Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire - Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry. Nuclear Activities
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 US voices doubt N.Korea ready to readmit inspectorsWashington (AFP) Dec 20, 2010 - The United States on Monday expressed skepticism that North Korea is ready to readmit UN nuclear inspectors who were expelled more than a year ago, adding "North Korea talks a great game." State Department spokesman Philip Crowley made the remarks after US troubleshooter Bill Richardson said North Korea has agreed to permit the return of inspectors as part of measures to ease tensions on the peninsula. Crowley told reporters the US government will "gain a perspective" on what the North Koreans told Richardson when the US troubleshooter returns from Pyongyang and briefs officials in Washington about his visit. "North Korea talks a great game. They always do. The real isssue is what will they do," Crowley said. "If they are agreeable to returning IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) inspectors to their country, they have to tell the IAEA that," he said. "If they're willing to participate in mechanisms that reduce tensions with South Korea, we would certainly favor any step that reduces tension and improves communication in the region," he said. "We will be guided by what North Korea does, not by what North Korea says it might do," he said. "The key is following through and implementing that decision and meeting its international obligations." Confirming a CNN report, Richardson said in a statement, as he visited Pyongyang, that North Korea had agreed to allow the return of inspectors from the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). North Korea in April 2009 pulled out of six-nation nuclear disarmament talks and ordered US and IAEA nuclear inspectors out of the country, after the UN Security Council condemned Pyongyang for an April 5 rocket launch. It staged its second nuclear test a month later. In his statement, Richardson said North Korean leaders also agreed to negotiate the sale of nuclear fuel rods to a third party, "such as South Korea", and to discuss a military commission and hotline. Tensions have soared anew since a North Korean artillery attack last month on the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, which killed four people including civilians and damaged dozens of homes. |
 UN's Korea statement no longer relevant: USUnited Nations (AFP) Dec 20, 2010 - The United States said Monday that it was too late to pass a UN Security Council statement on the Korea military crisis as China made a strong appeal for the Koreas to end their tensions. China on Sunday blocked a statement in which Western powers had sought to condemn North Korea for setting off the new hostilities with its November 23 artillery attack on Yeonpyeong island. Efforts to reach accord appeared to be dead in the water. US ambassador Susan Rice said there had been no new discussions. "I think continued haggling over a statement whose relevance has largely passed is not particularly productive," she told reporters. "The US position is that it would have been constructive, had it been possible, to issue a strong and unanimous statement in which we made clear that it was the council's view that the attack by North Korea on the island of Yeonpyeong was to be condemned," she added. In a rare public statement outside of the Security Council chamber, China called for "maximum restraint" by the Koreas and highlighted the efforts it has undertaken to bring down the fever pitch tensions between North and South. "We strongly appeal relevant parties to exercise maximum restraint, act in a responsible manner and avoid increase of tensions," China's deputy ambassador Wang Min said. "China has spared no efforts to engage both sides of the peninsula," Wang added, highlighting recent ministerial contacts with North and South Korea. "China strongly urges both sides of the peninsula to keep calm and restraint, solve issues through peaceful dialogue and engagement. China will continue to make our efforts toward this end," he said. Eight hours of Security Council talks failed to agree a statement on the escalating tensions. China opposed Western demands that North Korea be clearly condemned for its artillery attack on Yeonpyeong island in which four South Koreans died. "We are all waiting to get instructions from our capitals on what to do about a statement," said one diplomat from a Security Council nation. "Don't hold your breath," commented another diplomat on prospects for a Security Council statement. China, as one of the five permanent members of the 15 nation Security Council, can veto any resolution or statement. The other permanent members are Britain, France, Russia and the United States. |
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 N.Korea says S.Korea, US trying to spark warSeoul (AFP) Dec 20, 2010 - North Korea Monday accused the United States and South Korean "puppet warmongers" of pushing the peninsula to the brink of war, as Seoul prepared to hold a live-fire drill despite Pyongyang's threat of retaliation. "It is a vital task for defusing the ever-increasing danger of a war and protecting the nation's destiny to avert a war and defend peace," said ruling communist party newspaper Rodong Sinmun, referring to Koreans on both sides of the border. The North last month bombarded Yeonpyeong island near the contested Yellow Sea border, killing two marines and two civilians and damaging dozens of homes. It says it acted in response to a South Korean artillery drill, and has vowed to hit back harder if a new exercise is held on the island this week. The response "will be deadlier than what was made on November 23 in terms of the powerfulness and sphere of the strike", its military said Friday. Rodong Sinmun Monday repeated allegations that the South had provoked last month's shelling. "Only when all the Koreans get united as one and wage a bold struggle for defending peace against war, can they surely check and frustrate the moves of outside forces and the puppet warmongers to provoke a new war," it said. S.Korea launches crackdown on illegal Chinese fishingSeoul (AFP) Dec 20, 2010 - South Korea's coastguard Monday announced a new crackdown on illegal fishing in the Yellow Sea following a deadly clash with Chinese fishermen last week. The three-day exercise involves 18 ships, two helicopters and about 200 personnel, a coastguard spokesman told AFP. "We are taking strong steps as illegal fishing by Chinese boats is rampant despite our persistent crackdowns," he said. A 63-tonne Chinese boat capsized after ramming into a 3,000-tonne South Korean coastguard ship Saturday, leaving one Chinese crew member dead and another missing. Eight other Chinese fishermen were rescued, five of them by nearby Chinese boats. "Three fishermen rescued by our side are in our custody for questioning," the spokesman said. He said the Chinese crew brandished iron pipes, clubs and shovels when two South Korean small boats from the 3,000-tonne ship approached their trawler, injuring four officers. The trawler then suddenly rammed into the coastguard ship and capsized, causing 10 Chinese sailors to fall into the sea, he said. The trawler's 28-year-old captain was in a coma after the incident and died in hospital. Illegal fishing by Chinese vessels is common in South Korean waters. The coastguard said 332 Chinese boats were caught last year. In 2008 a South Korean officer drowned while trying to inspect a Chinese boat, and 10 officers have been injured this year. |
 disclaimer: image is for illustration purposes only |
ROYAL MEETING - U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, meets with his majesty Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, in Manama, Bahrain, Dec.17, 2010. Mullen and his wife, Deborah, are traveling with the USO holiday tour while also meeting with foreign dignataries and U.S. troops. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley
Washington (AFP) Dec 16, 2010 A top US general said Thursday it was unclear why an interceptor meant to knock out incoming ballistic missiles failed in a test for the second time in a row. General James Cartwright, the military's second highest ranking officer, said he had no doubts that the country's missile defense system could fend off potential threats, despite Wednesday's failed test. "I'm not the least bit concerned that we don't have a capability to defeat, should we need to, that rogue threat that the system's been designed against," Cartwright told reporters. In the test on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, an interceptor rocket launched from a base in California failed to intercept its target, an intermediate-range ballistic missile, the Missile Defense Agency said. Officials will carry out an "extensive investigation to determine the cause of the failure to intercept the target," the agency said in a statement. A similar test carried on January 31 resulted in failure. Cartwright said the latest test involved an "upgraded version" of an interceptor, but that older models currently deployed were reliable. "We test in order to find out if something works," Cartwright said. "The question now is, make sure we understand, was it two failures that were of the same ilk or was it two very different failures?" he said. "We just don't know those answers yet." Out of 15 tests of ground-based interceptors since 1999, seven have failed, according to the Missile Defense Agency. "The next flight test will be determined after identification of the cause of the failure," the agency said. Aerospace giant Boeing is the lead contractor for the missile defense program. The ground-based defense system is meant to shield the United States from a potential ballistic missile attack, possibly from North Korea or Iran. |
China has an intimate knowledge of Iran’s centrifuges since, according to one source quoted above, they’re of Chinese design.That’s four pieces of evidence. Read the whole story and you’ll see that there’s more; plus, and needless to say, when it comes to cyberwar hijinks in the past few years, the Chinese are usually a safe bet as the culprits. More at:
China has better access than any other country to manufacturing plans for the Vacon frequency converter drive made by Vacon’s Suzhou facility and specifically targeted by the Stuxnet worm (along with an Iranian company’s drive). Furthermore, in March 2010, China’s Customs ministry started an audit at Vacon’s Suzhou facility and took two employees into custody thereby providing further access to Vacon’s manufacturing specifications under cover of an active investigation.
China has better access than any other country to RealTek’s digital certificates through it’s Realsil office in Suzhou and, secondarily, to JMicron’s office in Taiwan.
China has direct access to Windows source code, which would explain how a malware team could create 4 key zero day vulnerabilities for Windows when most hackers find it challenging to develop even one.
