The Week’s Nuclear Round-Up: 26 November – 2 December 07

Published in the IDSA's Strategic Digest as part of The Week in Review Section
 
INDIA

• Moscow assures New Delhi of lifetime fuel supply for the two 1000 MW reactors at Koodankulam; Opposition questions government decision not to sign intergovernmental agreement with Russia; Parliament discusses nuclear deal

Moscow has assured New Delhi of lifetime supply for the two 1,000 MW nuclear reactors, being built with Russian assistance at Koodankulam. This was disclosed by Prithviraj Chavan, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office in the Rajya Sabha on 29 November.[i] However, the guarantee did not cover the fuel supply for the other four proposed reactors of 700MW each, the supply of fuel for which would depend on India getting the green signal both from the NSG as well as the IAEA.

The government’s failure to sign an intergovernmental agreement with Russia during the recent visit of Prime Minister Singh was raised in Parliament during the debate on the nuclear deal. A report in The Hindu on 13 November had noted that the government had backed out from signing the agreement.[ii] Dr. Singh on his part clarified that due to the delay in finalising the India-specific safeguards agreement with the IAEA, it was felt that it will be premature to sign an agreement which cannot be operationalised.[iii] Some analysts however raised suspicions that the government had backed out of the Russian deal due to an apprehension about American displeasure.[iv]

In other developments, the much-awaited Parliamentary debate on the nuclear deal took place on the 28 November. Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani criticised the deal as being “unacceptable to the nation because it is deeply detrimental to India’s vital and long-term interests.” He also declared that if the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance came to power, it would renegotiate the nuclear deal. Prime Minister Singh again reiterated that there was nothing in the agreement which prevented India from carrying out further tests.[v] EAM Pranab Mukherjee noted that the India-specific safeguards agreement with the IAEA was aimed at ensuring the country’s right to create strategic reserves to meet any interruption in fuel supply, besides securing recognition for India’s strategic programme by accepting the separation plan.[vi]

NORTH KOREA

• Christopher Hill to visit North Korea; North Korea to make declaration as early as next week; Disablement might stretch into next year

Christopher Hill, the top US nuclear negotiator at the Six-Party Talks noted that North Korea's disablement of its plutonium-producing plant in Yongbyon was “going very well” and that Pyongyang would probably declare all of its atomic programs to Beijing very soon.[vii] Ambassador Hill would be visiting North Korea from 3-5 December and was expected to visit Yongbyon also.[viii]


South Korean Foreign Minister, Song Min Soon on his part noted that Pyongyang’s declaration should include details about fissile materials already produced and any related nuclear programs, including the suspected uranium enrichment program.


In other developments, reports indicated that the removal of fuel rods from the Yongbyon facility would stretch into the next year. South Korean nuclear envoy, Chun Yung-woo noted technically, it was “nearly impossible to finish before the end of the year.”[ix]

IRAN

• Jalili and Solana to meet on 28 November in London; Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov criticizes move to impose third round of sanctions

The top nuclear negotiators of Iran and the European Union are to meet on 28 November in a last ditch effort to prevent the imposition of tougher sanctions on Iran. Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili is expected to put forward "new initiatives" to European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana in the course of their meeting in London.[x]

However, the possibility of imposition of a third round of sanctions on Iran does seem far-fetched in light of division within the members of the UN Security Council. Russia and China on their part do not support further sanctions.[xi]

(The above review is written by the author for the "IDSA Week in Review." It also appears in the IDSA Strategic Digest).

Endnotes

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[i] Sujay Mehdudia, “Lifetime fuel for 2 Koodankulam reactors,” The Hindu, 30 November 2007, at

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2007113060510100.htm&date=2007/11/30/&prd=th&

[ii] Vladimir Radyuhin, “India fails to sign deal for more reactors for Koodankulam,” The Hindu, 13

November 2007, at http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2007111368671000.htm&date=2007/11/13/&prd=th&

[iii] “Prime Minister’s onboard press conference enroute to Singapore,” Ministry of External Affairs, 20 November 2007, at http://meaindia.nic.in/pressbriefing/2007/11/20pb01.htm

[iv] N. Ram, “Explaining the non-deal with Russia,” The Hindu, 30 November 2007, at http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/30/stories/2007113054721000.htm

[v] Nabeel Mohideen, “India Isn't Barred From Testing Under Nuclear Accord,” Bloomberg, 28 November 2007, at http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=a3yOpET.67Oc&refer=india

[vi] 123 agreement with U.S. is unacceptable to us: Advani,” The Hindu, 29 November 2007, at http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/29/stories/2007112963250100.htm

[vii] Heejin Koo, “North Korea Nuclear Disablement Going Well, Hill Says,” 29 November 2007, Bloomberg, at http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a9snA1KZWEEw

[viii] Anne Gearan, “U.S. Envoy to Visit North Korea,” Associated Press, 29 November 2007, at http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gIeoMs1vVPrRLGZunBWDTrtvK6vQD8T64KPG3

[ix] “North Korea nuclear fuel rods tough to extract: envoy,” The Washington Post, 30 November 2007, at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/30/AR2007113000216_pf.html

[x] “Iran And EU Face Tough Nuclear Talks,” The New York Times, 29 November 2007, at http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-nuclear-iran-talks.html?pagewanted=print

[xi] “Russia urges recognition of Iran's nuclear cooperation with UN,” RIA Novosti, 28 November 2007, at http://en.rian.ru/russia/20071128/89904768.html

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