IRAN EU Seeks Unconditional Atomic Talks With Iran Global Security Newswire – September 22, 2011 The European Union on Thursday said it is willing to engage Iran in direct discussions of its atomic program “without preconditions,” Agence France-Presse …

Together with FCNL, WAND and UCS–the Council thanked Representative Loretta Sanchez with an award for her hard work and leadership on nuclear non proliferation funding. Over the past couple of months. Sanchez proposed two amendments that increased f…

IRAN
Obama: Iran, N. Korea face greater isolation
AFP – September 21, 2011
US President Barack Obama on Wednesday warned that Iran and North Korea would face even deeper isolation if they failed to bring their nuclear programs under international law.

Britain warns Iran over nuclear programme at UN meeting
AFP – September 21, 2011
Foreign Secretary William Hague on Wednesday warned his Iranian counterpart that Britain would resist any increase in Iran’s nuclear capabilities, during a meeting at the UN in New York.

A Few Words With Iran’s President
Nicholas D. Kristof, OP-ED NYT – September 21, 2011
Interview with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran: “If they were willing to sell us the 20 percent enriched uranium, we would have preferred to buy it,” he said. “It would have been far less expensive. It’s as though you wish to purchase a vehicle for yourself. No one is willing to sell it to you, then you must set up your own production line to produce your own vehicle.”

NORTH KOREA
North Korea says wants to more talks with U.S.
Jeremy Laurence, Reuters – September 22, 2011
North Korea wants to hold a second round of dialogue with the United States, possibly next month, as part of renewed efforts to restart talks on disabling the North’s nuclear weapons program, a South Korean official said on Thursday.

Korean Nuclear Envoys Say Meeting Was Helpful
Global Security Newswire – September 21, 2011
While the chief nuclear negotiators from North and South Korea said their Wednesday meeting was helpful, there was little indication that significant headway had been achieved in breaking the longstanding impasse over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons, Reuters reported

IAEA MEETING
IAEA states back post-Fukushima nuclear safety plan
Fredrick Dahl, Reuters – September 22, 2011
The U.N. nuclear agency’s 151 member states endorsed an action plan on Thursday to help strengthen global nuclear safety in the wake of Japan’s Fukushima accident, despite criticism from some that it does not go far enough.

Myanmar envoy says his country does not have ‘economic strength’ to develop nuke arms
The Washington Post – September 21, 2011
A senior Myanmar envoy says his country doesn’t have the financial means to develop nuclear weapons and supports global nonproliferation. There has been speculation that Myanmar may be secretly working on such weapons, with the U.S. warning two years ago of possible nuclear technology transfers to the secretive military-ruled nation from North Korea.

Peace Critical for a Nuke-Free Mideast: Israel
Global Security Newswire – September 21, 2011
Any Middle Eastern nuclear weapon-free zone must be preceded by robust nonproliferation measures and an enduring absence of armed conflict from the area, Israel told the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference on Tuesday

UNITED STATES
Lew Joins Panetta in Warning of ‘Significant Risk’ to Defense
Tony Capaccio, Bloomberg – September 21, 2011
Office of Management and Budget Director Jacob Lew has told U.S. House Republican defense and budget leaders that automatic across-the-board cuts “could pose a significant risk to national security.”

Planned U.S. Nuke Updates Could Backfire: Report
Global security Newswire – September 21, 2011
A U.S. Senate analysis issued this month suggests plans to augment the safety and security capabilities of B-61 gravity bombs as part of their refurbishment might endanger the weapons’ dependability over an extended period, the Albuquerque Journal reported on Tuesday

IRAN
Iran Blasts Killing of Its Nuclear Scientists
George Jahn, TIME Magazine – September 21, 2011
Blaming Israel for assassinating its nuclear scientists, Iran said Tuesday it would not retaliate for the “ugly phenomenon” but would seek more international support against such killings.

U.S. Considers Crisis Communications Link to Iran
Global Security Newswire – September 20, 2011
Government officials in the United States are examining the potential creation of an emergency naval communications link to Iran following a number of “near-miss” confrontations between the sides in the Persian Gulf, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday

NORTH KOREA
Rival Koreas met, but no progress on nuclear talks
Scott McDonald, The Boston Globe – September 21, 2011
Representatives of North and South Korea met Wednesday, but showed no sign of bridging their differences to resume negotiations on ending Pyongyang’s nuclear program after it walked out two years ago.

Koreas keep up appearances in Beijing
Sunny Lee, Asia Times – September 21, 2011
Some diplomacy is purely for public consumption, with little substance to back it up. This week’s meeting in Beijing between the nuclear negotiators of North Korea and South Korea is one such example.

Nuclear envoys from two Koreas hold rare meeting
BBC News – September 21, 2011
South Korea’s nuclear envoy has held rare talks with his North Korean counterpart in Beijing. No details were given, but ahead of the meeting the South’s Wi Sung-lac said talks with Ri Yong-ho would focus on ending Pyongyang’s nuclear programme.

IAEA MEETING VIENNA
Despite Fukushima, India bullish on nuclear
AFP – September 21, 2011
Nuclear energy remains vital for developing countries even after the Fukushima disaster in Japan, India’s atomic energy chief told the UN atomic agency’s annual gathering on Wednesday.

UN agency lowers expected growth in nuclear power following Fukushima disaster
Washington Post – September 20, 2011
The U.N. nuclear agency says it now expects nuclear power to grow more slowly than before the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Egypt Demands IAEA Inspections in Israel
Global Security Newswire – September 20, 2011
Israel’s refusal to permit broad-scope inspections of its atomic sites could endanger the International Atomic Energy Agency’s reputation as a reliable enforcer of the nuclear nonproliferation regime, Egypt told IAEA member nations on Monday

UNITED STATES
A future for drones: Automated killing
Peter Finn, The Washington Post – September 19, 2011
The killing of terrorism suspects and insurgents by armed drones, controlled by pilots sitting in bases thousands of miles away in the western United States, has prompted criticism that the technology makes war too antiseptic. Questions also have been raised about the legality of drone strikes when employed in places such as Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, which are not at war with the United States. This debate will only intensify as technological advances enable what experts call lethal autonomy.

Added U.S. Defense Cuts May Cause ‘Serious Damage,’ Panetta Says
Viola Gienger, Bloomberg – September 20, 2011
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said any cuts to his department beyond about $450 billion the Pentagon is carving out from its budget over 10 years would “do serious damage.”

IRAN Iran nuclear chief says UK spies shadowed him Fredrik Dahl, Reuters – 20 September, 2011 Iran’s nuclear energy chief accused British spies on Monday of shadowing him around the world — even to the “back door” of his university office — to gather…