Nautilus Weekly June 22 - 26, 2009

EGYPT MUST RATIFY ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL BEFORE NUCLEAR PLANT IS BUILT

Richard Tanter, Director of the Australia office of the Nautilus Institute, commented on the construction of a nuclear power plant in Egypt and the need for the country to ratify the IAEA Additional Protocol, noting, “The additional protocols have been significant tightening in the IAEA's regime of safeguards… It's certainly what tripped up South Korea and revealed experiments which were secret there. And in the case of Egypt, particularly given the proliferation potential in that region, not saying anything of the anxieties about nuclear energy in the region, it's very important that the additional protocol be in place before there's any further developments of Egyptian nuclear power.”

Egypt set to join N-club with help from Australia

NORTH KOREA AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ARMS CONTROL

Donald G. Gross, former counselor of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, writes, “The administration can strongly oppose nuclear proliferation while still upholding the principles of arms control that have helped keep America safe for more than a generation.  A policy approach that preserves an honored place for arms control negotiations is in the best interests of the United States and its allies, now and in the future.”

Read the report here.

NORTH KOREA: GETTING BACK TO TALKS

The International Crisis Group, an independent, non-profit, multinational organization, working through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to prevent and resolve deadly conflict, writes, “While still preserving the Six-Party framework… the U.S. needs to talk to Pyongyang directly at the highest levels. At best this could result in a deal; at worst it might shed some light on North Korea’s motivations and aspirations. High-level engagement may seem to be rewarding bad behaviour, but it is also the only way any agreement is likely to be reached.”

Read the report here.

The group has also published supporting reports on North Korea’s nuclear and missile program and the DPRK’s chemical and biological weapons program.

APSNET TOP STORY: EXPERTS SHOOT HOLES IN KEVIN RUDD'S DEFENCE WHITE PAPER

The Rudd government's new defence white paper has been propped up by "unprecedented media spin" and contains an utter lack of transparency on how it will be funded, according to one of Australia's most respected defence analysts. Paul Dibb strongly criticised key elements of the white paper, released last month, saying it had failed to deliver real transparency when it came to either spending or defence industry plans.

Read the report here.

NAPSNET TOP STORY: U.S. SEES MULTINATIONAL APPROACH TO NORTH KOREA SHIP

Reuters reported that the United States will likely agree with other countries about whether to contact a DPRK ship being monitored by the U.S. Navy, the Pentagon said. Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said there has been no decision yet to hail the Kang Nam. "That is a decision I think we will likely take collectively with our allies and partners out there and make a determination about whether we choose to hail and query this particular ship. And if we make that decision, when and where to do so," Morrell told reporters at a Pentagon briefing. "That is not a decision that's been made yet and I don't get the sense that it is imminent."

Read the article here.