“Crises in the Second Nuclear Age” – Stephen J. Cimbala, Paul Bracken

Russian Mobile ICBM Parade File Photo

Subject: Crises in the Second Nuclear Age Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2017 From: STEPHEN CIMBALA <sjc2@psu.edu> Crises in the Second Nuclear Age By Stephen J. Cimbala and Paul Bracken Stephen J. Cimbala is Professor of Political Science at Penn State Brandywine. Paul Bracken is Professor of Management and Professor of Political Science at Yale University. Nuclear weapons coincided with the […]

» Read more

Moscow proposes setting up mission under OPCW auspices to investigate Idlib events

Syria Map

MOSCOW. April 13 (Interfax) – Russia has submitted an initiative during a special session of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague on Thursday to set up a mission under OPCW auspices to investigate the chemical incident in Syria’s Idlib governorate, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference. […]

» Read more

U.S. offered Russia consultations on plutonium disposition methods, Russia’s rejection causes regret – Gottemoeller

File Photo of Rose Gottemoeller Gesturing, Sitting Behind Placard Reading United States of America

WASHINGTON. Oct 4 (Interfax) – The United States offered the Russian side to hold consultations on the methods of plutonium disposition and Russia’s rejection causes regret, the U.S. Under Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller, who will assume the post of NATO Deputy Secretary General in a few days, said. “We’ve been very clear that we would like to consult with […]

» Read more

RBTH: Moscow accused of obstructing Syrian chemical weapons dossier

Syria Map

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Alexey Timofeychev, RBTH – September 14, 2015) Russia has proposed extending the mandate of the UN mission on chemical weapons in Syria to Iraq, where it claims ISIS militants may be behind production. However, some media see this as Moscow diverting attention from the actions of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and delaying a […]

» Read more

U.S. not to cut cooperation with Russia on disarmament, non-proliferation – Russian official

File Photo of Russian Nuclear Missile on Mobile Launcher Near Woods

(Interfax – MOSCOW. March 12, 2014) The United States is not ready to cut cooperation with Russia on important and strategic issues concerning disarmament and non-proliferation and the situation in Ukraine does not affect this, deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s department on security and disarmament, Vladislav Antonyuk, said at a meeting of the State Duma committee on security […]

» Read more

NEWSLINK: Russia, NATO plan joint operation on Syria’s chemical weapons

Syria Map

[“Russia, NATO plan joint operation on Syria’s chemical weapons” – Reuters – Gabriela Baczynska and Adrian Croft – February 14, 2014 – reuters.com/article/2014/02/14/us-syria-crisis-russia-nato-idUSBREA1D0Y120140214] Reuters covers plans for a NATO-Russian joint naval operation in the Mediterranean to protect a U.S. ship playing a role in the destruction of Syrian chemical weapons.  The mission would be a cooperative step even as Russian […]

» Read more

First Batch of Chemical Weapons Leaves Syria

Syria Map

MOSCOW, January 7 (RIA Novosti) The first consignment of chemical weapons has left the Syrian port of Latakia on a Danish cargo vessel, the international chemical weapons watchdog said on Tuesday. “The removal of the first consignment of priority chemicals from the Syrian Arab Republic took place today,” the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said in a […]

» Read more

Interfax: Agreement on Iran challenges grounds to set up missile shield in Europe – Pushkov

Map of Iran with Stylized Radar Sweep and Radiation Symbol Background Image

MOSCOW. Dec 12 (Interfax) – The agreements of the Sextet and Tehran on the Iranian nuclear program call into question if there is any sense of the missile shield in Europe being created by NATO, head of the Russian State Duma committee on foreign affairs Alexei Pushkov said. “[Russian President Vladimir] Putin has put the question correctly: the issue of […]

» Read more

RIA Novosti: Putin Signs Decree to Implement Sanctions Against North Korea

North Korea Map and Flag

MOSCOW, December 2 (RIA Novosti) ­ Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to implement UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea, the government’s legal information website said Monday. All North Korean ships must now consent to an inspection before being allowed to enter a Russian port. Russian state and commercial organizations are also forbidden from helping North Korea […]

» Read more

Interfax: Recognizing Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy should be condition for resolving nuclear problem – Lavrov

Map of Iran with Stylized Radar Sweep and Radiation Symbol Background Image

MOSCOW. Nov 19 (Interfax) – If the Sextet adheres to the stance of recognizing Iran’s right to enrich uranium for peaceful, energy purposes during the talks with Tehran, the parties might have a chance to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. “For many years Russia put forward the following approach: we all recognize Iran’s right […]

» Read more

RIA Novosti: US Plan for Iran Nuclear Program Blocked After Hasty Changes ­- Russia

Map of Iran with Stylized Radar Sweep and Radiation Symbol Background Image

CAIRO, November 14 (RIA Novosti) ­ Iran tentatively agreed to a US proposal for limiting its nuclear program, but backed out of the deal after last-minute changes in Geneva, Russia’s foreign minister said Thursday. “The version with the amendments was distributed literally at the last moment, when we were about to depart from Geneva,” Sergei Lavrov said, referring to high-level […]

» Read more

Iran Openness at Atomic Talks Without Precedent, Russia Says

Map of Iran with Stylized Radar Sweep and Radiation Symbol Background Image

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com –  Stepan Kravchenko & Henry Meyer -October 30, 2013) Russia said Iran showed “unprecedented openness” in Geneva during two days of talks with world powers this month over its disputed nuclear program. “The Iranians displayed unprecedented openness, something that was recognized by all participants” representing the so-called P5+1 powers — the U.S., Russia, China, U.K., France and […]

» Read more

Early breakthroughs unlikely in talks with Iran

Map of Iran with Stylized Radar Sweep and Radiation Symbol Background Image

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Andrei Ilyashenko, special to RBTH – October 21, 2013) The only outcome of the Geneva talks between Iran and the ‘group of six’ was an agreement to hold a new round of talks in November. A group of six mediators and the Iranian delegation recently concluded the latest round of Geneva talks on […]

» Read more

Interfax: Gradual lift of sanctions against Tehran needed to resolve nuclear problem – expert

Map of Iran with Stylized Radar Sweep and Radiation Symbol Background Image

(Interfax – October 18, 2013) The Iranian nuclear problem cannot be resolved without a gradual lift of sanctions against Tehran, and the success of the latest negotiations does not add up to much, Russian Academy of Sciences Oriental Studies Institute Director Vitaly Naumkin said. “This is just the first step and, in my opinion, it is too much early to […]

» Read more

Taking the U.S.-Russia framework seriously; Cooperation between the White House and Kremlin may even bear fruit.

Syria Map

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Alexander Gasyuk, Nora FitzGerald, special to RBTH, October 8, 20-13) There is a long journey ahead to audit and destroy Syria’s chemical weapons program, analysts agree, and there are many concerns and inevitable delays in the days and weeks ahead. Yet the international community is closer than it has ever been to eradicating […]

» Read more

Interfax: Judging by how chemical weapons liquidation proceeds in Syria, we are on right path – Putin

Syria Map

(Interfax – MOSCOW, October 2, 2013) Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was content with the situation development regarding chemical weapons liquidation in Syria. “Judging by what work related to the Syrian chemical weapons liquidation is currently being held, we have grounds to think that we are on the right path,” Putin said when answering questions at the Investment Forum […]

» Read more

Moscow to Conduct Its Own Probe into Syria Chemical Attacks

File Photo of Bashar al-Assad and Sergei Lavrov

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, October 1, 2013) ­ Russia announced Tuesday it will carry out its own investigation into chemical weapons attacks in Syria as an international disarmament inspection team, reportedly comprising one Russian, arrived in the Middle Eastern nation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow wanted to establish who was behind the August poison attack and criticized Western […]

» Read more

RIA Novosti: Russian Experts Split On Iranian President’s Statements In New York

UN Building file photo

(RIA Novosti – September 25, 2013) Several Russian experts interviewed by state news agency RIA Novosti have said that they believe that the statements made by Iranian President Hasan Ruhani in New York that his country is ready to start effective talks on the nuclear programme, as well as his recognition of the Holocaust as a historical fact show that […]

» Read more

RIA Novosti: Russia Says Sarin Gas in August 21 Syria Attack Was ‘Homemade’

Syria Map

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, September 26, 2013) ­ Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with a US newspaper published Thursday that homemade sarin nerve agent was used in a chemical weapons attack in Damascus on August 21, an attack that the United States maintains was carried out by the Syrian regime. Lavrov gave an interview to The […]

» Read more

Drawing the Syrian poison

Syria Map

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Yevgeny Shestakov, special to RBTH; Yevgeny Shestakov is Editor of the international politics desk at Rossiyskaya Gazeta. – September 23, 2013) Reporting from last week’s Valdai Club meeting as part of Foreign Minister Lavrov’s press retinue, Yevgeny Shestakov canvasses expert Russian opinion ­ both on and off the record ­ on the nation’s […]

» Read more

Kremlin aide: there may be ‘some pretext’ for war on Assad if chemical arms scrapped

Sergei Ivanov file photo

(Interfax – VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, September 23, 2013) Syria may still be in danger of a military strike from abroad if it fulfills its commitment to scrap all its chemical weapons because there may be “some other pretext” for war, the Kremlin’s top aide said. Sergei Ivanov, president Vladimir Putin’s chief of staff, said in a program on Saturday on Russia’s […]

» Read more

Interfax: West lacks irrefutable evidence of Syrian govt’s role in August 21 chemical attack – top Russian diplomat

Syria Map

(Interfax – MOSCOW, September 24, 2013) Any arguments presented by the West that it was President Bashar al-Assad’s regime that carried out a chemical attack in the suburbs of Damascus on August 21 can be overturned, which is being done today, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said. “Strong objections can be presented in response to all of the arguments […]

» Read more

UN May Permit Force in Syria Only If Obligations Unfulfilled – Moscow

Syria Map

(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, September 24, 2013) ­ The United Nations Security Council may permit armed intervention in Syria only if that government refuses to fulfill obligations, such as removing chemical weapons stockpiles, a senior Russian government official said Tuesday. Washington and Moscow are expected to clash at the UN General Assembly later this week over the terms of a […]

» Read more

Iran Takes Control Of Russian Built Nuclear Plant

Map of Iran with Stylized Radar Sweep and Radiation Symbol Background Image

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – September 24, 2013) With news of a potential meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama and his newly-elected Iranian counterpart President Hassan Rouhani raising hopes that the stalemate over Iran’s nuclear program might finally come to an end, Russia has handed over control of Iran’s single nuclear power plant to domestic specialists. Russia and Iran signed […]

» Read more

Timeline, Assad estimates $1 billion adequate for weapons disposal – Russian expert

File Photo of Bashar al-Assad and Sergei Lavrov

(Interfax – MOSCOW, September 19, 2013) The estimates of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to which the disposal of Syrian chemical weapons would require approximately one year and cost about $1 billion, are fairly accurate, Chairman of the Council on the Foreign and Defense Policy Fyodor Lukyanov said. “It is probably close to the truth. What foreign countries are saying […]

» Read more

Interfax: Moscow to send to UNSC proof that insurgents used chemical weapons in Ghouta – Lavrov

File Photo of Bashar al-Assad and Sergei Lavrov

(Interfax – MOSCOW, September 18, 2013) Russia intends to provide the proof, provided by Damascus, that the opposition used chemical weapons in eastern Ghouta near Damascus, to the UN Security Council. “Of course, we will provide all of this to the UN Security Council,” Russian Foreign Minister told reporters following his speech at the Valdai Discussion Club. This proof has […]

» Read more

RIA Novosti: Pundits Dismiss Russian Trace In UN Report On Chemical Attack In Syria

File Photo of Bashar al-Assad and Sergei Lavrov

(RIA Novosti – September 17, 2013) Armed Syrian opposition could have used parts of Soviet ammunition when preparing the chemical attack in the vicinity of Damascus, editor-in-chief of the Natsionalnaya Oborona (National Defense) magazine Igor Korotchenko told RIA Novosti news agency on 17 September. The UN report confirming the use of chemical weapons in Syria, which was published on 16 […]

» Read more

RIA Novosti: Russian Expert Decodes Information On Shells Found In Syria By UN Inspectors

Syria Map

(RIA Novosti – Valday, Novgorod Region, September 17, 2013) The parts of Soviet-made munitions found by UN inspectors near Damascus belong to projectiles used in multiple-launch missile systems that the Syrian army took out of service long ago and have probably been improvised to carry chemicals, the director of the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, Ruslan Pukhov, has […]

» Read more

Interfax: Moscow discloses expert findings related to use of chemical weapons in Syria

File Photo of Bashar al-Assad and Sergei Lavrov

(Interfax – MOSCOW, September 4, 2013) Moscow hopes that the conclusions of Russian experts concerning the use of chemical weapons in Syria will prompt a more thorough examination of the developments in that country without blaming the government without clear evidence. “We are drawing attention to the massive flow of various reports meant to place the responsibility for the possible […]

» Read more

Only unbiased international experts can establish if chemical weapons were used in Syria – Ryabkov

Syria Map

(Interfax – LOUGH ERNE, June 18, 2013) Only independent and serious expert analysis can establish the truth about the Syrian government’s alleged use of chemical weapons. Empty claims cannot be accepted, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. “We cannot agree with unilateral arguments and empty claims that the Syrian government uses chemical weapons. We need to draw the most […]

» Read more

Tensions on the Korean peninsula bring Russia and China closer

North Korea Map and Flag

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Andrei Ilyashenko, special to RBTH – April 1, 2013) Andrei Ilyashenko is a columnist on the Middle East issues for several Russian media and military magazines. For Moscow and Beijing the consequences of North Korea’s posturing in recent months could turn into a major security issue. North Korean propagandists recently posted a YouTube […]

» Read more

Alexander Vershbow: Our primary concern is that Assad regime could use chemicals weapons

File Photo of Bashar al-Assad and Sergei Lavrov

(Interfax – March 29, 2013) Interview Deputy NATO Secretary General Alexander Vershbow, who is visiting Moscow for an informal conference of former U.S. ambassadors to Russia and Russian ambassador to the United States, has given an interview to Interfax in which he speaks about NATO-Russia cooperation, as well as pressing issues on the international agenda, such as the missile defense […]

» Read more

Russia, U.S. can sign new agreement on WMD instead of Nunn-Lugar program – daily

File Photo of Nuclear Mushroom Cloud

MOSCOW. Feb 4 (Interfax) – The normalization of relations between Russia and the United States may begin with practical cooperation in resisting the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), the daily Kommersant wrote on Monday. The United States would like to return relations with Russia back on track and is thinking about ways this could be done. According to […]

» Read more

Israel Might Strike Iran After U.S. Presidential Elections – Russian Analyst

Map of Iran with Stylized Radar Sweep and Radiation Symbol Background Image

“Israel Might Strike Iran After U.S. Presidential Elections – Russian Analyst” – Interfax-AVN – Sept. 11, 2012 [click here to read original article] Interfax-VN cites Alexei Arbatov, former Duma member and current head of the International Security Center under the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), as suggesting that Israel might launch a war […]

» Read more