The Nautilus Peace and Security Network (NAPSNet) is a non-governmental information network launched by the Nautilus Institute in November 1993. NAPSNet covers the key areas of research and policy work of the Nautilus Institute nodes in San Francisco, Melbourne and Seoul, including Austral security, nuclear deterrence, energy security, climate change adaptation, the DPRK, governance and civil society and the links between these themes and the three regions in which our nodes are found—North America, Northeast Asia, and the Austral-Asia region.
The Weekly Report succinctly presents six items each week that we believe every reader should know about these fields.
Korean Peninsula 1. US Policy towards DPRK DPRK negotiator Jang Chang-chon said that US-DPRK talks at the US Embassy in Malaysia were expected to last until Friday. Jang said, “We will discuss all issues, including our suspension of missile exports and the US launch of our satellites during the missile talks.” A press statement released […]
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Nuclear Weapons 1. US Nuclear Policy TRW, Inc reported the successful test of the first remanufactured production Minuteman III stage 1 solid rocket motor. This motor delivered under the Low Rate Initial Production phase of the US Air Force’s Propulsion Replacement Program (PRP), which allows the Air Force to begin accepting production stage 1 motors […]
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Korean Peninsula 1. US-DPRK Missile Talks A senior administration official said that US President Clinton would want to know “the specifics” of the DPRK’s missile offer before committing to a state visit to the DPRK. The DPRK has indicated that it would expect to be compensated for halting exports to countries such as Iran and […]
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Nuclear Weapons 1. US Nuclear Program Walter Pincus, writing in The Washington Post, reported that Stephen M. Younger, the associate director of Los Alamos National Laboratory and head of its nuclear weapons work, is suggesting that precision-guided conventional explosives could replace nuclear warheads on most, but not all, US strategic missiles. Younger has also recently […]
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Korean Peninsula 1. Albright’s Visit to DPRK US Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright said on October 24 that “important progress” had been made in her talks with DPRK leader Kim Jong-il toward persuading the DPRK to “restrain missile development and testing, as well as missile exports.” Albright said that it is “absolutely essential” for […]
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Nuclear Weapons 1. Russian Fissile Materials After reporting that it may have to close its plant without government help to prop up sagging prices caused partly by the influx of Russian uranium, USEC Inc. said that it is ahead of schedule in completing 20 percent of a deal to buy overpriced uranium derived from dismantled […]
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Korean Peninsula 1. DPRK Missile Program The Russian news agency ITAR-TASS reported that sources in the DPRK has said that North Korea had confirmed its intention not to launch long-range missiles. Leon Sigal said that he believes the DPRK is about to agree a new deal on its missile program that could see aid “compensation” […]
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Missile Defense 1. NMD System Tests The US Defense Department conducted two tests of elements of the proposed National Missile Defense (NMD) system in preparation for another attempt to shoot down a target in space. US Defense Department spokesman Kenneth Bacon said that the next test should be conducted early next year. “US conducts two […]
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Korean Peninsula 1. Kim Dae-Jung Wins Nobel Peace Prize ROK President Kim Dae-jung was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for devoting his administration to reconciliation between the ROK and DPRK. “Kim Dae-Jung Wins Nobel Peace Prize” (Daily Report, October 13, US) 2. DPRK-US Talks US President Bill Clinton met with Jo Myong Rok, first vice […]
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Nuclear Forces 1. US Nuclear Program The Department of Energy’s inspector general reported that deferred maintenance at US weapons plants have delayed reliability tests, repairs of major nuclear weapons, and set back the schedule for disassembling some older warheads. The inspector general estimates the agency will need an additional $5 to $8 billion over 10 […]
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