NucNews - December 13, 2005 -------- NUCLEAR Pope appeals for worldwide nuclear disarmament, says war no excuse for human rights abuses 13 Dec 2005 11:52:52 GMT Source: Reuters By Philip Pullella http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L13598987.htm VATICAN CITY, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Pope Benedict said in an annual peace message on Tuesday that countries have a duty to respect international humanitarian law even if they are at war. In the first peace message of his pontificate, he also appealed for worldwide nuclear disarmament and said countries considering acquiring such weapons should "change their course". In the message for the Church's World Day of Peace, celebrated on Jan. 1, he also strongly condemned terrorism but said the world community should look deeper into its political, social, cultural, religious and ideological motivations. In one part of the message, which is sent to heads of state and international organisations, the Pope said war could not be an excuse for disregarding international humanitarian law. "The truth of peace must also let its beneficial light shine even amid the tragedy of war," he said, re-enforcing his stand by quoting from another Vatican document that said "not everything automatically becomes permissible between hostile parties once war has regrettably commenced". The 12-page message, called "In Truth, Peace", he said the Holy See was convinced that international humanitarian law had to be respected "even in the midst of war". The Pope did not name any countries or wars but his words followed widespread controversy over reports of abuse of prisoners by the United States in Iraq and at Guantanamo Bay. The reports have incensed U.S. adversaries and alienated some allies. Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice came under pressure in Europe over reports of secret CIA prisons on the continent. Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Vatican's Justice and Peace department, told reporters at the presentation of the message that the Pope's words applied to all wars. Asked if Iraq was included, he said: "That's correct." TRUTH IN LAW In his message, the Pope called international humanitarian law one of the finest expressions of truth. "Precisely for this reason, respect for that law must be considered binding on all peoples," he said. International humanitarian law "must be brought up to date by precise norms applicable to the changing scenarios of today's armed conflicts and the use of ever newer and more sophisticated weapons", he added. Washington says the Geneva Convention does not apply to foreign captives in its war on terrorism, but human rights activists say it is still bound by the 1984 U.N. Convention against Torture to which it is a signatory. President George W. Bush has said the United States does not practise torture, or send suspects to countries that do. Last week a group of American Roman Catholic peace activists held a march to the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo, Cuba, protesting conditions for terrorism suspects. In another part of the message, the Pope said the possession of nuclear weapons by any country for security was "not only baneful but also completely fallacious" because there would be no winners in a nuclear war. "The truth of peace requires that all -- whether those governments which openly or secretly possess nuclear arms, or those planning to acquire them -- agree to change their course by clear and firm decisions, and strive for a progressive and concerted nuclear disarmament," he said. ---- Pope Benedict XVI calls for nuclear disarmament Dec 13, 2005, 15:14 GMT http://news.monstersandcritics.com/europe/article_1068637.php/Pope_Benedict_XVI_calls_for_nuclear_disarmament Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI has called for a 'progressive and concerted' global nuclear disarmament, dismissing as 'baneful' and 'fallacious' the argument that atomic bombs make countries safer. The appeal is part of the pontiff's traditional January 1 'Message for the World Day of Peace', which the Vatican published on Tuesday. 'In a nuclear war there would be no victors, only victims,' the pope notes in his message. 'The truth of peace requires that all - whether those governments which openly or secretly possess nuclear arms, or those planning to acquire them - agree to change their course by clear and concerted nuclear disarmament.' The pope notes that the money currently spent by governments on nuclear weapons would be much better spent on projects 'capable of benefiting all their people, especially the poor'. In his first such message as leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Joseph Ratzinger echoes many of the views previously exposed by his predecessor, Pope John Paul II. Ratzinger refers to the 'senseless and deadly strategies' of terrorism - often fuelled by 'nihilism' and 'religious fanaticism' - and insists on the central role of the United Nations in promoting peace. He also calls for the need to uphold 'international humanitarian law' in 'today's armed conflicts'. The basic premise behind the underlying theme of his message - 'In truth, peace' - is that peace cannot be achieved if truth is violated or ignored. 'Any authentic search for peace must begin with the realisation that the problem of truth and untruth is... decisive for the peaceful future of our planet',' the pope says. To drive his point home, the 78-year-old pontiff draws on his personal experiences as a youth who grew up in Nazi Germany and then saw his country face off Eastern European Communist regimes. 'We need only think of the events of the past century, when aberrant ideological and political systems wilfully twisted the truth and brought about the exploitation and murder of an appalling number of men and women, wiping out entire families and communities. 'After experiences like these, how can we fail to be seriously concerned about lies in our own time, lies which are the framework for menacing scenarios of death in many parts of the world,' he asked. In his message, Benedict salutes the 'tentative steps forward along the path of peace' seen in the Middle East and lambasts 'those authorities who, rather than making every effort to promote peace, incite their citizens to hostility towards other nations'. Above all, peace is seen as a gift of God, 'an irrepressible yearning present in the heart of each person, regardless of his or her particular cultural identity', he says. The pope points to his choice of name, Benedict, after his April 19 election, as 'a sign of my personal commitment to peace'. 'In taking this name, I wanted to evoke both the Patron Saint of Europe, who inspired a civilisation of peace on the whole continent, and Pope Benedict XV, who condemned the First World War as a 'useless slaughter' and worked for a universal acknowledgement of the lofty demands of peace,' Benedict said in his message. ---- MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE WORLD DAY OF PEACE 1 JANUARY 2006 Posted online December 13, 2005 The Vatican http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20051213_xxxix-world-day-peace_en.html IN TRUTH, PEACE 1. In this traditional Message for the World Day of Peace at the beginning of the New Year, I offer cordial greetings and good wishes to men and women everywhere, especially those who are suffering as a result of violence and armed conflicts. My greeting is one filled with hope for a more serene world, a world in which more and more individuals and communities are committed to the paths of justice and peace. 2. Before all else, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to my Predecessors, the great Popes Paul VI and John Paul II, who were astute promoters of peace. Guided by the spirit of the Beatitudes, they discerned in the many historical events which marked their respective Pontificates the providential intervention of God, who never ceases to be concerned for the future of the human race. As tireless heralds of the Gospel, they constantly invited everyone to make God the starting-point of their efforts on behalf of concord and peace throughout the world. This, my first Message for the World Day of Peace, is meant to follow in the path of their noble teaching; with it, I wish to reiterate the steadfast resolve of the Holy See to continue serving the cause of peace. The very name Benedict, which I chose on the day of my election to the Chair of Peter, is a sign of my personal commitment to peace. In taking this name, I wanted to evoke both the Patron Saint of Europe, who inspired a civilization of peace on the whole continent, and Pope Benedict XV, who condemned the First World War as a ''useless slaughter''(1) and worked for a universal acknowledgment of the lofty demands of peace. 3. The theme chosen for this year's reflection-In truth, peace - expresses the conviction that wherever and whenever men and women are enlightened by the splendour of truth, they naturally set out on the path of peace. The Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, promulgated forty years ago at the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, stated that mankind will not succeed in ''building a truly more human world for everyone, everywhere on earth, unless all people are renewed in spirit and converted to the truth of peace''.(2) But what do those words, ''the truth of peace'', really mean? To respond adequately to this question, we must realize that peace cannot be reduced to the simple absence of armed conflict, but needs to be understood as ''the fruit of an order which has been planted in human society by its divine Founder'', an order ''which must be brought about by humanity in its thirst for ever more perfect justice''.(3) As the result of an order planned and willed by the love of God, peace has an intrinsic and invincible truth of its own, and corresponds ''to an irrepressible yearning and hope dwelling within us''.(4) 4. Seen in this way, peace appears as a heavenly gift and a divine grace which demands at every level the exercise of the highest responsibility: that of conforming human history-in truth, justice, freedom and love-to the divine order. Whenever there is a loss of fidelity to the transcendent order, and a loss of respect for that ''grammar'' of dialogue which is the universal moral law written on human hearts,(5) whenever the integral development of the person and the protection of his fundamental rights are hindered or denied, whenever countless people are forced to endure intolerable injustices and inequalities, how can we hope that the good of peace will be realized? The essential elements which make up the truth of that good are missing. Saint Augustine described peace as tranquillitas ordinis,(6) the tranquillity of order. By this, he meant a situation which ultimately enables the truth about man to be fully respected and realized. 5. Who and what, then, can prevent the coming of peace? Sacred Scripture, in its very first book, Genesis, points to the lie told at the very beginning of history by the animal with a forked tongue, whom the Evangelist John calls ''the father of lies'' (Jn 8:44). Lying is also one of the sins spoken of in the final chapter of the last book of the Bible, Revelation, which bars liars from the heavenly Jerusalem: ''outside are... all who love falsehood'' (22:15). Lying is linked to the tragedy of sin and its perverse consequences, which have had, and continue to have, devastating effects on the lives of individuals and nations. We need but think of the events of the past century, when aberrant ideological and political systems wilfully twisted the truth and brought about the exploitation and murder of an appalling number of men and women, wiping out entire families and communities. After experiences like these, how can we fail to be seriously concerned about lies in our own time, lies which are the framework for menacing scenarios of death in many parts of the world. Any authentic search for peace must begin with the realization that the problem of truth and untruth is the concern of every man and woman; it is decisive for the peaceful future of our planet. 6. Peace is an irrepressible yearning present in the heart of each person, regardless of his or her particular cultural identity. Consequently, everyone should feel committed to service of this great good, and should strive to prevent any form of untruth from poisoning relationships. All people are members of one and the same family. An extreme exaltation of differences clashes with this fundamental truth. We need to regain an awareness that we share a common destiny which is ultimately transcendent, so as to maximize our historical and cultural differences, not in opposition to, but in cooperation with, people belonging to other cultures. These simple truths are what make peace possible; they are easily understood whenever we listen to our own hearts with pure intentions. Peace thus comes to be seen in a new light: not as the mere absence of war, but as a harmonious coexistence of individual citizens within a society governed by justice, one in which the good is also achieved, to the extent possible, for each of them. The truth of peace calls upon everyone to cultivate productive and sincere relationships; it encourages them to seek out and to follow the paths of forgiveness and reconciliation, to be transparent in their dealings with others, and to be faithful to their word. In a particular way, the followers of Christ, recognizing the insidious presence of evil and the need for that liberation brought by the divine Master, look to him with confidence, in the knowledge that ''he committed no sin; no guile was found on his lips'' (1 Pet 2:22; cf. Is 53:9). Jesus defined himself as the Truth in person, and, in addressing the seer of the Book of Revelation, he states his complete aversion to ''every one who loves and practices falsehood'' (Rev 22:15). He has disclosed the full truth about humanity and about human history. The power of his grace makes it possible to live ''in'' and ''by'' truth, since he alone is completely true and faithful. Jesus is the truth which gives us peace. 7. The truth of peace must also let its beneficial light shine even amid the tragedy of war. The Fathers of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, in the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, pointed out that ''not everything automatically becomes permissible between hostile parties once war has regrettably commenced''.(7) As a means of limiting the devastating consequences of war as much as possible, especially for civilians, the international community has created an international humanitarian law. In a variety of situations and in different settings, the Holy See has expressed its support for this humanitarian law, and has called for it to be respected and promptly implemented, out of the conviction that the truth of peace exists even in the midst of war. International humanitarian law ought to be considered as one of the finest and most effective expressions of the intrinsic demands of the truth of peace. Precisely for this reason, respect for that law must be considered binding on all peoples. Its value must be appreciated and its correct application ensured; it must also be brought up to date by precise norms applicable to the changing scenarios of today's armed conflicts and the use of ever newer and more sophisticated weapons. 8. Here I wish to express gratitude to the international organizations and to all those who are daily engaged in the application of international humanitarian law. Nor can I fail to mention the many soldiers engaged in the delicate work of resolving conflicts and restoring the necessary conditions for peace. I wish to remind them of the words of the Second Vatican Council: ''All those who enter the military in service to their country should look upon themselves as guardians of the security and freedom of their fellow-countrymen, and, in carrying out this duty properly, they too contribute to the establishment of peace''.(8) On this demanding front the Catholic Church's military ordinariates carry out their pastoral activity: I encourage both the military Ordinaries and military chaplains to be, in every situation and context, faithful heralds of the truth of peace. 9. Nowadays, the truth of peace continues to be dramatically compromised and rejected by terrorism, whose criminal threats and attacks leave the world in a state of fear and insecurity. My predecessors Paul VI and John Paul II frequently pointed out the awful responsibility borne by terrorists, while at the same time condemning their senseless and deadly strategies. These are often the fruit of a tragic and disturbing nihilism which Pope John Paul II described in these words: ''Those who kill by acts of terrorism actually despair of humanity, of life, of the future. In their view, everything is to be hated and destroyed''.(9) Not only nihilism, but also religious fanaticism, today often labeled fundamentalism, can inspire and encourage terrorist thinking and activity. From the beginning, John Paul II was aware of the explosive danger represented by fanatical fundamentalism, and he condemned it unsparingly, while warning against attempts to impose, rather than to propose for others freely to accept, one's own convictions about the truth. As he wrote: ''To try to impose on others by violent means what we consider to be the truth is an offence against the dignity of the human being, and ultimately an offence against God in whose image he is made''.(10) 10. Looked at closely, nihilism and the fundamentalism of which we are speaking share an erroneous relationship to truth: the nihilist denies the very existence of truth, while the fundamentalist claims to be able to impose it by force. Despite their different origins and cultural backgrounds, both show a dangerous contempt for human beings and human life, and ultimately for God himself. Indeed, this shared tragic outcome results from a distortion of the full truth about God: nihilism denies God's existence and his provident presence in history, while fanatical fundamentalism disfigures his loving and merciful countenance, replacing him with idols made in its own image. In analyzing the causes of the contemporary phenomenon of terrorism, consideration should be given, not only to its political and social causes, but also to its deeper cultural, religious and ideological motivations. 11. In view of the risks which humanity is facing in our time, all Catholics in every part of the world have a duty to proclaim and embody ever more fully the ''Gospel of Peace'', and to show that acknowledgment of the full truth of God is the first, indispensable condition for consolidating the truth of peace. God is Love which saves, a loving Father who wants to see his children look upon one another as brothers and sisters, working responsibly to place their various talents at the service of the common good of the human family. God is the unfailing source of the hope which gives meaning to personal and community life. God, and God alone, brings to fulfilment every work of good and of peace. History has amply demonstrated that declaring war on God in order to eradicate him from human hearts only leads a fearful and impoverished humanity toward decisions which are ultimately futile. This realization must impel believers in Christ to become convincing witnesses of the God who is inseparably truth and love, placing themselves at the service of peace in broad cooperation with other Christians, the followers of other religions and with all men and women of good will. 12. Looking at the present world situation, we can note with satisfaction certain signs of hope in the work of building peace. I think, for example, of the decrease in the number of armed conflicts. Here we are speaking of a few, very tentative steps forward along the path of peace, yet ones which even now are able to hold out a future of greater serenity, particularly for the suffering people of Palestine, the land of Jesus, and for those living in some areas of Africa and Asia, who have waited for years for the positive conclusion of the ongoing processes of pacification and reconciliation. These are reassuring signs which need to be confirmed and consolidated by tireless cooperation and activity, above all on the part of the international community and its agencies charged with preventing conflicts and providing a peaceful solution to those in course. 13. All this must not, however, lead to a naive optimism. It must not be forgotten that, tragically, violent fratricidal conflicts and devastating wars still continue to sow tears and death in vast parts of the world. Situations exist where conflict, hidden like flame beneath ashes, can flare up anew and cause immense destruction. Those authorities who, rather than making every effort to promote peace, incite their citizens to hostility towards other nations, bear a heavy burden of responsibility: in regions particularly at risk, they jeopardize the delicate balance achieved at the cost of patient negotiations and thus help make the future of humanity more uncertain and ominous. What can be said, too, about those governments which count on nuclear arms as a means of ensuring the security of their countries? Along with countless persons of good will, one can state that this point of view is not only baneful but also completely fallacious. In a nuclear war there would be no victors, only victims. The truth of peace requires that all -whether those governments which openly or secretly possess nuclear arms, or those planning to acquire them- agree to change their course by clear and firm decisions, and strive for a progressive and concerted nuclear disarmament. The resources which would be saved could then be employed in projects of development capable of benefiting all their people, especially the poor. 14. In this regard, one can only note with dismay the evidence of a continuing growth in military expenditure and the flourishing arms trade, while the political and juridic process established by the international community for promoting disarmament is bogged down in general indifference. How can there ever be a future of peace when investments are still made in the production of arms and in research aimed at developing new ones? It can only be hoped that the international community will find the wisdom and courage to take up once more, jointly and with renewed conviction, the process of disarmament, and thus concretely ensure the right to peace enjoyed by every individual and every people. By their commitment to safeguarding the good of peace, the various agencies of the international community will regain the authority needed to make their initiatives credible and effective. 15. The first to benefit from a decisive choice for disarmament will be the poor countries, which rightly demand, after having heard so many promises, the concrete implementation of their right to development. That right was solemnly reaffirmed in the recent General Assembly of the United Nations Organization, which this year celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of its foundation. The Catholic Church, while confirming her confidence in this international body, calls for the institutional and operative renewal which would enable it to respond to the changed needs of the present time, characterized by the vast phenomenon of globalization. The United Nations Organization must become a more efficient instrument for promoting the values of justice, solidarity and peace in the world. For her part, the Church, in fidelity to the mission she has received from her Founder, is committed to proclaiming everywhere ''the Gospel of peace''. In the firm conviction that she offers an indispensable service to all those who strive to promote peace, she reminds everyone that, if peace is to be authentic and lasting, it must be built on the bedrock of the truth about God and the truth about man. This truth alone can create a sensitivity to justice and openness to love and solidarity, while encouraging everyone to work for a truly free and harmonious human family. The foundations of authentic peace rest on the truth about God and man. 16. At the conclusion of this Message, I would like to address a particular word to all believers in Christ, inviting them once again to be attentive and generous disciples of the Lord. When we hear the Gospel, dear brothers and sisters, we learn to build peace on the truth of a daily life inspired by the commandment of love. Every community should undertake an extensive process of education and witness aimed at making everyone more aware of the need for a fuller appreciation of the truth of peace. At the same time I ask for an increase of prayers, since peace is above all a gift of God, a gift to be implored incessantly. By God's help, our proclamation and witness to the truth of peace will be all the more convincing and illuminating. With confidence and filial abandonment let us lift up our eyes to Mary, Mother of the Prince of Peace. At the beginning of this New Year, let us ask her to help all God's People, wherever they may be, to work for peace and to be guided by the light of the truth that sets man free (cf. Jn 8:32). Through Mary's intercession, may all mankind grow in esteem for this fundamental good and strive to make it ever more present in our world, and, in this way, to offer a safer and more serene future to generations yet to come. From the Vatican, 8 December 2005. BENEDICTUS PP. XVI (1) Appeal to the Heads of the Warring Peoples (1 August 1917): AAS 9 (1917), 423. (2) No. 77. (3) Ibid., 78. (4) John Paul II, Message for the 2004 World Day of Peace, 9. (5) Cf. John Paul II, Address to the Fiftieth General Assembly of the United Nations (5 October 1995), No. 3. (6) De Civitate Dei, XIX, 13. (7) No. 79. (8) Ibid. (9) Message for the 2002 World Day of Peace, 6. (10) Ibid. -------- canada N.B. port gets first radiation detector in bid to thwart nuclear terror CHRIS MORRIS Tue Dec 13, 2:41 PM ET http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20051213/ca_pr_on_na/ports_radiation_2 FREDERICTON (CP) - Federal officials have installed Canada's first radiation detector at the port of Saint John in New Brunswick in a bid to protect this country against nuclear terrorism. The Canadian Press has learned that while Saint John, N.B., is the first port to get the nuclear detection devices, all major Canadian ports soon will be equipped with the anti-terrorism technology. "It is the first port in Canada to have the equipment up and running," Jennifer Morrison of the Canada Border Services Agency said Tuesday. "It is designed to detect potential shipments of nuclear or radiological materials entering Canada." Morrison said details of the program will be released late next month. The radiation detection program is a key part of Ottawa's $172-million plan to beef up marine security - all stemming from the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. The devices, which have been in use for two weeks in Saint John, detect radiation inside containers. The detector is located on two large concrete columns. The containers are driven through the scanning portal after they have been loaded on trucks. "The port has to be kept up to the same standards as other ports around the world," said Terry Wilson, a spokesman for unionized workers at the Saint John port. "If we don't have these modern devices, we won't be able to compete." However, critics warn it is still not enough protection in an increasingly dangerous world. Douglas Ross, a professor of political science at Simon Fraser University and an expert in the terrorist threat to North America, said the radiation detectors are just a first step and could be quickly outrun by terrorists intent on creating nuclear havoc. "They're going for the first step," Ross said of Ottawa's port security system. "That's better than no step, but they may be one step behind anybody who is seriously interested in trying to smuggle nuclear materials into the United States or Canada." Ross said Canada needs to seriously consider a more expensive, double-barreled protection system, employing not only radiation detection equipment but also X-rays that can reveal mysterious dark spaces inside containers. He said those dark spaces could hide nuclear material that has been shielded from radiation detectors. "They're looking for radiation and if something is really shielded, there will be no radiation and the stuff will get through" Ross said. "You need to X-ray all of the containers as well. If they were doing it simultaneously, using X-rays as well as radiation detectors, then we would be much better shape. But they are not doing the full x-ray of each container as they go through." He said several U.S. ports are already experimenting with more comprehensive detection systems. The United States has had radiation detectors in effect for quite some time at its major ports. "Some are up to 100 per cent screening," said Jarrod Agen, spokesman for Homeland Security in Washington. "Our goal is to have as many ports as we can at 100 per cent screening." Ross said security experts believe it is a matter of when, not if, there is going to a nuclear terrorist attack in North America. He said the threat for Canada is that this country could be used as a kind of nuclear test site for terrorists. He said terrorists may detonate a device in Canada, or some other U.S. ally, to demonstrate their ability and threaten the Americans. "A blackmail strategy is potentially a real risk," Ross said. "We have to take this seriously." He said the advantages for terrorists are clear since the effects of a small yield nuclear blast in a place like Canada would be televised graphically and continuously for weeks and months across U.S. networks. Ross said pressure from American public opinion could push the U.S. administration into conceding to terrorist demands. -------- depleted uranium Serbia Removes Depleted Uranium Left Over from NATO Bombing December 13, 2005 — By Associated Press http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=9442 http://www.serbianna.com/news/2005/02239.html BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro — Serbia's authorities are completing the clean-up of depleted uranium left over from NATO's bombing campaign in 1999, the Environment Ministry said Monday. More than six years after the alliance used depleted uranium shells in its air war against government troops fighting Kosovo Albanian separatists, the clean-up of the radioactive pollutants has been completed at a major site in southern Serbia, the Environment Ministry said. Nuclear experts and clean-up teams removed 3,468 cubic (122,457 cubic feet) of contaminated soil from the Borovac site, 280 kilometers (175 miles) south of Belgrade, where 44 depleted uranium shells exploded. Depleted uranium, a byproduct of radioactive enriched uranium, is used by U.S. and British air forces in armor-piercing weapons. It was heavily used in the Gulf and, to a smaller extent, in the Balkans. Although less radioactive than enriched uranium, depleted uranium is a heavy metal suspected of causing birth defects and cancer if inhaled or ingested, particularly if it enters the food chain or contaminates water. Serbia's authorities have previously cleaned up two similar locations in southern Serbia following recommendations by United Nations experts who had analyzed samples of water and soil from the targeted areas. Two other sites in the area were previously decontaminated, the statement said, adding that one more remains to be cleaned up next year. -------- europe Bulgaria: License for site of “Belene” nuclear plant expected in May 13.12.2005 (bnn) http://www.bgnewsnet.com/story.php?lang=en&sid=21065 SOFIA- The Agency for nuclear regulation is expected to approve the site of the key project for nuclear plant “Belene” in May 2006, the chairman of the regulatory body Sergey Tzochev said Tuesday. To read the whole story, you need to have a valid subscription for the BNN Archive Services. Click the Login button and enter a valid username and password in the respective boxes. -------- india U.S.-India Business Council Announces Twin Initiatives for Civilian Nuclear Sharing 12/13/2005 11:56:00 AM Contact: Andrea Eichman of the U.S.-India Business Council, 202-775-1776 http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=58045 WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The U.S.-India Business Council today announced twin initiatives to promote enactment of legislation needed to implement last July's landmark agreement between President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Mahoman Singh for the transfer of civilian nuclear technology from the U.S. to India. USIBC strongly feels that the fate of the Strategic Partnership between the United States and India, as embodied in the Joint Statement signed by President Bush and Prime Minister Singh on July 18, 2005, is key to the overall U.S.-India relationship, including their joint opposition to weapons of mass destruction. Patton Boggs has been selected to provide USIBC lobbying support to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (AEA). At present, the AEA would bar the transfer. Patton Boggs' objective will be to help ensure enactment of legislation needed to permit the U.S. to pursue full-scale civilian nuclear cooperation with India, recognizing that India is a secular and stable democracy that has earned trust on non- proliferation. U.S. Chamber will host Coalition for Partnership with India. To complement USIBC's advocacy effort on Capitol Hill, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, comprised of 3 million American companies, has agreed to host the Coalition for Partnership with India (CPI). The CPI will serve as the convener and umbrella organization to coordinate the efforts of parties which strongly support a positive outcome of civilian nuclear technology transfer legislation. Lt. General Daniel Christman, Senior Vice President, International Division for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has agreed to chair the Coalition for Partnership with India. The administration of the Coalition for Partnership with India will be supported by Vickery International and The Lichfield Group. Planning meetings are underway. The CPI will commence operations with all its trappings in January when Congress returns from recess. This initiative will advance historic legislation featuring reciprocal economic, diplomatic, strategic and military benefits for the United States and India while fortifying nuclear non- proliferation objectives -- an irresistible win-win opportunity. U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/ -------- russia No plans to shut Mayak nuclear processing plant - Kiriyenko 13:53 | 13/ 12/ 2005 (RIA Novosti) http://en.rian.ru/russia/20051213/42468928.html YEKATERINBURG, December 13 - There are no plans to shut down Russia's biggest nuclear-fuel processing plant, but a government commission will be set up to deal with violations of environmental regulations, Russia's top nuclear power official said Tuesday Sergei Kiriyenko, the head of the Federal Agency for Nuclear Power, was visiting the Chelyabinsk Region, where the Mayak plant is based, and met with Governor Pyotr Sumin. "We need to find a golden mean here, specifically ensuring Mayak's further development and implementing urgent measures to prevent new environmental problems," a spokesman for the governor quoted as Kiriyenko saying. The agency head added that the plant was vital for the country's economic development. A criminal investigation was launched against Mayak in April after breaches of environmental protection regulations were identified during an inspection that revealed that the plant was allegedly releasing more then 10 million cubic meters of radioactive waste into the Techa River every year. Radiation levels in the water have since risen and threaten not only the Chelyabinsk Region, but also the neighboring Kurgansk Region. However, Kiriyenko said it would be incorrect to accuse Mayak of discharging radioactive waste into the river today, but underscored the serious nature of problems that had been developing for decades. He said a "systemic solution" was needed, though he added that contemporary science could not yet offer one. "Nevertheless," he said, "the key objective to ensure that no new harm whatsoever is inflicted on the environment, so we are ready to take urgent security measures." He said the problems dated back to a major accident in 1957, and continued that international experts would have to be brought into the search for solutions, as no one had ever faced anything on the scale before. "It is obvious today that this is not a regional problem, nor one confined to the industry, but a state-level problem," the agency head said. ---- Russians protest against importing Chernobyl metal MOSCOW (AFP) Dec 13, 2005 http://www.spacewar.com/2005/051213150935.w8zb5ua3.html A small group of protesters staged a demonstration Tuesday in Moscow against importing scrap metal from Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear plant, the site of the world's worst civilian nuclear accident in 1986. Some 20 demonstrators in central Moscow alleged that the scrap metal was "radioactive", and would be used to make pipes and construction material, according to the organizers. "We do not want our country turned into a radioactive dump," said Alexei Nezhivoy, a representative of the young communist organization SKM, who organized the protest. In 2004 alone nearly 2.4 million tons of Ukrainian piping, building frames and girders "were imported into Russian territory", he added, without stating how much was allegedly radioactive. Environmentalists such as Greens party chief, Alexey Yablokov, refused to join the protest against suspected radioactive material. "The problem exists but without precise information, the topic could be exploited," Yablokov told AFP. Earlier this year, the public company in charge of the Chernobyl site said part of the plant would be cut up and scrap metal sold to help pay for reinforcing the sarcophagus of the damaged reactor. The metal for sale was tested by the authorities for levels of radiation and was found to be "clean", the company said. The protesters also criticized Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko's proposal last week to study the possibility of storing foreign nuclear waste at the Chernobyl site. Chernobyl's number-four reactor, in what was then the Soviet Union and is now Ukraine, exploded on April 26, 1986, sending a radioactive cloud across Europe. Following the disaster, a concrete sarcophagus was built over the stricken reactor and a new 20,000-tonne steel case to cover the whole plant is planned on being constructed in 2008 and 2009. The power station has been shut down since December 2000. -------- ukraine Ukraine lawmakers vote to increase benefits to Chernobyl victims KIEV (AFP) Dec 13, 2005 http://www.spacewar.com/2005/051213171925.d6ugvejb.html Ukraine's lawmakers on Tuesday passed in first reading two bills that increase benefits for the worst-hit victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the power plant's closure. The measures, which have to pass two more readings and be signed by President Viktor Yushchenko to enter into force, provide large discounts on the public utility bills of those worst hit by the 1986 accident. Included are people who lived closest to the nuclear power plant when one of its reactors exploded in 1986, those who participated in containment operations and family members. The bills also increase the amount of pensions to those disabled by the disaster and rescue workers. Chernobyl's number-four reactor, in what was then the Soviet Union and is now Ukraine, exploded on April 26, 1986, sending a radioactive cloud across Europe and becoming the world's worst civilian nuclear disaster. Following the accident, a concrete sarcophagus was built over the stricken reactor and a new 20,000-tonne steel case to cover the whole plant is planned on being constructed between 2008 and 2009. The power station was eventually shut down on December 15, 2000. -------- u.n. Mohamed ElBaradei's Nobel Message December 13, 2005, New York Times Editorial http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/13/opinion/13tue3.html?pagewanted=print Mohamed ElBaradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, infuriated the Bush administration a few years ago by challenging its baseless claims that Iraq was preparing to resume nuclear weapons work. It turns out that Dr. ElBaradei can also be usefully outspoken about real nuclear dangers. In his speech accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo last Saturday, Dr. ElBaradei spoke of the need to give his agency new tools to deal with countries, like Iran, that exploit their legal right to experiment with civilian nuclear technologies to master all the steps necessary to build nuclear bombs. But he also stressed the importance of global nonproliferation efforts, including the need for the established nuclear powers to make sharper reductions in their cold war arsenals. He noted that there were still about 27,000 nuclear warheads lying around, many of them on hair-trigger alert. An overwhelming majority are located in Russia or the United States. Americans have wrongly come to view nonproliferation as involving only countries like Iran and North Korea. Eliminating those countries' programs is essential. But to look only at rogues, as the Bush administration prefers, is a serious mistake. The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty is built around a grand bargain. The countries that do not have nuclear weapons agreed not to acquire them. And the five nuclear-armed treaty signatories - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France - agreed to start getting rid of theirs. Washington and Moscow have agreed to further cuts, but the treaty embodying this agreement contains no specific timetable, no serious verification system and no assurance that any reductions will be permanent. The excess nuclear warheads increase the risk of an accidental launching, particularly by Russia, whose aging command-and-control systems grow less reliable every year. If this large number of warheads is poorly secured (again, a real risk in Russia), rogue states or terrorists may find it easier to get their hands on fissile material. And the credibility of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty is undermined. By defaulting on its commitment to nuclear arms reduction and winking at nuclear-armed allies, like India, Pakistan and Israel, that remain outside the nonproliferation treaty, Washington makes it harder to build an international consensus against programs like Iran's and to discourage other countries from following Tehran's dangerous example. -------- MILITARY -------- prisoners of war CIA Prisons Moved To North Africa? PARIS (CBS/AP) Dec. 13, 2005 http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/13/world/main1121577.shtml?cmp=EM8706 A Swiss investigator probing claims of secret CIA prisons in Europe said his committee has evidence that supports allegations that prisoners were transferred between countries and temporarily held "without any judicial involvement." "Legal proceedings in progress in certain countries seemed to indicate that individuals had been abducted and transferred to other countries without respect for any legal standards," lawmaker Dick Marty said in a written report summarizing his investigations so far. Marty told a news conference he believed the United States was no longer holding prisoners clandestinely in Europe and he believed they were moved to North Africa in early November, when reports about secret U.S. prisons first emerged in The Washington Post. He did not provide any other details. He presented his findings in Paris to a committee of the 46-nation Council of Europe, a human rights watchdog. The council says it will continue its investigation and is urging all member governments to do likewise, reports CBS News correspondent Elaine Cobbe. The council includes both EU and eastern European countries, including Poland and Romania, where it's alleged the CIA has secret prisons. Marty added that "information gathered to date reinforced the credibility of the allegations concerning the transfer and temporary detention of individuals, without any judicial involvement, in European countries." He is investigating the CIA's reported transfers of prisoners through European airports to secret detention centers, actions that would breach the continent's human rights principles. "Based on what I have been able to learn, currently there are no secret detainees held by the United States in Europe," Marty told a news conference in Paris, adding that he believed prisoners had been taken to Morocco. Marty, in his report, added it is "still too early to assert that there had been any involvement or complicity of member states in illegal actions." He was critical of the United States for not formally denying the allegations. He said he "deplores the fact that no information or explanations" were provided by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who faced repeated questions about the CIA prison allegations on her recent visit to Europe. Rice has said the United States acts within the law and argued that Europeans are safer because of tough U.S. tactics, but she refused to discuss intelligence operations or address questions about clandestine CIA detention centers. Marty has requested air traffic log books to try to determine flight patterns of several dozen suspect CIA airplanes. He has also requested satellite images of the Sczytno-Szymany airport in northeastern Poland and the Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in eastern Romania, after they were identified by Human Rights Watch as possible sites of clandestine CIA detention centers. European officials say such prisons would violate the continent's human rights principles. After hearing Marty's presentation, Tony Lloyd, a member of the Council of Europe committee, said: "The really difficult thing is the idea is that there is a kind of legal black hole in the middle of Europe." -------- us Congress Expects Up to $100B Wartime Request By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer Tue Dec 13, 6:06 PM ET http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051213/ap_on_go_co/iraq_war_costs WASHINGTON - The Pentagon is in the early stages of drafting a wartime request for up to $100 billion more for Iraq and Afghanistan, lawmakers say, a figure that would push spending related to the wars toward a staggering half-trillion dollars. Reps. Bill Young, R-Fla., the chairman of the House appropriations defense panel, and John Murtha, D-Pa., the senior Democrat on that subcommittee, say the military has informally told them it wants $80 billion to $100 billion in a war-spending package that the White House is expected to send Congress next year. That would be in addition to $50 billion Congress is about to give the Pentagon before lawmakers adjourn for the year for operations in Iraq for the beginning of 2006. Military commanders expect that pot to last through May. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Congress has approved more than $300 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan, including military operations, reconstruction, embassy security and foreign aid, as well as other costs related to the war on terrorism, according to the Congressional Research Service, which writes reports for Congress. Asked about the upcoming spending package, Young offered the $80 billion to $100 billion range. "That's what I'm told," he said. Murtha mentioned the $100 billion figure last week to reporters, saying "Twenty years it's going to take to settle this thing. The American people are not going to put up with it, can't afford it." The service branches recently presented their individual requests for future funding to top Pentagon officials. "They were very ambitious," said Loren Thompson, a military analyst with the Lexington Institute, a Washington-based think tank, who has close ties to the Pentagon. The Pentagon still must write a final proposal and the White House still has to sign off on the plan before including it in the budget President Bush will send Congress in February. That means the request ultimately could differ from what lawmakers, congressional aides and military analysts are told the services are seeking. A Pentagon spokeswoman, Marine Lt. Col. Rose-Ann Lynch, said Tuesday that no decisions have been made regarding the next war-funding package, and that department officials will work with the service branches and combatant commands to assess needs based on conditions on the ground. The administration long has contended that it can't put a price tag on future costs because of the unpredictable nature of war. Critics, mostly Democrats, have accused Bush of delaying his war spending requests for as long as possible to keep budget deficit projections looking smaller. Such a large funding request — coming during a congressional election year — would present Republicans in the House and Senate with a high-stakes political predicament. On one hand, GOP leaders could choose to sign off on the enormous amount of money — and anger fiscally conservative base voters who elected them to rein in government spending. Or, they could slice the Pentagon's request and leave themselves vulnerable to criticism that they are failing to support troops during wartime. Thompson said $100 billion would not be surprising, given that bills containing war spending often escape close scrutiny and have turned into Christmas trees for the Pentagon's pet projects. "The military hangs every wish, and every lost cause, onto the tree in hopes of getting it approved," Thompson said. Analysts say they expect the services to seek a large chunk of money to replace equipment severely battered in Iraq. And, they say, even if large numbers of U.S. troops start returning home, as some administration officials have hinted, a lot of money still would be needed to relocate personnel and equipment. Steven Kosiak, an analyst at the private Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, called the figures cited by lawmakers extraordinary but not inconceivable. "The number is so high," he said, "that it suggests that there's a significant amount of money in there for costs not directly related to the cost of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan." -------- POLICE / PRISONERS / COURTS / JUSTICE -------- death penalty California Executes Stanley Tookie Williams Tuesday, December 13th, 2005 Headlines Democracy Now! http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/12/13/1524248 In California Stanley Tookie Williams has died after being executed by lethal injection early this morning by the state of California. He was 51 years old. On Monday California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger refused to spare his life and grant him clemency. Williams was a co-founder the Crips street gang. He was jailed after being convicted of four murders in 1979. He later became an advocate against gang violence and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Early this morning over 2,000 people gathered outside San Quentin Prison to protest his execution including the Rev. Jesse Jackson. * Rev. Jesse Jackson: "I am obviously very disappointed that the governor has missed a moment to choose life over death, has missed a moment to choose redemption over revenge." ---- Crips gang co-founder executed in Calif. 12/13/2005 SAN QUENTIN, Calif. (AP) http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-12-12-williams_x.htm Convicted killer Stanley Tookie Williams, the Crips gang co-founder whose case stirred a national debate about capital punishment vs. the possibility of redemption, was executed early Tuesday. -------- justice New law will create domestic intelligence chief By Shaun Waterman UPI Homeland and National Security Editor Published December 13, 2005 http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20051213-113850-6577r WASHINGTON -- The law renewing the USA PATRIOT Act will create a new official in the Justice Department responsible for domestic intelligence-gathering. Section 506 of the law, which is currently before Congress, establishes a National Security Division within the Department of Justice, to be headed by an Assistant Attorney General for National Security. The section implements a recommendation by the president's commission on intelligence that the Justice Department's "primary national security elements -- the Office of Intelligence Policy and Review, and the Counterterrorism and Counterespionage sections" be rolled into a single office, under the command of a new assistant attorney general. The new assistant attorney general will be nominated by the president after consultation with the director of national intelligence. The post-holder will be subject to confirmation by the judiciary committee and will report to the attorney general. An earlier version of the post, created by the still-pending Intelligence Authorization bill for 2006, gave the director of national intelligence an effective veto over the nomination; gave the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence the right to confirm the post-holder; and made him answerable both to the attorney general and the director of national intelligence. -------- POLITICS -------- investigations Fitzgerald was long suspicious Rove had hidden evidence; Not swayed by last minute testimony, lawyers say Jason Leopold and Larisa Alexandrovna, December 13, 2005 http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Fitzgerald_seen_to_press_for_Rove_1213.html A few weeks after he took over the investigation into the leak of covert CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson in early 2004, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald had already become suspicious that Karl Rove and Vice President Cheney’s then-chief of staff I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby were hindering his investigation. In late January 2004, Fitzgerald sent a letter to his boss, then acting Attorney General James Comey, seeking confirmation that he had the authority to investigate and prosecute individuals for additional crimes, including obstruction of justice, perjury, and destroying evidence. The leak investigation had been centered up to that point on an obscure law making it a felony for any government official to knowingly disclose the identity of an undercover CIA officer. Comey responded to Fitzgerald in writing Feb. 6, 2004, confirming that Fitzgerald had the authority to prosecute those crimes, including “perjury, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence, and intimidation of witnesses.” Fitzgerald was concerned that Rove had hidden or destroyed evidence, lawyers close to the case tell RAW STORY. His suspicions may have been right: an email he sent to then Deputy National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley in early July 2003 later proved Rove had spoken to Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper about Plame—a fact that Rove omitted when he was first interviewed by the FBI. Whether or not Fitzgerald knew in late January or early February 2004 about the existence of the email Rove sent to Hadley remains unknown. The email did not show up during a search ordered by then-White House counsel Alberto Gonzales in 2003. Gonzales enjoined all White House staff to turn over any communication about Valerie Plame Wilson and her husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, a vocal critic of the Iraq war who accused the Bush administration of twisting prewar Iraq intelligence. Gonzales’ request came 12 hours after senior White House officials had been told of the pending investigation. Hadley did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Calls placed to the National Security Council were dropped by press office aides. According to those familiar with the case and earlier reporting by RAW STORY, Fitzgerald had already obtained the cooperation of a key witness, former Deputy National Security Adviser for Vice President Dick Cheney, John Hannah. In February 2004, Hannah agreed to cooperate with Fitzgerald when the special prosecutor uncovered evidence tying Hannah to the leak and threatened to indict him, the sources said. Hannah gave Fitzgerald the names of some White House officials who knew about Plame Wilson and disseminated her CIA status to reporters and other White House officials, the laywers said. One of the officials Hannah appears to have implicated was Rove, they added. Cheney promoted Hannah to be his assistant national security adviser following Libby’s indictment. Fitzgerald still looking to indict Rove Short of a last minute intervention by Rove’s attorney, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald is expected to ask a grand jury investigating the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson to indict Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove for making false statements to the FBI and Justice Department investigators in October 2003, lawyers close to the case say. Rove failed to tell investigators at the time that he had spoken about Plame to Time Magazine reporter Matthew Cooper and conservative columnist Robert Novak, both of whom later cooperated in the case. Novak outed Plame in a July 14, 2003 column. The Chicago prosecutor briefed the second grand jury investigating the outing last week for more than three hours. During that time, he brought them up to speed on the latest developments involving Rove and at least one other White House official, the sources said. The attorneys refused to identify the second person. As of Monday, neither Rove nor his attorney Robert Luskin has explained Rove’s misstatements to Fitzgerald’s satisfaction, those familiar with the case said. Eleventh-hour testimony from Time Magazine reporter Viveca Novak—who Rove’s attorney Robert Luskin fingered as a crucial witness in keeping his client out of court—does not appear to have been helpful in dodging an indictment, they added. A woman who answered the phone at Patton Boggs, the law firm where Luskin is a partner, said Luskin would not answer specific questions about the probe. Rove is also under scrutiny for allegedly telling his assistant not to log a phone call from Cooper, the sources said. Rove’s assistant, Susan Ralston, provided Fitzgerald with information last month in which she alleged that Rove told her not to log a call from Cooper that was transferred to Rove’s office from the White House switchboard, sources close to the case said. The lawyers added that Luskin and Rove have an explanation for that as well, but declined to elaborate. Rove’s case hangs on February 2004 Over the past few weeks, the time frame when Fitzgerald became increasingly suspicious—specifically February 2004—has become crucial for Rove. He testified before Fitzgerald’s grand jury that month without revealing he had been a source for Cooper and Novak, saying only that he had shared information about Plame Wilson with other journalists—including Chris Matthews, the host of MSNBC’s Hardball—after her name had appeared in Novak’s column. In a bid to keep Rove out of Fitzgerald’s crosshairs, Luskin recently told Fitzgerald that he had a conversation with Time Magazine reporter Viveca Novak in February 2004 where she inadvertently revealed that Rove had been a source for her colleague Matt Cooper. Luskin said this prompted an exhaustive search for the Hadley email which was promptly turned over to Fitzgerald and led Rove to change his testimony. Luskin testified Dec. 2 that the Novak meeting took place in late January or early February 2004, the very month in which Fitzgerald had sought the authority to prosecute officials if they were found to have hindered his investigation into the leak. Novak, however, testified that she met Luskin in either March or May 2004, those close to the case said. This discrepancy is at the crux of what Fitzgerald is investigating. Rove didn't reveal to the grand jury that he had spoken with Cooper until Oct. 15, 2004. Luskin has said that Rove did not intentionally withhold information from Fitzgerald or the grand jury about his conversation with Cooper. Rather, he says Rove had simply forgotten about it, and Luskin’s meeting with Novak had jogged his memory. Before Novak testified in a sworn deposition last week, Rove faced the prospect of being indicted on numerous counts, including obstruction of justice, perjury and making false statements for failing to disclose conversations he had with reporters about Plame Wilson, sources close to the case said. Several reporters close to Novak said they believe Luskin’s decision to draw her into the case was made to keep Rove’s indictment from being handed up on the day Libby was charged. Rove could be indicted on those counts if Fitzgerald determines that Novak’s testimony did not go far enough in clearing up questions about why Rove did not tell investigators about his conversations with other reporters. Her testimony may, however, shield Rove from more serious charges, attorneys close to the case said. Novak (who is not related to the conservative columnist Robert Novak, the journalist who first published Plame Wilson’s name and CIA status,) is the latest in a lengthy list of longtime Washington, D.C. reporters who have become embroiled in the leak investigation, and the third to have withheld crucial information from editors about her involvement while still reporting on the story. In a first-person account Novak posted on Time magazine’s website Sunday about her role in the case, she said she had met with Luskin, Rove’s attorney, for drinks in October 2003. Luskin asked Novak what she was working on for Time and Novak said the Plame Wilson leak. “Well you’re sitting next to Karl Rove’s attorney,” Luskin said to her, according to Novak’s account. The two began spending more time together and during the course of several meetings during the first half of 2004, either in March or May, Novak wrote, Luskin had told her that Rove had not been a source for Matt Cooper, Novak’s Time colleague, who had been the second reporter to write about Plame Wilson on July 17, 2003. Novak said she inadvertently tipped Luskin off to the fact that Cooper's source was Rove. She said she sensed she was being spun by Luskin and her knee-jerk response led to her divulging information that could be used to help Rove escape serious charges. Following his meeting with Novak, Luskin told Rove that Novak said he was Cooper’s source. Luskin and Rove then did an exhaustive search through White House phone logs and emails to find any evidence that Rove spoke with Cooper. An email Rove sent to then-Deputy National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley just minutes after his conversation with Cooper in July 2003 turned up, and Luskin said he immediately turned it over to Fitzgerald. Still, it’s unclear why that email wasn't found when White House counsel Alberto Gonzales ordered all White House staff in October 2003 to turn over emails and other documentary evidence that showed officials spoke with journalists. Moreover, it’s not known why Rove did not change his grand jury testimony to reflect that he had been Cooper’s source until October 2004, some six or eight months after Novak’s meeting with Luskin. -------- OTHER -------- environment New EU chemical rules don't go far enough: Sweden Dec 13, 2005 STOCKHOLM (AFP) http://www.terradaily.com/2005/051213161653.w1pntaic.html A controversial new set of European Union rules regulating the use of chemicals across the continent do not go far enough to safeguard health or the environment, Swedish Environment Minister Lena Sommestad said on Tuesday. "We would have liked to go further," Sommestad was quoted by Swedish news agency TT as saying after the EU-wide agreement was reached on Tuesday. The EU's plan is to set up a system for the registration, evaluation and authorization of chemicals (REACH) under which companies have to register all chemicals used and provide information about them and potential hazards. The agreement to tighten the existing regulatory framework has been opposed by lobby groups within the chemicals industry, while ecologists and health campaigners have criticized the agreement for not doing enough to address threats to the environment and human health. Sommestad on Tuesday said she was unhappy that the agreement would require the full testing of only between 3,000 and 4,000 of the approximately 20,000 chemicals produced in Europe in volumes of less than 10 tonnes. "Sweden would have wanted thorough tests of all chemicals, through complete test programs," she said, insisting that the "exceptions weaken REACH as an all-inclusive program". Sommestad also voiced concern that Sweden, which already goes further than REACH in a number of areas, will be forced to scale back its existing chemical regulations. "We would have wanted it to be clear that one can maintain higher levels of protection within work environment rules," she said. The new regulations, which have been under discussion for more than two years, are expected to become law and enter into force by the first half of 2007, with operational requirements scheduled to start from 2008 onwards.