 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Pakistan building powerful nuclear reactor: press
Washington (AFP) Jul 24, 2006 Pakistan is building a powerful new nuclear reactor for producing plutonium, The Washington Post reported Monday, citing independent analysts. "Satellite photos of Pakistan's Khushab nuclear site show what appears to be a partially completed heavy-water reactor capable of producing enough plutonium for 40 to 50 nuclear weapons a year, a 20-fold increase from Pakistan's current capabilities," the Post said on its website, citing a technical assessment by Washington-based nuclear experts. If verified, the move would signal a potential new escalation in the region's arms race, the newspaper said. The construction site is adjacent to Pakistan's only plutonium production reactor, a 50-megawatt unit that began operating in 1998, it said. By contrast, the dimensions of the new reactor suggest a capacity of 1,000 megawatts or more, according to the analysis by the Institute for Science and International Security, it said. Pakistan is believed to have 30 to 50 uranium warheads, "which tend to be heavier and more difficult than plutonium warheads to mount on missiles," the newspaper said. "South Asia may be heading for a nuclear arms race that could lead to arsenals growing into the hundreds of nuclear weapons, or at minimum, vastly expanded stockpiles of military fissile material," the institute's David Albright and Paul Brannan concluded in the technical assessment, a copy of which was provided to The Washington Post, the newspaper said. The assessment's key findings were endorsed by two other independent nuclear experts who reviewed the commercially available satellite images, provided by Digital Globe, and supporting data, it said. In Pakistan, officials would not confirm or deny the report, the Post said, but a senior Pakistani official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that a nuclear expansion was underway. "Pakistan's nuclear program has matured. We're now consolidating the program with further expansions," the official was quoted as saying. The expanded program includes "some civilian nuclear power and some military components," he said. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links
Iran warns UN against tough nuclear resolution
Tehran (AFP) Jul 23, 2006 Iran warned Sunday it would retaliate if the UN Security Council passed a resolution ordering it to stop sensitive nuclear work, but also made a fresh appeal for negotiations "without preconditions". |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
