Date: Tue, 29 Oct 1996 16:34:25 
 
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.0 -- ListProcessor(tm) by CREN
Status: R

23 Oct 1996 (Reuter) - The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)
for storage of contaminated materials near Carlsbad, New
Mexico, got the approval of the National Research Council, a
research body charted by the Congress, on Wednsday. Besides
the possibility of human influence the facility is considered
safe for the next 10'000 years. The WIPP had been completed
already 10 years ago, and has yet to open.

23 Oct 1996 (Reuter) - German anti-nuclear activists did some
sabotage at railways, protesting against the transport of
nuclear waste. Hundreds of trains using the two affected lines
in northern Germany had to be rerouted.

23 Oct 1996 (Reuter) - After a CIA report had been quoted in
an U.S. newspaper with the conclusion that Russia's control of
it's nuclear arsenal weakens, Russian officials pointed out
that there is a good cooperation between Russian and American
specialists and no reservations had been expressed. 

23 Oct 1996 (Reuter) - Alexander Downer, Australian Foreign
Minister, said India and Australia will work together on
promoting nuclear disarmament and tie economical relations.
There werde tensions between India and Australia because of
disagreement on the issue of the CTBT.

23 Oct 1996 (Reuter) - French Polynesia, economically
depending on its use by the french military for nuclear tests,
makes up plans for depelopment. The pearl production shall be
doubled and tourism shall be promoted to balance the stop of
french financial support in 2005.

22 Oct 1996 (Reuter) - The CIA in the raport ``Prospects for
Unsanctioned Use of Russian Nuclear Weapons'' concluded that
the Russian control of its nuclear arsenal in weakening, while
the chance of blackmail and unauthorized launch of nuclear
material remains low. The secret report, which had been quoted
by the Washington Times on Tuesday, raises concern about the
drop in moral in the Russian military. Especially the safty of
tactical nuclear weapons was rated poor.

22 Oct 1996 (Reuter) - Lynn Davis, state Department's top arms
control expert, will talk with Chinese officials about nuclear
proliferation issues on November 4-5 in order to prepare a
visit by Secretary of State Warren Christopher. There had been
some tensions in the U. S. about its policy towards China as
reports of illegal sales of nuclear devices to Pakistan became
public.

24 Oct 1996 (Reuter) - While the NATO is going to expand to
the States of Eastern europe, the Ukraine, lying between
Western europe and russia, asks for a ``special partnership''
instead of becoming a member of the NATO. Canada supports this
request and will speak out for Kiev in the Group of Seven,
Canadien foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy said.

24 Oct 1996 (Reuter) - The first international convention
about the safety of nuclear reactors entered into force on
Thursday, after being ratified by 27 states, including Britan,
China, France, Russia, Japan and south Korea. The U. S. signed
it, but has not ratified it yet. The pact demands the states
to report detailed about the status of nuclear plants, plans
to build new ones and safety measures. 

24 Oct 1996 (Reuter) - Time is running short for the U.S.
Departement of Energy, which is bound to take over highly
radioactive waste from comercial nuclear power plants in
February 1998 by a 1982 law. Many plants will be out of pool
space to store the waste on-site soon, so as there is no final
waste storage facility yet the only possibility seems to pay
plants for keeping the waste in dry casks. The money would
come from a fund meant to pay building a final storage site.