Center for a New American Security

Reuters Iran bureau @ReutersIran: “Iran talks with world powers hit snag over sanctions reut.rs/Jt8ztA.”

Reuters reports on the international negotiations in Baghdad between Western and Iranian officials over Iran’s nuclear program. According to the report, negotiations appeared to be hindered by Western sanctions against Iranian oil exports. “Iran had served notice that it wanted immediate relief from economic sanctions as part of any deal to stop higher-grade uranium enrichment, a pathway to nuclear arms, whereas Western powers insisted Tehran must first shut it down,” the report says.

Sara Sorcher of the National Journal @SaraSorcherNJ: “Law of the Sea Treaty (#LOST) likely subject of another lame-duck fight: nationaljournal.com/member/congres…”

The National Journal reports on Wednesday’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the national security case for ratifying the Law of the Sea Convention. Senator John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that he would hold off on a vote until after the November elections, suggesting that Congress could have a heated debate on the treaty during the lame-duck session. 

Andrew North of the BBC @NorthAndrew: “Another step towards trans-Afghan pipeline, India+Pakistan to sign gas deal w/Turkmenistan online.wsj.com/article/SB1000…”

The Wall Street Journal reports that on Wednesday Turkmenistan agreed to supply natural gas to both Pakistan and India, a necessary step toward realizing the trans-Afghan pipeline that has been twenty years in the making. Instability in Afghanistan and billions of dollars in investments are the two major roadblocks facing pipeline construction through Afghanistan.

The Wall Street Journal’s China Real Time blog @ChinaRealTime: “Filipino nationalists risk inflating tensions with China in the South China Sea: blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/…”

The Wall Street Journal’s China Real Time blog reports that Filipino nationalists have suggested they may take matters into their own hands to settle a dispute between Chinese and Philippine maritime vessels at the disputed Scarborough Shoal, approximately 120-nautical miles off the coast of Luzon island.

Wired Magazine’s Danger Room blog @dangerroom: “Fred Kaplan and Andrew Holland on the battle over military biofuels. Good stuff. Read 'em both.slate.com/articles/news_…americansecurityproject.org/blog/2012/hous…”

Wired Magazine’s Danger Room blog links to two reports that outline the security rationale for the military’s investments in clean alternative energy.