What was new on START Web site?
December, 2001
December 25, 2001
The Russian side hopes to work out an agreement with the United States on the next step of nuclear reductions by June, 2002:
- Between Kremlin and General Staff, - in Russian, (by Igor Korotchenko, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, December 21, 2001)
- They May Bomb Anywhere, - in Russian, (by Yuri Golotyuk, Vremya Novostei, December 19, 2001)
- New Russian-American Agreements To Be Signed In June, - in Russian, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, December 19, 2001)
- Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Ivanov joint press availability in Brussels, Belgium, Monday, December 17, 2001
Officials and experts comment on the US withdrawal from the 1972 ABM Treaty:
- Transcript of an interview given by Russia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Ivanov to A.K.Pushkov's "Postscriptum" (TVTs channel), December 22, 2001 (in Russian)
- Falsche Signale fur die Rustungskontrolle, - in German, (by Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Durr, Dr. Bernd W. Kubbig, Dipl.-Pol. Mirko Jacubowski, Prof. Dr. Dieter S. Lutz, Prof. Dr. Harald Muller, Dr. Gotz Neuneck and Hans-Joachim Schmidt, Frankfurter Rundschau, December 24, 2001)
- Arms Race on the Agenda, - in Russian, (by Mikhail Khodarenok, Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye, December 21, 2001) - an interview with Maj.-Gen. Vladimir Belous, Ret., Professor of the Academy of Military Sciences
- A Strength Test, - in Russian, (by Dmitri Danilov, Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye, December 21, 2001)
- President Bush's Popularity Will Undoubtedly Fall, - in Russian, (by Marina Kalashnikova, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, December 21, 2001) - an interview with a well-known American political scientist Zbigniew Brzezinsky
- For "Slovo" Exclusively, - in Russian, (by Alexander Golovenko, Slovo, December 21, 2001) - an interview with Ivan Nikitchuk, member of State Duma, and representative of the Russian Federal Nuclear Center in Sarov (Arzamas-16)
- Farewell to ABM, - in Russian, (by Mikhail Dmitruk, Versty Region, December 20, 2001) - an interview with Radii Ilkayev, Director of the Russian Federal Nuclear Center
- Sergey Rogov: "Americans Can Commit Follies", - in Russian, (SMI.RU, December 20, 2001
- Missile Defense Delusion, (by Joseph R. Biden Jr., The Washington Post, Wednesday, December 19, 2001; Page A39)
- Keep ICBMs Only, Arbatov Says, (NTI Newswire, December 18, 2001)
See also media comments:
- Cooperation for Strategic Stability, - in Russian, (by Yaroslav Yastrebov, Krasnaya Zvezda, December 22, 2001)
- The cold war is long over, but Star Wars goes on, (by Martin Woollacott, The Guardian, Friday, December 21, 2001)
- Limits of Possible, - in Russian, (by Mikhail Khodarenok, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, December 20, 2001)
- Washington Puts Russia on Her Place, - in Russian, (Pavel Felgenhauer, Moskovskiye Novosti, December 20, 2001)
- The End Of The ABM Treaty, (Chicago Tribune, December 19, 2001)
- Take that Blow, - in Russian, (by Vasili Safronchuk, Sovetskaya Rossiya, December 18, 2001)
- Misguided missiles, (by Thomas Oliphant, The Boston Globe, December 18, 2001)
- Strategic withdrawal, (The Times, December 18, 2001)
The Pentagon and the Energy Department submitted Report to Congress on the Defeat of Hard and Deeply Buried Targets (a PDF file). The report stresses the need for development of new mini-nukes to fulfil this task:
- Nuclear Strike on Bunkers Assessed, (by Walter Pincus, The Washington Post, Thursday, December 20, 2001; Page A29)
- United States: Pentagon Considers New Bunker Buster, (NTI Newswire, December 19, 2001)
- Officials Back Low-Yield Nuke Strike, (by Josef Hebert, Associated Press, Wednesday December 19 5:17 AM ET)
- Report to Congress on the Defeat of Hard and Deeply Buried Targets, July 2001 (a PDF file)
Russia's Minister of Atomic Energy Alexander Rumyantsev gave several interviews to Russian press expounding his views on the industry's prospect:
- Interview with Minatom Head Alexander Rumyantsev, - in Russian, (Gazeta.ru, December 21, 2001)
- Russia' Minister of Atomic Energy Alexander Rumyantsev: "I Foresee the Energy Renaissance, - in Russian, (Wek, N 50, December 21, 2001)
According to The Washington Post Congress has boosted the appropriation for Nunn-Lugar program by $120 million: Good News on Nukes, (by David S. Broder, The Washington Post, Sunday, December 23, 2001; Page B07)
December 18, 2001
Last week's major event was the US formal notice on unilateral withdrawal from the 1972 Anti Ballistic Missile treaty. Moscow's reaction was very quiet, although Kremlin did call it a mistaken move:
- Remarks by the President Bush on National Missile Defense, December 13, 2001
- A Statement Made by Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 13, 2001, Regarding the Decision of the Administration of the United States of America to Withdraw from the Antiballistic Missile Treaty of 1972
- Transcript: Interview with Vladimir Putin, Financial Times, December 15, 2001
- Secretary Colin L. Powell interview on Fox News Sunday, December 16, 2001
- DoD News Briefing - Secretary Rumsfeld and Gen. Myers, Thursday, December 13, 2001 - 1:00 p.m. EST
The United States and Russia will begin talks next month on how and when to make cuts in their strategic nuclear arms, despite continued disagreement over an anti-missile treaty, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov announced Monday.
- Rumsfeld Sees More Involvement for Russia in NATO, (by Thom Shanker, The New York Times, December 18, 2001)
- Formal Talks on Nuclear Cuts to Begin Next Month, (by Vernon Loeb, The Washington Post, Tuesday, December 18, 2001; Page A24)
- Kremlin's Pigeons Are in Europe, - in Russian, (by Igor Korotchenko, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, December 18, 2001)
- Nuclear Arms Talks Planned, (by Sally Buzbee, Associated Press, Monday, December 17, 2001; 5:54 PM)
- U.S.-Russia to Hold Meetings on Nuke Reductions, (by Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service, December 17, 2001)
"...The major negative consequence of the [US] withdrawal from the 1972 ABM Treaty is the detriment to bilateral international law system developed for reductions of the strategic offensive nuclear weapons because the ABM treaty was a constituent part of the START I (US and Russia are reducing their arsenals in compliance with this treaty), and of the START II that did not enter into force. According to the Federal bill on ratification of the START II treaty, Russian Federation shall denounce the START II treaty, if US withdraws from the 1972 ABM treaty. This will allow Moscow to deploy MIRVed warheads on Topol-M (SS-27) ICBMs, as well as to extend service life of the heavy missiles," believes Pyotr B. Romashkin, aide to a member of the State Duma (Exclusive: U.S. Withdrew from the ABM Treaty. What's Next?, December 14, 2001 - in Russian)
"You propose to reduce nuclear arsenals threefold? -- Sure!"
Pavel Podvig, an expert with our Center believes, that "...apparently, they counted on that refusing to find a compromise over missile defenses would help Russia put all responsibility for the breakup of the treaty on the US. This goal can be considered as an achieved one (but then, all is not that simple, some suspicions that this was done not without Russian consent, remain). However, what will Russia obtain except of the moral satisfaction? Absolutely nothing..." (Left with a Broken Treaty, - in Russian, by Pavel Podvig, SMI.RU, December 13, 2001).
Most experts condemn what has been done by the US:
- With a Dignity and No Panic, - in Russian, (by Sergei Rogov, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, December 18, 2001)
- A Painful Defeat of Russia, - in Russian, (by Mikhail Khodaryonok, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, December 18, 2001) - an interview with Colonel-General Vol'ter Kraskovskii, Ret., former Commander-in-Chief of the Missile Space Defense Command
- Has an Era of Opposition Began?, - in Russian, (by Vladimir Bogdanov, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, December 18, 2001) - an interview with Andrey Kokoshin, former Secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council and the State Duma member
- A Difficult to Catch Joe, - in Russian, (by Dmitri Starostin, Vesti.Ru, December 18, 2001) - an interview with Ivan Safranchuk, Director of the CDI Office in Moscow
- Leonid Ivashov: "Withdrawal from the ABM treaty allows US to acquire global control", - in Russian, (by Alexander Orlov, Strana.ru, December 17, 2001)
- Stick To Our Own Way, - in Russian, (by Artur Blinov, Vremya MN, December 15, 2000) - an interview with Alexey Arbatov, Deputy Chair of the State Duma Defense Committee
- They Could Write-Off Part Of Our Debt, - in Russian, (by Lidia Andrusenko, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, December 15, 2001) - an interview with Sergey Karaganov, Director of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy
- Mistake, Not a Crime, - in Russian, (Nezavisimaya Gazeta, December 14, 2001)
- Who Will Run Missile Defense?, (by Philip E. Coyle, The Washington Post, Friday, December 14, 2001; Page A45)
- Nuclear Realism for a Changed World, (by Jan Lodal, The New York Times, December 14, 2001)
- ABM Treaty Withdrawal Neither Necessary Nor Prudent, (Arms Control Association, a press conference with Daryl Kimball, Joe Cirincione, Lisbeth Gronlund and John Rhinelander, December 13, 2001)
- ABM Treaty to RIP on June 13, - in Russian, (by Olga Kovaleva, Vesti.ru, December 13, 2001)
- The ABM Treaty and Missile Defense Testing: Does the United States Need to Withdraw Now?, (Union of Concerned Scientists Working Paper, December 13, 2001)
- Scrapping ABM Treaty Highlights Unilateralist Arms Control Agenda, (BASIC Press Release, 13 December 2001)
- Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Go Multilateral, (by Joseph Cirincione, Carnegie Endowment for Peace, Wednesday, December 12, 2001)
See also media comments:
- Putin Sees Continued Alliance Despite the End of ABM Pact, (by Michael Wines, The New York Times, December 18, 2001)
- The United States Create a Vacuum of Security, - in Russian, (by Yevgeni Grigor'yev, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, December 18, 2001)
- Bush Was Right to Abandon Treaty, (by Jesse Helms, Los Angeles Times, December 17 2001)
- Russian Military Won't Act on ABM, (by Judith Ingram, Associated Press, Monday, December 17, 2001; 2:56 PM)
- Demolition of the ABM Treaty Forces Russia to Look at the East, - in Russian, (by Yuri Alexseyev, Strana.Ru, December 17, 2001)
- Ivanov Says Russia Wants Substitute for ABM Treaty, (The Moscow Times, Monday, December 17, 2001) Monday, December 17, 2001
- ABM Treaty May Be History, But Deterrence Doctrine Lives, (by Steven Mufson, The Washington Post, Sunday, December 16, 2001; Page A37)
- The Morning After Dawns on Moscow, (by Patrick E. Tyler, The New York Times, December 16, 2001)
- Real Men Don't Proliferate, (by Mary McGrory, The Washington Post, Sunday, December 16, 2001; Page B01)
- Bad News for the International Community, - in Russian, (by Vadim Markushin, Krasnaya Zvezda, December 15, 2001)
- China Concerned About Missile Defenses More than Anyone, - in Russian, (by Yevgeni Vasilyev, Vremya MN, December 15, 2001)
- Planned Mistake, (by Svetlana Babyeva, Yevgeni Bai, Dmitri Safonov, Izvestia, December 14, 2001)
- World Regrets US Withdrawal from the ABM Treaty, - in Russian, (by Nikolai Ulyanov, Strana.ru, December 14, 2001)
- Political Economy: Friend George, - in Russian, (by Vitaly Portnikov, Vedomosti, December 14, 2001)
- Zhirinovsky Approves US Withdrawal from the ABM Treaty, - in Russian, (Lenta.ru, December 14, 2001)
- ABM Died on Rose, - in Russian, (by Alexander Agamov, Gazeta.ru, December 14, 2001)
- Bush's Trick Scared No One in Moscow, - in Russian, (Kommersant, December 14, 2001)
- An Umbrella Stab, (by Yuri Golotyuk, Vremya Novostey, December 14, 2001)
- ABM Treaty Almost Dead, - in Russian, (by Yuri Zhigalkin, Vremya MN, December 14, 2001)
- Facing Pact's End, Putin Decides to Grimace and Bear It, (by Michael Wines, The New York Times, December 14, 2001)
- U.S. Sets Missile Treaty Pullout, (by Steven Mufson and Dana Milbank, The Washington Post, Friday, December 14, 2001; Page A01)
- Putin Calls ABM Move 'Mistaken', (by Sharon LaFraniere, The Washington Post, Friday, December 14, 2001; Page A40)
- Beyond the ABM Treaty, (The Washington Post, Friday, December 14, 2001; Page A44)
- US arms move could spark political fallout for Putin, (by Fred Weir, Christian Science Monitor, December 14, 2001)
- Official to Defend ABM Decision, (by George Gedda, Associated Press, Friday, December 14, 2001; 5:45 PM)
- U.S. to Scrap Antiballistic Missile Pact Treaty: Powell says action won't spark an arms race. But Russia calls it 'a mistake.', (by James Gerstenzang and Robin Wright, Los Angeles Times, December 14 2001)
- ABM Treaty Out, Doubts in, (Christian Science Monitor, December 14, 2001)
- Peaceableness Comes to General Staff, - in Russian, (by Victor Litovkin, Obschaya Gazeta, December 13, 2001)
- ABM RIP, (The Economist, December 13, 2001)
According to American officials, US is ready to discuss the problems of strategic stability with China in order to remove the latter's concerns regarding US missile defenses:
- American Aide Meets Chinese on U.S. Pullout From ABM Pact, (by Elisabeth Rosenthal, The New York Times, December 18, 2001)
- China Urges Stability as U.S. Missile Pact Talks End, (by Reuters, Monday December 17 5:54 AM ET)
- China Says Arms Control Key After U.S. Drops ABM, (by John Ruwitch, Reuters, Friday December 14, 2001, 12:53 AM ET)
- Bush Offers China Talks on Arms as U.S. Pulls Out of ABM Treaty, (by David E. Sanger, The New York Times, December 14, 2001)
Yesterday Russian and Chinese delegations conducted consultations on strategic stability in Moscow: Russian MFA official press release, - in Russian, December 17, 2001
A flight test of a prototype booster rocket for missile defense failed: A Setback for Missile Shield as Booster Rocket Fails Test, (by James Dao, The New York Times, December 14, 2001)
The Pentagon has canceled a Navy Area Missile Defense Program due to poor performance and projected future costs and schedules:
- Navy Missile Defense Plan Is Canceled by the Pentagon, (by James Dao, The New York Times, December 16, 2001)
- Troubled Navy Missile Defense System Killed, (by Thomas E. Ricks and Steven Mufson, The Washington Post, Saturday, December 15, 2001; Page A07)
- Navy Area Missile Defense Program Canceled, U.S. Department of Defense, December 14, 2001
- Navy Area Theater Ballistic Missile Defense Program, BMDO Fact Sheet
Russian Strategic Rocket Forces celebrated their 42-nd anniversary yesterday:
- Strategic Rocket Forces Will Go Their Own Way, - in Russian, (by Dmitri Safronov, Izvestiya, December 18, 2001)
- Rocket Shield of the Power, - in Russian, (by Alexander Vovk, Alexander Dolinin, Krasnaya Zvezda, December 15, 2001) - an interview with Nikolai Solovtsov, Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Rocket Forces
- So the Missile Shield Became Harder, - in Russian, (by Mikhail Lobanov, Parlamentskaya Gazeta, December 15, 2001)
PIR-Center released Yuri Fedorov's Substrategic Nuclear Weapons and Russia's Security Interests - in Russian, (PIR Study Papers, N 16, November 2001)
Center for Strategic and International Studies published a report that contains information on nuclear arsenals of nuclear weapons states, implementations of arms control treaties, and nuclear weapons effects: Global Nuclear Balance, (by Anthony H. Cordesman, Center for Strategic and International Studies, December 7, 2001)
British American Security Information Council released a report devoted to analysis for the UK nuclear policy: Secrecy and Dependence: The UK Trident System in the 21st Century, (by Nicola Butler and Mark Bromley, BASIC, Research Report 2001.3, November 2001)
US Senate decided to provide $226 million in emergency supplemental funding for nonproliferation and nuclear security programs in Russia and the former Soviet Union: U.S.-Russian Experts Applaud Senate's Decision to Fund Nuclear Security, Urge House-Senate Conference Support, (RANSAC News Release, December 11, 2001)
A report, prepared by participants of a joint Russian-US project on the analysis of MOX-fuel use in VVER-1000 reactor, considers the issues of nuclear safety for storage and transportation of fresh MOX-fuel and for storage of irradiated plutonium MOX-fuel: MOX LTA Fuel Cycle Analyses. Nuclear Radiation Safety, (Joint U.S.-Russian Project to Update, Verify and Validate Reactor Design/Safety Computer Codes Associated With Weapons-Grade Plutonium Disposition in VVER Reactors, Moscow, 2000)
Independent experts claim that US nuclear sites are ill-prepared for anti-terrorist defense:
- Nuclear Sites Ill-Prepared for Attacks, Group Says, (by Matthew L. Wald, The New York Times, December 17, 2001)
- The NRC: What, me worry?, (by Daniel Hirsch, The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, January/February 2002 Vol. 58, No. 1, pp. 38-44)
Plans for decontamination of the U.S. territories polluted by radioactive wastes become too expensive:
- New Suit Filed Against U.S. About Nuclear Waste Dump, (by Matthew L. Wald, The New York Times, December 18, 2001)
- Two Legs Good, Four Legs Better?, (by Matt Bivens, The Moscow Times, Monday, December 17, 2001)
- Critics: Nuclear Cleanup Falls Short, (by Joseph Hebert, Associated Press, Tuesday December 11 6:41 PM ET)
Russia will build at least four nuclear reactors at home and others in China, Iran, India and ex-Soviet republics as part of an ambitious plan to revive the atomic industry after the Chernobyl disaster, Nuclear Power Minister Alexander Rumyantsev said Monday
- Russian Atom Wants Its Share in the World Market, - in Russian, (by Alyona Kornysheva, Kommersant, December 18, 2001)
- Russia to Build Nuclear Reactors, (by Vladimir Isachenkov, Associated Press, Monday, December 17, 2001; 1:58 PM)
Import of nuclear wastes to Russia remains to be one of the hot topics in the media:
- Thorium Energy: Case Against Nuclear Wastes Import, - in Russian, (by Alexey Toropov, Sibirskii Prirodookhranny Al'yans, Tomsk, December 17, 2001)
- Import of Spent Nuclear Fuel to Russia: Environmental and Security Effects, - in Russian, (Bellona, December 16, 2001)
- Dirty Games on a Nuclear Site, - in Russian, (by Sergey Grigoryev, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, December 14, 2001)
At the Russian START Forum: Russian policy over ABM and strategic nuclear forces, and other topics.
December 11, 2001
Last Tuesday Carnegie Endowment for International Peace held a Special book release luncheon that marked the release of our Center's book Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces, (edited by Pavel Podvig).The Bush administration is aiming to reach a written agreement with Russia over deep cuts in nuclear weapons by the middle of next year even if the two sides fail to close a deal allowing the United States to proceed with testing of a missile defense system.
- U.S. Seeks Deal on Arms Cuts by Summer, (by Alan Sipress, The Washington Post, Tuesday, December 11, 2001; Page A28)
- U.S. and Russia to Complete Talks on an Arms Control Pact, (by Patrick Tyler, The New York Times, December 11, 2001)
- Powell: Two Sides Closer to Firm Deal, (by Elaine Monaghan, The Moscow Times, Tuesday, December 11, 2001)
- Colin Powell Looks for a Right Inflection, - in Russian, (by Georgi Bovt, Valeri Volkov and Yekaterina Grigor'yeva, Izvestia, December 11, 2001)
- Russia Convinced the United States in Necessity of a New START Treaty, - in Russian, (by Dmitri Gornostayev, Strana.Ru, December 10, 2001)
- Russia, U.S. Closer on Missile Cuts, (by Tom Raum, Associated Press, Monday, December 10, 2001; 8:42 PM)
- Colin Powell Remarks with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov Following Their Meeting, The Kremlin, Moscow, Russia, December 10, 2001
- Russia: U.S. Should Keep ABM Treaty, (by Vladimir Isachenkov, Associated Press, Thursday, December 6, 2001; 1:28 PM)
- Nearly True Allies, - in Russian, (by Alexander Vershbow, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, December 7, 2001)
- The Breakthrough Should Be Secured, - in Russian, (by Sergey Sumbayev, Krasnaya Zvezda, December 6, 2001)
The period of strategic offensive arms reductions provided by the Treaty on Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START-1 Treaty) ended on December 5. Although all parties declared fulfillment of their obligations under this Treaty, Russian Foreign Ministry statement stressed that Moscow has questions for Washington "...relating to the fulfillment of a number of obligations under this Treaty".
- Russia And USA Became Freer Of Nukes, - in Russian, (Kommersant, December 7, 2001)
- USA Declared Fulfillment Of The START I Obligations, - in Russian, (Utro.ru, December 6, 2001)
- Russia Says It's Fulfilled START I, (by Associated Press, The Moscow Times, Thursday, December 6, 2001)
- Nuclear Warhead Arsenal Trimmed, (by Walter Pincus, The Washington Post, Thursday, December 6, 2001; Page A36)
- U.S., Russia in START I Compliance, (by George Gedda, Associated Press, Wednesday, December 5, 2001; 4:47 PM)
- START Treaty Final Reductions, (U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Arms Control, December 5, 2001)
- Statement By Alexander Yakovenko, The Official Spokesman Of Russia's Ministry Of Foreign Affairs regarding the end of the period of strategic offensive arms reductions under the START Treaty, December 5, 2001
- START II Treaty obligations regarding disbandment of a Strategic Rocket Forces division are fulfilled in Altai, - in Russian, (by Valentin Pavlov, Oksana Sereda, ITAR-TASS, December 5, 2001)
- Trust, but verify - in writing, (by Karl F. Inderfurth, Boston Globe, December 5, 2001)
See also Ivan Sidorov's article How Responsible Do The Parties Implement START II? published two years ago (in Russian).
As revealed by Nautilus Institute senior researcher Hans M. Kristensen, Air Force maintains the B-1 bomber in a Nuclear Rerole Plan intended to return the aircraft to nuclear-strike missions within only six months despite the fact that they were declared by the US as shifted to non-nuclear role and excluded from the START II treaty: The Unruly Hedge: Cold War Thinking at the Crawford Summit, (by Hans M. Kristensen, Arms Control Today, December 2001)
In December issue of Arms Control Today see also:
- Fuzzy Nuclear Math, (by Daryl G. Kimball)
- Bush, Putin Pledge Nuclear Cuts; Implementation Unclear, (by Philipp C. Bleek)
- No Bush-Putin Agreement on ABM Treaty, Missile Defenses, (by Wade Boese)
- DOE Threat Reduction Funding Cut, Programs Reorganized, (by Philipp C. Bleek)
- UN Conference Shows Support For Test Ban; U.S. Absent, (by Philipp C. Bleek)
- CTBT Rogue State?, (by Daryl G. Kimball)
A fierce struggle is under way among senior Pentagon officials over whether to restart production of the most expensive aircraft in history, the B-2 stealth bomber: New Pentagon Debate Over Stealth Plane, (by James Dao and Eric Schmitt, The New York Times, December 11, 2001)
Moscow welcomed the Senate decision of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (Statement By Alexander Yakovenko, The Official Spokesman Of Russia's Ministry Of Foreign Affairs concerning the ratification by the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, December 6, 2001.
Proceedings of the Moscow International Non-Proliferation Conference (Moscow, October 2000) are published by Yadernoye Rasprostraneniye journal (No 38, January-March, 2001)
Recent Special Supplement to Yadernoye Rasprostraneniye (No 2, 2001) is "The Role of Russian State Duma in Ratification of Treaties over Arms Control and Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (1994-2001)" by Aleksandr Tarasov, adviser to the State Duma Committee on International Affairs.
The Bush administration completed revision of the HEU-to-LEU program. They agreed for additional purchases of Russian uranium reprocessed after removal from the warheads, but declined the Moscow's idea on delivery of commercial nuclear fuel: The Bush Administration Gives "Green Light" to Preparation of a New Contract on Delivery of Russian Uranium to the USA, - in Russian, (ITAR-TASS, December 6, 2001)
The possibility of nuclear terrorism remains in the focus of Western media. Most of the observers believe that Russia can be the main source of the leakage of nuclear materials.
- The Nuke Pipeline, (by Jeffrey Kluger, The Time, December 17, 2001 Vol. 158 No. 26)
- Loose nukes, (by Peter Grier, Christian Science Monitor, December 5, 2001)
- Safety of Nuclear Plants Again Raises Concerns, (by Matthew L.Wald, The New York Times, December 5, 2001)
- Technology of 'Dirty Bomb' Simple, but Not the Execution, (by Guy Gugliotta, The Washington Post, Wednesday, December 5, 2001; Page A12)
- Matching the Rhetoric at the Bush-Putin Summit, (by Kenneth N. Luongo, Global Beat Syndicate, November 21, 2001)
As revealed by environmentalist activists, the off-shore firm Energy Invest and Trade Corporation, that is responsible payer to Russia for import of nuclear wastes from Bulgaria, ceased to exist about six months ago:
- Who Pays for Bulgarian Nuclear Wastes?, - in Russian, (by Vladimir Slivyak, Anti-atom Press, December 6, 2001)
- Special Purpose Train, - in Russian, (by Igor Kuzmin, Nash Krai, November 29, 2001)
The Department of Energy has changed the rules for a proposed permanent nuclear waste storage facility in Nevada so that the government no longer must prove that the site's underground rock formations would prevent radioactive contamination of the environment: DOE Amends Rules on Nevada Nuclear Waste Site, (by Eric Pianin and Peter Behr, The Washington Post, Tuesday, December 11, 2001; Page A09)
December 4, 2001
The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) announced today it has successfully completed the ITF-7 test involving a planned intercept of an intercontinental ballistic missile target. According to Lt. Gen. Ronald T. Kadish, Director of BMDO, the test had been simplified in order to comply with the 1972 ABM Treaty:
- Missile Test Interceptor Scores Hit Over Pacific, (by Bradley Graham, The Washington Post, Tuesday, December 4, 2001; Page A4)
- Pentagon Won. 3:2, - in Russian, (by Vasilii Sergeyev, Gazeta.Ru, December 4, 2001)
- Missile Intercept Test Successful, DOD Release, December 3, 2001
- US Makes Another Step Towards NMD Deployment, - in Russian, (by Andrei Lebedev, Izvestia, December 3, 2001)
- 2nd missile test postponed, had sought data, confidence, (by Associated Press, The Washington Times, December 2, 2001)
- Special Briefing on Ballistic Missile Defense Test with Lt. Gen. Ronald T. Kadish, Director, BMDO, Friday, Nov. 30, 2001 - 2:04 p.m. EST
- US to stage missile shield test despite objection from Russia, (by Charles Aldinger, Reuters, November 30, 2001)
Union of Concerned Scientists released a working paper that examines the first four intercept tests of the ground-based midcourse national missile defense system being developed by the US, as well as plans for the fifth test. They find that the current test program is still in its infancy, and that the US remains years away from having enough information to make an informed decision on the deployment of even a limited nationwide missile defense system: An Assessment of the Intercept Test Program of the Ground-Based Midcourse National Missile Defense System, (by Lisbeth Gronlund, David Wright and Stephen Young, Union of Concerned Scientists Working Paper, November 30, 2001
The U.N. General Assembly on Thursday voted 84-5 with 61 abstentions in favor of maintaining the ABM treaty, which governs American and Russian missile defenses
- Russia Hails UN ABM Treaty Support, (by Deborah Seward, Associated Press, Friday, November 30, 2001; 11:46 AM)
- Statement By Alexander Yakovenko, The Official Spokesman Of Russia's Ministry Of Foreign Affairs regarding adoption by UN General Assembly of a resolution in support of preservation of and compliance with the 1972 ABM Treaty, November 30, 2001.
Russia made no concessions to Washington on strategic weapons and missile defense, said Colonel-General Yury Baluyevsky, first deputy head of the General Staff. He also said that although Washington had not violated the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty by missile defense tests, there were signs that it was close to doing so:
- Equal Partnership of U.S. and Russia Is a Key to the Stability of the World, - in Russian, (by Yevgeni Lisanov, Krasnaya Zvezda, December 4, 2001)
- Top Brass: No Strategic Concessions To the U.S., (by Richard Balmforth, The Moscow Times, Monday, December 03, 2001)
- Russain General Staff Believes That US Will Never Ratify START-II, - in Russian, (RIA "Novosti", November 30, 2001)
- Russian General Staff Knows What Not To Talk To NATO About, - in Russian, (by Alexander Orlov, Strana.Ru, November 30, 2001)
- Recurrent Bomb. No Missile Defense Will Save Them From Our "Satan", - in Russian, (by Vladimir Bogdanov, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, November 28, 2001 г.) - an interview with Col.-Gen. Nikolai Chervov, Ret., former Chief of Juridical Directorate of the General Staff of the Soviet Armed Forces.
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld reiterated in his interview with NBC on Sunday, that it is necessary to find a new framework for the US-Russian relationship. He said that "we have to set the 1972 ABM Treaty aside so we can do the kinds of testing that is necessary." (Secretary Rumsfeld Interview with NBC Meet the Press, Sunday, December 2, 2001). See also:
- Pay Attention, (by Thomas L. Friedman, The New York Times, November 30, 2001)
- Missile Defense System Has No Prospects, - in Russian, (by Sergey Sokut, Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye, November 30, 2001) - an interview with Bruce Blair, President of the Center for Defence Information
- A New End to the Cold War, (by John Gould, Russian Observer, November 28, 2001) - an interview with Strobe Talbot, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State in Clinton Administration
- Missile defense's feminine mystique, (by Tod Lindberg, The Washington Times, November 27, 2001)
"...Currently , we can speak with confidence not only about the necessity and possibility to create space-based means to control the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, but also about the technical feasibility of this project..." (US NMD: The Problem of Nuclear Weapons In Space, - in Russian, by V. Kruglov, S. Dymov, Obozrevatel - Observer, December 2001)
Debates over the outcomes of the November Summit continue.
- U.S. - Russian November Summit: An Important But Insufficient Step, (by Roland Timerbayev and Yury Fedorov, PIR Center Arms Control Letters, November 29, 2001)
- Arms breakthrough buried in the fine print, (by Donald Lambro, The Washington Times, November 26, 2001)
Russia proceeds to elimination of rail-mobile strategic missiles:
- "Askond" Completes Preparation Works At The Road-Mobile Missiles Disposal Base In Bryansk, - in Russian, (Itar-TASS, November 27, 2001)
- Russia Eliminates Strategic Road-Mobile Missiles Under START I, - in Russian, (Strana.Ru, November 27, 2001)
Elimination of strategic missiles creates problems for population of closed cities, located nearby missile deployment areas: Non-departmental Question, - in Russian, (by Alexandr Dolinin and Gennadi Miranovich, Krasnaya Zvezda, December 4, 2001) a
American experts criticise the Bush Administration for sluggishness in strategic arms reductions: U.S. Missiles Still on Alert, (by Matt Bivens, The Moscow Times, Monday, December 03, 2001)
Non-governmental organization Fourth Freedom Forum issued a report on tactical nuclear weapons control:
- Uncovered Nukes: A fact sheet on tactical nuclear weapons, (by Alistair Millar and Brian Alexander, Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Danger Issue Brief, Volume 5, Number 19, November 30, 2001)
- Uncovered Nukes: Arms Control and the Challenge of Tactical Nuclear Weapons, (by Alistair Millar and Brian Alexander, Fourth Freedom Forum, November 16, 2001) - in PDF format
In the recent issue of Yaderny Kontrol, (September-October, 2001, - all in Russian):
- Time to Establish Cooperation over a Wide Range of Security Problems, (by Vladimir Orlov and Roland Timerbayev)
- Sergey Zagidullin: "Russian Nuclear Complex and State Duma: Problems and Prospects" (by Marsalina Tsyrenzhapova)
- On the International Financial and Technological Assistance to Russian Federation over the Strengthening of the Non-Proliferation Regime (by Valery Syemin)
The Pentagon is hurriedly developing powerful new earth-penetrating weapons even as American forces are striking dozens of suspected underground hide-outs of Al Qaeda and the Taliban with specialized tunnel-blasting bombs and missiles: U.S. Making Weapons to Blast Underground Hide-Outs, (by Andrew C. Revkin, The New York Times, December 3, 2001)
U.S. intelligence agencies have recently concluded that Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda terrorist network may have made greater strides than previously thought toward obtaining plans or materials to make a crude radiological weapon that would use conventional explosives to spread radioactivity over a wide area, according to U.S. and foreign sources.
- U.S. Fears Bin Laden Gain in Nuclear Effort, (by Bob Woodward, Robert G. Kaiser and David B. Ottaway, The Washington Post, Tuesday, December 4, 2001; Page A01)
- Weapons of Mass Destruction Easier to Get Than Ever, (by Tamara Straus, AlterNet, November 29, 2001)
See also a special section Nuclear Terrorism from Harvard University's "Managing the Atom" project.
The Head of Minatom speaks on nuclear materials detectors and on cooperation with China and Iran: Interview with Alexander Rumyantsev, Minister of Atomic Energy, - in Russian, (by Dmitri Gubin, Radio Rossii, November 29, 2001)
Russian Minister of Atomic Energy Alexander Rumyantsev and new Head of the US DoE Spenser Abraham, who is on his first official visit to Moscow, discussed the issues of full-scale strategic cooperation. Observers note that a lot of problems piled up in the relations between the two authorities. The Russian weapon-grade plutonium disposition program and HEU-LEU program are not exceptions.
- Nyet to nukes for Iran, (Boston Globe, December 3, 2001)
- Russian MFA Press Release on Russian-American cooperation over safe storage and elimination of weapons of mass destruction, December 1, 2001, - in Russian
- Ordynka Diplomacy. Alexander Rumyantsev and Spenser Abraham Work On A Nuclear Agreement, - in Russian, (by Gennadi Voskresenski, Wek, November 30, 2001)
- Feds Favor Maryland Co. for Uranium, (by Nancy Zuckerbrod, Associated Press, Friday, November 30, 2001; 1:40 PM)
- Plutonium. What Will Happen To The Treaty? - in Russian, (by Nadezhda Kutepova, Agentstvo Informatsionnogo Vzaimodeistviya, Ozersk, November 29, 2001) - an interview with Georg B. Borisov, Head of a group at the Russian-American committee for handling surplus plutonium, and affiliate of the Bochvar Institute.
- Minatom to Coordinate the Price of Uranium Exported to the US Before the End of the Year, (Interfax, November 27, 2001)
- Department of Energy Nonproliferation Programs: An update on breakdown and funding, (Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Danger Issue Brief, Volume 5, Number 18, November 16, 2001)
A plan to bury tons of nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada faces hurdles:
- Bid to Bury Nuclear Waste in Nevada Faces 2 Hurdles, (by The Associated Press, The New York Times, December 2, 2001)
- Abraham: GAO's Yucca Mountain Report 'Fatally Flawed', (by Eric Pianin, The Washington Post, Saturday, December 1, 2001; Page A02)
- GAO Challenges Plans for Storage Of Nuclear Waste. Report Urges Bush Administration To Delay Decision on Nevada Project, (by Eric Pianin, The Washington Post, Friday, November 30, 2001; Page A03)
Vienna, Munich, Verona and many other European cities would have to be "totally destroyed" by nuclear missiles if an armed conflict flared up in Europe according to a Warsaw Pact plan of 1965: Nuclear Suicide, - in Russian, (by Andrei Terekhov, Vremya MN, December 1, 2001)
At the Russian START Forum: elimination of Russian strategic rail-mobile missiles and other topics.
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