DOCSLIB.ORG

The US, Kazakhstan and Japan Rethink Iran's Nuclear Rights

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The US, Kazakhstan and Japan Rethink Iran's Nuclear Rights Volume 7 | Issue 15 | Number 4 | Article ID 3119 | Apr 12, 2009 The Asia-Pacific Journal | Japan Focus The US, Kazakhstan and Japan Rethink Iran's Nuclear Rights M K Bhadrakumar The US, Kazakhstan and JapanThe war in nearby Afghanistan provides the Rethink Iran’s Nuclear Rights backdrop for the US's proactive diplomacy. But that, too, is deceptive. It seems the US is also M K Bhadrakumar probing a solution to the Iran nuclear problem with Kazakhstan's helping hand. The urgency is When the wastes of Qyzylqum and Karakum great and President Barack Obama has already blossom in early spring, the enchanting sight hinted that he intends to pay a visit to can pain one's heart. But the killer deserts are Kazakhstan, the first ever to the steppes by an deceptive in appearance, especially Qyzylqum, American president. which is in the tract of land between the two great rivers in Central Asia - the Amu Darya According to the Wall Street Journal, the and Sirdarya. Obama administration is "carefully considering" the setting up of an international In the spring of 1220, when Genghis Khan uranium fuel bank in Kazakhstan, which could abruptly rode out of the Qyzylqum with a few form the exit strategy for the historic US-Iran hundred Mongol horsemen to take the Amir of standoff. That is why the visit by the Iranian Bukhara by surprise, the Amir never imagined President Mahmud Ahmadinejad to Astana, that the desert would so easily concede safe Kazakhstan, on Monday assumes exceptional passage to a Mongol stranger. Bukhara - one of importance. the biggest cities at that time along with Cordoba, Cairo and Baghdad - paid heavily for In bits and pieces, a stray thought has been the desert's treachery. Bukhara took over two surfacing in the recent months in the US centuries to recover from "God's wrath", which discourses over the situation surrounding Iran. the austere Khan insisted he was administering It sought a rethink of Washington's insistence to the slothful, opulent city for its sinful ways. on Iran jettisoning its pursuit of uranium enrichment as a pre-requisite of It is again early spring in the Central Asian commencement of direct talks between the two steppes. There is a deceptive calm, but all signs countries. This was borne out of a growing are that the Great Game is bestirring from its realization that the US insistence was no longer slumber. The United States is focusing on the tenable. A logjam has indeed developed as it key Central Asian country of Kazakhstan, which became clearer by the day that within the straddles the Qyzylqum and the Karakum, to fractious Iranian opinion there is virtual stage a strategic comeback in the region. unanimity when it comes to the continuance of Prospects are brighter than ever as Kazakhstan the country's nuclear program, and effecting a is edging closer to the chairmanship of the regime change in Tehran didn't necessarily Organization of Security and Economicalter Iran's policies. Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) next year. The OSCE leadership brings Kazakhstan into the The Obama administration faces the reality that forefront of the Western strategies in Eurasia - unless the impasse is broken somehow, the and out of Russian orbit. standoff continues. The standoff worked to 1 7 | 15 | 4 APJ | JF Iran's advantage only insofar as the country Kazakhstan would be ready to consider hosting speeded up its nuclear program ever since the it on its territory as a signatory of the nuclear series of United Nations (UN) Security Council non-proliferation treaty and as a country that resolutions since 2006 began forbidding Iran voluntarily renounced nuclear weapons," from enriching uranium. Iran today hasNazarbayev said. installed over 5,500 centrifuges and built up a stockpile exceeding 1,000 kilograms of low- enriched uranium. It now appears that the US might cede to Iran's nuclear program. The Wall Street Journal reported last Friday that as part of a policy review commissioned by Obama, "diplomats are discussing whether the US will eventually have to accept Iran's insistence on carrying out the [enrichment] process, which can produce both nuclear fuel and weapons-grade material". The newspaper assessed that the Obama administration's message to Tehran is increasingly shaping up as "Don't develop a nuclear weapon" - a nuanced stance that would Nazarbayev (left) and Ahmadinejad in not rule out a deal accepting Iranian Kazakhstan enrichment as such. It pointed out that Obama's articulations on the subject have become much less specific than those of former The veteran Kazakh statesman (who might have president George W Bush, who never minced been the Soviet Union's prime minister but for words in crying a halt to Iran's enrichment. the superpower's implosion in 1991) didn't speak out of the blue. Such impetuousness is The new thinking is that the priority should be alien to his shrewd political temperament. He to win greater access for UN inspectors to the knew the time has come for his proposal to be Iranian nuclear establishments, as compared publicly voiced. It is an idea that is evidently with the current limited inspection regime, supported by Obama. It devolves upon the which has led to diminishing information creation of a global repository that would allow regarding Iran's nuclear program. In other countries to tap into Kazakhstan's vast reserves words, why not trust Iran to retain itsof uranium to fuel their nuclear plants without enrichment activities so long as its program having to develop their own enrichment can be effectively verified. capability. At any rate, Ahmadinejad also chose to publicly welcome the Kazakh proposal. "We In this scenario, it is significant that following [Iran] think that Nurusultan Nazarbayev's idea talks with Ahmadinejad, Kazakhstan President to host a nuclear fuel bank is a very good Nurusultan Nazarbayev chose the venue of proposal," he noted. their joint press conference on Monday in Astana to make the public offer that his country These are, of course, early days. However, Iran is willing to host a global nuclear fuel bank as used to maintain at one point that it would be part of a US-backed plan to put all uranium open to the idea of stopping sensitive uranium enrichment under international control. "If enrichment if a supply of nuclear fuel from such a nuclear fuel bank were to be created, abroad could be guaranteed. In the face of the 2 7 | 15 | 4 APJ | JF Bush administration's mindless containment Significantly, Ahmadinejad also utilized the strategy, the Iranian stance hardened,second press meet to make some positive especially as the nuclear file got transferred references to Obama's recent overtures. "We from the International Atomic Energy Agency hope Obama would manage to … establish to the UN Security Council, and the country friendly relations with other countries on equal began harping on its due rights to master the terms. We welcome fundamental changes and complete nuclear fuel cycle, including enriched are longing for them to happen … we are uranium, for peaceful purposes. waiting for practical deeds and real changes … Currently, the statements are satisfactory … If Later on Monday in Astana, Ahmadinejad fundamental changes [in US policy] occur, we utilized yet another press conference to argue ill definitely welcome them." that he welcomed Nazarbayev's proposal since "any country that has uranium mines and the What emerges is that Japan might also play a capability to produce nuclear fuel can also key role in the US-Kazakh nuclear paradigm establish a nuclear fuel bank". He then went on and any resultant new opening with Iran. The to elaborate the Iranian response: news agency Agence France-Presse reported that senior Japanese diplomats with deep As regards the nuclear issue, experience in dealing with Iran – Arima Tatsuo, two major developments are special envoy on the Middle East, Suzuki simultaneously needed. One is Toshiro, head of the foreign ministry's Middle ending the assumption that East and Africa department, and Shirota Akio, nuclear energy is quite the Japanese ambassador in Tehran - have held same as nuclear bomb. And several days of intensive consultations in the other one is about Washington with the Obama administration, disarmament by the nuclear including with the National Security Council in powers in the world. This the White House. would ease [Iranian] concerns regarding these powers and Curiously, Japan and Kazakhstan have an also ease the global concerns. expanding cooperation program in the nuclear That is to say, the issue needs field. There is much complementarity between to be solved fundamentally ... the two countries since Japan is the world's Ever since nuclear energy got third-largest importer of uranium, next only to equated with [the] nuclear the US and France, while Kazakhstan possesses bomb, a monopoly developed the world's second largest reserves of uranium over nuclear energy, whereas after Australia. Japan currently imports only 1% nuclear energy has beneficial of its uranium from Kazakhstan and hopes to uses in medicine, agriculture increase it to 30-40% in the next decade or so. and industry. I wouldn't say that it was intentional to equate nuclear energy and nuclear bomb, but, considering the broadly negative fallouts of it, we cannot say that it has been totally unintentional, either. 3 7 | 15 | 4 APJ | JF Uranium mine in Kazakhstan Kazakhstan's ambitious plans for developing nuclear energy, increasing uranium exports, and expanding nuclear fuel production and As for Kazakhstan, at 1.5 million metric tons, it export. Besides, Tokyo always kept up cordial holds roughly 19% of the world's total uranium ties with Tehran through the 30-year period deposits.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Multilateral Approaches to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Expert Group Report to the Director General of the IAEA MULTILATERAL APPROACHES to the NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE
    Multilateral Approaches to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Expert Group Report to the Director General of the IAEA MULTILATERAL APPROACHES TO THE NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE EXPERT GROUP REPORT TO THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY The report of the Expert Group was officially released on 22 February 2005 as an IAEA Information Circular (INFCIRC/640), and circulated for discussion among IAEA Member States, as well as others. This version of the Expert Group's report has been published by the IAEA for the benefit of a wider audience. MULTILATERAL APPROACHES TO THE NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE EXPERT GROUP REPORT TO THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY VIENNA, 2005 COPYRIGHT NOTICE All IAEA scientific and technical publications are protected by the terms of the Universal Copyright Convention as adopted in 1952 (Berne) and as revised in 1972 (Paris). The copyright has since been extended by the World Intellectual Property Organization (Geneva) to include electronic and virtual intellectual property. Permission to use whole or parts of texts contained in IAEA publications in printed or electronic form must be obtained and is usually subject to royalty agreements. Proposals for non-commercial reproductions and translations are welcomed and will be considered on a case by case basis. Enquiries should be addressed by email to the Publishing Section, IAEA, at [email protected] or by post to: Sales and Promotion Unit, Publishing Section International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramer Strasse 5 P.O. Box 100 A-1400 Vienna Austria fax: +43 1 2600 29302 tel.: +43 1 2600 22417 http://www.iaea.org/Publications/index.html © IAEA, 2005 Permission to reproduce or translate the information contained in this publication may be obtained by writing to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Wagramer Strasse 5, P.O.
    [Show full text]
  • The Contribution of Multilateral Nuclear Approaches (Mnas) to the Sustainability of Nuclear Energy
    Sustainability 2012, 4, 1755-1775; doi:10.3390/su4081755 OPEN ACCESS sustainability ISSN 2071-1050 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Dissertation The Contribution of Multilateral Nuclear Approaches (MNAs) to the Sustainability of Nuclear Energy Makiko Tazaki * and Yusuke Kuno Nuclear Non-Proliferation Research Laboratory, Department of Nuclear Engineering and Management, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 2-11-16, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan; E-Mail: [email protected] * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: [email protected]; Tel.: +81-029-284-3851; Fax: +81-029-284-3678. Received: 2 July 2012; in revised form: 24 July 2012 / Accepted: 30 July 2012 / Published: 13 August 2012 Abstract: Multilateral Nuclear Approaches (MNAs) is a concept of international and/or multilateral control of nuclear material and/or nuclear fuel cycle facilities. It is a strategy for contributing to and promoting the sustainability of nuclear energy while enhancing nuclear nonproliferation, by ensuring nuclear fuel supplies and fuel cycle services, and risk control and reducing risk regarding nuclear safety. In order to establish such a MNA, the authors draw out 12 features of the MNA by analyzing various past and current MNA proposals, together with the current environment surrounding nuclear energy use. Those proposals are: (A) nuclear nonproliferation, (B) assurance of supply of nuclear material and fuel cycle services, (C) access to technologies, (D) multilateral involvement, (E) siting—choice of host state, (F) legal aspects, (G) political and public acceptance, (H) economics, (I) nuclear safety, (J) nuclear liability, (K) transportation, and (L) geopolitics.
    [Show full text]
  • Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power
    Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Policy Implications of Expanding Global Access to Nuclear Power Mary Beth Nikitin, Coordinator Specialist in Nonproliferation Anthony Andrews Specialist in Energy and Defense Policy Mark Holt Specialist in Energy Policy October 19, 2012 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL34234 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Managing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Summary After several decades of widespread stagnation, nuclear power has attracted renewed interest in recent years. New license applications for 30 reactors have been announced in the United States, and another 548 are under construction, planned, or proposed around the world. In the United States, interest appears driven, in part, by tax credits, loan guarantees, and other incentives in the 2005 Energy Policy Act, as well as by concerns about carbon emissions from competing fossil fuel technologies. A major concern about the global expansion of nuclear power is the potential spread of nuclear fuel cycle technology—particularly uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing—that could be used for nuclear weapons. Despite 30 years of effort to limit access to uranium enrichment, several undeterred states pursued clandestine nuclear programs, the A.Q. Khan black market network’s sales to Iran and North Korea representing the most egregious examples. However, concern over the spread of enrichment and reprocessing technologies may be offset by support for nuclear power as a cleaner and more secure alternative to fossil fuels. The Obama Administration has expressed optimism that advanced nuclear technologies being developed by the Department of Energy may offer proliferation resistance. The Administration has also pursued international incentives and agreements intended to minimize the spread of fuel cycle facilities.
    [Show full text]
  • THE IAEA LEU BANK an INVESTMENT in a More Secure Future
    THE IAEA LEU BANK AN INVESTMENT IN A More Secure Future THE IAEA LEU BANK: AN INVESTMENT IN A MORE SECURE FUTURE I ON AUGUST 29, 2017, I was privileged to join Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano, NTI Co-Chairman Sam Nunn and colleagues from the Nuclear Threat Initiative in Astana, Kazakhstan for a momentous and inspiring event: the launch of the IAEA’s new low-enriched uranium bank. A project jump-started by NTI more than a decade ago with an extraordinary investment from Warren Buffett, the bank is the result of an unprecedented international effort to reduce nuclear dangers and make the world safer—now and for future generations. Its physical reserve will give countries investing in nuclear energy an assured supply of fuel for peaceful purposes without incurring the significant costs of developing indigenous enrichment capabilities and without adding to the risks of global proliferation of nuclear technology, materials and weapons. Its launch was a great success, and the IAEA LEU Bank now stands as a vivid example of what can be accomplished when countries come together to address global security risks. The world owes a particular debt of gratitude to the IAEA and its leaders, including former IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, and to Kazakhstan, long a global model of nonproliferation, which volunteered to host the bank. A number of countries, including the United States, helped finance development of the bank, and Russia and China have signed important transit agreements crucial to its operation. In the United States, the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations endorsed and promoted the bank.
    [Show full text]
  • Ensuring Security of Supply in the International Nuclear Fuel Cycle
    WNA Report Ensuring Security of Supply in the International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Introduction In August 2005, the WNA established a Working Group to consider the Security of Supply in the International Nuclear Fuel Cycle. This Working Group issued their report on 12 May 2006. Since that report was issued, there have been many further presentations and discussions at the IAEA and from a number of individual National Governments. The WNA Working Group has continued to meet and review the newly proposed initiatives in this field and it is now appropriate to update the conclusions of the Group. Although in general the original conclusions remain valid, there are some revisions to the WNA considerations, and it is worthwhile to include a summary of all the initiatives which have been put in place/proposed since 2006. In the 2006 report, it was considered that a necessary pre-requisite to offering strengthened assurances of supply was that the prospective customer would have to volunteer to forgo its rights to develop or install and operate its own enrichment or reprocessing technology. Whilst this seemed at that time a key element, it has become clear in discussions with countries that currently do not have nuclear power plants but are considering a nuclear power strategy, that this would be a major barrier to their strategic considerations. It gave the view that the small number of existing technology holders were attempting to sustain a monopoly situation which, rather than adding to the feeling of security of supply, was having the opposite impact, and driving a strategic approach which included the need to develop fuel cycle technologies, in case the existing market players abused their monopoly situation in the future.
    [Show full text]
  • A Tool for the Prevention and Reduction of the Risks of Nuclear Energy 1
    Multinational Approaches: A Tool for the Prevention and Reduction of the Risks of Nuclear Energy 1 Anton Khlopkov, Executive Director of the PIR Center The World Nuclear Association predicts that by 2020 the installed nuclear power plant capacity in the world will have increased from 370 GW to 430 GW. The world now has 439 nuclear reactors and plans for building 158 new reactors have been announced 2. The re- sult of such growth will be an increased demand for enriched ura- nium because the majority of existing and projected power plants use uranium enriched to 3.5-4% for U-235 isotope as a fuel, as well as growing amounts of spent nuclear fuel in the world. At the same time, the world market in nuclear plants is experienc- ing a massive expansion of international cooperation. For example, the US company Westinghouse has been acquired by the Japanese Toshiba, General Electric has formed an alliance with Hitachi, another Japanese company, Mitsubishi, is cooperating with the French Areva , which also owns the nuclear branch of the German company Siemens . Toshiba is trying to forge an alliance with the Kazakhstan company Kazatomprom and the Russian Tekhsnabex- port . All that, coupled with another crisis of the non-proliferation re- gime caused by the desire of some states to gain access to sensitive nuclear technologies bypassing the current export control rules, re- vives interest and the prospects of the creation of International Nuc- lear Fuel Cycle Centers. NFC Initiatives The concept of international centers providing nuclear fuel cycle services was first proposed in the 1970s in the wake of the crisis of the nuclear non-proliferation regime triggered by India’s nuclear test 1 This article was prepared by the author for NATO Advanced Research Workshop: “Energy and Environmental Challenges to Security” to be held on November 21-23, 2007 in Budapest (Hungary).
    [Show full text]
  • Multinational Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Other High-Level Nuclear Waste a Roadmap for Moving Forward
    Multinational Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Other High-Level Nuclear Waste A Roadmap for Moving Forward Robert D. Sloan AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS & SCIENCES Multinational Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Other High-Level Nuclear Waste A Roadmap for Moving Forward Robert D. Sloan © 2017 by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. All rights reserved. ISBN: 0-87724-115-5 This publication is available online at https://www.amacad.org/gnf. Suggestion citation: Robert D. Sloan, Multinational Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Other High-Level Nuclear Waste: A Roadmap for Moving Forward (Cambridge, Mass.: American Academy of Arts & Sciences, 2017). Cover image: The dry-cask storage hall of the Zwilag radioactive waste interim stor- age facility in Würenlingen, Switzerland. The hall is used to store high-level radioac- tive waste and spent-fuel elements. © Zwilag Zwischenlager Würenlingen AG. This paper is part of the American Academy’s Global Nuclear Future Initiative. The statements made and views expressed in this publication are those held by the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Officers and Members of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Please direct inquiries to: American Academy of Arts & Sciences 136 Irving Street Cambridge, MA 02138 Telephone: 617-576-5000 Fax: 617-576-5050 Email: [email protected] Web: www.amacad.org Contents v Foreword 1 Section 1 Introduction 12 Section 2 Background: “Nuclear Waste” 14 Section 3 Multinational Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste Storage Concepts 16 The Corporate
    [Show full text]
  • Agreement on Testing of Thorium Fuels
    Thorium Power News Update February, 2008 Letter from the CEO Dear Stockholders: We are pleased to share this latest news update, which includes company news as well as industry-related developments. Latest Company News As reported in World Nuclear News and other publications, we announced the appointment of Dr. Hans Blix, the world renowned nuclear authority and former director of the IAEA, as a Senior Advisor. As detailed in the announcement, Dr. Blix works closely with Thorium Power’s team of experts in nuclear energy deployment and technology, especially within the company’s international relations practice. Elsewhere, we were pleased to see the recent coverage in The Business Standard, India’s leading business publication. Titled “India should be a major player in the Nuclear Renaissance,” the article extensively quotes from an interview with Thorium Power’s Dennis Hays: “Properly-designed thorium fuels offer zero greenhouse gas emission while directly addressing two major concerns about uranium. Thorium Power’s fuels do not produce weapons- usable material in its spent fuel and the amount of waste is greatly minimizing in terms of volume, weight and radiotoxicity. We hope to have the first commercial contract in 2010 and expect to see the first commercial thorium-fueled reactor within the next few years." Industry News and Developments In Europe, we witnessed a number of key developments: The Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs concluded that the country would contribute $5 million to help develop an international reserve of nuclear fuel controlled by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Separately, the Norwegian Thorium Committee urged more research into thorium and recommended that the thorium option be kept open in so far it represents an interesting complement to the uranium option to strengthen the sustainability of nuclear energy.
    [Show full text]
  • Multilateralization of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle the First Practical Steps
    UNIDIR Multilateralization of the Nuclear Fuel The First Cycle: Practical Steps In recent years, governments, the nuclear industry and non-governmental organizations have put forward a dozen proposals regarding multilateral approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle and assurances of supply of low-enriched uranium and nuclear fuel. Of these, only a few projects have achieved significant momentum. Two Russian projects, the International Uranium Enrichment Center and the guaranteed low-enriched uranium reserve, have actually been implemented and are functional, and the International Atomic Energy Agency’s low-enriched uranium bank is in the early stages of implementation. The two studies presented here address these three projects to analyze the experience gained so far and thus to help chart the way forward for multilateral approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle. UNITED NATIONS INSTITUTE FOR DISARMAMENT RESEARCH Multilateralization of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle USD 20 UNITED NATIONS ISBN 978-92-9045-200-3 The First Practical Steps Designed and printed by the Publishing Service, United Nations, Geneva GE.11-00817 — June 2011 — 2,030 — UNIDIR/2011/2 United Nations Publication Sales No. GV.E.11.0.1 E-ISBN 978-92-1-054953-0 Yury Yudin editor UNIDIR/2011/2 Multilateralization of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle The First Practical Steps Yury Yudin Editor UNIDIR United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research Geneva, Switzerland New York and Geneva, 2011 About the cover The storage facility of the guaranteed reserve of low-enriched uranium at Angarsk. The containers hold 120t of low-enriched uranium hexafluoride. Image courtesy of the International Uranium Enrichment Center. NOTE The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
    [Show full text]
  • Ap Roposal for a Nuclear Energy Agreement with Iran
    JAMES A. BAKER III INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RICE UNIVERSITY STUDENT PAPER CONTAINMENT THROUGH COOPERATION: A PROPOSAL FOR A NUCLEAR ENERGY AGREEMENT WITH IRAN BY SAM HILE STUDENT RESEARCHER JAMES A. BAKER III INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RICE UNIVERSITY MARCH 2013 A Proposal for a Nuclear Energy Agreement with Iran THIS PAPER WAS WRITTEN BY A BAKER INSTITUTE STUDENT INTERN. THE RESEARCH AND VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS PAPER ARE THOSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AUTHOR, AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE JAMES A. BAKER III INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY. © 2013 BY THE JAMES A. BAKER III INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY OF RICE UNIVERSITY THIS MATERIAL MAY BE QUOTED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION, PROVIDED APPROPRIATE CREDIT IS GIVEN TO THE AUTHOR AND THE JAMES A. BAKER III INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY. 2 A Proposal for a Nuclear Energy Agreement with Iran I. Executive Summary Purpose The United States has a strong commitment to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, since the resulting destabilization of the Middle East would directly and adversely affect the national security and economic interests of both the U.S. and its allies in the region. The U.S. has until now favored coercive diplomacy, attempting to change Iran’s behavior by alternating between negotiations with the P5+1 and threats of increased economic sanctions. However, these efforts have not produced the desired effect, as Iran continues to enrich uranium and make progress toward acquiring a nuclear weapon. Because nuclear facility inspectors are no longer permitted in Iran, the precise amount of progress is largely unknown.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Chapter on Multilateral Approaches to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle
    8 NUCLEAR ENERGY, NONPROLIFERATION, AND DISARMAMENT Multilateral Approaches to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle SUMMARY …it is time to limit the reprocessing of weapons- usable material (separated plutonium and high- • Proposals to multilateralize the nuclear fuel cycle date enriched uranium) in civilian nuclear programmes, back to the 1950s, but they acquired new salience as of as well as the production of new material through 2003. reprocessing and enrichment, by agreeing to restrict • Most proposals that have emerged since 2003 are these operations exclusively to facilities under focused on guaranteeing against a cut-off in supply of multinational control . These limitations would need nuclear fuel to states for reasons other than prolifera - to be accompanied by proper rules of transparency tion concerns. and, above all, by an assurance that legitimate would- • States hold a range of views on these fuel-supply be users could get their supplies. 13 [emphasis added] proposals, and only two proposals have been actively The near-term barriers to such an arrangement considered by the International Atomic Energy are substantial: unwillingness among many states to Agency (IAEA) board of governors. surrender this sensitive industrial activity to • One of these, a reserve of low-enriched uranium multilateral control; countervailing interests of the (LEU) fuel at Angarsk, Russia, was recently agreed to nuclear industry; and skepticism that a truly between the IAEA and Russia. nondiscriminatory arrangement could emerge and • The board of governors has also discussed an LEU fuel persist. bank that would be held by the IAEA, with financing from the Nuclear Threat Initiative and several govern - Partly because a discussion of true multilateral - ments.
    [Show full text]
  • The Future of Nuclear Power: an Interdisciplinary MIT Study
    The Future of Nuclear Power An interdisciplinary MIT faculty group decided to study the future of nuclear power because of a belief that this technology is an important option for the United States and the world to meet future energy needs without emitting carbon dioxide and other atmospheric pollutants. Other options include increased efficiency, renewables, and carbon sequestration, and all may be needed for a successful greenhouse gas management strategy. This study, addressed to government, industry, and academic leaders, discusses the interrelated technical, economic, environmental, and political challenges facing a significant increase in global nuclear power utilization over the next half century and what might be done to overcome those challenges. This study was supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and by MIT's Office of the Provost and Laboratory for Energy and the Environment. MIT RELEASES INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY ON "THE FUTURE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY" Professors John Deutch and Ernest Moniz Chaired Effort to Identify Barriers and Solutions for Nuclear Option in Reducing Greenhouse Gases July 29, 2003 Washington, D.C. — A distinguished team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard released today what co-chair Dr. John Deutch calls "the most comprehensive, interdisciplinary study ever conducted on the future of nuclear energy." The report maintains that "The nuclear option should be retained precisely because it is an important carbon-free source of power." "Fossil fuel-based electricity is projected to account for more than 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2020," said Deutch. "In the U.S. 90% of the carbon emissions from electricity generation come from coal-fired generation, even though this accounts for only 52% of the electricity produced.
    [Show full text]