Daily Telegraph Based on WikiLeaks

choi

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Lateset news first. Four total. Plus two diplomatic cables in CHRONOLOGOCAL order.

(1) Heidi Blake, WikiLeaks cables: Zardari is a numbskull, British told Americans. Telegraph, Feb 5, 2011.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8304635/WikiLeaks-cables-Zardari-is-a-numbskull-British-told-Americans.html

Note: numbskull/ numskull (n; numb + skull): "a dull or stupid person : DUNCE"  www.m-w.com

(2) Christopher Hope, WikiLeaks cables: how America spied on the Foreign Office. Telegraph, Feb 4, 2011.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8304628/WikiLeaks-cables-how-America-spied-on-the-Foreign-Office.html

Note: For FCO, see Foreign and Commonwealth Office
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_and_Commonwealth_Office
(commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO; created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office; The head of the FCO is the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly abbreviated to "Foreign Secretary")


(3) Matthew Moore, WikiLeaks cables: US agrees to tell Russia Britain's nuclear secrets. Telegraph, Feb 4, 2011.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8304654/WikiLeaks-cables-US-agrees-to-tell-Russia-Britains-nuclear-secrets.html

My comment:
(a) The report suggested that US had disclosed Russians serial numbers--and thus the exact number--of Trident missiles owned by UK. UK had maintained “up to 160” nuclear warheads and "how many" Trident missiles it had, without allowing Russia to verify the numbers.
(b) UK Trident programme
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Trident_programme
  
Quote:

"Royal Navy operates 58 nuclear-armed Trident II D-5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles and around 200 nuclear warheads on 4 Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines from Clyde Naval Base on Scotland's west coast. At least one of these submarines is always on patrol as a continuous at-sea deterrent, armed with up to 16 Trident missiles and around 48 nuclear warheads (an average of three warheads per missile), although each submarine can carry up to 160 nuclear warheads with 10 warheads per missile. This is to be reduced to 8 missiles per boat, with a total of 40 warheads per boat, as a result of the 2010 Strategic Defence Review

"'Trident' entered service in 1994. Since the 1998 Strategic Defence Review, the UK's nuclear deterrent is based entirely on submarine-launched missiles, as these are seen as the most reliable method of delivery.


(4) Heidi Blake, WikiLeaks cables: planned US missile shield blind to nuclear weapons. Telegraph, Feb 3, 2011.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8300950/WikiLeaks-cables-planned-US-missile-shield-blind-to-nuclear-weapons.html

Note:
(a) This report concerned US MDA director's presentation to Russia. MDA: Missile Defense Agency
(b) To read the cable, in the box headlined RELATED ARTICLES click the last item "RUSSIA-U.S. MISSILE DEFENSE NEGOTIATIONS, OCTOBER 10, 2007 03 Feb 2011."
(c) X band
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-band
(a segment of the microwave radio region of the electromagnetic spectrum; In radar engineering, the frequency range is specified by the IEEE at 8.0 to 12.0 GHz; section 2 Radar)

(5) SCENESETTER FOR JUNE 4 SECURITY DIALOGUE. US embassy in Beijing cable (Ref ID: 08BEIJING2087; 5/29/2008)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wikileaks-files/china-wikileaks/8299319/SCENESETTER-FOR-JUNE-4-SECURITY-DIALOGUE.html

Quote:

"China has asked that the United States sell Blackhawk engines and spare parts, which China says would assist helicopter-borne relief efforts. Since provision of such assistance would require overcoming Tiananmen Sanctions that prohibit U.S. military technology transfers to China, we suggested the Chinese take advantage of a Japanese offer of Chinook helicopters and crew. {Japan offered and China said no.]

"Attacks on the Olympic Torch Run in cities around the world and threats of an Olympic boycott led to nationalistic sentiments expressed through Chinese demonstrations and boycott campaigns aimed against foreign-owned businesses. After initially fanning the flames, the Chinese Government reined in nationalistic sentiment. The United States largely steered clear of this controversy.

"Approximately one-half to two-thirds of China's defense spending is not reflected in published defense expenditures. Weapons development, retirement salaries and foreign acquisitions, including Kilo submarines, Sovremenny-class guided missile destroyers and SU-27/SU-30 aircraft, are not covered in official figures.

"Once the Beidou positioning system is complete, the PLA will have better than one-meter accuracy throughout China and bordering areas. Within the next few years, the PLA Navy could be running limited operations from an ex-VARYAG carrier, although a fully indigenous carrier is not expected in the near term.

"However, Beijing's leaders seem unsure what Ma's victory [in presidential election two month before] may mean in the longer term, and Chinese observers worry about the limited potential for significant progress on political issues such as Taiwan's BEIJING 00002087 003 OF 004 identity and international space. The change of administration in Taiwan poses challenges for the PRC Government to manage the Taiwan issue with sophistication and subtlety. [I think "BEIJING 00002087 003 OF 004" was improperly inserted somehow.]

"We have reminded Beijing of our one China policy and our obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act and have urged China's leaders to take advantage of the historic opportunity [Ma's presidency] to improve cross-Strait relations and to consider confidence-building measures such as withdrawing missiles, aircraft and artillery currently deployed opposite Taiwan.


(6) U.S.-CHINA SECURITY DIALOGUE - MORNING SESSION. US embassy in Beijing cable (Ref ID: 08BEIJING2281; 6/11/2008)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wikileaks-files/china-wikileaks/8299320/U.S.-CHINA-SECURITY-DIALOGUE-MORNING-SESSION.html
(paragraphs 20 and 21: Blackhawk Parts)

Note: AFM He: Assistant Foreign Minister He Yafei, whose counterpart was Acting Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security John Rood, of US Department of State.




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