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Jan 7 2008 [N] The International
Atomic Energy Agency questions members of the Canadian Nuclear Safety
Commission regarding the reported disappearance of dozens of devices containing
radiological material.
Jan 9 2008 [N] Diplomats from the United States announce a new
deadline in the ongoing disablement talks with North Korea. According to top
officials, North
Korea should issue full declarations and disable key facilities before the
end of February.
Jan 10 2008 [C, O] Reports reveal that the U.S. contractor
Blackwater used tear gas in a May 2005 encounter while providing security
services in Iraq. The reports raise questions whether the act constituted a
violation by the United States of the Chemical Weapons Convention,
which permits the use of tear gas in law enforcement but prohibits its use in
warfare. The contractor claims the gas was used by accident.
Jan 10 2008 [N] Egypt announces that its first
nuclear reactor will be constructed at the city of Dabba.
Jan 12 2008 [N] IAEA Director
General Mohamed ElBaradei and other high-level IAEA officials visit Iran to meet
with Iran's leadership. In the meetings, Iran agrees to resolve remaining
questions in the IAEA inquiry into the nation's nuclear program and to
provide further information about its controversial uranium enrichment
program.
Jan 13 2008 [N] An investigation over several years into a British
national suspected of aiding the A.Q. Khan nuclear network
ends without charges being filed.
Jan 14 2008 [N] A new government in Australia reverses a previous
administration's decision to sell uranium to India. The new government
affirms Australia's refusal to sell uranium to states not party to the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty.
Jan 15 2008 [N] France reaches an agreement with the United Arab
Emirates to provide peaceful nuclear technology for nuclear power generation,
desalinization, and other civilian nuclear needs. The deal follows a wave of
agreements between France and countries in the Middle East, whereby France
pledges to provide nuclear expertise.
Jan 22 2008 [T] Jose Padilla, a U.S. national once accused of
planning to detonate a radiological
dispersal device is sentenced to 17 years in prison on terrorism-related
charges.
Jan 23 2008 [N] British Prime Minister Gordon Brown issues a
statement urging the United States and Russia to take proactive steps aimed at
achieving nuclear disarmament.
Jan 23 2008 [N] Officials from Israel announce that radiation
detectors have begun operating at the port of Haifa, the latest addition to the
U.S.-led Megaports
Initiative.
Jan 24 2008 [N] The United States agrees to provide support to
Turkey's nuclear energy program. Under the agreement, the United States
permits the trade of reactors and certain nuclear technologies needed for a
civilian energy program.
Jan 25 2008 [M] Pakistan
conducts a test of its nuclear-capable Shaheen-1 midrange ballistic
missile.
Jan 30 2008 [N, O] Colombia ratifies the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban
Treaty, leaving only nine nations out of the original 44 specific countries
identified which are required to ratify the treaty before it enters into
force.
Jan 31 2008 [N, C, B] An independent report finds that the U.S.
military is unprepared to deal with an attack involving weapons of mass
destruction.
Jan 31 2008 [C] Defense officials in the United Kingdom announce
that they have agreed to compensate military veterans exposed to chemical
weapons in tests conducted during the Cold War.
Feb 1 2008 [T, N, C, B] Ranking
members of the U.S. military downplay the results of an independent commission’s
report reviewing the general preparedness of the U.S. National Guard and
Reserves. Released a day earlier, the report finds
that the U.S. military is poorly prepared to respond to an attack by nuclear,
chemical, biological, or radiological weapons.
Feb 4 2008 [M] Iran tests
a rocket designed to put the country’s first satellite into space. Experts and
government officials in the United States and Russia
warn that the Iranian missile test could be a step toward acquiring a long-range
ballistic missile capability.
Feb 5 2008 [N] A South
African court issues a suspended 13-year prison sentence for a Swiss engineer, Daniel Geiges, who pleaded guilty to manufacturing,
importing, and exporting nuclear equipment as part of the nuclear smuggling
network once run by Pakistani
scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan.
Feb 6 2008 [N] U.S.
President George W. Bush issues an executive order that requires the
Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, Justice, and State and the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission and other appropriate agencies to take steps to implement
the Additional
Protocol to the U.S. safeguards agreement with the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The United States signed the Additional Protocol
in 1998 but has not taken all the necessary steps to bring the expanded
inspections provisions into force.
Feb 7 2008 [T] U.S. National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell issues an annual threat assessment, in
which he identifies al-Qaeda as the preeminent threat to U.S. security. According to the assessment, the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction is the second-most important danger.
Feb 8 2008 [N] Reports
reveal that Iran is
installing a new centrifuge design at its Natanz facility. Experts claim that
the new design, dubbed the IR-2 (and perhaps based on the more advanced P-2
centrifuge), is potentially much more efficient than the existing P-1
centrifuges Iran has already installed.
Feb 8 2008 [N] U.S.
Congress members criticize a Department of Energy program designed to provide
work for former Soviet nuclear weapons scientists. According to the critics,
the Initiatives
for Proliferation Prevention program indirectly supports Iran’s nuclear development by providing funds to Russian entities responsible for Russian nuclear
sales in Iran.
Feb 9 2008 [N, T] IAEA Director
General Mohamed ElBaradei warns nations of the danger posed by terrorist groups
armed with nuclear material and calls on states to take steps to reduce the
likelihood of nuclear terrorism.
Feb 12 2008 [N] Russia reaches a preliminary agreement to provide four nuclear reactors to India. Sales of nuclear materials to India, a nuclear weapon state not party to the nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty, are currently prohibited by the Nuclear Suppliers Group
(NSG) of which Russia is a member. The deal is contingent on significant
changes in NSG guidelines, which Russia anticipates as a result of U.S. pressure to permit its own nuclear
sales to India. Russia has
built other nuclear power plants for India that were exempted from the NSG
rules because the contracts were signed before the NSG took effect.
Feb 13 2008 [M] Pakistan conducts a successful test of the Hatf 3 nuclear-capable ballistic missile.
Feb 20 2008 [C] Indonesia introduces new legislation under which the production or possession of chemical
weapons may be punishable by death.
Feb 20 2008 [M] In a controversial
decision, the United States military shoots down a failing satellite using
a sea-based missile defense system. Russia and China, among other nations, cite
the test as evidence that the United States is attempting to create an arms
race in outer space. Some experts speculate that the test is designed to
provide critical insight into U.S. missile defense systems.
Feb 21 2008 [B] Officials
from Texas A&M University announce that the school is planning to pay a $1
million fine for safety violations in its laboratories. According to federal
investigators, three lab workers were exposed to Q fever, and another suffered
a Brucella infection.
Feb 22 2008 [N, O] The
IAEA issues a new report on Iran’s nuclear activities. While the report notes that the IAEA has not uncovered evidence
of a weapons program, it also cites “serious concern” regarding possible
military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program. The United States cites the
report as evidence that Iran continues to defy demands from the world community
to disclose fully the details of its nuclear program.
Feb 25 2008 [N, O] IAEA’s
Deputy Director General of Safeguards Olli Heinonen gives a briefing in Vienna to member states in which he presents evidence that Iran is still
pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Iranian diplomats at the briefing insist
the allegations are groundless and Heinonen’s evidence was fabricated.
Feb 28 2008 [B] Seven
people, including three police officers, are hospitalized after ricin is
discovered in a Las Vegas hotel room. It is later revealed that the man,
Roger Von Bergendorff, responsible for producing the ricin had been hospitalized weeks earlier.
March 3 2008 [N] The
United Nations Security Council passes new sanctions on Iran in response to Iran’s continued refusal to suspend uranium enrichment
projects. The sanctions, which are the third set
passed by the Security Council, aim to tighten exports of sensitive
technology, punish individuals and banks associated with Iran’s nuclear program, and encourage other states to inspect cargo bound for Iran.
March 3 2008 [N] Argentina and Brazil begin a new initiative to evaluate bilateral cooperation on a host of nuclear
energy issues.
March 4 2008 [N, M] Statements
by the Federation of American Scientists suggests that the Chinese
nuclear arsenal has increased by nearly one-third since 2006. However, the
statements also note that much of these additions will likely be negated by
planned decommissioning of older Chinese missiles.
March 6 2008 [N, T, B] In
testimony to members of Congress, senior Defense Department officials warn that
nuclear terrorism remains the greatest danger to the security of the United States. The officials also warn that advances in science likely mean that
bioterrorism will be a significant threat in the future.
March 13 2008 [M] An
American businessman pleads guilty to exporting missile technology to India without a license. According to U.S. law, the man may be sentenced up to five years
in prison and face a $250,000 fine.
March 14 2008 [N] In
response to delays in North Korea’s nuclear disablement
process, U.S. officials call for greater transparency on the part of the North Korea. The announcement comes a week after negotiations between the United States and North Korea failed to produce a breakthrough in the disablement process.
March 18 2008 [M, N] American
news sources report that negotiations between the United States and Russia failed to reach a resolution regarding U.S. plans to deploy missile defense systems in Europe.
March 21 2008 [N] France announces that it will reduce the size of its nuclear weapon arsenal. According
to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, France will remove one-third of its
airborne nuclear arsenal, which will reduce the number of French nuclear
weapons below 300.
March 23 2008 [M] India conducts a successful test of its nuclear-capable Agni 1 missile.
March 25 2008 [N, M] The United
States Defense Department reveals that it accidentally shipped four nuclear
missile fuses to Taiwan in 2007. The accidental shipment follows a similar
nuclear blunder in 2007, in which the Air Force mistakenly shipped nuclear
warheads across the United States. In addition to strong Chinese criticism,
outside experts call for greater government oversight of nuclear weapons and
related technology. In response, the Defense Department orders an audit of the
entire U.S. nuclear weapon arsenal.
March 25 2008 [N] Bahrain and
the United States sign a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in civilian
nuclear energy development.
March 25 2008 [N] News
agencies report that Russia and Egypt reach an agreement whereby Russia is allowed to bid for the construction
contract of Egypt’s first nuclear reactor. The construction contract is
estimated to be between $1.5 and $1.8 billion.
March 29 2008 [M] Japan completes the deployment of a missile defense
system around Tokyo. The Tokyo deployments, which consist of four advanced
Patriot batteries built in cooperation with the United States, are the first
phase of a nationwide missile defense system expected to be completed by 2011.
April 6 2008 [N, M] Following a meeting between Presidents George Bush and Vladimir Putin, the
United States and Russia issue a “Strategic
Framework Declaration” pledging to take steps to reduce their nuclear
arsenals, create a system to respond to missile threats, prevent the spread of
weapons of mass destruction, and combat global terrorism.
April 7 2008 [C] The Second Special Session of the Conference of the States Parties to Review the Operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention begins in the Hague with 114 of 183 states parties participating. The parties review the operation of the CWC and note that as of April 1, 2008, only 38% of the total stockpiles of 70,000 tonnes of Category 1 chemical weapons declared by the members have been destroyed. The April 18 report on the Second Review Conference is available at http://www.opcw.org/docs.csp/rc2/en/rc204(e).pdf.
April 16 2008 [B] Roger Von Bergendorff, who was hospitalized in February with suspected ricin poisoning, appears in Nevada federal court to face charges that include possession of a biological toxin and unregistered firearms. Authorities claim that Von Bergendorff had enough ricin in his Las Vegas motel room to kill approximately 522 people.
April 19-21 2008 [M] In a three-day period, Pakistan conducts two test launches of its long range Shaheen 2 missile, which can reach targets in the interior of India. The Shaheen 2 is a two-stage, solid-fuel weapon capable of delivering a nuclear or conventional warhead up to 1,280 miles. These tests may be seen as part of Pakistan's on-going missile race with India, which tested its nuclear capable Agni 1 in late March.
April 19 2008 [N] Russia shuts down a reactor at Seversk, one of its three remaining nuclear energy reactors that produce weapon-grade plutonium; the reactor was one of two built in Seversk in the 1960s to produce fissile material for nuclear weapons. Russia plans to close the second Seversk reactor in June 2008, and the third reactor located in Siberia by the end of 2009. In 2003, the United States pledged $926 million to build two fossil fuel plants to replace the energy produced by the plutonium reactors.
April 20 2008 [N] During a meeting of Arab nations in Bahrain, the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) sign a civil nuclear cooperation agreement. The UAE has signed a similar agreement with France and has announced a new organization to oversee nuclear development and compliance with nonproliferation efforts. In light of Iran's nuclear program and the rising cost of oil, countries in the Middle East have shown a growing interest in developing civil nuclear power.
April 21 2008 [N] At a two-day consultative meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the United States, at the behest of Canada, revises its position that no new states should be allowed to undertake uranium enrichment for nuclear power plant fuel. The United States now argues that certain states that comply with strict nonproliferation criteria should be permitted to engage in new enrichment and reprocessing activities.
April 21 2008 [N] Media reports state that in December North Korean officials informed the United States that North Korea produced 30 kilograms of plutonium, significantly less than the U.S. estimate of 50 kilograms. Reportedly North Korea used 18 kilograms for nuclear development and 6 kilograms for its October 2006 test of a nuclear device. The United States wants a complete accounting of North Korea's plutonium work as part of the nuclear dismantlement process agreed to in the Six-Party Talks.
April 22 2008 [N, M] The United States arrests Ben-Ami Kadish, an 84-year old American suspected of providing Israel with secrets on nuclear weapons, fighter jets, and missiles in the 1980s. Kadish has acknowledged his spying in interviews with Federal Bureau of Investigation interviews.
April 24 2008 [N] The United States releases new information about the Syrian site bombed by Israel on September 6, 2007 that indicates it was a reactor built with North Korean help.
April 28 2008 [C] The U.S. Army announces that the Anniston Army Depot in Alabama has destroyed 43 percent of its stockpile of chemical warfare agents (primarily VX nerve agent) and 46 percent of the munitions (155 mm artillery shells) that contained the CW agents.
April 28-May 9 2008 [N, O] States parties meet in Geneva for the 2008 PrepCom for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The parties adopt a "technical report" that contains organizational decisions, but they do not agree to attach the factual summary prepared by the Chair, Ukraine's Ambassador in Vienna Volodyrmyr Yelchenko. Among other issues, the states parties debate whether the nuclear weapon states (NWS) have abided by their nuclear disarmament obligation, whether NWS should provide security assurances to non-nuclear weapon states, the need for a resolution on the Middle East (particularly in light of Iran's nuclear program and burgeoning interest in nuclear power in that region), and the possibility Syria is developing a nuclear weapon program with help from North Korea. For reports on the 2008 PrepCom see http://www.acronym.org.uk/npt/index.htm and http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/npt/nirindex.html#2008.
April 30 2008 [T] The U.S. government releases the 2007 Country Reports on Terrorism, which concludes that state sponsorship of terrorist groups undermines efforts to eliminate terrorism and increases the probability that terrorists could get access to WMD. Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria remain on the the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.
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