Date: Sun X-mailer: Pegasus Mail for Win32 (v2.52) X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.0 -- ListProcessor(tm) by CREN Status: R Headlines 3 - 16 December 1997 LISBON Dec 3 1997 (AFP) A container with caesiumchloride for medical treatment is lost last week on 3000 metres depth near theAzores with the sinking of the bow section of the MS 'Carla' which broke in two with heavy seas. The crew is rescued by helicopters. MOSCOW Dec 3 1997 (AFP) The research reactor at Salaspils near Riga in Latvia will close down this month due to safety reasons and lack of nuclear fuel. NEW YORK Dec 3 1997 (AFP) Due to a number of unforeseen incidents the construction work of the two nuclear reactors in North Korea suffers some delays. Most of the incidents are caused by the difference in ideological insights of the workers. Some are just logistical. WASHINGTON Dec 3 1997 (AFP) - The discussions between Russia and the USA for Start II and Start III are continued with the aim to substancely reduce the amount of nuclear weapons. LOS ANGELES Dec. 3 1997 (UPI) Most proposed nuclear waste dumps are not needed for new methods are developed to compress the waste so no longer the amount of space is needed as previously thought. The report was made by the Central Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact Commision. SEOUL Dec 4 1997 (AFP) The economic crisis will not affect the construction of two light-water nuclear reactors in North Korea acording South Korean government officials on Thursday. TOKYO Dec 4 1997 (AFP) The severe sodium leak in the Tokaimura fast breeder reactor was covered up by two employees who are now on trial. The employees are charged for falsifying reports of the accident where 37 employees were exposed to 'low-levels' of radiation. TBILISI Georgia Dec 4 1997 (AFP) At the former Soviet missile base at Vaziani some 30 kilometres from Tbilisi again caesium-137 is discovered. In September 11 soldiers got seriously ill from caesium at the base at Lilo also near Tbilisi. VIENNA Dec 4 1997 (AFP) Iraq has not been profited from the 23 days of absense from UN arms inspectors. This is been said by the director of the IAEA Mohamed Elbaradei. KYOTO Japan Dec 5 (AFP) A demonstration outside the Kyoto hotel where the nuclear industrial officials were meeting put up 'No Nuke' banners. During the UN global warming conference the nuclear industry claimed to be an alternative to fossil fuel but has no solutions for the nuclear waste. The demonstrators called for more use of wind- and sunpower. CLAREMONT Calif. Dec. 5 1997 (UPI) According the former U.N. arms inspector Robert E. Kelley Iraq is at least five years away from the creation of a nuclear weapon. "The Iraqi scientists have difficulty in separating uranium isotopes". MOSCOW Dec. 5 1997 (UPI) The Duma (Russian Parliament) still has failed to ratify the the START II treaty. But the Russian Defence Minister Sergeyev states that Russia will not cut nuclear arms unilaterally. BONN Dec 6 1997 (AFP) The nuclear shelter for the German government 20 kilometres outside the capital probably will be abandoned for the renovation of the underground complex will at least cost 200 million marks. WASHINGTON Dec 7 1997 (AFP) From now on it is formally accepted by the USA government that a nuclear war is not to be won by either side. Therefore new guidelines are issued for the targeting of nuclear weapons. But civilian and military targets in Russia and China are still in use only the number of weapons is reduced. KYOTO Japan Dec 8 1997 (AFP) As an answer to the nuclear lobby present at the UN global climate talks the ecologists state that no new nuclear reactor has been finished in the USA for 20 years and that nuclear power is too costly too dangerous and it generates too much waste. Several coutries are now trying to get rid of their reactors. VIENNA Dec 8 1997 (AFP) - Soon a team of IAEA-experts will travel to Iraq to discuss nuclear issues. WASHINGTON Dec 8 1997 (AFP) - The USA will join in a multi-million dollar agreement with the particle accelerator CERN in Geneva. WASHINGTON (Reuters 12/9 1997) - Peter Lee 58 a laser energy expert from Manhattan Beach California has admitted that he gave some classified information to China. BEIJING Dec 9 (AFP) - China has attacked the USA policy to increase the number of missile targets in China. WASHINGTON Dec. 9 1997 (UPI) - The USA government uses the international presence of the press during the summit of the Islamic Nations in Tehran for a call for dialogue. WATERFORD Conn. Dec. 10 1997 (UPI) - Fines to 2.1 million dollars are proposed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for numerous safety violations at the Millstone Nuclear Power Station in Connecticut. BEIJING Dec 11 1997 (AFP) - Westinghouse Electric steps in the Chinese nuclear energy marked. The only wait is the Congress approval to lift the ban on selling nuclear technology to China. NEW DELHI Dec 11 1997 (AFP) "India must develop a nuclear deterrent." This is said by Advani president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP Indian People's Party). AUGUSTA Maine USA Dec. 11 1997 (UPI) - The Central Maine Power Co. wants to sell its power plants which serve some 520 000 customers. MOSCOW Dec 11 1997 (AFP) - The nuclear button is still under control of president Boris Yeltsin. The president suffers a viral infection. MOSCOW (Reuters 12/11 1997) - Russia wants to sell its uranium directly on the world marked instead of following the 1994 contract with the USA for diluting its weapons-grade uranium and selling it to a Canadian mining company. WISCASSET Maine Dec. 12 1997 (UPI) -- 0.03 millirems of radiation per hour was measured outside the gate of the Maine Yankee nuclear power plant. NRC officials say there is no hazard to the public. WASHINGTON Dec 12 1997 (AFP) - The USA will inform in Russia about the proposed Russian selling of uranium on the world marked despite the 1994 contract. WASHINGTON Dec 12 1997 (Reuters) - The long-standing agreement about transferring weapons grade uranium from Russia to commercial reactor fuel is not to be terminated. WASHINGTON USA (Reuters) - Safety issues are still difficult to to be raised by the workers of the Millstone nuclear reactors because of fear of intimidation and harassment from the higher ranks. The NRC has fined 2.1 million dollars to the Notheast Utilities in Connecticut which ownes the closed-down plants for safety violations. JOHANNESBURG Dec 14 1997 (AFP) - The end of December the diplomatic relationships between South-Africa and China will be established. South-Africa will sell reactor parts and enricheded uranium to China for 20 million rand. Among the reactor parts there is zirconium tubing from a high-tech factory with the result South-Africa will not be able to generate its own civil nuclear energy. MOSCOW (Reuters 12/15 1997) - Russia will sell natural uranium directly on the world marked without vilolating the 1994 deal which is a proposal to send all the reprocessed uranium from nuclear missiles to the USA. TAIPEI Taiwan Dec 16 1997 (AFP) - The nuclear waste contract with North Korea of Taipower is scrapped because of the veto of the Atomic Energy Council. BEIJING China Dec 16 1997 (AFP) - "A normal commercial deal" with South_Africa contains the dismantling of the nuclear reactor including zirconium tubing and the shipment to China. BEIJING China Dec 16 1997 (AFP) - The Lianyungang nuclear power station's construction has started recently. BEIJING China Dec 16 1997 (Reuters) - China denies the dismantling of a South-African plant which manufactures zirconium tubing for nuclear power plants. CHICAGO USA Dec 16 1997 (Reuters) - Commonwealth Edison Co a unit of Unicom Corp and Illinois Power Co which is controlled by Illinova Corp will be deregulated 20% soon according Illinois Governor Jim Edgar. Central Illinois Light Co CIPSCO Inc and MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co will be deregulated at a lower percentage. ====================================================================== World Information Service on Energy - WISE PO Box 59636 Tel: +31-20-6126368 1040 LC Amsterdam Fax: +31-20-6892179 The Netherlands Email: wiseamster@antenna.nl (Visitors: Ketelhuisplein 43) http://antenna.nl/~wise ======================================================================