Positive Movement on NK, Many Hurdles Remain (March 19, 2007)
The United States (U.S.) and North Korea (NK) seem to have resolved a dispute over $25 million of frozen funds, a key point that stopped the progress in negotiations to dismantle the NK nuclear weapons program.<More>

Iran Stalemate Intensifies With More Sanctions (March 15, 2007)
So called permanent U.N. powers and Germany, weary of Iran's hardening position on its nuclear program, agreed "in principle" on a new set of sanctions on Tehran for continuing to defy world demands to abandon its enrichment program.<More>

IAEA Cannot Certify Iranian Program "Peaceful" (March 06, 2007)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director Mohammed El Baradei reported that his agency "cannot provide the required assurance about the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program."<More>

India Bans Nuclear Exports to Iran (February 26, 2007)
Ahead of a tough message expected from the so-called permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and responding to Tehran's continue rejection of UNSC demands, India banned export of nuclear material, equipment, and technology to Iran.<More>

U.S. Says Natanz Plan has Khan Links (February 19, 2007)
The U.S. Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says that the Iranian nuclear facility at Natanz has "unexplained ties" with the disgraced Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan's proliferation network.<More>

NK May Back Off Nuclear Brink (February 08, 2007)
After months of insisting that it is a nuclear weapons state and would not give up its new status, Pyongyang seems to walk away from the brink in return for financial aid, energy benefits, and security guarantees.<More>

NK Accuses US of Preemptive Attack Plans (February 06, 2007)
A senior North Korean official accused the US of planning a pre-emptive strike to neutralize the nuclear facilities after reports emerged of a large deployment of stealth fighters by the US in South Korea ostensibly for "training" purposes.<More>

Russia Uranium Pilfered? (January 31 , 2007)
Georgia revealed that its agents posing as Islamic rebels arrested a Russian businessmen trying to sell weapons-grade uranium hidden in his jacket a independent reports quoted US authorities confirming that the uranium was 90% enriched.<More>

US Anti-Proliferation US Law (January 30 , 2007)
The Democrat controlled US Congress passed a new law that will require the US President to take “punitive action” against nations with dubious proliferation records or those that cooperate with those that proliferate.<More>

Lebanon Aid Pledge Mired in Internal Strife (January 29, 2007)
Saudi Arabia and United States got 30 other nations to pledge USD 7.6 billion to shore up a shaky Lebanese government led by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora under siege by Hezbollah-led Shiite population.<More>

Space Arming Realities, Abe Wants Cons Change (January 29, 2007)
With new nuclear weapons state in the neighborhood and testing of anti-satellite missile by China leading to possible arming of space, is compelling Japan to reconsider changing its pacifist Constitution to protect its interests.<More>

NK Nuclear Help to Iran, Indian Help Sought (January 25, 2007)
The Daily Telegraph carried an expose that accused North Korea (NK) of helping Iran with nuclear testing similar to the one it carried out last October by providing Iranian scientists relevant data and know-how.<More>

Iran Bars IAEA Inspectors, US Warns (January 24, 2007)
In an apparent retaliation against UN sanctions imposed last month on its controversial nuclear program, Iran barred 38 UN nuclear inspectors from entering the country and the US upped the ante saying that rapprochement with Iran was “not possible.”<More>

AEC Chairman Guarded on Nuke Deal (January 18, 2007)
In an interview with The Hindu, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was guarded on the Indo-US Civilian Nuclear Deal only to list the concerns that the Indian establishment still hankers but also said that these are issues that can be clarified.<More>

US for More Sanctions on NK (January 17, 2007)
The US complained that the UN committee monitoring sanctions on North Korea (NK) has not adopted US-sponsored and other amendments to October 14 sanctions that would limit transfer of equipment, goods, and technology to the communist regime. <More>

Israel-China Sign New Treaties (January 11, 2007)
Visiting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Chinese Premier Web Jiabao signed three agreements covering cultural exchange, export of Israeli citrus fruit, and sale of water purification technology to China.<More>

Olmert Seeks China’s Help on Iran (January 10, 2007)
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is visiting China and is expected to lobby Beijing to take a tougher stand against Tehran’s controversial nuclear program especially if the recent sanctions on Iran would not influence its behavior.<More>

US Warns NK of N-Tests (January 08, 2007)
The US warned North Korea of "severe consequences" to the diplomatic effort in response to a South Korean legislator’s warning that Pyongyang is now fully prepared to carry out a second nuclear test.<More>

Tehran Defiant on Sanctions (December 28, 2006)
For the first time, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad acknowledged its nuclear weapons program when dismissing the UNSC resolution imposing limited sanctions against Tehran as a “piece of torn paper” meant to “scare Iranians.”<More>

Bush Allays Indian Concerns (December 26, 2006)
US President George Bush called Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to wish him for the season and to also allay fears in India over the civilian cooperation bill and both leaders concluded that these concerns can be addressed in the “1-2-3 Agreement.”<More>

Japan Considering Nuke Deterrent (December 26, 2006)
In a move that has consequences way beyond the region, a Japanese daily Sankei report says that the Japanese government is apparently considering a nuclear warhead as deterrent to North Korean (NK) nuclear weapons program which is being denied by government spokesperson.<More>

Little Progress in US-NK in Direct Talks (December 21, 2006)
The United States and North Korea (NK) made no progress in their first direct meeting after a long time on the sidelines of the six-nation nuclear arms talks in Beijing to discuss US financial restrictions on Pyongyang, a key stumbling block in the arms negotiations.<More>

India to Retain Testing Rights (December 20, 2006)
As US President George Bush signed in the nuclear deal that granted India access to nuclear fuel outside the ambit of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), harsh criticism was heaped in India on restrictions placed on the nation by US policy makers.<More>

No Sanctions Says NK (December 19, 2006)
A defiant Pyongyang declaring itself a nuclear power and threatening to increase its arsenal unless UN sanctions imposed on it since its October 9 nuclear test and remove financial restrictions that prompted the bankrupt nation to break-off the 6 nation dialogue 13 months ago.<More>

Manmohan’s Japan Visit (December 18, 2006)
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Japan where he invited greater investment from Japan under a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and also requested Tokyo’s support for the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).<More>

Qualitative Jump in Indo-US Relations (December 12, 2006)
In a major show of good faith, US policy makers worked into the night to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the amendments to US law that would facilitate Indo-US civilian nuclear cooperation and will be signed into law by US President George Bush.<More>

NK-US for Talks, Japan Sets Terms (November 30, 2006)
North Korea and the US seem to step down from the brink and said they were ready for talks, but Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe asserted that his country will not “allow North Korea to possess nuclear weapons and laid out terms for engagement.<More>

Bush Wants WMD Deals Stopped (November 21, 2006)
Fearing further North Korean (NK) proliferation missiles and nuclear weapons, like the Nodong missile to Pakistan (now being paraded as Ghauri) in return for nuclear weapons technology, the US said that it considered these transfers “a grave threat.”<More>

Huge US Senate Support for Nuke Deal (November 17, 2006)
Handing US President a major victory on a key foreign policy objective and in a major show of bipartisan support, the Senate overwhelmingly endorsed the Indo-US Civilian Nuclear Deal that will allow the US to ship civilian nuclear fuel and technology to India.<More>

Nuke Deal Listed Top Priority (November 15, 2006)
With President George Bush, Republican leaders, and prominent Democrats voicing the importance, the Indo-US Civilian Nuclear Deal may be taken up in a couple of days by the Senate even as supporters and opponents stepped up lobbying to suit their agenda.<More>

Hard Lobbying with NSG (November 14, 2006)
India ’s special representative on the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, Shyam Saran, returned from a visit with Sweden, Norway, and Ireland trying to elicit their support for the deal without India signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).<More>

The Donkey’s Kick (November 10, 2006)
As Democrats routed the Republicans in the US mid-polls and seized both houses of the Congress after 12 years, there is a lot of fear in India that Indo-US relations, specifically the nuclear deal, assiduously built by the Bush Administration may be a casualty.<More>

Hu’s Visit Aimed at Building Trust (November 09, 2006)
Ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to India from November 20-23, both nations are building up the tempo through orchestrated sound-bites focusing on the positives and not referring to the disagreements plaguing bilateral relations.<More>

Improved Thorium Reactor Next Year (November 08, 2006)
The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) said that its work on an improved heavy-water based reactor capable of generating 300 megawatts (MW) using thorium will be available sometime next year. When ready, the design will be adopted by the Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) to generate 700 mw of power.<More>

Russia Demands Time-Bound Iran Sanctions (November 06, 2006)
Providing several “line in/line-out” edits to the draft resolution imposing sanctions on Iran for its nuclear sanctions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the sanctions must include “a time limit” and “mechanisms for ending the sanctions.”<More>

NK Returns to Talks (November 02, 2006)
In a surprising diplomatic breakthrough, China and the US said that North Korea (NK) has agreed to rejoin the 6-nation nuclear disarmament tasks 3 weeks after its first nuclear test and an exchange of bellicose statements exacerbated by confusing news reports.<More>

Russia Disagrees with Iran Draft (October 30, 2006)
While insisting that it wants to “eliminate the risks of sensitive technologies” flowing to Iran, Russia opposed a European draft resolution calling sanctions against Iran because it wanted to maintain “all possible channels of communication.”<More>

Chinese Delegation Clarifies NK Stance (October 26, 2006)
After meeting with North Korean (NK) leader Kim Jong-Il, a Chinese delegation confirmed that he did not plan on a second nuclear test, did not apologize for the test, and is willing to return to negotiations if certain financial concessions were made.<More>

Russia Accuses US for NK Tests (October 24, 2006)
Russia virtually accused the US of pushing North Korea (NK) into a corner and provoked their tests and called for more flexibility from the Bush Administration for the resumption of the 6-party talks.<More>

China Surprises on NK (October 23, 2006)
In a sign of successful visit to Beijing by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the US and China presented a united face by demanding that North Korea (NK) return unconditionally to the 6-party talks.<More>

Pak to Get 6 Chinese Nuclear Plant (October 19, 2006)
Reports indicate ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to Pakistan next month, it has decided to grant 6300 megawatt (MW) nuclear power projects in sites to be chosen by Islamabad and with the approval of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).<More>

Another Test by North Korea? (October 18, 2006)
Even as it saw its closest ally China building walls along the border and inspecting shipments, North Korea (NK) said that the UN sanctions amounted to declaration of war and Japan said another nuclear test is in the offing.<More>