NSG Should Lead By Example

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NSG Should Lead By Example

IN THIS ISSUE: NSG should lead by example, Syria offers nuclear cooperation, Germany to close nuclear plants by 2022, 20% of Japan's energy from natural resources in 2020s, Russia, NATO far from building joint missile shield, cyber combat considered act of war.

Published on May 31, 2011

In This Issue

NSG Should Lead By Example on Sensitive Technology Transfers
Proliferation Analysis

Under pressure, Syria Offers Nuclear Cooperation
Reuters

Germany, in Reversal, Will Close Nuclear Plants by 2022
New York Times

Kan says 20% of Japan's Energy to be From Natural Resources in 2020s
The Mainichi Daily News

Russia, NATO Far From Building Joint Missile Shield: Report
Xinhua

Cyber Combat: Act of War
Wall Street Journal

NSG Should Lead By Example on Sensitive Technology Transfers

Pierre Goldschmidt | Proliferation Analysis

When the participating governments of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) convene in June under the chairmanship of the Netherlands, they will face an especially difficult and thorny agenda.

The primary task will be to reach consensus on new Guidelines for transfers of enrichment and reprocessing technology, the negotiation of which has dragged on since 2007. But several other issues loom on the horizon, including identifying ways and means to possibly accept non-NPT states as members of the group;1 deciding whether China should pursue an NSG waiver before building two additional nuclear power reactors in Pakistan, or at least seek the NSG's agreement on the validity of grandfathering the new contract; and considering possible NSG responses to enrichment and reprocessing technology transfers by non-NSG members to states that do not meet the Guidelines. All of these issues will require careful discussions, but given the stresses on the nonproliferation regime this is no time to compromise existing principles. Particularly on transfers of sensitive technology, NSG members need to lead by example.

There are two major concerns the NSG needs to consider regarding proposed changes to its Guidelines governing trade in enrichment and reprocessing technology. First, it is vital to ensure that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards on sensitive nuclear fuel cycle facilities do not lapse if a State withdraws from the NPT. And second, it is essential to make clear that a regional arrangement such as ABACC2can in no way meet the objective of the Additional Protocol (AP)3 and cannot be considered as a substitute for the latter. In addressing these two issues, NSG participating governments should demonstrate that they have no intention to seek commercial advantages at the expense of nonproliferation requirements. Full Article

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More from Proliferation News

Under pressure, Syria Offers Nuclear Cooperation

Fredrik Dahl | Reuters

Syria has promised to cooperate with a U.N. nuclear inquiry into a suspected reactor site bombed by Israel in 2007, an apparent last-minute bid by Damascus to derail a Western push to report it to the U.N. Security Council. Full Article

Germany, in Reversal, Will Close Nuclear Plants by 2022

Judy Dempsey and Jack Ewing | New York Times

The German government on Monday announced plans to shut all of the nation's nuclear power plants within the next 11 years, a sharp reversal for Chancellor Angela Merkel after the Japanese disaster at Fukushima caused an electoral backlash by voters opposed to reliance on nuclear energy. Full Article

Kan says 20% of Japan's Energy to be From Natural Resources in 2020s

The Mainichi Daily News

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said that Japan will dramatically change its energy policy to be less dependent on fossil fuel and nuclear power, unveiling a new target of generating 20 percent of its electricity from natural resources as soon as possible in the 2020s. Full Article

Why Missile Defense Talks Will Fail (The Moscow Times)

Russia, NATO Far From Building Joint Missile Shield: Report

Xinhua

There is little hope that Russia and NATO will agree on building a joint missile shield, a report released here on Sunday at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly spring session said. Full Article

Cyber Combat: Act of War

Siobhan Gorman and Julian E. Barnes | Wall Street Journal

The Pentagon has concluded that computer sabotage coming from another country can constitute an act of war, a finding that for the first time opens the door for the U.S. to respond using traditional military force. Full Article

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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