China Aiding Syrian Missile Program
May 13, 2004 :: Middle East Newsline :: News
Rogue states are not the only, or even the chief sources of proliferation. In one way or another, much can be traced back to Russia and China. The Middle East Newsline today reports that, despite Bashar Assad’s disavowals of any pursuit of WMDs, Syria is in fact working ever more closely with China, receiving from the latter technological and diplomatic delegations to discuss how to boost Syria’s missile capabilities. Middle East Newsline cites one diplomatic source saying that “The Chinese effort is meant to provide Syria with technical assistance that it has not been able to receive from other countries…The focus is to extend the Scud from short-range to medium- and even intermediate-range.” (Link)
» More stories on: China, Proliferation, Syria
Clinton Plan to Ease Russia Nuclear Hair-Trigger A Failure
May 6, 2004 :: Christian Science Monitor :: Analysis
A Clinton-era plan to ease Russia’s hair-trigger nuclear alerts has been unsuccessful, notes Scott Peterson, writing in the Christian Science Monitor, despite some seven billion dollars spent by the United States to reduce such threats. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Proliferation, Russia
US Amends MTCR Rules
May 5, 2004 :: News
The U.S. Dept. of Commerce has altered the regulations for the Missile Technoogy Control Regime (MTCR), as noted in the Federal Register. The new rules took effect on May 4. The changes added another chemical used in missile fuel to the list of items that must be licensed for export. (More »»»)
» More stories on: Proliferation
North Korean Taepo-Dong II Now For Sale
May 5, 2004 :: Worldtribune.com :: News
Quoting “western intelligence sources,” worldtribune.com reports that North Korea has begun to offer its long-range Taepo-Dong II for sale to several middle eastern nations.
The news comes just days after other reports that North Korea is building new missile bases, developing new missiles, has “at least” eight nuclear weapons, and, ironically enough, that Kim Jong Il pledged to the United States that he would not transfer ballistic missiles to terrorists. The sale of missiles is, however, North Korea’s primary source of revenue.
Likely buyers include another rogue state and state sponsor of terrorism, Iran, which has apparently been negotiating a purchase with Pyongyang. Worldtribune’s source says that 2003 negotiations for the purchase of the Taepo-Dong by Syria and Libya apparently were not pursued, but that Iran was considering the Taepo-Dong as a possible basis for the its ICBM program, the Shahab-5, the development of the engines for which China is also named as an aid.
Depending on the version of the Taepo-Dong II, the intercontinental missile has a range of 6000km or more. The three stage version of the missile has a range capable of striking the continental United States. (Article, Link)
» Dec. 14, 1999: North Korea Readies Taepo-Dong I missiles for sale to Iran
» Dec. 7, 1999: U.S. expects Iran will be North Korea’s first ICBM customer
» May 5, 2004: Middle East Newswire on Taepo Dong Market
» May 6, 2004: LA Times: North Korea “may” have missile to reach Guam
» More stories on: China, North Korea, Proliferation
» Missile details: Shahab-3, Taep'o-dong 2
North Korea: No Nukes to Terrorists
May 4, 2004 :: SpaceDaily :: News
In an effort to curry good well from the United States, North Korea has recently pledged to not sell nuclear materials to terrorist groups. But such an interest in negotiating is almost certainly a façade, aimed at shoring up its ability to proliferate missiles and weapons of mass destruction with impunity. Even while making the pledge, however, North Korean deputy to Kim Jong Il Kim Yong-nam, insisted in an interview that they “are entitled to sell missiles to earn foreign exchange.” (Article, Link)
» More stories on: North Korea, Proliferation
North Korea Building More Bases for “New” Missiles
May 4, 2004 :: The Chosun Ilbo (S. Korea) :: News
North Korea is currently building additional bases for mobile intermediate range missiles with a range of 4,000km which are capable of reaching Hawaii, reports the South Korean Chosun Ilbo newspaper. United States intelligence satellites have identified some 10 new ballistic missiles and launchers at two locations which were not their previously, said an unidentified official: “One of the new bases was in Yangdok, 80 kilometers east of the capital Pyongyang, and the other was in Hochon in South Hamgyong province, the official said.” The same source noted that “these bases are assumed to be the bases for new ballistic missiles and not for Scuds or Ro Dong-1 missiles.”
The Chosun Ilbo reports further that these new missiles may be of Russian origin:
The new ballistic missile is presumed to be a modified model of the former Soviet Union’s SS-N-6 submarine-launched ballistic missile, and was originally expected to be revealed to the public at the 9 September festival [founding anniversary of the DPRK] in 2003. North Korea, however, only moved 10 of these missiles and five mobile launching pads to the Mirim Airport, where the parade was prepared, but did not actually show them during the parade.
This missile is 12 metres long and 1.5 metres wide, and is thus shorter than the Ro Dong-1 (15 metres long) and Taepo Dong-1 (23 metres), but its range is much longer and is evaluated to be more advanced in technology.
Relevant authorities believe that former Soviet missile scientists may have directly participated in the development or at least Russian technology was utilized in [the building of the] missile, whose development started in the early 1990s and whose existence was first confirmed by ROK and US intelligence authorities in 2000.
(Article, Link)
» Description of new missile, “No-Dong B”
» Chosun Ilbo text, via Financial Times (subscription)
» More stories on: North Korea, Proliferation, Russia
» Missile details: SS-N-6
Sudan Orders Syrian Missiles, WMDs Removed
May 3, 2004 :: Geostrategy-Direct :: News
Arab diplomatic and Sudanese government sources report that Sudanese President Omar Bashir has ordered the Scud C and Scud D ballistic missiles originally from Syria be removed from Sudan, as well as chemical weapons materials stored in Khartoum.
The Syrian missiles were apparently sent to Sudan in and since January 2004 over about 30 Syrian flights. The Sudanese source quoted by Geostrategy-direct suggested that the removal order was prompted by concerns that the missiles would be discovered by the United States and lead to worsening of sanctions: “‘We consider our relations with the United States more important than those with Syria,’ the Sudanese source said,” and also indicated that another “unidentified African country” may be the next destination for the missiles. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Proliferation, Syria
Bolton: Russia, China, Iran Violating Non-Proliferation Treaty
April 27, 2004 :: News
Speaking to the annual meeting of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty at the United Nations, Undersecretary of State John Bolton warned of a “crisis of noncompliance” by Russia, China, and Iran. Addressing the meeting of NPT signatories, he said that
The time for business as usual is over. An irresponsible handful of nations not living up to their treaty commitments are undermining the NPT’s mission. Without full compliance by all NPT members, confidence in the NPT as a nonproliferation instrument erodes.
Bolton emphasized the danger posed from Iran’s own nuclear weapon’s program, which the country continues to disavow: “It is clear that the primary role of Iran’s ‘nuclear power’ program is to serve as a cover and a pretext for the import of nuclear technology and expertise that can be used to support nuclear weapons development…Iran is lying.” “If we permit Iran’s deception to go on much longer, it will be too late,” Bolton said; “Iran will have nuclear weapons.”
Russia has played a key role in aiding in the production of Iran’s nuclear “energy” programs.
Last week, Bush said that the development of a nuclear weapon by Iran would be “intolerable.” (Article, Link)
» Bolton: Iran is lying
» More stories on: Iran, Nuclear Weapons, Proliferation
Kahn Claims to Have Seen North Korean Nuclear Weapons
April 12, 2004 :: New York Times :: News
Abdul Kahn, widely known as the “father of the Pakistani Bomb” who spearheaded that country’s nuclear program and the proliferation of nuclear technology around the world, has now claimed to have seen and inspected three nuclear devices during a visit to North Korea to aid in their nuclear program, according to the New York Times. The report would be the first such verification by a foreigner of North Korea’s long touted possession of such weapons.
The story has the potential to support the exoneration of Pakistan as a sort of willing partner in the war on nuclear and missile proliferation. Khan and Pakistan, like Qaddafi and Libya, might seem to have fully repented and become an reliable informant or ally for the United States. But that which led to Pakistan-Korth Korea nuclear cooperation and which would prompt North Korea to trust Kahn with an inspection in the first place should be the ground for continued suspicion of both now.
Although Kahn may well have ulterior motives to bolster North Korea’s nuclear threat to the West, that North Korea already has had for some time some nuclear weapons is quite plausible. That it would, however, should serve as a reminder of the failure of the 1994 Accord with North Korea negotiated by the Clinton administration—as well as our previous ill-placed trust in the Pakistani government, which despite its fervent denials almost certainly had to be apartied to such high level transfers of technology. The lesson of the failed policy of appeasement with both these countries should perhaps inform the current negotiations as well. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: North Korea, Nuclear Weapons, Pakistan, Proliferation
North Korea Offering Missiles to Myanmar (Burma)
March 25, 2004 :: Bloomberg :: News
North Korea’s marketing of its ballistic missiles is certainly an ambitious one, and in addition to its many mideastern clients, has recently included Myanmar, previously called Burma.
Matthew Daley, deputy assistant secretary in the bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs in the State Department, testified before the House International Relations Committee, Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific and Subcommittee on International Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Human Rights, that North Korea has offered to sell missiles to Myanmar:
Of particular concern, we also have reason to believe that the D.P.R.K. has offered surface-to-surface missiles. We have raised this issue of possible missile transfers with senior Burmese officials and registered our concerns in unambiguous language. Although Burmese officials have indicated that they have not accepted offers of such weapons systems, we will continue to monitor the situation and will deal with it vigorously and rapidly.
Myanmar, or Burma, is among the countries listed by the department of the Treasury as having restrictions placed upon them under US law. (Article, Link)
» State Dept. Transcript of Daley’s Testimony
» Dept. of Treasury overview of country sanctions
» More stories on: North Korea, Proliferation
