CND Press Digest: Wednesday 8th February 2023

War In Ukraine/NATO

• Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky has landed in the UK today for a surprise visit, where he will meet UK PM Rishi Sunak and view Ukrainian troops training.
• The UN’s nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi will visit Moscow this week to discuss the creation of a safety zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
• Foreign Affairs has a column on Russian nuclear doctrine - and the difficulties among western officials in deciphering when they may be used.

China

• The Pentagon has told lawmakers that China has more ground-based nuclear missile silos than the US - but many of these are still sitting empty. 

TPNW

• Australia’s foreign minister Penny Wong overruled the concerns of government officials and sent an observer to last year’s 1MSP meeting in Vienna, according to fresh documents.The officials noted that while Australia sending an observer would “attract praise from its [the TPNW] proponents” and “may help to offset criticism … about Australia’s commitment to the international disarmament and non-proliferation regime,” they were worried this “could be misinterpreted as a first step in acceding to the treaty.”

UK Nuclear Energy

• NFLA with comments on Hinkley Point C and efforts by the developers to remove a requirement for a fish deterrent system at the plant.

Nuclear Energy

• Myanmar has opened a nuclear power information center with the help of Russia’s Rosatom. The move is the first step in the country developing a nuclear energy industry.
• The FT with an opinion on the discussion about uranium mining and nuclear power in Australia.

RadWaste

• The Japan Times on France’s need for new locations to store its toxic waste.
• NS Energy with an article on nuclear decommissioning.
• McAlpine has received a £1 billion contract for groundwork and other construction projects at Sellafield.

Iran Nuclear Deal

• The IAEA wants a “reset” in relations with Iran, but Rafael Grossi is concernedthat it may be too late to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. The comments follow a recent rebuke of Iran by the IAEA, for undocumented changes to one of its nuclear facilities. 

CND

• Kate has a new blog post on the CND website about the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Iraq War protests.

Best,

Pádraig McCarrick

Press and Communications Officer

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament