Nuclear developments in North Korea, India and Iran

NORTH KOREA: A top U.S. envoy plans to travel to the secretive communist nation this week, seeking to salvage a faltering accord to end Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programs, sources said. North Korea said last week that it plans to begin reprocessing spent fuel rods into the raw material needed for weapons. Its leaders are furious that President Bush has not removed their country from a U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. In June, North Korea blew up a nuclear reactor cooling tower to signal its commitment to ending its weapons programs. But it has rejected U.S. proposals for verifying other matters.

INDIA: The U.S. House voted overwhelmingly to allow the U.S. to provide nuclear materials to India. The deal, which faces obstacles in the Senate, would reverse three decades of U.S. policy. India would get atomic fuel in return for allowing international inspections of its civilian reactors. Military reactors would not be examined. Supporters say the deal would bring India's atomic program under closer scrutiny. Critics say it would spark an arms race in South Asia and send the wrong message to countries – such as Iran – that are pursuing atomic programs. India has refused to sign pledges not to pursue nuclear weapons.

IRAN: The U.N. Security Council unanimously reaffirmed previous sanctions on Iran for refusing to halt its uranium enrichment program. The council introduced no new sanctions. Iran said it remained determined to pursue "peaceful uses of nuclear technology."

(Source: Dallas News)