IRAN
Israeli leader says Iran has not yet crossed nuclear weapons ‘red line’
AP, The Washington Post – April 29, 2013
Israel’s prime minister on Monday said that Iran is steadily edging closer to nuclear weapons capability but has not yet reached the “red line” he drew in a speech to the United Nations last fall.
NORTH KOREA
Editorial: Looming Clash Between Seoul and Washington Over Nuclear Technology
Audrey Yoo, Time – April 30, 2013
Relations between Washington and Seoul are better than ever thanks to a free-trade agreement, greater policy coordination and solidarity against North Korea’s provocations. But there is an unresolved question in their relationship: How much nuclear technology should South Korea possess?
Editorial: Time to Talk? North Korea gives tensions a breather, but hurdles to dialogue remain high
Eric Talmadge, The Washington Post – April 29, 2013
Eric Talmadge explores the likelihood of renewed North Korean dialogue in light of slightly relaxed tensions.
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Egypt walks out of nuclear talks
AP, News24 – April 30, 2013
Egypt walked out of a round of global nuclear talks in protest on Monday, saying other nations are not acting quickly enough to establish the Middle East as a zone free of nuclear weapons. A statement from Egypt’s foreign ministry said the nation ended its participation in two weeks of Geneva talks out of frustration that the zone has yet to be created. The talks run through this week.
Opinion: Nuclear arms card for Japan
Japan Times – April 29, 2013
Two days after the latest nuclear test by the North, U.S. President Barack Obama told Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a telephone meeting that there would be no change whatsoever in America’s commitment to defend Japan, including nuclear deterrence through its nuclear umbrella over Japan. Obama’s comment was meant not only to reconfirm the U.S.’s commitment to the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty but also to discourage Japan from following the path toward becoming a nuclear power.
