Recent and upcoming nonproliferation activities, events, and announcements involving the CNS center, staff, and programs.

Updated: Jan 12, 2011

Nuclear Islands:
International Leasing of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Sites To Provide Enduring Assurance of Peaceful Use

A presentation by

Christopher Paine and Thomas Cochran, Director and Senior Scientist, Nuclear Program, Natural Resources Defense Council

With commentary by

Lawrence Scheinman, Distinguished Professor, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies

and

Sharon Squassoni, Director and Senior Fellow, Proliferation Prevention Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Current International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards do not provide adequate protection against the diversion to military use of materials or technology from certain types of sensitive nuclear fuel cycle facilities. In view of highly enriched uranium's relatively greater ease of use as a nuclear explosive material than plutonium and the significant diseconomies of commercial spent fuel reprocessing, this presentation focuses on the need for improved international controls over uranium enrichment facilities as the proximate justification for creation of an International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Association (INFCA). In principle, the proposal is equally applicable to alleviating the proliferation concerns provoked by nuclear fuel reprocessing plants and other sensitive nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The INFCA would provide significantly increased nonproliferation assurance to its member states and the wider international community by holding long-term leasehold contracts to operate secure restricted zones containing such sensitive nuclear facilities.

Thursday, November 18, 2010
9:00 am - 11:00 am
The George Washington University
Elliott School of International Affairs
Lindner Family Commons
Sixth Floor
1957 E Street NW, Washington, DC

Chris Paine

Tom Cochran