Pakistan to Push for Nuclear Deal With U.S.

 Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan's renewed push to clinch a civilian nuclear deal with Washington threatens to further strain relations that are already tense over Islamabad's refusal to attack Taliban havens on its soil.

Pakistan officials say they will again raise their demand for a deal—similar to one the U.S. concluded with India—during a meeting Oct. 22 in Washington headed by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Islamabad views a civilian nuclear deal with the U.S. as a key compromise to show Pakistan is on a level with its rival India in the eyes of the U.S. Such a deal would assuage fears here that Washington has any intention of dismantling Pakistan's nuclear program. More >>>

Fast Breeder Reactors essential for India's future energy security: Prithviraj Chavan

Fast Breeder Reactors are essential for the future energy security of the country, for which the large thorium reserves will have to be utilised, minister of state for science and technology Prithviraj Chavan said today. 

"For the future energy security of the country, we are depending on utilising our large thorium reserves. Successful demonstration of thorium utilisation will enable us win the confidence of the public and policy makers in large scale deployment of nuclear energy in future," he said.

Chavan said it would take time for India to attain the third phase of the nuclear programme as envisioned by Homi Bhaba as it was still relying on other nations for proven technology. "Once India reaches the third stage of thorium utilisation it will be key to India's energy security."

He said there are plans to set up a 1,000 MW Fast Breeder Reactor using metallic fuel. "The metallic fuel will be developed by 2022. It will comprise Uranium, plutonium and Zirconium," said Chavan.

Asked about importing nuclear reactors from one or two vendors at a cheaper rate by assuring volumes instead of from multiple vendors, he said four companies would supply them to India in the first phase.

"In the second round of imports we will look at other commercial considerations (localisation of components) and reactor systems which are more fuel economical and safer like the ones having multiple redundancies. All imported reactors should get approval of national regulatory authority,"he said.

He also said the Rs5,600 crore prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) built by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (Bhavini) at Kalpakkam would be ready by 2011-2012.

Asked about delays in the Koodankulam project, he said these have been minimised now and it was just a matter of months before the unit goes on stream. "The project has to be completed as it is in interest of everybody, both suppliers as well as NPCL," he added. More >>>

Slow Progress, Setbacks Seen in Afghanistan, Pakistan | Secrecy News

October 8th, 2010 by Steven Aftergood

A White House report to Congress (pdf) last week assessed “both positive and negative trends in the implementation of our Afghanistan and Pakistan strategy.”
The report described the progress — or lack thereof — made this year towards achieving eight specified objectives. Those objectives include enhancing stability and civilian control in Pakistan, improving Pakistan’s counterinsurgency capabilities, and reversing the Taliban’s momentum in Afghanistan, among others. (The disruption of terrorist networks in Afghanistan and Pakistan was addressed in an undisclosed classified annex.)

More >>> Slow Progress, Setbacks Seen in Afghanistan, Pakistan | Secrecy News

Sep 1, 2010 - Oil and gas brought many of them vast riches, but it is to nuclear power that Middle Eastern states are turning their attention in the 21st Century. 

A growing number of countries across the region want to develop civilian nuclear programmes to meet rising power demand and cut carbon emissions. Chris Webb looks at their progress so far.

This September will see the world’s nuclear industry elite converge on the Egyptian capital of Cairo, for the ‘Nuclear Power, Middle East and North Africa 2010’ event. It is a fitting venue, given Egypt’s avowed wish to press ahead at full speed with a nuclear power agenda aimed at supporting the country’s continuing economic development. Iran, Jordan and Turkey will be among others from the region discussing their future nuclear plans at the event.

The prospect of widespread development of nuclear power in the Middle East, with its political hotspots, is not to everyone’s liking. There is a palpable air of ambivalence in some quarters, fuelled on the one hand by a desire to sell nuclear technology to cash-rich nations and on the other by fears of sinister spin-offs, notably the proliferation of fissile materials for use in developing nuclear weapons. More >>>