Nuclear Energy: Broadening the Vision

The nuclear forties and fifties were full of the “Vision Thing” as Americans like to say with some contempt. Nuclear power did not turn out to be that cheap, and nuclear-powered cars and airplanes did not materialise. Today, the criteria on which energy sources are chosen have become more complex. The plain technical feasibility and the direct cost of energy generation remain fundamental - but there is more. Environmental impact is acquiring vital importance. Reliability of operation and assurances of fuel supply are primary factors - and energy independence is yet another. With nuclear energy entering a new era, now is the right time to take a reading, to put things in perspective and to broaden the vista. While keeping in mind what has already been achieved over the last fifty years, there is indeed a need to broaden the vision and to identify some of the issues that will shape the future of nuclear power around the world. Some say that nuclear is not a panacea, but still, it can be a potent contribution to the world’s needs for energy - in a quasi-sustainable frame

Iran's Security Challenges and the Region

This report focuses on Iran, its security, and its role in the region, especially the complex interaction between Iran¿s nuclear intentions and the concerns of regional and outside powers. It was the product of discussions at a colloquium sponsored by the Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination following the visit of U.S. President George Bush to Europe during the spring of 2005 during which it emerged that the US may follow and support the EU3¿s negotiation endeavor with Iran regarding the nuclear issue, up to a certain point. The report evaluates tensions pertaining to Iran, its concerns, the region, and the other powers in three ways (1) assessing the parties¿ respective real minimum and maximum positions, including the respective concerns and critical interests at stake, (2) examining existing programs and projects in light of a possible adaptation to a deteriorating situation, (3) suggesting possible development of completely new initiatives, such as multilateral ownership of nuclear research and energy facilities on Iranian territory, with an eye to the challenge of balancing national pride and certain international security concerns