Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 12:34:24 
 
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Status: R

     Aug 19, 1996 (Reuter) - India has written to the U.S.
expressing hope a draft treaty banning nuclear test explosions
can be amended to take into account New Delhi's strong
objections. Last week, India blocked the forwarding of the
pact to the Conference on Disarmament, which oversees the
talks, from an adhoc negotiating committee. India wants the
pact to impose a strict nuclear disarmament timetable on the
five declared nuclear powers.


     Aug 20, 1996 (UPI) -- The New York Times said India now
suggests it might withdraw its threat to prevent the largely
completed CTBTreaty from being sent to the United Nations next
month. In return it asks for some difficult adjustments in
treaty language on disarmament and ratification requirements,
but may be willing to settle for guarantees that New Delhi
will not face penalties for its refusal to sign the treaty
this year. 


     Aug 20, 1996 (UPI) -- U.S. Federal Nuclear Regulatory
Commission officials said that a copy of the test used to
license operators of nuclear reactors at Commonwealth Edison's
Dresden Power Station was stolen last month. The test was
canceled on July 1, a week before it was to have been given,
when a page of exam questions was found in a jammed copying
machine at the plant.


     Aug 20, 1996 (Reuter) - India told the Conference on
Disarmament that it could still not accept a draft nuclear
text ban treaty, preventing its formal adoption in Geneva
after more than two years of negotiations. Indian ambassador
Arundhati Ghose was fiercely critical of a text that she said
was unbalanced and violated India's sovereignty.  


     Aug 20, 1996 (Reuter) - The U.S. reacted angrily on
Tuesday to India's formal veto of the CTBT and said it would
work to bypass New Delhi's opposition and have the treaty
adopted and signed anyway. U.S. disarmament ambassador Ledogar
said: "The real reason is that the current government in New
Delhi wants to maintain the nuclear weapon option."


     Aug 20, 1996 (UPI) -- An Arab League commission for
monitoring Israeli nuclear power held its first meeting in
Cairo. The commission, comprising nuclear scientists from Arab
League member states, issued no statements as its session
began in the pan-Arab organization's headquarters. A
ministerial meeting in March set up the commission to "watch
and monitor Israeli nuclear activity and its threat to Arab
national security."


     Aug 20, 1996 (Reuter) - KEDO, a U.S.-led consortium, will
resume talks this week with Pyongyang on the construction of
two light water reactors in North Korea. Discussion would
focus on protocols for the project site, North Korean labor,
goods, facilities and services in connection with the project.
Last month KEDO and North Korea signed three protocol
agreements covering transportation, communication and
privileges and immunities related to the construction.


     Aug 21, 1996 (Reuter) - Japan expressed regret over
India's decision to veto the CTBT but pledged to continue to
seek global nuclear disarmament.


     Aug 21, 1996 (Reuter) -  "We believe nuclear disarmament
is vital for the future of humanity and would like to work
towards this goal. However, till the goal is accepted by all,
we cannot afford to subscribe to any goal that is
discriminatory, unfair and inimical to national security
interests," Indian Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda said. India
has vetoed the CTBT being negotiated in Geneva.