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Posted on 02/05/2004 8:31:17 PM PST by Mossad1967
Edited on 02/09/2004 3:20:18 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
Navy denies two failed missile launches, admits third
February 18, 2004 Posted: 17:31 Moscow time (13:31 GMT)
MOSCOW - Mystery still surrounds the failed launch of two ballistic missiles from the Novomoskovsk submarine yesterday, though the navy confrimed that another missile had self-destructed in mid-air on Wednesday.
After a prolonged silence yesterday the Northern Fleet command said that Tuesday's launches had not been scheduled and the military exercises had gone to plan. Other sources in the navy, however, still insist that the launch was disrupted.
On Wednesday another report of a ballistic missile self-destructing 98 seconds after being launched from the Karelia nuclear submarine was made by the press service of the Russian navy. The launch was also conducted within the framework of major naval exercises currently being held in the Barents Sea. Initially the launch was proceeding normally, but after 98 seconds of flight the missile self-destructed as its instruments started to show that it was loosing trajectory, the press service reported.
Yesterday the Novomoskovsk submarine, taking part in large-scale military exercises in the Russian North, failed to launch an RSM-54 intercontinental ballistic missile that was supposed to hit a target in Kamchatka. The incident occurred as Supreme Commmander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin was observing the war games from the Arkhangelsk nuclear submarine.
Russian news agencies reported the failure, but refuted those same reports hours later, with top military officials denying the glitch took place and claiming the exercises had proceeded as planned. By the end of the day it became clear that the Novomoskovsk submarine was not damaged and its crew were safe and had already returned to their base in Severomorsk.
''The causes and circumstances of the incident are being investigated. The Novomoskovsk has already returned to base,'' a source in the staff of the Northern Fleet told Interfax. According to the source, the incident had not entailed any serious consequences; none of the crew members was injured and the vessel was not damaged.
The military have still not officially confirmed those reports. The press services of the navy, the Northern Fleet, and the Defence Ministry remained unavailable for comment throughout the day. On Tuesday evening the navys chief commander, Vladimir Kuroyedov, told NTV that no actual launches had been planned in the first place, only simulations, and hence, there had been no failures and the exercises went to plan.
However, earlier statements by top military officials refute the simulation theory. In the run-up to the large-scale military exercises currently being held in Russia Deputy Chief of General Staff Yuri Baluyevsky, addressing a news conference in Moscow, explained what exactly the military units and formations involved in the war games would be doing. Baluyevsky, in particular, confirmed that practice launches of ballistic missiles from sea and land would be performed.
Igor Dygalo, aide to the navys chief commander, told ITAR-TASS news agency on Tuesday that two launches of ballistic missiles were to be performed during the exercises. One rocket was to hit the Kura bombing range in Kamchatka, another was to be used as a target for an anti-aircraft and missile complex on board the Pyotr Veliky cruiser.
Furthermore, by offering their own versions of the launch failure to news agencies throughout the day on Tuesday, numerous sources in the Northern Fleet command also cast doubt on the credibility of Kuroyedovs explanation. Those versions suggest that one of the RSM-54 missiles to be fired from the Novomoskovsk, which was supposed to hit a target at the Kura range, disintegrated right after it left the missile shaft.
Later Associated Press, citing its sources, reported that the launch failed after it was blocked by the submarines automatic safety system. Sources in the Northern Fleet command then told Russian news agencies that two launches had been planned but the launches never took place because the launch command was blocked by a satellite.
According to other reports, the captain of the Novomoskovsk, Sergei Rachuk, cancelled the launch at his own initiative after detecting a failure in the subs control system.
Interestingly, in his report on the progress of the maneuvers, presented to Vladimir Putin by Anatoly Kvashnin, the chief of general staff made no mention of the Novomoskovsk incident at all. Kvashnin reported on the successful anti-aircraft operation from Pyotr Veliky, adding vaguely that ''in general, the troops have coped with the set tasks''.
What Putin thinks of the reports from Kvashnin and Kuroyedov and the incident itself remains to be seen. Several hours later Putin returned to Severomorsk from the area where the exercises were held. On Wednesday Putin flew to Plesetsk where Russias Space Forces launched a satellite in his presence.
inconclusive
Musharraf rejects inspection of nuclear sites
Islamabad, Zul-Hijjah 27, 1424 AH, Thursday, February 19, 2004
IslamabadPresident General Pervez Musharraf said that Pakistan would under no circumstances permit foreign inspectors to enter the country and monitor its nuclear weapons or civil nuclear facilities.
This is a very sensitive issue ... Would any other nuclear power allow its sensitive installations to be inspected? Why should Pakistan be expected to allow anybody to inspect? he said in an interview with the Financial Times.
President Musharraf said We are not hiding anything what is the need of any inspection? What for? he said, We will co-operate with any organisation, the International Atomic Energy Agency, or any body. But dont treat us as if we do not know what we are doing.
We are doing everything according to international standards, he said.
Musharraf said Pakistans investigation into A. Q. Khans proliferation ring had not uncovered any evidence that other countries had received nuclear secrets from Pakistan.
To a question President Musharraf denied that nuclear weapons technology had been exchanged for North Korean ballistic missile technology.
Whatever we bought from North Korea is with money, he said.
Gen Musharraf said Pakistan had no intention of freezing its nuclear weapons programme. It was self-sufficient and would not require the import of more material or designs from abroad.
We will never stop our nuclear and missile programme, he said.
That is our vital national interest. It is totally indigenous now. Whatever had to be imported and procured has been obtained.
President Musharraf said Pakistan would not try to match Indias nuclear weapons development but said that in the next few weeks it would test-fire its Shaheen II, a missile with a range of 2,000 km.
We are not interested in competing with India, he said. If they want to reach 5,000 km or have intercontinental ballistic missiles, we are not interested in those. We are only interested in our own defence, he added.
President Musharraf said that A.Q.Khan was a personal hero and a hero to the nation for having provided Pakistan with its nuclear deterrent.
I have been meeting Dr. A.Q.Khan ... I have had dinners with him and I held him in the highest esteem. Who in Pakistan did not hold him in high esteem, he said.
Gen Musharraf said A.Q.Khan and his six associates had acted without official authorisation or knowledge.
He said Pakistans nuclear programme is not under the aegis of the military.
No sir, it [Pakistans nuclear programme] is not, under the aegis of the military. It never was and it is not now, Musharraf said.
We have a [Nuclear National Command Authority with the president as the boss and there are a number of ministers - all the stakeholders - and the military men also. This is not a military body, it is the highest body of the nation.
President Musharraf reiterated that he had heard nothing of A.Q.Khans nuclear smuggling since he became Pakistans military chief in 1998 and its ruler in 1999.
I believe in the army dictum that a commander is responsible for all that happens or does not happen in his command - and to that extent any president is responsible for what happens in the country, he said.
But otherwise, if you are hinting at my direct responsibility, no not at all. I do read in some newspapers some aspersions being cast... it is all nonsense, Musharraf added.
Musharraf explained in detail why it was quite plausible that A.Q.Khan and his accomplices had managed to smuggle nuclear designs past extensive security checks.
It is an unfortunate reality when the boss of an institution himself is involved, he said.
If there was a security problem here (at Gen Musharrafs office) and if myself am involved in the breach, do you think anyone is going to check me? I am free to go anywhere, I can take anything in my car, I can take anything in my briefcase.
President Musharraf said the Pakistan investigators had not, established that A.Q Khan had smuggled anything other than designs for centrifuges.
He said the investigation, which is not yet completed had not so far found that A. Q Khan had transferred designs for nuclear weapons or more bulky material.
What is in a design? he said, It is a piece of paper you put in your pocket, or it sits on the computer. For that matter I would say it is in the mind of the man. You do not have to carry it if you know it yourself.
Musharraf said A.Q Khan has written that he will never be involved in these activities again - proliferation activation - that he regrets all that he has done, that hes not going to get involved in anything of this sort. If he breaches that, certainly the pardon will be revoked.APP
Letter Carriers Agree to Deliver Antibiotics to American Homes in Bioterrorist Attack
In Iran mayhaps?
Also note Quayle has completely done a makeover on his terror predictions! He is only posting headline stories from the news ;)
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