Is This the End of Moscow-Ankara Nuclear Cooperation?
Sinan Ülgen | Bulletin of Atomic Scientists
For a long time, Turkey and Russia were able to prevent their deep differences on regional politics from poisoning their bilateral relationship. Their economic and energy collaboration advanced despite Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its unwavering support for Syria’s Assad regime. This remarkable diplomatic achievement came to a violent end in November, when Turkey downed a Russian warplane that was violating its airspace.
Iran Says Has Removed Core From Arak Reactor in Key Nuclear Deal Step
Parisa Hafezi | Reuters
Iran has removed the sensitive core of its Arak nuclear reactor and U.N. inspectors will visit the site on Thursday to verify the move crucial to the implementation of Tehran's atomic agreement with major powers, state television said on Thursday.
Removal of the core from the Arak reactor will largely eliminate its ability to yield nuclear bomb-grade plutonium, and was one of the toughest issues to resolve in the long nuclear negotiations with the six powers.
North Korea Says Nuclear Test Shows It Could 'Wipe Out' US
Edith M. Lederer | Associated Press
A Security Council diplomat said Wednesday that the U.N.'s most powerful body is working on a resolution that imposes tougher sanctions on North Korea to reflect the claim that it tested a more powerful hydrogen bomb, which is "a step change" from its three previous atomic test. The diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because consultations have been private, said all 15 council members agree that North Korea should be denuclearized, and this will be reflected in a new resolution.
U.S., South Korea, Japan to work toward tougher North Korea sanctions
Elizabeth Shim | UPI
The United States, Japan and South Korea representatives of the six-party talks vowed to make every diplomatic effort to strengthen sanctions against North Korea.
Ambassador Sung Kim, U.S. special representative for North Korea policy; Hwang Joon-kook, South Korea special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs; and Japanese delegate Kimihiro Ishikane met in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss actions in response to Pyongyang's nuclear test claim, South Korean television network MBC reported.
Beijing Urges Caution as Seoul Considers THAAD Missile System
Zhang Yunbi | China Daily
As Seoul announced on Wednesday it was considering deploying the THAAD advance missile defense system, Beijing responded that "hopefully relevant countries will act cautiously and properly to tackle the issue". Republic of Korea President Park Geun-hye, after delivering her new year address on Wednesday, told a news conference in the ROK capital that Seoul will review allowing US forces to deploy the THAAD advance missile defense system for national security reasons, the Seoul-based Yonhap news agency reported.
US Ambassador Warns Scrapping Nuclear Arms Unilaterally Could 'Destabilise' World
Ben Riley-Smith | Telegraph
World security could be destabilised if countries scrap nuclear weapons unilaterally, the US ambassador to the UK has warned with Labour locked in a debate about its stance on Trident. Matthew Barzun told The Telegraph that the nuclear deterrent had served America and Britain ‘well’ and warned that progress on disarmament must be ‘slow and steady’.