywell liner that shields the public
from radiation. We've fought for the public release of documents
that show portions of the liner are razor thin — and rusting.
We've fought for, and have not yet won, the right to have these
dangerous situations aired in a public forum.

There is so much more that needs to be done. The state
Department of Environmental Protection not only has filed a
contention on the terrorism issue, but state officials are
seriously concerned about metal fatigue of components of the
nuclear reactor. DEP officials worry that AmerGen used a wrong
cumulative use factor that bolstered the strength of those
components on paper.

This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed now, and begs
the question: How can the NRC say the plant is safe to operate
another 20 years if numbers were used that apparently gave
AmerGen an edge when justifying the safety of reactor
components? Sounds a bit like using 35-year-old data to show
little environmental impact.

These issues deserve a chorus of congressional outrage. How many
meetings does this coalition have to attend, how many experts do
we have to drag to Trenton, how many more thousands of dollars
do we have to spend before we see some real action and not just
words of encouragement?

DEP Commissioner Lisa Jackson is showing that she's up for a
fight. But she shouldn't have to go it alone, and neither should
this coalition. We need Gov. Corzine to coordinate a battle with
the New Jersey congressional delegation and Sens. Frank
Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, both D-N.J., and fight for our
safety and the jewel that is the Jersey Shore.

The warning bells are sounding loud and clear. Will they be
heard in Washington before it's too late? 

Janet Tauro, Brick, is a member of GRAMMES (Grandmothers,
Mothers, and More for Energy Safety).

  Copyright © 2006 Asbury Park Press. All rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
 41 Leuren Moret: Depleted Uranium is WMD
 
My grandfather, U.S. Army Col. Edwin Joseph McAllister, was born 
in Battle Creek in 1895. He does not know that his first 
grandchild is an international expert on depleted uranium. I have 
worked in two U.S. nuclear weapons laboratories, and in 1991 I 
became a whistleblower at the Livermore lab. Depleted uranium is 
very, very, very nasty stuff: 

Depleted uranium (DU) weaponry meets the definition of weapon of
mass destruction in two out of three categories under U.S.
Federal Code Title 50 Chapter 40 Section 2302. 

DU weaponry violates all international treaties and agreements,
Hague and Geneva war conventions, the 1925 Geneva gas protocol,
U.S. laws and U.S. military law. 

Since 1991, the U.S. has released the radioactive atomicity
equivalent of at least 400,000 Nagasaki bombs into the global
atmosphere. That is 10 times the amount released during
atmospheric testing which was the equivalent of 40,000 Hiroshima
bombs. The U.S. has permanently contaminated the global
atmosphere with radioactive pollution having a half-life of 2.5
billion years. 

The U.S. has illegally conducted four nuclear wars in
Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and twice in Iraq since 1991, calling DU
"conventional" weapons when in fact they are nuclear weapons. 

DU on the battlefield has three effects on living systems: it is
a heavy metal "chemical" poison, a "radioactive" poison and has
a "particulate" effect due to the very tiny size of the
particles that are 0.1 microns and smaller. 

The blueprint for DU weaponry is a 1943 Manhattan Project memo
to Gen. L. Groves that recommended development of radioactive
materials as poison gas weapons - dirty bombs, dirty missiles
and dirty bullets. 

DU weapons are very effective kinetic energy penetrators, but
even more effective bioweapons since uranium has a strong
chemical affinity for phosphate structures concentrated in DNA. 

DU is the Trojan Horse of nuclear war - it keeps giving and
keeps killing. There is no way to clean it up, and no way to
turn it off because it continues to decay into other radioactive
isotopes in over 20 steps. 

Terry Jemison at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs stated
in August 2004 that over 518,000 Gulf-era veterans (14-year
period) are now on medical disability, and that 7,039 were
wounded on the battlefield in that same period. Over 500,000
U.S. veterans are homeless. 

In some studies of soldiers who had normal babies before the
war, 67 percent of the post-war babies are born with severe
birth defects - missing brains, eyes, organs, legs and arms, and
blood diseases. 

In southern Iraq, scientists are reporting five times higher
levels of gamma radiation in the air, which increases the
radioactive body burden daily of inhabitants. In fact, Iraq,
Yugoslavia and Afghanistan are uninhabitable. 

Cancer starts with one alpha particle under the right
conditions. One gram of DU is the size of a period in this
sentence and releases 12,000 alpha particles per second. 

Before my grandfather died, he told me that his generation had
made a mess of this planet. I wonder what he would say to me now
I would tell him to see "Beyond Treason"
(www.beyondtreason.com), a new documentary about the history of
treason by the U.S. government against our own troops: Atomic
veterans, MK-Ultra, Agent Orange and DU. After Vietnam, Henry
Kissinger said, "Military men are just dumb, stupid animals to
be used as pawns in foreign policy. . ." (from Chapter 5 in the
"Final Days" by Woodward and Bernstein). 


* Leuren Moret is an international radiation specialist, with a
B.S. degree in geology from University of California at Davis, a
M.A. degree in Near Eastern studies from University of
California at Berkeley and has done post-graduate work in the
geosciences at UC-Davis. She is environmental commissioner for
the City of Berkeley, Calif. 

Source: www.commondreams.org
 
Alarab Online. © 2005 All rights reserved.   
*****************************************************************
 42 Whitehaven News: BNG sale â€˜recipe for disasterâ€™

Published on 24/08/2006

By Alan Irving
 
IT is a recipe for disaster â€” it will put safety at risk on
the site.â€ That was the angry reaction of Prospect, the major
nuclear staff union, over British Nuclear Fuels plans to sell
off only a small part off its operating arm, BNG, which has
8,500 on the Sellafield payroll.
 
It has come has a shock about-turn to the nuclear workforce who
were told BNG would be sold as one and they would all be
transferred to one new employer under contract from the Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority.
 
Peter Clements, Prospect branch secretary, said yesterday:
â€œSelling off Sellafield piecemeal is a recipe for disaster, we
think it will compromise safety. It will be about cutting costs
if you sell off different parts of the business to different
companies. The danger here is that weâ€™re going to have another
Railtrack, with one lot doing one bit of maintenance and another
doing something else â€“ nobody will know whoâ€™s doing what.
Safety and communications will suffer.
 
â€œIt is disgusting and deplorable that this has been done
without any consultation with the unions.
 
â€œBNFL told us right from the start that BNG would be sold as
one complete company, now they have had this change of mind. Are
BNFL really in control of things any more? They donâ€™t seem to
be. Is it the NDA or the government? We want to know: we have
meetings next week and we will be demanding answers.â€ 

BNFLâ€™s plan now is to sell separately Project Services, a
specialist contracting business, along with its one-third stake
in AWE Management Ltd, which does work for the MoD at
Aldermaston. The sale process will go ahead as soon as possible.
 
The big part of BNG which is tied to competition for the
Sellafield and nuclear reactor sites will be discussed with the
NDA â€œand a joint approach developed and agreed quicklyâ€.
 
BNFL insists that the piecemeal approach offers best value for
the government, its only shareholder, and is also the best
solution for employees and customers.
 
The Whitehaven News understands that the NDA is not happy about
being blamed for any delay in the sale. A spokesman said: â€œWe
will need to consider the degree of any alternative proposals
before being able to comment further.
 
â€œThe NDA wants to see a new contract in place at Sellafield as
soon as possible, in order to drive improvements in safety
performance at our biggest site and to enable competition to be
introduced to the rest of the sites, in accordance with our
approved strategy.
 
â€œWe have made good progress on the development of the new
Sellafield contract which remains on track to be ready by March
2007 as envisaged. Any final decision on the way forward will be
subject to regulatory and government approval.â€ 

Peter Kane, convenor for the GMB, Sellafieldâ€™s biggest
industrial union, said: â€œWe still prefer to see BNG sold as
one but we will consult with our members before going public on
a statement.â€
 
*****************************************************************
 43 Bradenton Herald: DEP: Lockheed is in compliance

08/24/2006 | 

Attorney, advocate group for Tallevast residents disagree

 DONNA WRIGHT Herald Staff Writer 

TALLEVAST - Lockheed Martin Corp. is in compliance with the
consent order governing the cleanup of Tallevast plume,
according to Larry Morgan, deputy general counsel for the state
Department of Environmental Protection. 

But Ed Cottingham, lead attorney for more than 200 Tallevast
residents in a suit against Lockheed, disagrees. 

Cottingham said DEP and Lockheed are violating the spirit if not
the letter of the consent order. 

Cottingham and FOCUS, a residents advocacy group, cited two
areas of concern in recent letters to DEP: 

• They allege Lockheed has not provided the Tallevast community
through FOCUS all the data and reports sent to DEP, as required
by law. 

• They criticized Lockheed and DEP for holding meetings without
notifying or including Tallevast's technical consultant, Tim
Varney, and FOCUS representatives. 

But after reviewing the record, Morgan found Lockheed had
informed the community in a timely manner. 

Moreover, DEP and Lockheed "had and will continue to have
meetings as needed and that there is nothing in the consent
order that requires FOCUS or its technical consultant to be
present," Morgan said in an Aug. 9 letter to Cottingham. 

"The fact that FOCUS has not been participating in all of the
meetings does not result in Dr. Varney's input being excluded,"
Morgan wrote. 

"They say they will consider Dr. Varney's input, but apparently
they have no intention of notifying FOCUS or Varney of meetings
ahead of time," Cottingham said Wednesday. 

That puts them at a disadvantage, Cottingham said. 

"It leaves FOCUS and Dr. Varney in a position of having to react
to whatever plans they draw up rather than involve them in the
planning to start with," Cottingham said. 

"I think that violates the spirit of the consent order. I would
hope that's not DEP's intent and they will notify Dr. Varney
when they are going to have substantive meetings so he can
provide his input and give them the benefit of his expertise up
front rather than simply reacting to things at the end." 

A DEP spokeswoman declined comment Wednesday. 

"If Mr. Cottingham would like to call me, I would be happy to
talk to him," said Pamala Vazquez. "We like to respond directly
to the person who has the concern, as always. That seems to be
the most appropriate method to ensure the appropriate people are
in contact with each other." 

But the lack of appropriate response cuts to the heart of FOCUS'
concerns, said Wanda Washington, vice president of FOCUS. 

"DEP has yet to respond to Dr. Varney's concerns on Lockheed's
last site assessment," said Washington. 

Instead DEP held a meeting with Lockheed on July 14 to discuss
Varney's report and those of other independent reviewers, but
neither Varney nor the others were invited, she said. 

Varney recently told The Herald that he has not been notified or
invited to any meetings between DEP and Lockheed since the first
of the year. 

Yet Tina N. Armstrong, Lockheed's senior manager in charge of
the Tallevast cleanup, said in February that she wanted Varney
and Michael Graves at the table for all meetings. 

Graves is the independent geologist whose tests on private wells
last fall pushed Lockheed to do further investigations that led
to an expansion of Lockheed's plume estimate from 131 to more
than 200 acres. 

"It would be beneficial for the project to have both of you at
the table with us as we are developing our plans, determining
the technical direction we need to take, providing input at our
working meetings, and reviewing the results of our work,"
Armstrong wrote in an e-mail sent to Varney on Feb. 8. 

Varney and Graves said they never heard back from Armstrong. 

Moreover, Varney's and Graves' reports to DEP in recent months,
citing weaknesses in Lockheed's data, have gone unanswered. 

DEP and Lockheed's lack of response has deepened mistrust in the
community, said Washington. That mistrust stems from the fact
that Lockheed, DEP and even Manatee County officials knew about
the pollution from an old beryllium plant in 2000 but didn't
tell residents until three years later. 

"My understanding is there is supposed to be community
involvement," said Washington. "The consent order names FOCUS as
the conduit for that involvement, but they make decisions at
meetings without us being at the table. Instead we are caught up
in ugly debates after the fact." 

FOCUS has made a written request to DEP asking for a community
meeting to address concerns. 

So far, DEP has not answered. 

Laura Ward, FOCUS president, said she is used to the silence. 

"DEP," Ward said, "stands for Don't Expect Protection." 

Donna Wright, health and social services reporter, can be
reached at 745-7049 or at dwright@HeraldToday.com. 
*****************************************************************
 44 BBC: Councils unite in  in Wylfa aid call
 
Last Updated: Thursday, 24 August 2006
 
[Wylfa on Anglesey and council logos]                           

There are fears for 1,500 jobs when the plant closes                                                              

Two councils have joined forces to call for a 10-year 
regeneration strategy to offset the closure of the Wylfa nuclear 
power station in 2010. 

Anglesey and Gwynedd councils want millions of pounds invested by 
the Welsh Assembly Government. 

They compared it to the economic renewal programme for the heads 
of the valleys in south Wales. 

The assembly government said it was committed to long-term 
regeneration and had funded a study into the issue. 

Anglesey council leader Gareth Winston Roberts said: "The two 
councils have got together to work on a 10-year employment 
strategy for the area, similar to the project being run in the 
Heads of the Valleys." 

What we are working on here a way to move forward Gareth Winston 
Roberts, council leader          

The councils are worried about the effect on the local economy 
from the closure - in four years time - of the Wylfa power 
station on Anglesey. 

The station is one of the major employers on Anglesey, along with 
the metal smelting plant Anglesey Aluminium in Holyhead, which it 
powers. 

There are fears for 1,500 jobs if both close. 

"It's always easy to look back but what we are working on here is 
a way to move forward," said Mr Roberts. 

He said there was room for working with the university in Bangor 
to help attract businesses to the area. 

A spokesman for the Welsh Assembly Government said no formal 
request from the two councils had yet been received, but they 
were "fully committed" to the re-generation of the area. 

"We have funded a study into the long term re-generation of 
Anglesey, and we are working with the local authorities and 
public and private sector stake holders, to deliver on that 
commitment and bring opportunities to the area," the spokesman 
added. 

		 	 		 	 	 



*****************************************************************
 45 reviewjournal.com" Porter calls repository 'broken'
 
Aug. 23, 2006

Lawmaker asks about workers' fears of reprisal   

By K.C. HOWARD<br>REVIEW-JOURNAL
  		
Ward Sproat, left, director of the office of Civilian
Radioactive Waste Management, and Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., tour
a tunnel alcove at Yucca Mountain on Tuesday. The tour was part
of an investigation Porter is leading on workforce practices at
the site.

Photo by Gary Thompson. 
	   
YUCCA MOUNTAIN -- Rep. Jon Porter, chairman of a House 
subcommittee looking into some aspects of the Yucca Mountain 
Project, stood atop the mountain Tuesday and pronounced the 
project to house more than 70,000 tons of nuclear waste "broken." 

"There are so many problems with the mountain. There are so many
questions about safety, that it's broken," Porter said. 

The visit, which included a drive to the top of the mountain and
a tour of the five-mile tunnel beneath it, was the Republican
congressman's first to the site in more than 20 years. He said
the last time he viewed the mountain as a Boulder City
councilman, there were no tunnels and the city was preparing a
resolution against the project. 

Tuesday's tour included briefings on geology, hydrology,
faulting and volcanism by Energy Department officials Russ Dyer,
chief scientist, and Ward Sproat, the new director of the office
of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. 

Surrounded by news media, Porter questioned the DOE officials
about science and safety issues. 

"We don't trust what's going on here," he told Sproat. 

Holding a copy of a DOE inspector general's report released
Friday, Porter questioned what Sproat will do to ensure
employees at Yucca Mountain feel free to report mistakes and
that those mistakes will be corrected. 

The report found more than 100 possible problems that should
have been fixed but were not managed properly. In some cases,
managers discouraged employees from reporting them, the report
stated. 

"One of the ongoing concerns I have is employees have a fear of
reprisal," Porter said. 

Sproat said he's planning changes to ensure a culture where
employees feel safe reporting errors and where supervisors are
compelled to make corrections. 

In July, the DOE released a schedule that would open the
repository, about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas, for
high-level nuclear waste by March 2017. DOE missed its original
1998 deadline to open the repository and also abandoned a 2010
startup date. 

Despite setbacks to the project, Sproat said he's encouraged by
the work at the site he's seen so far and promised vigilance in
reviewing science and safety protocols. 

Tessa Hafen, the Democratic candidate challenging Porter in this
year's elections, also opposes President Bush's plan to store
nuclear waste in Nevada. She released a statement Tuesday
calling Porter's tour an "election year field trip." 

Shannon Meade, chief investigator on Porter's subcommittee on
Yucca Mountain, said the visit was not political. "The DOE just
issued its licensing schedule so this was a very appropriate
time to come out." 	   

Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal, 1997 - 2006
*****************************************************************
 46 Carlsbad Current-Argus: Council OKs WIPP funds for road project 

By Stella Davis  

  CARLSBAD — The Carlsbad City Council approved $134,560 from
the WIPP Acceleration Funds to complete a road project in south
Carlsbad. 

The vote, during its Tuesday night session, is a reversal of
council's decision at its Aug. 8 meeting when it drew the line
at spending money that is two years away from being provided by
the federal government. At that time, Mayor Bob Forrest said
that it could be 2008 before the city could have WIPP funds
available for Peachtree and Plum streets. The consensus by most
of the council was to put the project on hold. 

WIPP Acceleration funds are awarded on a year-by-year basis from
the federal government to help offset the economic impact of the
nuclear waster repository closing at the conclusion of its
mission and anticipation that it will be ahead of schedule in
processing the nation's nuclear waste. 

In an agreement with the federal government, the money is to be
used for economic development, city infrastructure and
education. 

On Tuesday, council members, with the exception of Louise Tracy,
who cast the dissenting vote, voted to dedicate the $134,560
WIPP funding to the road project. 

Tracy said she believes the money could be better used in the
public works department to replace aging and damaged Dumpsters. 

Forrest explained that that $1 million has been received every
year for four years for streets, noting that the city is using
$1 million of next year's funding to purchase new garbage
trucks. He said the $135,560 is what is left of the $1 million
after the $865,440 expenditure for the garbage trucks. 

Harry Burgess, city administrator, said that the city applied
for a Community Development Block Grant from the state in the
amount of $800,000 for roadwork on Peachtree Street, Plum Lane
and two connecting streets, but was only granted $250,000. That
CDBG application called for a 10 percent match by the city,
leaving only enough for Peachtree Street. 

"Our original budget for Plum Street was $160,000 with a
contingency of $45,000," Burgess said. "That was 12 months ago.
We really don't know what the actual cost will be for Plum
Street until we advertise and receive bids. 

"We will have to also pursue an engineering study and the
engineer will produce a bid document that will go before council
for final approval." 

Burgess said following Tuesday's council meeting that the
$134,560 will won't be enough for complete Plum Street. The city 
administrator said the issue will be put back on the table for 
discussion after the bids come in. 

He said that one option would be to submit another CDBG
application for funding to complete Plum Street. 

However, Burgess noted it would be at least 18 months before the
city could apply for another grant. 

One of the CDBG requirements is that the previous project has to
be completed before we can pursue money for the next project. 

"Since we have not completed Peachtree Street, Plum Street would
have to be put off for a year and a half," he said. "It makes
sense to get them done at the same time. It would be more
economical." 

Tracy said she voted against using the $134,560 in WIPP
Acceleration Funds for two reasons. 

"The council voted against using the WIPP money to pave the
parking lot at the new police station. Then we turn around and
award that money for Plum Street. 

"We are also getting a lot of complaints from the public about
the poor condition of the Dumpsters, which need to be replaced,"
Tracy said. "But I'm told we don't have enough money to do that.

This $134,560 should be given to the Public Works Department to
buy new dumpsters and rollouts. I think WIPP funds need to go
into areas that don't qualify for CDBG money." 

Luis Camero, public works director, said that only $80,000 was
budgeted this fiscal year for new dumpsters and rollouts. He
conceded under questioning by Tracy that more new Dumpsters are
needed. 

"I have learned that of the 2,000 Dumpsters we have in the city,
75 percent are worn out or are in need of repair," Tracy said.

"The big metal Dumpsters have holes in them, the tops don't work
and they are very beat up. It's a real problem. We need to
provide the public with good Dumpsters." 

Camero said that the city has on order 161 new Dumpsters and 200
rollouts and no more will be purchased in this fiscal year. 

He said that city personnel within his department continually
work to repair the most salvageable Dumpsters and rollout
containers. 

Burgess said that each Dumpster costs $300 and a roll out cost
$100. 

"Just the ones that we have on order, plus shipping, will eat
the $80,000 that was budgeted," Burgess said.   
            

  Copyright Â© 2005 Carlsbad Current Argus, a MediaNews Group
Newspaper.
*****************************************************************
 47 AU ABC: CLP wants uranium enrichment for NT. 

24/08/2006. ABC News Online

The Country Liberal Party (CLP) wants to take its support for
uranium mining one step further and investigate enrichment in
the Northern Territory.

 The CLP says there is money to be made in enrichment, but it is
going into someone else's coffers. 
The party will ask members to vote this weekend to investigate
whether it would be viable to start enriching uranium in the Top
End. 

The motion would set up a special committee to find out who the
customers would be and work out whether the idea would be
viable. 

It would consider waste and security issues as well as the jobs
enrichment would create. 

The CLP says it is only thinking about enriching uranium for use
in power stations, not to the level where it could be used in
nuclear weapons. 

Member for Solomon, Dave Tollner, has thrown his support behind
the proposal, and says enrichment could be a massive industry. 

Mr Tollner says Australia has 40 per cent of the world's uranium
resource, and currently 100 per cent of those exports go through
Darwin's port.

 "I think that the party should look into all aspects of it, not
just the commercial aspects," he said.

 "But also the environmental aspects, what sort of jobs would be
created [and] whether or not this will assist in reducing
nuclear weapon proliferation." 

The party believes enriching uranium locally would also give the
Territory more control over who ultimately gets the uranium
pulled from Territory soil.

 A report on the investigation is due early next year. 

*****************************************************************
 48 AU ABC: NT uranium enrichment would 'decimate tourism industry'.

24/08/2006. ABC News Online
 	
The Northern Territory Government has poured scorn on the
Country Liberal Party's (CLP) plans to investigate a uranium
enrichment industry in the Territory.

 The CLP's central council meets this weekend and the federal
Member for Solomon, Dave Tollner, says he will support a motion
to formally investigate the viability of enriching uranium
locally.

 Territory Business Minister Paul Henderson says there is no
business case for the proposal and it would decimate the tourism
industry. 

"For the Northern Territory to be badged as the centre of the
world's nuclear power and uranium industry - from mining through
to nuclear waste depositories to somewhere where you refine the
product - I think we've got other areas for this economy to go,"
he said.

 "To badge our economy as a nuclear dominated economy, what's
that going to do to our tourism industry? I reckon it would
decimate it."

 But Mr Tollner says all of Australia's mined uranium is
exported through Darwin and governments should consider the
value of enriching it domestically. 

"I think it is something that should be investigated to see if
it would be viable," he said.

 If the motion is approved, a CLP policy committee will look at
where an enrichment plant could be built as well as security
issues and potential job creation. 

Mr Tollner says it is important to get accurate information
about the issue.

 "I tend to think that the community here in the Northern
Territory are fairly sophisticated and they would be very keen
to know exactly what nuclear enrichment could mean for the
Northern Territory," he said.

 "I don't know whether they would support it or not, but I know
they would be very keen in getting more information on it." 

*****************************************************************
 49 AU ABC: NT Opposition in favour of uranium enrichment
 
The World Today - Thursday, 24 August , 2006  12:26:00
 
Reporter: Anne Barker

 ELEANOR HALL: The Northern Territory Opposition has floated the
prospect of building Australia's first uranium enrichment plant.

The Country Liberal Party will debate the issue at its Central
Council meeting this weekend.

The party already staunchly supports uranium mining, and is
likely to vote for a wide-ranging review of the viability of an
enrichment plant.

But would voters ever support such a policy, when mining itself
is still so contentious?

Anne Barker reports. 

ANNE BARKER: Australia has an estimated 40 per cent of the
world's uranium reserves and the Northern Territory is home to
one of the biggest mines in operation.

But that's almost certain to change, since the Federal
Government last year overrode the Territory Government's then
opposition to new mines and declared the Territory open for
business on uranium.

Now, the Country Liberal Party is expected to support a
viability study into a uranium enrichment plant, on the grounds
it could be a massive money-spinner for the Territory and
Australia.

The proposal will go to a meeting of the CLP's central council
on Saturday. 

The politician taking the running on it is Federal CLP Member
Dave Tollner.

DAVE TOLLNER: It's my view that Territorians have a big stake in
the uranium industry. A lot of Australia's uranium comes out of
the Northern Territory. Australia has 40 per cent of the world's
proven uranium resource, and currently 100 per cent of
Australia's uranium goes across our port.

It's my view that we should be looking at the value add of that
product and to see whether it's viable to occur here in the
Northern Territory. 

ANNE BARKER: Do you expect this proposal for an investigation at
least to get up on Saturday?

DAVE TOLLNER: Look, I would hope... it's a fairly reasonable
proposal. We are looking at all aspects of the proposal, you
know, we do have a big stake in the uranium industry in
Australia and in the world, and it would be great to think that
there's an economic base there for the Northern Territory to
develop an industry like this. 

ANNE BARKER: Can you see voters ever supporting the idea though,
if you went to the election with an enrichment policy?

DAVE TOLLNER: Well, I think voters are sophisticated in the
Northern Territory, they're not idiots, and I think if issues
are explained in a proper and logical manner, you know, if
there's merit in those ideas then voters will support it. 

And after all, what we're talking about here is jobs for our
children, an economic base for the Northern Territory, and
further economic independence for the Northern Territory. 

ANNE BARKER: Could it be viable though... even if Australia has
a big share of the world's uranium, there's no shortage of
enrichment plans already around the world?

DAVE TOLLNER: That's something we don't know. I've certainly
heard that argument, but again, Australia is very involved in
the technological development of laser enrichment processes or
new processes to enrich uranium. 

I'm aware that there is a proposal to take that technology
offshore and do it elsewhere in the world. We may want to look
at using it here in Australia. 

ANNE BARKER: Of course, none of this could happen, could it,
without Federal Government approval, and what guarantee is there
that you would even get that?

DAVE TOLLNER: Look, there's no guarantee that we get Federal
Government approval, there's no guarantee that we would get
Territory Government approval. 

But certainly, I think, the Federal Government as, I would hope,
the Territory Government, would be interested in finding out
what the merits or otherwise of such an industry would mean in
the Northern Territory.

ELEANOR HALL: That's Country Liberal Party MP Dave Tollner,
speaking to Anne Barker in Darwin.   

*****************************************************************
 50 AU ABC: Opposition to support analysis of uranium enrichment viability

24/08/2006. ABC News Online
 	
The Northern Territory Opposition Leader says she will support a
motion at the CLP's Central Council meeting calling for an
investigation into the viability of uranium enrichment. 
The Territory's Business Minister Paul Henderson has rubbished
the proposal and says the Country Liberal Party is split on
uranium issues.

 But Jodeen Carney says unlike Labor, her party is willing to
conduct research and see if the Territory can benefit from a
domestic uranium enrichment industry. 

"At least we're honest about looking into the issue, and for the
government to come out so quickly and just discount it shows
that they have closed their minds to just about everything," MS
Carney said. 

The Northern Territory Environment Minister Marion Scrymgour
says the government will not debate the issue of local uranium
enrichment until next year.

 "I'm not going to jump up and down and react to a CLP fly in
the wind policy that has no substance because it's you know,
there heading into there party conference this weekend if they
wish to discuss uranium enrichment that's there prerogative," Ms
Scrygmour said.

Parliament ejection

 Meanwhile the Territory Opposition is complaining that its
leader has been targeted after she was ejected from Parliament
for interjecting.

 A CLP official says it is payback for the Opposition's attack
on the government's code of conduct.

 The Opposition Leader Jodeen Carney asked the Chief Minister if
she knew how uranium enrichment works and if not, why she would
oppose a domestic industry.

 "How can you reject the establishment of an industry that you
know nothing about?" she said. 
Clare Martin replied that she is not a nuclear scientist. 

"The issue of uranium environment is something that the Prime
Minister has tasked Ziggy Switkowski [with], who does happen to
be a nuclear physicist," she said. 

A muted response from Ms Carney led to her ejection.

 The Speaker of the House, Jane Aagard, says there was not any
collusion between herself and the government to eject Opposition
members. 

y
*****************************************************************
 51 DOE: USDA-DOE Announce Additional Keynote Speakers for National Renewable 
Energy Conference
 
  August 24, 2006
 
WASHINGTON, DC - Additional keynote speakers have been confirmed
for Advancing Renewable Energy: An American Rural Renaissance. 
This conference is co-hosted by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and is
designed to create partnerships and strategies that will
accelerate commercialization of renewable energy industries and
distribution systems, the crux of President Bushs Advanced
Energy Initiative.  Advancing Renewable Energy, is scheduled to
take place October 10-12, 2006, at the America's Center in St.
Louis, Missouri.  

Added to the growing list of distinguished keynote speakers are:
Red Cavaney, President and Chief Executive Officer of the
American Petroleum Institute; Charles Holliday, Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer, Dupont; Patrick Wood, Chairman of the
North American Advisory Board of Airtricity, Inc. and former
Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; and
Matthew Simmons, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Simmons
and Company International, a specialized energy investment
banking firm. 

Leaders from government and industry will address renewable
energy topics such as building supply and distribution;
encouraging demand; adapting and building infrastructure;
creating effective market models and partnerships; what USDA and
DOE are doing to advance renewable energy; and other timely
topics.  

The following are conference keynote speakers to date:  
  + Samuel Bodman--U.S. Secretary of Energy 
  + Mike Johanns--U.S. Secretary of Agriculture 
  + Thomas Dorr--Under Secretary for Rural Development, U.S.
Department of Agriculture 
  + Dr. Raymond L. OrbachUnder Secretary for Science, U.S.
Department of Energy 
  + Alexander Karsner--Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy 
  + Red Cavaney--President and Chief Executive Officer, American
Petroleum Institute 
  + Dr. Keith CollinsChief Economist, U.S. Department of
Agriculture 
  + Charles Holliday, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,
Dupont 
  + Vinod Khosla--Founder, Khosla Ventures; Co-Founder of Sun
Microsystems; former Partner of Kleimer, Perkins, Kaufield &
Byers, a venture capital firm 
  + Robert W. Lane--Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief
Executive Officer, Deere and Company 
  + Matthew Simmons--Chariman and Chief Executive Officer,
Simmons and Company International, a specialized energy
investment banking firm 
  + Patricia A Woertz--President, Chief Executive Officer, and
Member of the Board of Directors, Archer Daniels Midland Company 
  + Patrick Wood--Chairman, U.S. Advisory Board, Airtricity,
Inc.; former Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission 
  + James R. Woolsey--Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton;
former Director, Central Intelligence Agency  

Attendance is open to the public. Anyone involved with renewable
energy is encouraged to attend, including transportation,
finance, and investment officials; other Federal and State
Government officials; and elected officials.  All attendees must
register for the conference, including press, who may attend
without charge. To register, view the conference agenda, or see
the complete list of breakout sessions speakers go to: . 

Media contact(s): DOE: Craig Stevens, (202) 586-4940 USDA: Jim 
Brownlee, (202) 720-4623     [ ]   

  U.S. Department of Energy | 1000 Independence Ave., SW | 
Washington, DC 20585 1-800-dial-DOE | f/202-586-4403 | e/General 
*****************************************************************
 52 DBJ: Slick Rock uranium site case results in $35.8M award - 

The Denver Business Journal: 

The Denver Business Journal - 11:46 AM MDT Thursday
 
A $5.6 million judgment from 1996 -- at the time the 
second-largest jury verdict in Colorado that year -- has 
mushroomed since to nearly $36 million, largely because of 
interest that has accrued. 

The U.S. Department of Energy is on the hook for the $35.8 
million awarded in a decade-old lawsuit over cleanup of the Slick 
Rock uranium site. Slick Rock is in southern Colorado near the 
Utah border. Uranium ore was processed in the area from 1931 to 
1961. Some of the uranium mined from the site went to the 
Manhattan Project for the construction of the first atomic bombs. 

The main parties to the case are Ohio company , a federal
contractor hired by the DOE in 1983, and its subcontractor, a
Florida company called (GIT). 

GIT was brought in to the project in March 1995 and given until
December 1996 to complete its work on the cleanup effort. The
contract was for $9.3 million. But GIT ran into delays and costs
increased, and Morrison-Knudsen terminated the company's
contract in September 1995. 

Morrison-Knudsen then sued GIT in Denver's federal court for
damages, and GIT countersued for wrongful termination. Jurors
sided with GIT and awarded the company $5.6 million. 

At the time, according to Jury Verdict Reporter of Colorado, the
judgment ranked as the second-largest for 1996 in the state. 

The case was partly reversed on appeal to the 10th Circuit Court
of Appeals, which ordered a new trial limited to the issue of
damages. 

Federal jurors again awarded damages to GIT following a
three-week trial that ended in May. The court last week entered
a judgment against Morrison-Knudsen for $35.8 million. 

Of that figure, GIT attorney Steve Schooley said Thursday, $20.1
million is from interest accrued from Sept. 29, 19995, the day
Morrison-Knudsen terminated the contract. 

"It's been a long-fought case," said Schooley, a partner in the
Orlando office of law firm LLP. 

Holland & Knight worked with Denver counsel Frederick Huff of
the . 

© 2006 American City Business Journals, Inc. and its licensors.
*****************************************************************
 53 DOE: Agency Information Collection Extension
 
                        FR Doc E6-14046 
[Federal Register: August 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 164)] 
[Notices] [Page 50049-50050] From the Federal Register Online via 
GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr24au06-37]                         
 
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
 
 
[[Page 50050]] 

ACTION: Submission for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
review; comment request.
 
SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, intends to extend for three 
years the information collection package entitled, ``Chronic 
Beryllium Disease Prevention Program.'' Comments are invited on: 
(a) Whether the extended information collections are necessary 
for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
information collections, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the information 
collections on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
 
 
DATES: Comments regarding this collection must be received on or 
before September 25, 2006. If you anticipate that you will be 
submitting comments, but find it difficult to do so within the 
period of time allowed by this notice, please advise the OMB Desk 
Officer of your intention to make a submission as soon as 
possible. The Desk Officer may be telephoned at 202-395-4650.
 
 
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to: DOE Desk Officer, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of 
Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10102, 
735 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.
 
Comments should also be addressed to: Jeffrey Martus, IM-11/ 
Germantown Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence 
Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20585-1290, or by fax at 301-903-9061 
or by e-mail at Jeffrey.martus@hq.doe.gov. FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions 
should be directed to Jeffrey Martus at the address listed above 
in ADDRESSES.
 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collection packages 
listed in this notice for public comment include the following: 
(1) OMB No.: 1910-5112. (2) Package Title: Chronic Beryllium 
Disease Prevention Program.
 
(3) Type of Review: Renewal.
 
(4) Purpose: This information is used by DOE and DOE contractor 
employers to manage chronic beryllium disease prevention 
programs, to provide information to employees, and to permit 
oversight of their programs by DOE management.
 
(5) Respondents: 1,703.
 
(6) Estimated Burden Hours: 32,952.
 
Statutory Authority: Department of Energy Organization Act, 
Public Law 95-91.
 
Jeffrey Martus, Records Management Division, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.
 
[FR Doc. E6-14046 Filed 8-23-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P

 
    
*****************************************************************

NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 this 
material is distributed without profit or payment to those who 
have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for 
non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more 
information go to: 
<http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml> 
    
*****************************************************************