Richard Norton-Taylor writes about changing assumptions about nuclear deterrence and nuclear possession. He argues that treating Trident as an employment scheme will leave Britain ill-equipped for the real threat: terrorism. He references the BASIC Trident Commission's recent report by John Simpson:
Unjamming the FM(C)T: Roundtable Report and Backgrounder
BASIC organized a private roundtable with experts and officials to take stock of the current strategic and political dynamics surrounding negotiations on a Fissile Material (Cut-Off) Treaty (FM(C)T). BASIC produced a backgrounder literature review for the roundtable discussion, and also a report summarizing the discussion.
Gulf states discuss non-proliferation, Iran, and the NPT
This week, BASIC is in Istanbul hosting our second conference on Nuclear Non-Proliferation in the Gulf. Decision shapers–including officials and experts–from the Gulf region, Iran, the UK, and the US are meeting to discuss the current state of global nuclear diplomacy and collective security in the region, the potential for nuclear proliferation in the Gulf and Middle East, the prospects of the establishment of a nuclear and WMD-free zone in the Middle East
E3+3 (P5+1) meet tomorrow with Iran in Kazakhstan
The E3+3 (P5+1: United States, United Kingdom, France, China, Russia, and Germany) will meet with Iran on Tuesday for official talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the first formal meeting in eight months. These talks follow last week’s update report from the IAEA on Iran’s nuclear program, indicating that a new type of centrifuge was installed at Iran’s main uranium enrichment plant, Natanz, that could speed up the enrichment process, and increase the accumulation of 20 per cent low-enriched uranium.
The State of the Union: Obama to announce further nuclear reductions?
President Obama will address the American public in his State of the Union address tomorrow. Last week U.S. Vice President Joe Biden spoke in Munich, suggesting that the President will address their shared interests in “advancing a comprehensive nuclear agenda to strengthen the non-proliferation regime, [and] reduce[d] global stockpiles of nuclear materials”.
Iran Update 165
- Next E3+3 talks finally scheduled; Iran-U.S. bi-lateral talks a possibility
- Another round of IAEA talks conclude without progress; next meeting scheduled for mid-February
- Iran’s nuclear program prominent subject for Obama’s nominees at confirmation hearings
Nuclear Deterrence Summit: February 19-22
BASIC partnered with the Exchange Monitor to host a panel discussion during the Annual Nuclear Deterrence Summit in Arlington, Virginia, February 19-22, 2013.
Brian Eno chats with Tom Robinson
Former BASIC board member Brian Eno was featured on the Tom Robinson show on BBC Radio 6, discussing his career, involvement with BASIC, and interest in reducing nuclear dangers. Brian explains: 'We still have tens of thousands of ready to go nuclear weapons and they are still as dangerous as they once were…by luck nothing has gone wrong with them.