Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Iran following deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion    Saudi Arabia welcomes Palestinian leadership reforms, appointment of Hussein Al-Sheikh    Ministry of Hajj issued over 150,000 Nusuk cards for the Hajj of 2025    Saudi Arabia deports 12,866 illegal residents in a week    Pope Francis laid to rest at historic funeral in Rome    Massive explosion at Iran's Shahid Rajaee Port injures over 500 people    SFDA clears first 44-ton medical shipment for Hajj pilgrims    Over 13 million worshipers pray at Rawdah Sharif in a year    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



UK set to announce decision on nuclear arsenal
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 30 - 11 - 2006


Britain's government will
announce its decision on Monday on the future of its nuclear
arsenal, officials said on Thursday, and analysts said it would
probably back new or updated submarine-launched missiles, according to Reuters.
The government appears to have ruled out scrapping nuclear
weapons, the defence analysts said.
Britain has submarine-launched Trident nuclear missiles and
buying a completely new system could cost up to 25 billion
pounds ($48 billion).
But there is also the option of using cheaper cruise
missiles or enhancing the current system to extend its life
beyond 2024.
"They seem to have come down to a submarine-launched nuclear
weapon of some sort to replace Trident," said Andrew Brookes,
aerospace specialist at the International Institute for
Strategic Studies thinktank.
Prime Minister Tony Blair's cabinet will hold a special
meeting on nuclear weapons on Monday morning and a policy
document setting out the government's preferred option will be
published later in the day, Blair's spokesman said.
Parliament will debate and vote on the issue early next
year.
A decision to replace the existing Trident nuclear missile
system will prompt a rebellion by some members of Blair's Labour
Party but he is expected to be able to push through the decision
with the backing of the opposition Conservatives.
During its years in the political wilderness in the 1980s,
Labour was committed to unilateral nuclear disarmament.
Former leader Neil Kinnock scrapped the pledge in the late
1980s, but nuclear weapons remain a touchstone issue for some on
the left of the party.
Blair and his likely successor, finance minister Gordon
Brown, favour maintaining Britain's nuclear deterrent and Blair
seems determined to settle the issue of Trident's successor
before he steps down some time next year.
Ministers say decisions must be taken now if Britain is to
replace the current system, consisting of Trident missiles
carried aboard four Vanguard-class nuclear-powered submarines.
Defence analyst Charles Heyman said he was "pretty sure" the
government would opt for a submarine-based option -- rather than
nuclear weapons based on land or dropped from the air.
Heyman said the government could decide to modify the
existing system to prolong its life. But he said service chiefs
were pushing for a new nuclear deterrent because an update would
only last a few years.
Government officials have lined up in recent weeks to warn
that terrorist groups are seeking the know-how to plot nuclear
strikes against Britain and that threat is unlikely to recede,
sources close to the debate said on Thursday.
They say there is also a growing threat from states in
unstable regions -- amid intense competition for natural
resources -- and that these states may by 2024 develop nuclear
technology.
North Korea recently carried out a nuclear test and the West
accuses Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, although
Tehran denies it. Opponents say nuclear weapons are unnecessary
and a waste of money.


Clic here to read the story from its source.