Washington Quarterly Editor to Visit Pitt, Discuss Nuclear Proliferation

PITTSBURGH--With the prospects of a North Korean ballistic missile test-launch looming and Iranian officials simmering over international calls for them to halt uranium enrichment, the issue of nuclear proliferation has recently been thrust to the forefront of the international stage.

Washington Quarterly editor-in-chief Alexander Lennon will give a talk titled "Iran and North Korea: Unlocking the Proliferation Puzzle," at 4:30 p.m. July 10 in 3930 Posvar Hall, Oakland. A discussion will follow the presentation. The event, hosted by Janne Nolan, professor of international affairs in and deputy director of the Matthew B. Ridgway Center for International Security Studies, will address the following questions while considering the similarities and differences between the two nations:

* What are the factors motivating Iran and North Korea?

* Is it possible to persuade Iran and North Korea to give up their nuclear weapons programs?

* What are the strategic objectives of each of the major powers involved in negotiations?

* Will these major powers be able to reach an agreement on how to proceed in their dealings with Iran and North Korea?

Lennon's research concentrates on nuclear proliferation prevention strategy as well as the grand strategy and foreign and defense policies of the great contemporary powers, particularly the United States, China, and India. Lennon served at the U.S. Department of State as the political-military officer principally responsible for bilateral security relations with Israel. He has published articles in the Christian Science Monitor, The Boston Globe, and Defense News, among other publications.

The Ridgway Center is part of Pitt's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and the University Center for International Studies. With a core mission of contributing to policy debates about the use of force and U.S. military intervention, combating proliferation while fostering great economic cooperation, and encouraging openness and equity in societies around the world, the Ridgway Center is dedicated to addressing the critical security issues of the 21st century.

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