Conf? u Topic 69 headlines Response 14 of 18 PORTZLINES88 energy.nuclear 6:03 PM May 19, 1995 (at delphi.com) (From News system) Apparently-to: perline From: PORTZLINES88@delphi.com Subject: headlines NUKE-NET HEADLINE ALERT '95 (May 7) Reuter is reporting that Greenpeace is asking for international pressure against France's new president who has indicated he will support the resumptions of nuclear weapons testing. Greenpeace says it has a ship in the South Pacific and will use all peaceful means to prevent new tests at Mururoa atoll in French Polynesia. In 1985, French secret agents sank the Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warrior in New Zealand with powerful explosives to prevent a protest against testing at Mururoa. The blast killed a Greenpeace photographer. (May 8) Reuter is reporting that Japan's experimental fast- breeder reactor, Monju, has been restarted after a 2 month shutdown. The 280,000-kilowatt reactor needed improved water tank and pipes. The reactor is due to start generating electricity by July; three months behind schedule. Commercial operation are scheduled to begin in April 1996. (May 8) UPI is reporting that Newt Gingrich says Congress is depending on Pres. Clinton to negotiate with Pres. Yeltsin to prevent the sale of nuclear reactors to Iran. Gingrich says the proposed deal would have "catastrophic" effects on congressional support for Russian aid unless there are very firm safeguards that keep Iran from using the Russian technology to build weapons. (May 9) Reuter is reporting that German prosecutors are dismissing allegations that a Russian deputy minister for nuclear energy was involved with nuclear smuggling. (May 9) UPI is reporting that President Boris Yeltsin said his nation will go through with the Iranian reactors deal. (May 9) UPI is reporting that South Korea is praising Japan for supporting the next round of talks between the US, North Korea and Japan on the light water reactors proposal. (May 10) UPI is reporting that a last-minute call to condemn Israel's nuclear program has thrown the Non-Proliferation Treaty negotiations at the United Nations into a state of disarray. An Arab resolution, proposed by Egypt and backed by about a dozen other states, calls on Israel to renounce nuclear weapons and sign the NPT. The United States, determined that its key ally in the Middle East should not be singled out for criticism, is working to tone down the resolution's wording. The NPT sanctions only five declared nuclear powers -- the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain. Countries without nuclear weapons agree to renounce them, while nuclear powers promise to disarm and develop peaceful nuclear cooperation in areas such as energy and medicine. Many developing countries have accused the nuclear powers of failing to meet their commitments to disarm and are pressing for more stringent and frequent reviews of the treaty, a formal end to nuclear testing, better security assurances and an end to the production of material used to make bombs. (May 10) Reuter is reporting that a newly proposed resolution sponsored by 14 Arab nations, including Iraq and Kuwait, calls on Israel to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty and place all its nuclear activities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. They also want a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. Syria and Lebanon did not sponsor the draft, mainly because of the ban on weapons of mass destruction. (May 10) Reuter is reporting that two Spaniards confessed to a Munich, Germany court that they had smuggled 12.8 ounces of weapons-grade plutonium from Moscow to Germany. A third suspect from Columbia claims the incident was staged. The European atomic agency Euratom reports that the material's radioactive fingerprint identified it as coming from one of three Russian plants -- Chelyabinsk, Tomsk or Arzamas. (May 10) Reuter is reporting that North Korea is withdrawing from the Non-Proliferation Treaty negotiations the day before the treaty is expected to be extended. (May 10) Reuter is reporting that the European Commission is proposing an agreement between the European Union and the US on the sales of nuclear materials. The negotiations repeatedly bogged down over who would retain the use of US originated materials. Under the proposed agreement, any "non-sensitive nuclear activities" would be allowed, including the commercial enrichment of uranium or the use of nuclear fuel in power reactors. Transfers to third countries would be authorized on a long-term basis under procedures set out in the agreement. Reprocessing of spent fuel will continue in nuclear facilities listed by each party as part of its peaceful nuclear program. (May 10) Reuter is reporting that Bulgaria resumed negotiations with Moldova on the return of spent nuclear fuel to Russia through Moldova's territory. Russia, which supplies Bulgaria with nuclear fuel, will reprocess the spent fuel from all six reactors of the Kozloduy plant. (May 10) Reuter is reporting that Estonian police have arrested two men who tried to sell 11 pounds of uranium-238. (May 10) Reuter is reporting that Japan has begun dismantling its only nuclear-powered ship. The reactor will be removed and sent to a scientific museum. Launched in 1969, the Mutsu started leaking radiation in 1974 and its reactor was sealed. Tests resumed during 1990 in northeastern Japan. Economists and environmentalists who warned that the vessel would never be viable were proven correct. (May 10) Reuter is reporting that the US has rejected a North Korean proposal to hold negotiations in Pyongyang on the reactor deal. The US wants to hold the talks in Geneva or some other location around May 18. (May 10) UPI is reporting that President Yeltsin has agreed to cancel the sale of gas centrifuge equipment to Iran which could be used to make weapons-grade nuclear material. President Clinton disclosed intelligence to Yeltsin showing that Iran is secretly developing nuclear weapons. Clinton is pressing for the reactor deal to also be canceled. Yeltsin revealed that the deal also included the sale of missile silos to Iran. He pledged this would also be cancelled. Iran has previously purchased large quantities of Scud missiles, which have a range of up to 400 miles. end --- GIGO unreg at globenet vsn 0.99.950303