On Wednesday of this week BASIC will launch a cross party Trident Commission to take advantage of the opportunity that was opened up by the British government to consider its nuclear weapons policy, when it decided to delay the timetable for the construction of the replacement submarines on which the Trident system crucially depends.
Programmes
Russia ratifies New START
The Russian parliament completed on January 26 its process of advice and consent for ratifying the New START nuclear arms treaty, and President Dmitry Medvedev signed the ratification bill on January 28.
Both houses of the Russian parliament were required to approve of the treaty. The Duma (lower house) provided its final approval on January 25, by a vote of 350-96, with one abstention. The 137 members of the Federation Council (upper house) voted unanimously for the treaty a day later.
Iran Update: Number 148
• Talks in Istanbul fail to break impasse
• Sanctions and economic impact on Iran
• Speculation intensifies over Iranian nuclear capabilities
• Foreign Minister Mottaki replaced with nuclear chief Salehi
• Revelations in the WikiLeaks cables
Talks in Istanbul fail to break impasse
This Week – State of the Union: an opportunity to take the next step
President Barack Obama has a golden opportunity in his State of the Union address tomorrow to advance his disarmament agenda by highlighting the benefits to U.S. security in the entry into force of the global treaty banning nuclear weapons tests. This requires the new Senate to ratify it.
Iran will not stop enrichment, even if attacked
“If the United States genuinely think that it will only be pressure on Iran that forces a compromise, they will not offer anything substantial at this stage, preferring to stick with the sanctions route, and are likely to stymie any deal.”
Paul Ingram, BASIC's executive director, was quoted in Euronews. To read more:
http://www.euronews.net/2011/01/21/iran-will-not-stop-enrichment-even-under-military-strike/
Russia Cautions U.S. Not to Undermine Meeting Over Iran’s Nuclear Program
“This has become a contest of wills.” “Much of the Iranian challenge results from responses to what it sees as the strategically hostile environment created by the United States and her allies.”
THIS WEEK – Possible breakthrough over Iran’s nuclear program?
Reprinted by The Hill's Congress blog.
Evidence Received
During the course of its work, the Commission will seek submissions of evidence from interested parties. Written submissions, with the permission of those submitting evidence, will be published here and organised by theme.These are the initial questions that we are seeking submissions on, and we will be adding more as the commission’s work progresses: