E-News | Reaching Critical Will

Thursday, 4 June 2009
10:15 AM– 1:00 PM
UN Headquarters, New York, NY
Conference Room 2

The briefing will be held in preparation for the 62nd annual DPI/NGO Conference in Mexico City from 9–11 September 2009.

The panelists include: Daniel Prins, Chief of the Conventional Arms Branch of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs; Frida Berrigan, Senior Program Associate of the Arms and Security Initiative at the New America Foundation; Rhianna Tyson, Senior Officer for the Global Security Institute; and Ray Acheson, Project Director of the Reaching Critical Will project of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.

You will need a UN grounds pass to attend the briefing.

5) Global Week of Action Against Cluster Bombs
A message from the Cluster Munition Coalition:

Cluster bombs scatter up to hundreds of small bomblets over wide areas. These weapons have killed and injured civilians during attacks and their deadly duds have shattered lives and livelihoods long after conflict.

Half the world banned this weapon one year ago at diplomatic treaty negotiations in Dublin, Ireland.

Now we need you to help us finish the job and get all countries to join the treaty.

This week is the Global Week of Action Against Cluster Bombs. It is your chance to tell five important countries to join the treaty: tell Brazil, Cambodia, Iraq, Nigeria and Serbia to sign by clicking here now.

You can also check what your country is doing to ban cluster bombs and sign our global petition.

6) Apply now to Think Outside the Bomb
Increasing societal militarization and the funnelling of the majority of our resources into the business of war presents major challenges for our planet and future generations. The United States continues to spend billions of dollars every year maintaining a stockpile of over 10,000 nuclear weapons and developing new weapons of mass destruction, and the Earth's human and non-human inhabitants live under constant threat of nuclear annihilation.

If the generations to come are to be free from the threat of nuclear war, disarmament must begin now, and we must organize a movement to bring about these major societal changes. The Think Outside the Bomb conferences are precisely about building such a movement, and helping young people to empower themselves with the tools and knowledge to bring about the real societal change they seek.

Stopping the construction of new nuclear power plants, ending the exploitation inherently wrought by the nuclear fuel cycle, and achieving the demilitarization of our schools and communities are all intimately connected with the cause of nuclear disarmament. Nuclear weapons are not created in a vacuum. Nor will they be abolished in one.

In August 2005, nearly 60 young people from across the United States came together at a conference at the University of California, Santa Barbara, to form the Think Outside the Bomb national network. We have had a major national conference every year since as a primary part of our effort to organize a movement for nuclear abolition. We invite you to join us!

The 2009 Think Outside The Bomb national conference is scheduled for 13-16 August 2009 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Please find the application form online.

This year, TOTB is encouraging groups and organizations (student and community) to attend the summer national conference as a group. Working collaboratively to bring new people into the movement for disarmament and demilitarization of your campuses and communities is vital to building effective opposition to the ingrained power in the nuclear/military-industrial complex. Plus, it's an excuse to hang out with a group of people from your own community and communities across the country for a week. So, work on bringing a group to TOTB! We are happy to help brainstorm ideas for fundraising, help with recruitment, or help you and your group secure sponsorship from local organizations or businesses. Just let us know what you might need in terms of help in this area.

19 May 2009

Dear Reaching Critical Will friends and advisors:

The nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Commmittee (NPT PrepCom) closed on Friday, 15 May after a relatively successful meeting. Though it was unable to adopt a set of draft recommendations to send on to the 2010 NPT Review Conference, it did adopt an agenda by the third day and delved into the substance of the issues during plenary meetings. For details on the PrepCom’s deliberations and outcome, please see Reaching Critical Will’s daily newsletter, the NPT News in Review and the Reaching Critical Will Blog.

The second part of the Conference on Disarmament’s 2009 session opened with a plenary meeting on Tuesday, 19 May, at which UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke—and a new proposal for work was submitted by the current CD president. Subscribe to Reaching Critical Will’s CD Report to stay up to date with this important negotiating forum in Geneva.

In peace,
Ray Acheson, Project Director

1) NPT PrepCom concludes with agenda but no recommendations
Lead editorial from the final edition of Reaching Critical Will’s NPT News in Review, “A qualified success,” written by Michael Spies and Ray Acheson.

By the abysmal standards that have typified the preparatory process—instituted in 1995—leading up to each five year review of the NPT, the third and final Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) meeting before the 2010 Review Conference (RevCon) must certainly be considered a success. The PrepCom was able to agree to an agenda for the RevCon, on its third day, no less, amid a chorus of accolades for what many described as a new, positive atmosphere in multilateral disarmament, stemming entirely from US President Obama’s 5 April speech in Prague.

However, it did not surprise many delegates—most of whom are veterans of the so-called decade of deadlock that had accompanied the Bush administration’s allergy to multilateralism—that the PrepCom would become snagged once it attempted to work through matters of substance.

The PrepCom’s failure to adopt substantive recommendations for the RevCon, a feat no previous PrepCom had ever accomplished, may have temporarily tainted the atmosphere, but was not unforeseen. During his opening remarks to the PrepCom, its Chair, Ambassador Chidyausiku of Zimbabwe, cautioned that despite recent signs of progress, in many areas the positions of states had actually grown further apart rather than closer.

With this note of caution, on Monday, 11 May, the Chair circulated a clever and concise first draft of recommendations, intended to capture specific proposals that identify concrete practical actions on implementing the Treaty, stand a reasonable chance of gaining consensus, and build upon earlier decision. Its strongest provisions dealt with moving the disarmament agenda forward and even included consideration of a nuclear weapons convention (see NPT News in Review, No. 6).

It must be noted that the vast majority of states could have accepted the first draft, including many members of NATO, with little or no modifications. Following consultations, and in particular input from the nuclear weapon states, on Wednesday, 13 May, the Chair put forward a revised set of recommendations that significantly weakened the sections on disarmament, civil society participation, and education, but bolstered those on implementing the 1995 Middle East resolution and on non-proliferation.

For some, the second draft proved to be a bridge too far. As the conference moved into its final hours, it devolved into a tense blame game that pitted western delegations against the Non-Aligned Movement and some of its more outspoken members, most notably Cuba, Egypt, and Iran. On Thursday, 14 May, the Chair advised states let the recommendations go, as to not to ruin the spirit of cooperation. Despite the Chair’s judgment that the differences in position were too vast, a large number of delegations urged the Chair to continue the process of seeking consensus (see NPT News in Review, No. 10).

The breakdown of the recommendations process
Despite the positive atmosphere, disarmament rhetoric of the US and UK administrations, and the quick adoption of the agenda, the PrepCom delegates did not find enough common ground—or at least, enough common rhetoric—to agree to a set of non-binding recommendations for next year. Breaking with the recent past, the Chair decided not to forward the recommendations to the RevCon as a working paper.

The Chair had introduced a newly revised draft recommendations on Friday, 15 May. Delegations consulted with their regional groups before resuming an informal meeting of the PrepCom. During this last attempt to reach consensus on the draft recommendations, the Chair determined that the Committee did not have a sufficient amount of time to reach agreement. Later, at a press briefing, he said the “differences were very minor; with time, we could have done it.”

The differences, as laid out by delegations during Thursday’s plenary discussion on the draft recommendations, did not seem very minor (see NPT News in Review, No. 10), though the revisions in the third draft were quite minimal. The additional changes brought on board an additional caveat to the already thoroughly conditioned preambular paragraph, further emphasized its non-binding character and marginally indicative character—a change insisted upon by the UK. Other amendments made minor changes to the sections on universality, disarmament, non-proliferation, regional initiatives, and education.

Despite the lack of time to make additional major changes to the text (delegations would have needed to consult with their capitals had the second draft text been heavily amended), western and non-aligned delegations traded blame for the impasse. Since the first draft was not agreeable to a few western states and the second was not agreeable to a few NAM states, it would be cynical and insincere to place“blame” on any particular group or delegation. Instead, the experience only serves to further illuminate the wide gulfs between states’ positions.

Paradoxically on the surface, this result came as a relief to many delegations. While the vast majority of states parties seemed ready to accept either the first or second drafts, no one was entirely content with either. Rather than becoming stuck with an imperfect text, delegations will have the freedom in 2010 to negotiate and reach agreement with a clean slate on the many fraught issues facing the NPT regime.

For more information on the third NPT PrepCom, please see:

2) The Conference on Disarmament opens with a new proposal for work
During the first plenary meeting of the second part of the Conference on Disarmament’s 2009 session, the current president of the CD, Ambassador Idriss Jazaïry, formally submitted CD/1863, a new proposed programme of work on behalf of the six presidents.
The new proposal differs substantially from those of 2008 and 2007. It establishes working groups on the four core issues and special coordinators on the other three agenda items. It calls, inter alia, for negotiation of a fissile materials treaty on the basis of the 1995 Shannon Mandate, for recommendations for dealing with negative security assurances, and for an “exchange of views and information on practical steps for progressive and systematic efforts to reduce nuclear weapons with the ultimate goal of their elimination, including on approaches toward potential future work of multilateral character.” (For more details, see Reaching Critical Will’s 19 May 2009 CD Report.)

Coming merely a few days after the qualified success of the third nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee for the 2010 review cycle, the introduction of a more balanced programme of work for the CD not only maintains the positive spirit but increases its momentum. The call for fissile material treaty negotiations on the basis of the Shannon Mandate, while effectively winding back the clock almost fifteen years, is a substantial step forward from other recent attempts to formulate a programme of work. In addition, the significantly enhanced mandates for discussions on nuclear disarmament and negative security assurances are progressively forward-looking and will surely go a long way to alleviating non-nuclear weapon states’ concerns about the imbalanced nature of previous proposed programmes of work.

Consensus is near. Current president Ambassador Jazaïry noted that consultations are still ongoing, but the majority of delegations seem to assume that CD/1863 will be adopted very soon. After twelve years without substantive work and ten years without even a programme of work, the adoption of this document cannot come a moment too soon. Ambassador Jazaïry expressed hope that, if adopted, CD/1863 would extend beyond the current year, providing a framework for future negotiations. This is particularly important since most CD member states do not currently have the capacity at their Geneva missions to engage in negotiations. It would likely take until the beginning of the CD’s 2010 session before working group two could seriously get to work. Hopefully, the Conference will not have to worry about developing a new programme of work at that time but can rely on CD/1863 to carry forward the momentum.

High-level support for the proposed programme of work
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addressed the CD plenary meeting, as did Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey and Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci. They all urged the CD to rapidly adopt CD/1863 as its programme of work for the year. For details, please see Reaching Critical Will’s 19 May 2009 CD Report.

For more information on the CD, please see:

3) The Strangest Dream podcasts
The National Film Board of Canada has produced a video podcast on the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament movement. The podcast is based on discussions following community screenings of The Strangest Dream, a recent NFB-produced documentary on the life and work Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Joseph Rotblat, the only scientist to walk away from the Manhattan Project for ethical reasons. The result is a 5-episode video podcast covering a wide range of topics facing the nuclear disarmament movement today. The clips feature discussions with some of Canada’s experts on Joseph Rotblat, Pugwash, nuclear non-proliferation and peace, including: The Honourable Douglas Roche, Chair of Pugwash Group Canada, Walter Dorn, Gordon Edwards, and Professor Erika Simpson. The podcast is produced by the NFB’s online social media site CITIZENShift.

To get the embed codes, to watch the podcast episodes, or to comment and upload your own media, you can visit CITIZENShift. You can also watch the podcast episodes and find out more about the film, including viewing the trailer and how to purchase at nfb.ca/strangestdream. At http://NFB.ca you can also view the free playlist on War and Peace, curated by The Honourable Douglas Roche, O.C. entitled, “The Strength of Peace.”

Finally, if you or anyone you know would like to organize free community screenings of The Strangest Dream, please contact Jane Gutteridge at j.gutteridge@nfb.ca or 416-954-3396.

4) US-Russian nuclear reduction talks to begin Tuesday
US Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller and Russian ambassador Anatoly Antonov, head of the foreign ministry department for security and disarmament, are meeting in Moscow for an initial two-day negotiating session on a replacement for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which expires in December. Both sides have expressed optimism of reaching a new agreement by the deadline, though divergences still exist, including: the limits on nuclear warhead numbers; whether the treaty should cover delivery systems like bombers and missiles; verification procedures; and other issues of information sharing and confidence-building.

1 May 2009

Dear Reaching Critical Will friends and advisors:

Welcome to the busiest time of year for Reaching Critical Will. The Disarmament Commission closed on Friday with a plenary meeting and adoption of reports. Next, on Sunday we will host an NGO Orientation for all non-government delegates coming to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty PrepCom, which starts on Monday. And during the PrepCom, we will be holding a celebration for RCW’s tenth anniversary. Find out more about all these events, and much more, in this E-News. For those coming to the PrepCom, we look forward to seeing you next week. For those following from home, please remember to subscribe to the NPT News in Review, Reaching Critical Will’s daily newsletter that provides coverage of all government and NGO meetings, feature articles, puzzles, art, and more.

In peace,
Ray Acheson, Project Director

1) Disarmament Commission closes with procedural reports
For background on this year’s UNDC session, see http://reachingcriticalwill.blogspot.com/

The United Nations Disarmament Commission (UNDC)’s 2009 session closed on 1 May after three weeks—more or less—of deliberations. Once the Commission adopted its agenda after a few days of stalemate, the working groups got started on the second week of the Commission’s three week schedule. Working Group I, on “Recommendations for achieving the objective of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons,” struggled to nominate a chair for a few days. In the end, Paolo Cuculi of Italy was elected chair. Given the limited amount of time available to the group, the chair decided to hold thematic debates on the issues and to start work on the recommendations next year.

For Working Group II, on “Elements of a draft declaration of the 2010s as the fourth disarmament decade,” the chair, Johan Paschalis of South Africa, submitted a draft non-paper (pdf) for consideration. The group got through one revision process, swelling the chair’s original four page draft to 11 pages. They reportedly got about two-thirds of the way through a second revision process and plan to continue working on this draft next year. Unfortunately, it does not seem that the elements for a declaration will be ready by January 2010, as the Commission next meets in April of that year. It is unclear whether the decade will begin without the declaration, or whether the decade will begin once the General Assembly approves a declaration, presumably later in 2010.

At the final plenary meeting, the Commission as a whole adopted the reports of Working Group I, Working Group II, and a report of the Commission. There was some discussion about an amendment proposed by the Bureau, which the Commission ultimately decided not to include. The amendment was a paragraph noting that the UNDC recommends that consideration of the elements of the draft declaration be continued during its 2010 substantive session. Pakistan’s delegate felt this confused the issue and could potentially reopen the agenda for debate next year. The rapporteur, Ambassador Piet de Klerk of the Netherlands, explained that the Bureau felt this paragraph would not change anything about the UNDC’s agenda. After a brief discussion, however, the amendment was dropped at the suggestion of India.

In his closing remarks, the Chair of the UNDC, Ambassador Andrzej Towpik, argued that the Commission needs some critical self-assessment and perhaps some adjustments to its methods of work. He suggested the Commission devote one of its meetings next year to reviewing these issues. He also lamented that the UNDC was unable to agree to invite experts to deliver presentations to the Commission, and hoped this could be considered again next year. The Pakistani delegate took the floor to disagree with the Chair’s assessment that the Commission needed to reform its methods of work. He argued that it is “not always logical to apply a corporate model to intergovernmental meetings” and that instead of “dismantling” existing machinery, states should apply increased financial and human resources to what we have now. He also argued in favour of maintaining the rule of consensus, saying its rejection may give short-term benefits but not long-term solutions.

Overall, most delegates seemed revealed to get through the first year of the Commission’s new cycle without any major blockages and with the adoption of reports, however procedural they may be. Hopefully next year the UNDC can get to work on the first day, rather than the second week, and can produce substantive recommendations in the working groups. Contact your ambassadors to let them know you are paying attention to their participation in the Commission.

2) Non-Proliferation Treaty Prepratory Committee begins on Monday
The third Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) for the 2010 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Cycle starts on Monday. For all those attending the PrepCom who do not already have UN grounds passes, please make sure you arrive at the United Nations by 8:00 AM Monday morning to complete the registration process. Please bring your filled out registration form, the provisional accreditation request that has been authorized by the Secretariat of the PrepCom, the accreditation request your organization sent to the UN (which has your name on it), and valid photo identification—a passport is strongly encouraged, drivers license is acceptable. Please come early to register and please fill out your registration form in advance. The process this year will be more tedious than in years past and will take longer than in Vienna or Geneva. If you want to attend the first plenary meeting or side event at 10:00 AM, please make sure you’re in line by 8:00 AM.

Registration will be open in the visitor’s lobby of the United Nations from 8:00 AM-12:00 PM and from 3:00-5:00 PM on Monday, 4 May and Tuesday, 5 May. Representatives arriving after 5 May must contact Ms. Silvia Mercogliana at mercogliano[at]un.org, +1 917.367.4123 or Ms. Jenny Fuchs at fuchs[at]un.org, +1 212.963.2386 to arrange for issuance of badges.

Morning meetings
There will be no Abolition Caucus or government briefing the first morning. Both of these daily events will begin on Tuesday, 5 May. At 8:00 AM, NGO representatives are invited to attend a daily strategy session organized by Abolition 2000 in Conference Room E. In the same room at 9:00 AM, Reaching Critical Will of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom will organize briefings with a different delegation each day.

Location
The official meetings of the PrepCom will take place in Conference Room 1. Most of the NGO side events will take place in Conference Room E, which is nearby. For a regularly-updated listing of side events, please see Reaching Critical Will’s Calendar of Events.

NGO presentations
On Tuesday, 5 May from 3:00–6:00 PM, NGO representatives will be delivering statements to the official meeting of the PrepCom in Conference Room 1. All NGOs are encouraged to attend this meeting.

Materials
NGOs may display their documents and other materials on a table located outside Conference Room 1, though one copy of each document/material must be provided to the Secretariat through Reaching Critical Will.

Daily newsletter
Daily coverage of the PrepCom’s official meeting and side events will be produced and distributed by Reaching Critical Will. To receive copies of the NPT News in Review in your inbox each morning, please subscribe online. Also see archived editions from previous years online. To submit articles, art, or advertisements, please email the project director.

Getting involved from afar
There are plenty of opportunities for active involvement with the PrepCom even if you can’t make it to New York:

See where your government stands on the issues by reading their statements from the 2008 PrepCom.
Subscribe to the NPT News in Review, the daily non-governmental NPT publication, and receive daily updates on what is happening at the PrepCom.
Make an appointment with your Foreign Ministry or equivalent. Urge your Foreign Minister to attend the conference, reminding them that they represent you. Call your representatives in New York and Geneva, to let them know that you are paying attention, and that you are demanding nuclear disarmament. Use our Governmental Contact Database for their information.
Call your local media. Publicize your views and your government’s policies, and let them know what’s happening in New York.
Once the PrepCom is in session, you can read what your government did or did not say by checking RCW’s NPT page every day. We post all statements, working papers, non-papers, reports, NGO statements, and official documents on our website in near real-time.

3) NGO Orientation to the NPT
Reaching Critical Will of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security cordially invite all NGO delegations to the PrepCom to attend an

NGO Orientation

Sunday, 3 May 2009
1:00-3:00 PM
Church Center, 2nd floor
777 UN Plaza
[corner of First Avenue and 44th Street East]

The NGO Orientation will provide a brief introduction to the NPT, information on New York City and the United Nations, ideas for strategizing and for interacting with diplomats, important updates on logistics, and more.

Light refreshments will be provided.
Donations are encouraged!

RSVP to Lacy Orme
lacy[at]reachingcriticalwill.org
Names are required for building security.

4) Reaching Critical Will’s tenth anniversary
On Thursday, 7 May from 6:00–8:00 PM, Reaching Critical Will celebrates its tenth anniversary with a reception for all NGO and government delegations to the NPT PrepCom and UN staff. Please join us on the tenth floor of the Church Center, 777 UN Plaza (corner of First Avenue and 44th Street East).

This time of year also marks WILPF’s birthday (28 April), and this year WILPF turn 94! So we have more than one reason to celebrate. UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Sergio Duarte will deliver a few brief remarks at 6:15 PM, along with Ambassador Landman of the Netherlands, Dimity Hawkins of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, and a few other special guests.

RSVP is not necessary, however, we are requesting donations from all who attend to help us cover the cost of food and room. Further, please consider donating to help us keep this project running another ten years! Email Ray if you are interested in contributing to the project, or speak to her at the anniversary event.

5) European Parliament recommends complete nuclear disarmament by 2020
From 2020 Vision Campaign

Strasbourg, April 24, 2009 - Today the European Parliament approved with a majority of 177 votes against 130 an amendment introducing the “Model Nuclear Weapons Convention” and the “Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol” as concrete tools to achieve a nuclear weapons free world by 2020. The amendment was introduced by the Ana Gomes for the PES and Angelika Beer for the Greens/EFA.

The amendment received cross-party support during the Plenary vote here in Strasbourg today. Especially Frieda Brepoels for the EPP-DE and Annemie Neyts and Juul Maaten for the ALDE called to support the vision of a nuclear weapon free world by 2020. The approval of the amendment demonstrates that the EP is increasing pressure to make nuclear disarmament by 2020 a top-priority for the EU member states. Here the EP demonstrates leadership and an intention to become a visible actor following President Obama’s statements for a NWFW in Prague.

The amendment is part of the overall “Report Beer”, a recommendation to the EU Council on non-proliferation and the future of the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The overall report was approved by 271 +, 38 - and 29 abstenstions. On May 4th 2009 all state parties of the NPT will be meeting at the UN headquarters in New York for the 3rd NPT PrepCom in New York.

The amendment introducing the “model Nuclear Weapons Convention” and the “Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol” is actively promoted by Mayors for Peace, a global network of 2,817 cities from 134 countries and regions, presided by Dr. Tadatoshi Akiba, the Mayor of Hiroshima.

The amendment was supported by the Parliamentarians for Non-proliferation and Nuclear Disarmament (PNND), and Abolition 2000 Europe, a global network counting over 2000 NGO's.

Pol DHuyvetter, an Executive Advisor for the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, declared from the EP in Strasbourg:

The support of the European Parliament for the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol is very significant, even historic. It demonstrates that the EP is adding a concrete time-line to the recent proposals by President Obama. Members of the EP are gearing up to make a nuclear weapon free world possible in the life-time of President Obama. Furthermore the adoption of the amendment gives a clear signal to Mr. Solana and all EU member states to make nuclear disarmament a top-priority so we can free the world of all remaining 25,000 nuclear warheads before 2020. Cities can no longer be kept hostage of nuclear policies.

For more information, please see:
www.2020visioncampaign.org

6) Conference against anti-missile systems releases statement
Statement of International Conference against the Asia Pacific Missile Defense and for the End of the Arms Race
Seoul, South Korea | April 17, 2009

Here we have come together, facing a new decade in the 21st century where the history of war and strife is being repeated. We are witnessing many countries and regions, having learned nothing from the conflict and hostility-ridden Cold War era, still tenaciously pursue arms buildup. Especially the nation with military hegemony and its many followers, rather than seeking to understand the roots of conflict and finding peaceful resolution, search for new threat and enemy as a means to reinforce their military capabilities, and at times even exaggerate the threat in order to justify their arms buildup.

This is shown by the expansion of military networks and countless military bases around the globe and by the space militarization activities. However, we want to make it clear that this militaristic approach is a worn-out strategy obstructing prevention and peaceful settlement of conflict and a losing hand triggering a vicious cycle of global arms race.

We are especially observant of how the US missile defense system triggers not only space militarization but also unnecessary arms race and political and diplomatic strain between nations. Proposed missile defense installations in Czech Republic and Poland are generating massive public dissent in the region and infuriating Russia to the point of a “new Cold War.”

Planned US missile defense system in the Asia Pacific poses a burden to regional attempts to alleviate Cold War tensions, thereby further provoking confrontation between sea powers and land powers. In the Asia Pacific where the US leads the Asia Pacific missile defense efforts, supported strongly by Japan and Australia, Korea is next in line with its cutting-edge weaponry and a new set of roles. As a result, China, Russia, and North Korea all have expressed enormous opposition, fueling an arms race in the Asia Pacific. Such an arms race also risks undermining the war-renouncing Article 9 of Japan’s peace constitution, a key foundation for peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region.

The controversy over North Korea's long-range rocket launch that has become a key factor in the current tension pervading the Korean Peninsula leaves room for discussion. North Korea's rocket launch should be seen as a byproduct of both a divided Korean peninsula and the arms race in the Asia Pacific. However, this aspect has been ignored. Instead there is exaggerated interpretation of threat and stirring up of security fears, mobilizing the justification for developing a missile defense system in the region. North Korea's long-range rocket launch, on the contrary, reveals the utmost need and urgency for placing confidence building and normalization of relations among nations, as well as cooperative mutual disarmament, on top of our agenda.

Above all, we are aware that the logic behind “absolute security” through the missile defense system does not differ from other aggressive military thinking. Furthermore, the missile defense system is a risky plan which has yet to prove its effectiveness. As a project requiring astronomical costs, the system is based on the logic of unlimited military spending expansion, solely for the benefit of the military-industrial complex. This, we must not forget, sacrifices many resources to be invested for improving the welfare and the quality of life of the many people suffering from economic, public welfare, and environmental crisis.

Many nations and people throughout the world today are suffering from the economic crisis and the climate change. These crises must be taken as opportunities for each country to stop the wasteful arms race and turn its attention to the daily living of its citizens who are taking heavy blows from the economic crisis and the climate change. The development of unnecessary and offensive weapons, including the missile defense system, must be halted first. National security that neglects the safety of the people and community is meaningless.

We, therefore, resolve to act jointly against the missile defense system and the arms race which impede the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula, East Asia, and the international community. We will inform people about the falsehood of the missile defense and the damage caused by the consequent arms race and military conflict. As a member of the international community, we pledge to develop a new peace mechanism starting from where we stand, in our local communities, to bring about peaceful coexistence and conflict resolution in place of military confrontation. We declare we will do our duty and part to turn the coming decade into a period of transformation for overcoming the worn-out military paradigm.

The Korea Organizing Committee
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
GPPAC Northeast Asia

For more information, please see:
www.space4peace.org

7) World Court Project launches new website
The World Court Project is a global citizens' coalition working for good faith implementation of the nuclear disarmament obligation upheld by the International Court of Justice in 1996. Check out the World Court Project's new website and consider joining its Affirmations of Freedom from Nuclear Weapons.

For more information, please see:
http://worldcourtproject.org/

8) Hague Appeal for Peace's tenth anniversary
It's been ten years since the Hague Appeal for Peace conference brought together 10,000 people to agree that it is Time to Abolish War and Peace is a Human Right. The Hague Agenda for Peace and Justice for the 21st Century was approved and became a UN document.

Those who were at The Hague on May 11, 1999 are welcome to see some film clips and say what inspired them at a modest gathering at 777 UN Plaza, 10th floor,on Monday May 11, 2009 from 5:30- 7 p.m. But, please let us know if we may expect you by May 7. RSVP (required) to <Lauranne@igc.org>.

15 April 2009

Dear Reaching Critical Will friends and advisors:

Reaching Critical Will is delighted to bring you the E-News in a graphically-enhanced HTML template and to inform you that you can now find Reaching Critical Will on Facebook, Twitter, and Blogger. The new blog currently has real-time reports on the United Nations Disarmament Commission as well as a post on the speech US President Obama gave in Prague and another on the proposed US military budget for 2010. The blog is intended to supplement the reporting and analysis produced regularly by Reaching Critical Will on multilateral disarmament meetings. It will provide information on breaking events, publish RCW reports on relevant matters, and alert readers to upcoming events. We hope you find this new resource useful in the future.

In peace,
Ray Acheson, Project Director

1) Report on the UNDC plenary meetings
The United Nations Disarmament Commission (UNDC)’s 2009 session opened on 13 April. The Commission has met for three weeks every April since it was established in 1978. This year marks the first year of new three year cycle—the 2006–2008 cycle ended without agreement after three unfruitful years of debate.

Unfortunately, for the first two days of this session the Commission struggled to adopt its agenda for the new cycle.

The dispute was not over which items should be included on the agenda. Those were already agreed upon as: a) elements for a draft resolution on the declaration of a fourth Disarmament Decade (this item was requested by the UN General Assembly) and the two agenda items from the previous Commission cycle—b) recommendations for achieving the objectives of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and c) practical confidence-building measures in the field of conventional weapons.

The stalemate over the agenda arose because states could not agree to the order in which these topics would be addressed. The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) urged for the first year of the Commission to focus on the elements for the draft declaration on the Disarmament Decade, in order to have these elements prepared before 2010, and on the item related to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. The NAM’s proposal suggested the items by addressed as follows:

Recommendations for achieving the objective of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons;
Elements of a draft declaration of the 2010s as the fourth disarmament decade; and
Practical confidence-building measures in the field of conventional weapons, upon conclusion of elements of draft declaration (preferably by 2010 and in any case no later than 2011).

The US delegation reportedly argued that the agenda must be “balanced” and thus must include a working group on conventional weapons at least by 2010. Other delegations wondered if the US delegation even had any instruction from capitol on the matter. The US government has not appointed anyone to deal with multilateral disarmament matters and thus the US delegation to the UNDC might not have any instructions to agree to anything.

For two days, the UNDC met for informal meetings—which NGOs are not allowed to attend. Finally this morning, on 15 April, the Commission adopted its agenda immediately upon opening. The text of the agenda, which will be released as an official document tomorrow, is the same formulation as that initially proposed by the Non-Aligned Movement.

The UNDC is expected to set a tone of compromise, trust, and cooperation for the upcoming nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee (NPT PrepCom), which starts immediately after the UNDC finishes in May 2009. Unfortunately, the Commission’ struggle to adopt an agenda does not set a positive mood for the NPT PrepCom, which is supposed to come up with an agenda for the 2010 NPT Review Conference. Reaching Critical Will welcomes the adoption of an agenda in the UNDC had hopes the Commission can engage in substantive, cooperative work throughout the remainder of this cycle. However, it is unclear to us what the basis for the stalemate truly was. We hope things will run smoothly from here and throughout the PrepCom.

General statements have begun and will be posted on the Reaching Critical Will UNDC web page.

For detailed accounts of the last two days of deliberations, please see the Reaching Critical Will Blog.

2) Jayantha Dhanapala urges nuclear disarmament
Jayantha Dhanapala, “Remove, don't reset, the nuclear button,” Asahi Shimbun, 1 April 2009

It was the winter of discontent for the disarmament community. But surely spring cannot be far away?

The administration of President George W. Bush, with Dick Cheney serving as vice president, is widely regarded as one of the most unpopular ever. More importantly for the world, it was one of the most negative in recent history as far as making progress goes on nuclear disarmament and nuclear nonproliferation.

Barack Obama was decisively elected president of the United Sates on a platform of change. This has been universally welcomed.

The change we need must now come in the vital security area of nuclear weapons, which ranks equally with the global financial crisis, climate change and the achievement of the U.N. Millennium Development Goals. These issues, the critical challenges of our times, are inextricably linked to the threat of terrorism waged by international networks like al-Qaida.

Based on statements Obama made during his campaign, expectations of America’s first black president are exceptionally high.

These expectations were justified by the confirmation hearings of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who promised to resubmit the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) to the Senate and engage Russia in negotiations for new nuclear arms reduction treaties. With the U.S.-Russian summit due to be held April 1 in London, Clinton called for the button to be reset in U.S.-Russia relations.

As for U.S. policy regarding nuclear weapons, what is needed is a more radical step—removal of the nuclear button.

Under the Clinton administration, the State Department's Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) was dismantled in a Faustian bargain with the Republicans. While it has not been restored, Obama has managed to nominate experts who are knowledgeable on nuclear disarmament issues to key positions.

Meantime, the nuclear weapons lobby has not been inactive. Suddenly, a rash of articles started appearing that argued the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal is aging and requires renovation; that those with weapons expertise are retiring and need to be replaced; and that U.S. security can only be ensured by a credible nuclear deterrent.

We have even had the extraordinary spectacle of a serving general, Kevin Chilton, who heads the U.S. Strategic Command for the Air Force, contradicting his commander-in-chief, Obama.

Usually moderate scientific groups are no longer using the language of the Wall Street Journal op-ed pieces penned by George P. Shultz, secretary of state under President Ronald Reagan, and company. They talk of coming down to 1,000 nuclear warheads and modest steps like ratifying the CTBT, replacing START 1 and refurbishing the U.S. nuclear stockpile.

To add to this, Dr. Henry Kissinger, secretary of state under President Richard Nixon, has written equivocally about the message conveyed in the op-ed pieces he co-authored with Shultz, former Senator Sam Nunn and William Perry, defense secretary in the Clinton administration, emphasizing an incremental approach to the problem.

Admittedly the global financial crisis triggered by U.S. fiscal indiscipline and Wall Street greed has preoccupied Obama’s attention. But when the nuclear weapons complex is estimated to cost $52 billion a year (more than what the U.S. government spends on international diplomacy and foreign assistance), the arguments for deep cuts make as much economic sense as the notion they serve international security needs.

An article at the beginning of 2009 in the magazine Foreign Policy in Focus by Darwin Bond-Graham, a sociologist, and Will Parish, an expert on nuclear issues, titled “Anti-nuclear Nuclearism” warned: “The Obama administration is likely to continue a policy that we call 'anti-nuclear nuclearism.' Anti-nuclear nuclearism is a foreign and military policy that relies upon overwhelming U.S. power, including the nuclear arsenal, but makes rhetorical and even more substantive commitments to disarmament, however vaguely defined.

“Anti-nuclear nuclearism thrives as a school of thought in several think tanks that have long influenced foreign policy choices related to global nuclear forces. Even the national nuclear weapons development labs in New Mexico and California have been avid supporters and crafters of it.”

William Walker, a professor of international relations at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, in a paper for the Institut Francais des Relations Internationales (IFRI), walks us through four reasons for the re-emergence of the debate over nuclear weapons and five obstacles to the elimination of nuclear weapons before concluding with lowered expectations of “the international nuclear order’s stabilization and the avoidance of nasty surprises.”

Specifically, Walker predicts that at the end of Obama’s first term there will have been “no military use of nuclear weapons anywhere, no threshold-crossing by Iran, no discovery of additional clandestine programs, no resumption of serious arms racing among the great powers (including in space) and a record of co-operation with Russia, China, France, India and Britain in pegging nuclear arsenals to low numbers of weapons; a reasonably successful NPT Review Conference in 2010; progress in bringing the CTBT into force and negotiating the FMCT (Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty); and a strengthened export control and IAEA safeguards system.”

So is this what the cumulative effect of the campaign for a nuclear weapons-free world will be four years hence?

As if to confirm our worst fears over the cozying up of the Obama administration to the nuclear arms lobby, not a word was expressed in the president's inaugural address on nuclear weapons issues unless you count “With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat” as a promise to reduce, let alone eliminate, nuclear weapons. Nor did the impressive rhetoric of the State of the Union address contain a reference to nuclear weapons.

Efforts to smuggle in funding for the nuclear weapons program in the financial stimulus package were fortunately detected in time and excluded. The language of Obama administration officials is also reverting to Cold War postures and of the nuclear arms controllers with no hint of concrete plans to reach a nuclear-free world which will be, as before, the stated “ultimate goal” for the dim and distant future.

Perhaps the strategy will be to kick the can further down the road when the Nuclear Posture Review mandated for 2009-10 is due. Meanwhile the message being put out is that we should lower our expectations.

The recent mid-Atlantic collision between nuclear-armed submarines of France and Britain reminds us of the scary potential of nuclear accidents. The global disarmament community, especially in civil society, must be vigilant of this trend to use the old language of the nuclear arms controllers and resist the fundamental change toward a nuclear-free world which Obama’s campaign statements had led his supporters to expect in an “audacity of hope.”

Anti-nuclear nuclearism will certainly not ensure the success of the NPT Review Conference of 2010, let alone prevent the feared cascade of proliferation, especially to terrorist groups. More immediately, it will not help make the first Obama-Medvedev summit on April 1 a success.

* * *
Jayantha Dhanapala is a former ambassador of Sri Lanka and a former U.N. undersecretary-general for disarmament affairs who is currently president of the Pugwash Conferences on Science & World Affairs. The views expressed here are the author's own.(IHT/Asahi: April 1,2009)

3) What is the NPT? A Brown Bag Lunch Event
On Wednesday, 29 April, the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security presents an event on the NPT as part of their Brown Bag Lunch Series.

WHAT IS THE NPT?
Understanding the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
12:30–2:00 PM
Presbyterian Conference Room, 7th Floor
UN Church Centre, 777 UN Plaza [East 44th Street at First Avenue]

If you are interested in a world free of nuclear weapons or current disarmament issues join this panel discussion. PrepCom? RevCon? NPT? The jargon used by specialists in any field can be confusing for non-experts and the subject of nuclear weapons is no exception. The nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is at the heart of realizing the reduction and abolition of nuclear weapons. May 4-15, diplomats, activists and many others will convene at the United Nations in preparation for the 2010 Review Conference of the NPT. This panel discussion will facilitate understanding of the treaty, its history and identify the main challenges to its successful implementation. The panelists will also explain the expectations and role of civil society at NPT conferences, and how one can get involved.

Speakers

• MS. RAY ACHESON, Reaching Critical Will of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
• MR. JIM WURST, Middle Powers Initiative

Please feel welcome to bring your lunch.

4) Missile “defence” in Europe and Obama
Despite the fact that the Czech Republic’s government was forced to postpone a legislative vote to ratify a treaty allowing a US missile “defence” radar base to be built on Czech territory, and depite the fact that lawmakers voted to dissolve the government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, a leading champion of the shield, US President Obama is still talking about installing anti-missile equipment in the Czech Republic and Poland.

As a Washington Post Foreign Service article noted, Czech Prime Minister Topolanek “remains in power for the moment but is a lame duck until elections can be held, likely in October. Analysts said a new government, mindful of public skepticism of the missile shield, will probably let the unratified treaty lay dormant, if not kill it outright.”

Yet, during President Obama’s speech in Prague, he said, “As long as the threat from Iran persists, we will go forward with a missile defence system that is cost-effective and proven. Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile activity poses a real threat, not just to the United States, but to Iran's neighbours and our allies.” He hailed the “courageous” Czech Republic and Poland for “agreeing to host a defence against these missiles.”

The Telegraph spoke with Petr Sramek, 33, who “was among those disappointed that Mr Obama had not dropped a policy that was opposed by more than two thirds of Czechs.” Mr. Sramek said, “I really liked the clear message on nuclear disarmament but I am against the missile defence system. It is more about geopolitical influence then defence against missiles.” Arena Protivinska, 30, described herself as a “big fan” of Mr. Obama but accused him of “hypocrisy” for urging world peace while also pushing forward with the missile shield. “He sounded like George W Bush saying that we should be afraid in order to justify missile defence.”

The Washington Post Foreign Service author spoke to Jan Tamas, a leader of the Non-Violent Movement, a coalition that has lobbied against the shield. “The truth is, the treaties are not dead. They can be brought back to life. That’s the strange thing about it. We have our own politicians who have already gone completely against the will of the people, so who knows what they’ll try to do.”

Jan Glivicka, a spokeswoman for another group called the No Bases Initiative, said many Czechs think highly of Obama and have been encouraged that he has expressed doubts about the missile shield. But she said she doubted Obama would go so far as to bury it. The only way to do that—or at least to ensure that the Czechs play no role in the project—is to pressure Czech lawmakers to kill the treaty, she said. “We really want to win this battle at home in the Czech Republic,” Glivicka said. “It’s not just a question of foreign policy. It’s a battle for democracy. We can vote down this relic of the Bush administration on our own.”

For more information, please see:
Craig Whitlock, “Obama Arrives in Prague Amid Shield Protests,” Washington Post Foreign Service, 4 April 2009.

Toby Harnden and Bruno Waterfield, “Obama Goes Ahead With Missile Defense Shield Despite Disarmament Pledge,” The Telegraph, 6 April 2009

5) Critiques of Prompt Global Strike
Elaine M. Grossman, “Russian Experts Question Role of Conventional ‘Prompt Global Strike’ Weapons,” Global Security Newswire, 7 April 2009.

WASHINGTON -- Two Russian security experts yesterday suggested that U.S. plans to develop fast-flying, long-range conventional weapons might pose a snag for nuclear arms negotiations between Moscow and Washington (see GSN, April 1).

Speaking at a conference sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Alexei Arbatov and Vladimir Orlov separately raised the notion that U.S. President Barack Obama might consider a broader disarmament agenda that includes limits on conventional weapons, as well as those that are armed with nuclear warheads.

The U.S. Defense Department is exploring technologies for “Prompt Global Strike” weapon systems that might be launched on a moment's notice against faraway targets, such as a nuclear missile being readied for launch by a rogue nation or a terrorist leader located in a safe house (see GSN, Nov. 7, 2008). Pentagon leaders have said such new combat systems could allow them a viable alternative to launching a nuclear weapon.

“There are very few countries in the world that are afraid of American nuclear weapons,” said Arbatov, a scholar in residence at the Carnegie Moscow Center. “But there are many countries which are afraid of American conventional weapons. In particular, nuclear weapons states like China and Russia are primarily concerned about growing American conventional, precision-guided, long-range capability, [or] Prompt Global Strike systems.”

Russian defense leaders have expressed their worries about these developmental weapons in meetings with their U.S. counterparts, particularly in regard to a now-shelved plan to fit Navy Trident submarine-based missiles with either nuclear or conventional warheads (see GSN, Sept. 5, 2006).

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill warned that launching such a system could trigger dangerous ambiguity, because Moscow could not rapidly discern what type of warhead a missile in flight was carrying.

Posing a question from the audience to panelists discussing “The Nuclear Order—Build or Break,” Arbatov added that “threshold states” are similarly concerned about U.S. conventional capabilities. Those are nations with unannounced potential for developing a nuclear weapon.

“Without addressing these issues, it will be very difficult to move forward both in nuclear disarmament ... and nuclear nonproliferation,” he said. “How do you think America would suggest addressing these issues?”

In the interest of nuclear disarmament, some over the past two decades have urged the United States to “find other capabilities to fill some of those [nuclear] missions,” responded panelist Brad Roberts of the Institute for Defense Analyses. “The commitment to non-nuclear strike [or] Prompt Global Strike goes back to the late 1980s.”

He said any apprehension about the details might be worked out through further U.S.-Russian discussions.

The issue could be “much trickier” in the context of Chinese or smaller nations’ worries about U.S. conventional power, Roberts added.

“After all, we want them to be concerned,” he said of the smaller states, particularly those eyeing the possibility of acquiring their own arsenal. “We don't want them to be so concerned [that] they’re getting nuclear weapons. But we see ourselves as having security commitments to allies which require our power projection.”

Speaking on a subsequent panel, Orlov said Moscow might raise the issue of conventional weapons in an anticipated follow-on phase of U.S.-Russian negotiations over deeper nuclear arms reductions, which could begin after an initial treaty is completed by this December. Of particular concern, he said, are “strategic weapons which can be used not only in nuclear but in conventional” modes.

Washington’s efforts to ease international anxieties about Prompt Global Strike should be just the beginning, Orlov suggested.

“Very dramatic reductions in military expenditure in the world: This is where the United States clearly—even more than in nuclear disarmament—should take the lead,” Orlov said. “And they really don’t do that.”

6) IANSA Women confront issues of men, masculinity, and guns
From 30 March to 3 April 2009, women from the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) participated in the Global Symposium Engaging Men and Boys in Gender Equality, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to highlight the gendered impacts of gun violence.

They presented the paper, ‘Men, masculinity and guns: can we break the link?’, which argues that because the majority of men do not own or use guns: gun use must therefore be understood as a choice. A combination of social, economic and political factors combine to create the notion that gun violence is a legitimate option for a man.

The paper examines how constructions of masculinities and femininities work to legitimate the belief that an acceptable and adequate man is one who is willing and able to coerce others by violent means. It also looks at how the association between power and violence in broader social structures serves to perpetuate gun violence. It argues that a violent masculinity is not inevitable.

For more information or to make comments or suggestions, please contact Sarah Masters, IANSA Women’s Network Coordinator:

Development House
56-64 Leonard Street, London, EC2A 4LT
Ph + 44 207 065 0876
Fx + 44 207 065 0871
Email: women[at]iansa.org
Website: www.iansa.org/women

7) Advances in banning depleted uranium weapons
Alexander Mora Mora, President of the Latin American Parliament’s Human Rights Commission, has introduced the text of his draft law proposal for a domestic ban on uranium weapons in Costa Rica to the Latin American Parliament. It is hoped that the Parlatino’s members will consider the draft text before issuing a resolution in a few months time.

Members of Scottish Parliament from the Scottish Nationalist, Labour, and Liberal Democrat parties are calling on Scottish ministers to try and stop depleted uranium (DU) from being used by the UK government in future conflicts. They also want an end to the testing of DU shells at the Dundrennan military firing range near Kirkcudbright. The Scottish government has strongly opposed the test firing of DU shells on Scottish soil. But under the terms of the devolution settlement, it has no powers to prevent it.

Belgium’s Senate has voted to ban the financing of companies that manufacture or sell uranium weapons, in a move that will compliment the country’s imminent ban on their manufacture, testing, use, sale and stockpiling.

For more information, please see:
International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons

8) NPT articles, art, and advertisements
The NPT News in Review is a daily publication produced during NPT Preparatory Committee and Review Conferences. It features analysis of the day's events, feature articles from NGOs around the world, interviews with diplomats and NGO representatives, nuclear facts, announcements, cartoons, a calendar of events, and more. You can access archived NIRs online and subscribe to receive this year's editions.

We also encourage you to submit to this year's NPT News in Review. The guidelines are as follows:

Feature articles: In addition to the daily analysis of the proceedings of the PrepCom, the NPT News in Review also contains feature articles that cover a range of nuclear disarmament issues. We welcome submissions from NGO experts around the world, regardless of whether or not you will be in Geneva. Articles should be between 500-1000 words. The deadline for feature submissions is 19 April. Please submit in .doc format and the body of the email. Articles will be attributed to the author and may be edited for length.

Advertising space: You can use the NPT News in Review to publicize an important announcement, event, or project hosted by your organization. NIRs are hand-distributed to all of the delegates at the PrepCom, sent by email to more than 2000 subscribers, and are archived on our website.

1/4 page ad: $40
1/2 page ad: $60
full page ad: $130
back page ad: $185

Run your ad twice and get $5 off. Run your add three times and get $10 off. Run your ad four times and get $15 off.

Cartoons, photos, artwork, poetry: The NPT News in Review wouldn't be complete without its fill of poignant, satirical, and beautiful artwork. We are accepting all forms of anti-nuclear artwork, to be sent in either a .jpg, .gif, or .pdf file. Photos, paintings, doodles, cartoons, collage, mixed media, and drawings are all welcome.

Submit your ad, article, or artwork by sending to the Project Director:

your organization's name;
contact person;
email address;
phone number;
type of submission (for ads, please specify the size of the ad, dates for it to run, and payment method); and
the submission

The deadline for all art, article, and advertising submissions to the News in Review is 19 April 2009. The earlier, the better.

1 April 2009

Dear Reaching Critical Will friends and advisors:

The Conference on Disarmament (CD) finished part one of its 2009 session last week, with the Canadian delegation introducing a working paper it drafted with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research called “Getting the Conference on Disarmament Back to Substantive Work: Food for Thought.” The paper quite comprehensively reviews the CD's relevance, working methods, rules of procedure, and engagement with civil society, offering some suggestions and recommendations for moving forward now. Reaching Critical Will hopes the other delegations will examine the paper over the break and that they will be inspired when the CD resumes on 18 May. In the meantime, another conference that has suffered stalemate in the past, the United Nations Disarmament Commission (UNDC), will begin the first round of its new three year cycle on 13 April in New York. NGOs are permitted to attend plenary meetings of the UNDC, so watch the E-News for reports during its course. Statements and papers will be posted on the RCW website.

In peace,
Ray Acheson, Project Director

1) Civil society prevents missile "defence" bases in Czech Republic
On 17 March 2009, the Government of the Czech Republic sent a proposal to ratify two treaties on the placement of an American anti-missile radar on Czech territory to the Chamber of Deputies. After a failed day of intense politicking the government did not even wait the lawmakers to vote and withdrew its ratification proposal.

Furthermore, the Czech Parliament subsequently voted no-confidence for the Czech government, calling the government to fall. Writing from Prague, movement leader Jan Tamáš said, “For us it is a great victory; we knew that the only way to stop the installation of the US radar base was the fall of the government and we worked for more than 2 years in this direction with permanence and coherence.” He explained that the movement's work “has been fundamental in encouraging the members of Parliament who already were against the radar and to spread doubts in the ones who were in favor. And it was just the change of mind of some deputies that made the fall of the government possible.”

The No Bases Initiative will maintain organizing protests against the installation of the foreign military base. The next planned event is the demonstration against the radar on the occasion of US President Obama's visit to Prague. The protest will take place on Sunday, 5 April 2009 at 3:00 PM on the Wenceslas Square in Prague. Contact Jana Glivická of the No Bases Initiative for more information.

2) Call to Action: Urge your governments to engage at the NPT
For those that have attended nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty meetings in the past, or for those who have followed from afar by reading statements and Reaching Critical Will reports, the redundancy of the “general debate” will be well known. Delegates read their prepared statement, often providing very little new information, and do not usually deviate from the script.

This year, in anticipation of the familiar pattern, Reaching Critical Will calls on everyone to contact their diplomatic representatives now, in the few remaining weeks leading up to the third Preparatory Committee (4-15 May), to encourage them to engage with each other in an interactive manner. Every year, the Chair of the meeting will try to encourage informal debates among delegates, urging them to ask each other questions, question each others' assertions, and otherwise acknowledge that the meeting does not take place in a vacuum where statements drafted in capitals have the ultimate relevance for what is happening day to day at the meeting itself.

We want you to ask your government representatives to respond to their surroundings and engage with their colleagues. In the past, when this has been accomplished, it has led to very informative, helpful, and progressive dialogue. But there are usually not enough diplomats willing to sustain the debate. Encourage them to start it, participate in it, and keep it going whenever possible!

For a full listing of contact information for your diplomatic representatives, please see Reaching Critical Will's Government Contacts. Many of the Missions will be bringing staff to New York from Geneva for the NPT PrepCom, so contact both Missions to be sure your message gets to the right person. Send Reaching Critical Will a note if you want to let us know you've taken this action.

3) IPPNW appealed for nuclear abolition to Obama and Medvedev
More than 300 of the world’s top physicians have called on US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev to “end the nuclear weapons era once and for all.”

The letter, signed by senior faculty and deans of medical schools, heads of medical associations, health ministers, medical journal editors, and Nobel laureates from 38 countries, was delivered to Presidents Obama and Medvedev today by International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), its US affiliate, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and Russian Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War.

Dr. Ira Helfand, a US physician who was a principal organizer of the campaign, said that the 25,000 nuclear weapons in the world’s arsenals are “the most urgent and immediate threat to the health and survival of humankind. And, unlike the other major health threats of our time—climate change, poverty, AIDS and other epidemic diseases—this one can be eradicated with nothing more than a firm decision to do so.”

Noting that a world without nuclear weapons is now championed by experts and diplomats across the political spectrum, the physicians called on the US and Russian presidents to lead the world by starting negotiations on a worldwide agreement “that will abolish all nuclear weapons.”

Presidents Obama and Medvedev will meet for the first time in London on April 1, on the eve of the G-20 summit. Nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation measures, including proposals for substantial reductions in US and Russian nuclear arsenals, are expected to be high on their agenda.

In making the letter public today, IPPNW urged the leaders to put recent strains in US-Russian relations aside and to make the most of “what may be the best and last opportunity we have to rid the world of the only weapons capable of destroying all humanity.”

“A thousand years from now,” the signatories to the letter told Presidents Obama and Medvedev, “no one will remember most of what you will do over the next few years; but no one will ever forget the leaders who abolished the threat of nuclear war.”

The text of the letter and a complete list of signatories are available at www.ippnw.org.

4) France to finally compensate nuclear test victims
From “France to finally compensate nuclear test victims,” Pacific Islands News Association, 25 March 2009 and “Questions over French compensation for Pacific nuclear tests,” Pacific Islands News Association, 26 March 2009

In March 2009, the French government announced it will compensate victims of nuclear testing carried out in French Polynesia and Algeria. An initial sum of 10 million euros has been set aside for military and civilian staff as well as local populations who fell ill from radiation exposure. Some 150,000 civilian and military personnel took part in the 210 nuclear tests carried out in the Algerian Sahara desert and the Pacific between 1960 and 1996.

One of the world's five declared nuclear powers, France carried out 17 nuclear tests in Algeria in the early 1960s including four atmospheric trials. The first test code-named “Gerboise Bleue” (Blue Gerbil) took place on February 13, 1960 in Reggane, southern Algeria, some 15 years after the United States ushered in the age of nuclear weapons with its test in New Mexico. Over four decades, 193 tests were carried out near the French Polynesian islands of Mururoa and at Fangataufa until 1996 when president Jacques Chirac declared an end to the programme.

A bill is expected to be presented to parliament next month that will set up a nine-member commission of physicians, led by a magistrate, who will examine individual claims for compensation. Veterans expressed concern however that the defence minister would have the final say on awarding compensation instead of the independent commission. They also said it remained unclear how the government would go about compensating native populations, since the populations “will have to prove that they lived there when the tests occurred.”

The organisations which represents former workers at France's nuclear test site in the Pacific have questioned the motives behind the French Government decision to compensate those suffering radiation-related sicknesses, noting that France had been reluctant to recognise a link between the tests and illness. The association which supports those who worked on the tests at Mururoa Atoll, Moruroa E Tatou says the French Government is insincere about its change of position. President Roland Oldham told Radio Australia the money it’s offering isn't enough. “For 30 years of nuclear testing, for the thousands and thousands of people who had been working there. For the many people who have had cancer. It is a real bad joke.”

5) NATO Counter-Summit planned for 60th anniversary
On 21 March, activists from all over Belgium and abroad participated in an act of civil disobedience against NATO headquarters in Brussels, in which they tried nonviolently to enter NATO to seal gates, windows, and doors in a symbolic burial of the complex. This action was coordinated ahead of the NATO Summit marking the Organization's 60th anniversary, to be held 3-4 April in Strasbourg.

From 1-5 April, an international action camp will be organised as a home base for actions and demonstrations and an international counter summit will start on 3 April. It will be a platform for a broad range of speakers and groups to express their opposition and criticism against NATO and military globalisation. These actions will be organised by a coalition of German, Frenc,h and international groups.

Elsa Rassbach reports:

Some 900 security personnel are to be flown in from the U.S. to accompany President Obama, who will be staying at the Strasbourg Hilton. More than 30,000 German and French police and military personnel have been engaged to suppress the protests in "security precautions" that even exceed those for the visits of President George W. Bush to Stralsund, Germany, in 2006 and to Heiligendamm in 2007. ... French and German citizens have been issued curfews, and many must carry special badges just to enter their own neighborhoods. Citizens have even been ordered by police to remove peace flags from their windows. There are indications that the German and French police and military are receiving their orders directly from U.S. Homeland Security.

She also notes, “The Strasbourg NATO Summit will be the official start of the discussion on a new Strategic Concept that will define the direction of NATO for the years to come,” and argues the direction does not look good:

Under U.S. leadership, NATO seeks to make decisions regarding military missions without agreement by the United Nations. In Strasbourg some NATO leaders will even seek to abolish the consensus decision-making process within NATO itself, thus forcing “unwilling” nations in NATO to go along with wars with which they disagree. At the same time, more countries are being offered NATO membership in an effort to encircle Russia and strategically important areas in the Middle East. Proponents and opponents of NATO both view the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, to which the U.S. is committing significantly more troops, as a key test for the “out of area” intervention concept.

However, many citizens of NATO countries do not want to be drawn into wars or continue to host nuclear weapons on their soil. A brief schedule of anti-NATO protest plans from 1-5 April include:

a camp near Strasbourg 1-5 April;
a hearing on the war in Afghanistan in Karlsruhe, Germany on 2 April;
a congress of leading intellectuals, activists, and representatives of European political parties in Strasbourg on 3 and 5 April;
demonstrations and civil disobedience in Baden-Baden on 3 April; and
civil disobedience and, separately, a peaceful demonstration in Strasbourg on 4 April.

Peace groups have also released an appeal:
http://www.no-to-nato.org/en/appeal/

For more information, please see:
http://www.bombspotting.org
http://www.no-to-nato.org/
http://www.gipfelsoli.org/
http://wri-irg.org/node/6990
http://www.vredesactie.be/article.php?id=56
http://www.natozu.de/index.php?id=28
http://www.block-nato.org/index_en.htm
http://linksunten.indymedia.org
http://www.imi-online.de/2009.php3?id=1930

6) Churches for disarmament
Issued jointly by the World Council of Churches and the Conference of European Churches

In a 30 March letter, four councils of churches urged the NATO leadership to "reinforce the vision of a world without nuclear weapons", consigning to history the notion that nuclear weapons preserve peace and instead recognizing that they make security more precarious.

An immediate step towards that goal, the churches' letter suggests, would be to update the alliance's strategic concept and security doctrine. The alliance should also show willingness to remove hundreds of US tactical nuclear weapons still placed in European countries.

The letter, signed by the general secretaries of the World Council of Churches, the Conference of European Churches, the National Council of Churches of Christ USA and the Canadian Council of Churches, comes ahead of the NATO summit of heads of State and Government to be held on 3-4 April in Baden-Baden and Kehl, Germany, and in Strasbourg, France.

"We believe security must be sought through constructive engagement with neighbors and that authentic security is found in affirming and enhancing human interdependence within God's one creation," the letter states.

The ull text of the councils of churches' letter to the NATO member states and secretary general is available at
http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=6723

7) Calling for advertisements, articles, and artwork for the NPT News in Review
The NPT News in Review is a daily publication produced during NPT Preparatory Committee and Review Conferences. It features analysis of the day's events, feature articles from NGOs around the world, interviews with diplomats and NGO representatives, nuclear facts, announcements, cartoons, a calendar of events, and more. You can access archived NIRs online and subscribe to receive this year's editions.

We also encourage you to submit to this year's NPT News in Review. The guidelines are as follows:

1/4 page ad: $40
1/2 page ad: $60
full page ad: $130
back page ad: $185

Run your ad twice and get $5 off. Run your add three times and get $10 off. Run your ad four times and get $15 off.

Submit your ad, article, or artwork by sending to the Project Director:

your organization's name;
contact person;
email address;
phone number;
type of submission (for ads, please specify the size of the ad, dates for it to run, and payment method); and
the submission

The deadline for all art, article, and advertising submissions to the News in Review is 19 April 2009. The earlier, the better.

8) Convention on Cluster Munitions signing ceremony
On 18 March, during an event at UN Headquarters in New York for countries to sign or ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic ratified the Convention and the Democratic Republic of Congo became the 96th country to sign it. For more information, see the Cluster Munition Coalition's press release.

16 March 2009

Dear Reaching Critical Will friends and advisors:

On 5 March, the current president of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) read out the International Women’s Day Statement to the CD on behalf of the coalition of women’s organizations that prepared the statement after their seminar on 4 March. This year’s seminar focused on “Getting To Peace in the Middle East—Changing Threat Perceptions.” The statement emphasized that three parallel tracks are necessary for the consolidation of peace in the area: the political track, including the Arab Peace Initiative; the disarmament track, including the 1995 nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty Review Conference Resolution; and a human security track, “along which the governments of the region demonstrate their ability to cope with their internal problems and satisfy the needs and hopes of their peoples.”

As with all initiatives for peace, justice, and disarmament, the statement notes, “It will be impossible to maintain and implement this third track—towards shared human security—without the full and active engagement of civil society, and particularly women.” Civil society participation is essential for progress. Reaching Critical Will encourages everyone to consider what they can do to meet the increasing challenges engaging our world, to not be overwhelmed by apathy or hopelessness, and to act for change in every way possible.

Recent technical difficulties: Speaking of change, Reaching Critical Will's website has experienced some technical difficulties over the past week due to an impromptu server migration. All relevant information for the NPT is now back in order. However, some broken links remain throughout the site, particularly in our collection of Conference on Disarmament statements, and we ask for your patience as we fix these.

In peace,
Ray Acheson, Project Director

1) International Women’s Day and the global financial crisis
Reuters invited Sam Cook, Director of the PeaceWomen project of WILPF, to write a blog post in honour of International Women’s Day on 8 March 2009. Sam tied the problems of excessive military spending to those of reaching gender equality and the other Millennium Development Goals.

http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate-uk/2009/03/07/international-womens-day-and-the-global-financial-crisis/

With the global financial crisis seemingly in every headline and a looming economic meltdown foremost on everyone’s minds, the observance of International Women’s Day on March 8 may not seem of immediate relevance. But it is.

Clara Zetkin, who is credited with first putting forward the idea of an international women’s day in 1910, would likely have a lot to say about where we are today. She and other committed socialists of the women’s and the peace movements in the U.S. and Europe whose work inspired this Women’s Day would probably not be entirely surprised at what the dominant economic and political power ideologies of the last century have delivered.

Of course International Women’s Day has grown beyond its working class roots in the early 1900’s. Alongside the women’s movement, we see now that global corporations and governments actively claim support of the day and its celebrations. The official website of International Women’s Day claims this fact as a positive achievement. But, as someone who considers herself part of the peace and women’s movements, this causes me no small measure of discomfort and adds to my mixed emotions about the day.

It is not that I don’t appreciate the power and significance of an international day of observance of work for women’s empowerment and gender equality. It is not that I think we have no need of attention to these issues. It is not that I feel that all the important achievements are the ones behind us - as the bumper sticker pinned above my desk reads, “I’ll be a post-feminist in post-patriarchy.” No, I believe that International Women’s Day is an important reminder of the work that still needs to be done and it is certainly a powerful moment of solidarity across time and space.

It is fortifying to work with a sense of common cause with women from places as diverse as the cities of Latin America, the hamlets of Europe, the suburbs of North America and the villages and sprawling urban centres across Africa. It is inspiring to know that this work on a wide range of issues - from equal pay for equal work; to access to reproductive health services; and ending violence against women - is building on the work of generations of women before us. These are all reasons that make International Women’s Day a day worth celebrating. But they are also the reasons that I want to reclaim the day. Reclaim it back from the hands of empty ritual and rhetoric and from those that treat it like another public relations opportunity.

I’m not saying that governments and corporations don’t do “good things” or that they don’t invest in gender equality and women’s empowerment. But, when one looks at the bigger picture - including that revealed by this global financial crisis - those efforts seem less laudable. As with so many things, it is hard to get the true picture and see where priorities lie until you do the comparisons and look at the numbers.

As tax payers in the U.S. are aghast at upwards of $700 billion dollars going to “bail out” the financial system, little is said of the fact that this figure is also the approximate annual military budget of the U.S. Global military spending currently exceeds $1,204 billion dollars annually at 2006 prices. The combined budgets of the United Nations entities working on women’s issues amounts to approximately 0.005 percent of that.

The World Bank estimates the cost of interventions to promote gender equality under Millennium Development Goal 3 (universal access to education) to be $7-$13 per capita. The world’s military expenditure in 2006? $184 per capita. This is the financial crisis. That investing in weapons and war and creating human insecurity is prioritized over investing in peace, development and gender equality. This is what we should be questioning and working to change as we stand together on International Women’s Day. And if the governments and corporations of the world really want to show their support for this day, then ending militarism would be a good place to start.

2) Open letter on Czech missile "defence" radar
The Czech Chamber of Deputies is likely to vote this week on whether to accept the US military radar base that was originally proposed by the Bush administration. The radar, along with Interceptor missiles in Poland, would create a European "missile defence" system. Two thirds of Czechs have consistently opposed the radar.

The Campaign for Peace and Democracy has drafted the following open letter to the Czech Chamber of Deputies:

It is our understanding that after much debate in your country, the Czech Chamber of Deputies will vote very soon on the proposed agreement to accept the U.S. military radar. We are writing to let you know that we deeply believe that the radar is not in the real interests of people in either the United States or the Czech Republic. We hope you will vote to reject it.

Millions of Americans, including ourselves, are eager for a new peaceful U.S. foreign policy that advances democracy and demilitarization around the world, rather than an escalation of the arms race. Moreover, the extremely expensive missile defense program is, like so much of our country's military budget, a vast waste of resources. We would much prefer to spend our nation's wealth on education, housing, healthcare and other human needs, both domestically and internationally.

We are inspired by the fact that more than two thirds of the Czech people have repeatedly expressed their opposition to the radar. We join with them in calling on President Obama to pull back from plans to install Interceptor missiles in Poland and a companion radar station in the Czech Republic.

An end to this dangerous "missile defense" program could form the basis for a very positive and constructive relationship between the people of our two countries, and could serve as an important first step in a broader process of global disarmament.

To sign the letter, please go http://www.cpdweb.org/statements/1012/stmt.shtml.

3) Costa Rica campaign to ban depleted uranium weapons
From the International Campaign to Ban Uranium Weapons

On 4 March 2009, the President of the Latin American Parliament’s Human Rights Commission and member of Costa Rica’s legislative assembly Alexander Mora Mora released a draft for a comprehensive ban on uranium weapons in Costa Rica.

Mora Mora, a member of the Partido Liberacion Nacional and keen advocate for peace and non-violence, estimates that the bill could become law in under a year and hopes that it will attract cross party support. Parliamentarians have been inspired by Belgium’s decision to ban uranium weapons and armour in a unanimous vote passed in 2007. Belgium’s ban will come into force to become law this June.

“Every domestic campaign needs heroes and Alexander Mora Mora has stepped into this role in Costa Rica,” said an ICBUW spokesperson. “Although our member organisations here have been working closely with the legislature’s members for some time, Mora Mora is the driving force behind this text and we hope that its impact will spread far beyond the boundaries of Costa Rica.”
It is anticipated that the Costa Rican ban text will be written into a 1995 law controlling explosive weapons. If it successfully negotiates the state’s unicameral legislature, the text will ban the use, sale, transit, production and distribution of uranium weapons in Costa Rica and its exclusive economic zone.

4) Russia’s Foreign Minister addressed the Conference on Disarmament
From Reaching Critical Will's CD Report

On Saturday, 7 March, a plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) convened to accommodate Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s schedule. Minister Lavrov commented on the relationship between the financial crisis and disarmament; relations with the United States and next steps for bilateral reductions; measures for “strategic stability”; the proposed anti-missile system in Eastern Europe; and preventing an arms race in outer space.

Economic demilitarization
Minister Lavrov argued that the current financial and economic crises “constrict the resource base for disarmament and conversion programs,” though he also acknowledged “that under globalization the crisis cannot be overcome through military preparations or war as happened in 1930-s. Regretfully, the Cold War has ‘institutionalized’ militarization in the field of international relations.”

Many academics and activists argue that the financial crisis not only demonstrates beyond a doubt the need for conversion, disarmament, and demilitarization, but also provides an opportunity for such progress. At a recent conference in Washington, DC, “Security Without Empire,” Bruce Gagnon of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space argued that the conversion of military industries is essential to reducing military expenditures, and that popular support for conversion is essential for government action. US Congressman Barney Frank, in calling for a 25% reduction of the US military budget, has argued that the US government has “for too long indulged the implicit notion that military spending is somehow irrelevant to reducing the deficit and have resisted applying to military spending the standards of efficiency that are applied to other programs. If we do not reduce the military budget, either we accustom ourselves to unending and increasing budget deficits, or we do severe harm to our ability to improve the quality of our lives through sensible public policy.”

US-Russian nuclear reductions
Minister Lavrov recognized Russia’s “special responsibility” as a nuclear weapon state and permanent member of the UN Security Council to effectively work toward nuclear disarmament. He welcomed the “resetting” of US-Russian relations as discussed with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and emphasized the importance of a follow-on to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). He also read a statement by Russian President Medvedev, calling for a legally-binding instrument that limits warheads, strategic delivery vehicles, and the legality of deploying such arms outside of national territories.

Measures for “strategic stability”
Arguing that the elimination of nuclear weapons “can only be achieved through strengthened strategic stability and strict adherence to the principle of equal security of all,” Minister Lavrov urged the following steps:

Advancement of nuclear disarmament by all nuclear weapon states, “with their ‘gradual’ engagement in efforts already being undertaken by Russia and U.S.”;
Preventing of the weaponization of outer space;
Preventing of operational deployment of strategic offensive weapons equipped with conventional warheads (building “compensatory potential”);
Ensuring states do not possess a “nuclear upload potential”;
Preventing attempt to use NPT membership to implement military nuclear programs; and
Ensuring verifiable cessation of conventional capabilities “coupled with efforts to resolve other international issues, including settlement of regional conflicts.”

Minister Lavrov also called for strengthening of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at the next Review Conference in 2010; entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty; and ratification of the International Atomic Energy Agency Additional Protocol by all countries . He welcomed the entry into force of the Central Asian nuclear weapon free zone and urged for the development of such a zone in the Middle East. He also called for development of multilateral approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle, urging, “joint work should be carried out to develop global nuclear energy infrastructure through the establishment of multilateral centers for the provision of nuclear fuel cycle services” and citing the establishment of the International Uranium Enrichment Center in partnership with Kazakhstan. Noting that the European Union has now made a similar call, Minister Lavrov reiterated the importance of developing an international agreement on the elimination of intermediate- and short-range ballistic missiles. He also said the Russian delegation to the CD is prepared to start negotiations on a fissile materials cut-off treaty.

Anti-missile system in Europe
Minister Lavrov further argued that unilateral anti-ballistic missile systems undermine efforts toward nuclear disarmament by eroding strategic stability and global parity. He proposed a “constructive alternative to unilateral plans in this crucial area”—a “package proposal” to “unite efforts of all States interested in counteracting potential missile threats.”

Despite arguing that the proposed US anti-missile system in Europe is based on unfounded fears of missile attacks by Iran—noting that Iran does not possess intercontinental ballistic missiles or nuclear weapons—the Russian government has for several years been inviting NATO and the United States to cooperate with it on an anti-missile system to “protect” both Europe and Russia. In March 2007, Russia’s ambassador to NATO urged, “Since Iranian missiles and the nuclear weapons of the ‘rogue states’ rank among our common threats, let us gather together and assess them, and let us build an antimissile system jointly.” While this suggestion was largely ignored by the former US administration, on Friday, 6 March 2009, US Secretary of State Clinton indicated that there may be an “opportunity” for Russia and the United States to “cooperate on missile defense.”

Weaponization of outer space
Minister Lavrov argued that preventing an arms race in outer space is in everyone’s interest, noting that it will help make “the strategic situation predictable and preserving integrity of orbital assets” and that it is easier to prevent the weaponization of space than to get rid of new weapon stockpiles afterwards.

Unfortunately, given the incredible amounts of money spent on space weapon technology and the “opportunities” the contracts for such technology provides for weapon profiteers, it will in fact be very difficult to prevent its development.

Minister Lavrov announced that the Russian and Chinese CD delegations will soon introduce a document summing up and responding to the comments they received on their drafty treaty on preventing the placement of weapons in outer space. For a list of comments on the treaty delivered in plenary meetings of the CD, please see Reaching Critical Will’s fact sheet on the draft treaty.

Notes from the gallery
For the first time in a long time, the CD chamber was packed with press. Before delivering his official statement, Minister Lavrov had to shoo away photographers standing in the middle of the room, saying, “We’re here for disarmament, not publicity.” Last year, Minister Lavrov’s CD address received much less media attention. We hope the increased publicity will result in increased interest in, and scrutiny of, the CD by media and the public.

To subscribe to Reaching Critical Will's CD Report, please email info[at]reachingcriticalwill.org with the subject line "subscribe cdreport". For all CD statements, papers, and other documents since 2000, please see http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/cd/cdindex.html

5) Deadline for accreditation to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee
Please note that the deadline to apply for accreditation with the United Nations to attend the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee in May is Tuesday, 31 March 2009. Requests for accreditation that are received by fax or email will be considered provisional until the signed letters are received by mail. You must send hardcopies to the above address.

6) Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence 2009
From the International Action Network on Small Arms

The Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence is scheduled for 15-21 June 2009. The Week of Action highlights the international campaign to stop the proliferation and misuse of small arms. Each year activists around the world use the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence to raise awareness, campaign for better gun laws and push for stronger regulation of the global arms trade.

In 2008 IANSA members in more than 85 countries highlighted the human cost of small arms proliferation and misuse; they also demanded that governments to enact policies that put their citizens' security first. Civil society organisations taking part in the Week of Action organised public events, conducted media work, emphasised the importance of an Arms Trade Treaty and generally engaged more people in the global movement against gun violence.

Key dates for possible Week of Action advocacy

• International Day of the African Child: 16 June

• Father’s Day (in many countries): 19 June

• World Refugee Day: 20 June

The Week of Action is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness about these upcoming events:

• Global Gun Destruction Day: 9 July

• UN Open Ended Working Group on an Arms Trade Treaty: 13-17 July

As in previous years, the IANSA Secretariat will be able support your activities with information, contacts, suggestions, media outreach, translation etc. We will also have some limited funds to assist with small costs such as printing. Please email Bruce Millar for further information and to discuss your plans.

Bruce Millar
Programme Officer
IANSA - International Action Network on Small Arms
Development House
56-64 Leonard Street
London EC2A 4LT (UK)
Tel: +44 20 7065 0867
Fax: +44 20 7065 0871
bruce.millar[at]iansa.org

2 March 2009

Dear Reaching Critical Will friends and advisors:

This edition of the E-News is chock full of information about civil society campaigns for a just, equitable, and peaceful world and about opportunities to pressure your governments to embrace relevant measures to promote disarmament. Find out what's going on in the Czech Republic against missile "defence", what women at the Commission on the Status of Women are saying about disarmament and militarism, and how to engage with the Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee.

In addition, please save the date of Thursday, 7 May 2009, 6:00-8:00 PM EST, for Reaching Critical Will's 10th Anniversary Party! For anyone who will be in New York City at that time, during the NPT PrepCom, please join us for an evening of food and fun to celebrate ten years of RCW's work for nuclear abolition. The event will be held in the Church Center, across the street from the UN. For details, please contact info[at]reachingcriticalwill.org.

In peace,
Ray Acheson, Project Director

1) Czech mayors protest missile "defence"
From Europe for Peace, "MEPs, Mayors and the Nonviolent Movement rejects 'Star Wars' in Europe," 19 February 2009

Yesterday, Wednesday the 18th of February, 40 Czech mayors and a broad delegation of the European Nonviolent Movement travelled to Brussels, to meet with Belgian Senators and Members of Parliament to protest against the project of the previous Bush Administration to build the so-called “Space Shield” in the Czech Republic and Poland.

Called on by Europe for Peace and the Czech Nonviolent Movement, hundreds of demonstrators came in buses from the Czech Republic along with representatives of European social movements like, Mayors for Peace, Pax Christi and World without Wars.

“The Invisibles” paraded in front of the European Parliament; hundreds of people dressed in white to symbolise the majority of the European population that has neither been consulted, nor heard in the decisions that affect them. At the same time, humanist and pacifist groups were mobilised in the main European capitals and also in Buenos Aires in front of their parliaments, in support of the Czech pacifists.

This is one more step in the campaign that started in 2007 when the news came of a plan to build a radar base in the Brdy region of the Czech Republic by the Bush administration. The decision was taken directly with the Czech Government without consulting either the people or European colleagues.

After the meeting in the Belgian Senate, the senators and deputies present took interest in the protest of the Czech pacifists committing themselves to present a motion in the Belgian Parliament against the space shield.

Jan Tamas, the young leader of the Czech Nonviolent Movement said yesterday: “Today, finally, we are in the appropriate place to speak about this subject, as the installation of the radar base is not only a problem for the Czech People as it compromises the security of the entire population of Europe”. Jan Neoral, spokesperson of the League of Mayors against the Radar, assured those present that today, in Europe, the voice of the 70% of Czechs and the 13 out of 14 Regional Presidents who are against this project are being heard.

The almost 20 MEPs present in the meeting that took place in the European Parliament expressed their concern for the serious problem that these military installations raise; besides being useless for the real defence of Europe, they make clear the need for a common defence policy that is independent of the USA. Luisa Morgantini, Vice-president of the European Parliament, affirmed “that the current Czech Government is undermining the foundations upon which a united Europe has been built.”

In addition, various European pacifist leaders gave their support to Jan Tamas in the defamation campaign waged against him by the Czech press and they denounced European passiveness in foreign affairs and defence, and our dependence on the decisions of other powers.

Finally, Giorgio Schultze, spokesperson of Europe for Peace, warned about the danger that this military installation means for Europe, being a direct provocation of Russia with the risk of a return to a new arms race and a new cold war and he said; “On the contrary, the path has to be that of progressive disarmament and the immediate disappearance of the whole nuclear arsenal. In this respect, we support the declarations in favour of nuclear disarmament by President Obama and we ask him to take one more step by withdrawing this project and I finish by making a call to create a consciousness against violence inviting all those present to join the World March for Peace and Nonviolence that will start on the 2nd of October and circle the planet asking for nuclear disarmament, the end of wars and all forms of violence.”

For more information, please see:
Europe for Peace
No Star Wars online petition

2) Jody Williams on missile "defence" systems
From Jody Williams, "Use Your Imagination," International Campaign to Ban Landmines, February 2009

Asked to opine about what I think one or two of the biggest issues facing us in the coming decades might be, I find myself needing to quote Arundhati Roy, in her anti-nuclear polemic "The End of Imagination." Roy writes, "There’s nothing new or original left to be said about nuclear weapons. There can be nothing more humiliating for a writer of fiction to have to do than restate a case that has, over the years, already been made by other people in other parts of the world, and made passionately, eloquently, and knowledgeably."

She goes on to say, however, that she is "prepared to grovel. To humiliate myself abjectly, because in the circumstances, silence would be indefensible." Roy is talking about her need to speak out against the open embrace of nuclear weapons by the country of her birth, India.

When asked to comment about ‘big issues,’ and ‘issues related to war and peace’ – after all, I was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize so I should have ‘big thoughts’ about any number of such ‘big issues’ – as often as not I find myself reduced to feeling more like what Roy describes. What more can be said about a multitude of issues facing this increasing small and overwhelmed planet; issues as wide-ranging as global warming or the HIV crisis or unbridled globalization? People with much more intimate knowledge of these issues have spoken – often and with much wisdom. It feels like there is nothing left to be said.

Yet, I also find myself willing to try on some issues – issues on which I am not even approaching what would be called ‘an expert’ -- because I also feel that, under the circumstances, silence would be indefensible. Along with challenges facing us such as those noted above, one that causes me particular concern is the open embrace by the Bush administration of National Missile Defense (NMD), an issue flirted with – to greater and less degree and in various incarnations -- for approaching two decades now since launched under the Reagan administration and known in common parlance as ‘Star Wars.’

Like many others, I tend to revert to calling NMD the ‘Son of Star Wars’ -- yet I recognize that for many, the mere use of such terminology threatens to reduce the cold-blooded horror of this move to militarize space to something amazing and almost wonderful. ‘Son of Star Wars’ of course conjures up the fabulous high-tech wizardry of that imaginative series of movies; causes one to almost want to be able to believe that this NMD is little more than lasers and ‘good guys’ really just trying to defend us all from the ‘bad guys.’

I hesitate to single it out. After all, my ‘expertise’ is landmines. Don’t I risk minimizing the concern by my display of a lack of intimate knowledge? While I may not be an expert on National Missile Defense and its implications for the militarization of space, it doesn’t take an expert to see how this move fits into the arrogant isolationism of the new administration – and from my experience sometimes it is the least expert questions that are the most difficult to really answer.

We are now being asked to stunt our imagination and our own intelligence and accept that real ‘freedom’ means that we should be free from the arms control treaties that have formed a cornerstone of stability for decades. We are told that our friends and allies around the world just don’t understand this new concept of freedom and security. But not to worry, given enough time and a bit more backslapping, they will come around. And if they don’t, we’ll do it anyway.

It is also implied – this is not just the domain of this government – that if we do not accept this new wisdom, if we speak out passionately and maybe even eloquently and for some, maybe even with great knowledge about the issues at hand – we are somehow not patriotic. And, missile defense does seem so overwhelming that it is tempting to give in to being ‘patriotic’ and to letting the ‘experts’ advise us as to how best to protect ourselves from the rogue enemies who will be the ones to feel the wrath of these defensive missiles – after all, what can the ordinary individual possibly really understand about such difficult national defense issues.

I think the biggest challenge is for each and every ‘ordinary citizen’ to believe that their view on this – and any of the other ‘big issues’ facing us – is important. The biggest challenge is for ordinary citizens to fire up their imaginations and believe that they can make a difference on this and most any other issue if they take action.

My friend and fellow-laureate Betty Williams once said (and I shamelessly use her words whenever and wherever I can) that sometimes we try to get by just invoking our feelings of empathy for problems that face others – or us all, collectively. Somehow, just by ‘feeling the other person’s pain’ we are more righteous than those who cannot even do that. But as Betty says, emotions without action are irrelevant. If you do not get up and take action to make the world the place you want it to be, it really doesn’t matter what you feel.

So, I guess that I will have to now try to move beyond my words of horror about the NMD and the militarization of space and the arrogant isolationism of this country. I will have to fire up my own imagination and try to find ways to help convince us all that real security comes with meeting the needs of the individuals on this planet – through human security –and not through spending billions of tax dollars ‘freely,’ for new imaginative weapons that threaten us all.

I re-read this, of course, and find that I have not found new eloquence on this issue of NMD and the militarization of space. I re-read this and recognize that I’ve not found some new magic combination that will convince someone to stop this madness. At the same time, I recognize that the point isn’t necessarily to find new eloquence – it is to add my voice, and my actions, to bring about change that I believe is critical to making this a better place for us all. All that I have to do is use my imagination.

3) Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific Day
From Peace Movement Aotearoa, "Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific Day," 1 March 2009

Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific Day ('Bikini' Day), 1 March, marks the anniversary of the US 'Bravo' nuclear bomb detonation at Bikini Atoll in 1954. The explosion gouged out a crater more than 200 feet deep and a mile across, melting huge quantities of coral which were sucked up into the atmosphere together with vast volumes of seawater. The resulting fallout caused widespread contamination in the Pacific.

For more information, please see:
http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/nfipday.htm

4) Commission on the Status of Women: Disarmament Events
The 53rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is meeting in New York from 2-13 March 2009. Two parallel events organised by NGOs will be focusing on women and disarmament:

Women and Disarmament
Friday, 6 March
12:00-1:30 PM
Church Center, Grumman Room

Women Decision-Makers and Disarmament
Thursday, 5 March
2:00-3:30 PM
Church Center, Drew Room

In addition, WILPF International Vice President Kozue Akibayashi will be speaking at the following event:

Okinawa Women Act Against Military Violence
Addressing sexual violence by US military against civilian populations residing near US military bases
Monday, 9 March
12:00-2:00 PM
Church Center, Presbyterian Conference Room (7th floor)

5) UK Co-operative Bank ceases all investment in DU weapon manufacturers
Co-op became the first UK bank to cease investments in depleted uranium weapon manufacturers, classifying uranium weapons along with cluster bombs as indiscriminate. According to the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons,

Last year saw the fifth review of its Ethical Policy, where it invites its customers to respond to a questionnaire on a variety of topical ethical issues. In all more than 80,000 of the bank’s customers responded to the consultation and the results overwhelmingly supported the bank taking a tougher line on many issues. The arms trade was a case in point–99% of respondents supported the exclusion of firms that manufacture and sell indiscriminate weapons, such as cluster bombs and depleted uranium rounds. Historically the Co-op has barred investments in arms companies that export weapons to oppressive regimes and those who manufacture and transfer torture equipment.

For more information, please see:
International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons

6) Latest meeting of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament
Thanks to Akira Kawasaki of PeaceBoat for the following information and links:

The second meeting of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND) held on 14-15 February 2009 in Washington, DC. The meeting included testimonies from Hibakusha, atomic bomb survivors.

[ICNND]
15 February 2009
Joint Statement by Gareth Evans and Yoriko Kawaguchi on the Conclusion
of the Second Meeting of the International Commission on Nuclear
Non-proliferation and Disarmament
http://www.icnnd.org/media/joint_conf_150209.html

[ICAN]
16 February 2009
ICAN's Media Statement
Australian nuclear plan must articulate clear path to abolish weapons
http://www.icanw.org/news/Australian-nuclear-plan-must-articulate-clear-path-to-abolish-weapons

[Media]

19 February 2009 Global Security Newswire
Obama Preparing Major Nonproliferation Push, Disarmament Commission
Leader Says
http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20090219_4688.php

19 February 2009 Washington Times
Japan, Australia urge U.S. to cut nuclear threats
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/19/japan-australia-urge-us-to-cut-nuclear-threats/

20 February 2009 ABC Radio National
Gareth Evans: the state of nuclear non-proliferation
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/nationalinterest/stories/2009/2496986.htm

17 February 2009 The Chugoku Shimbun
Atomic bomb survivors call for elimination of nukes at int'l meeting
http://www.hiroshimapeacemedia.jp/mediacenter/article.php?story=20090216174413746_en

16 February 2009 The Sydney Morning Herald
Biden to take up Rudd's nuclear arms push
http://www.smh.com.au/world/biden-to-take-up-rudds-nuclear-arms-push-20090215-884g.html

16 February 2009 The Australian
Biden signals nuclear changes
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25059347-2703,00.html

16 February 2009 The Age
Australian nuclear plan wins US support
http://www.theage.com.au/national/australian-nuclear-plan-wins-us-support-20090215-8860.html

19 February 2009 Your Nuclear News
High-level nuclear panel may call for industry 'code of conduct'
http://www.yournuclearnews.com/high-level+nuclear+panel+may+call+for+industry+'code+of+conduct'_24518.html

The Commission will have the third meeting in Moscow in mid-June, the fourth meeting in Hiroshima in mid-October, where they will have the final discussion on its report to be published at the end of this year or very early 2010, which will be targeted for 2010 NPT Review Conference.

7) Help stop arms supplies to Israel/Gaza
From the International Action Network on Small Arms

Amnesty International is asking for support for this action to stop arms supplies to parties to the conflict and for a UN Security Council arms embargo.

Goals

Urge governments to stop all arms transfers to Israel, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups until there is no longer a substantial risk that arms will be used for serious violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) and human rights abuses
Urge the UN Security Council to impose an immediate arms embargo on Israel, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups
Urge governments to establish independent and impartial investigation of violations of international human rights law and IHL
Urge governments to actively support an effective global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) including the Golden Rule on human rights and IHL

Background
Amnesty International researchers visiting Gaza and southern Israel during and after the recent fighting found evidence of war crimes and other serious violations of international law by all parties to the conflict.

In the three weeks following the start of the Israeli military offensive on 27 December, Israeli forces killed more than 1,300 Palestinians in Gaza, including more than 300 children and many other civilians, and injured over 5,000 other Palestinians, again including many civilians. Israeli forces also destroyed thousands of homes and other property and caused significant damage to the infrastructure of Gaza, causing a worsening of the humanitarian crisis arising from the 18-month blockade maintained by Israel. Some of the Israeli bombardments and other attacks were directed at civilians or civilian buildings in the Gaza Strip; others were disproportionate or indiscriminate.

Amnesty International has found indisputable evidence that Israeli forces used white phosphorus, which has a highly incendiary effect, in densely populated residential areas in Gaza, putting the Palestinian civilian population at high risk. Israeli forces’ use of artillery and other non-precision weapons in densely-populated residential areas increased the risk, and the harm done, to the civilian population. During the same period, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups continued to fire indiscriminate rockets into residential areas of southern Israel, killing 3 civilians.

Arms supplies
Israel is a significant manufacturer of conventional arms but it also imports arms and components from other countries. The US has been the major supplier of conventional arms, providing $447 million in arms and ammunition in 2007, according to US authorities. European Union (EU) member states authorised around €200 million of arms export licenses to Israel during 2007, the major exporters being France, Germany and Romania. These are ‘conventional weapons’ which include armoured vehicles, rockets, missiles, bombs and their components. Specifically for small arms and light weapons, the top 5 suppliers are US, Albania, Netherlands, Mexico and Croatia, between 2004 and 2007. The US supplied $31 million in small arms to Israel during this period.

Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups have smuggled small arms, light weapons, rockets and rocket components into Gaza from Egypt. These imports are much smaller than those of Israel. The weapons are reported to be manufactured in Russia but are unlikely to have been obtained directly from Russia.

Campaign suggestions

Contact your national media. Send them the Amnesty International media release and media briefing (link below), or send a media release from your own organisation. Write a letter to the editor of national newspapers.
Advocacy with your government. Write to the Minister of Foreign Affairs urging them to suspend all transfers of military equipment, assistance and munitions, as well as those which may be diverted, to Israel, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups until there is no longer a substantial risk that such equipment will be used for serious violations of international human rights law and IHL..
Advocacy with the European Union (EU). The Czech Republic has the Presidency of the EU until July. Please contact the Czech embassy in your country and urge the EU to impose its own arms embargo on Israel and Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups.

If your government is one of the members of the UN Security Council, you could write to the Minister of Foreign Affairs or parliamentarians urging the government to impose a full an comprehensive arms embargo on the parties to the conflict. The current members of the UN Security Council are Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, France, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Russia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US and Vietnam.

Please contact your national sections of Amnesty International to coordinate any campaign activities. Please email Bruce Millar (bruce.millar[at]iansa.org) with your plans and we will circulate to the rest of the network.

+++ Please note IANSA has no funding available for this campaign +++

To receive the Amnesty International Internal Action Circular with more details of the action, please email Bruce Millar (bruce.millar[at]iansa.org)

For more information, please see:
Amnesty International media release
Amnesty International media briefing

8) Convention on Cluster Munitions signing ceremony
On 18 March, there will be an event at the UN headquarters in New York, facilitated by UN agencies including the UN Treaty Section, at which all countries will be invited to participate through their missions in New York. Those countries that have not signed or ratified the Convention will have an opportunity to do so at this event as a group and in the spotlight of other states, civil society, and media.

The Cluster Munitions Coalition is calling for action:

If your government hasn’t yet signed the Convention - particularly those states who did not get adequate ‘full powers’ to sign in Oslo, and states that adopted the Convention in Dublin but failed to sign in Oslo - please encourage them to sign at this event in a few weeks’ time, if not before.
If your government can complete ratification procedures within the next few weeks, please encourage them to deposit their ratification instrument at this event, if not before.
Even if your country has signed, encourage your country’s mission to the UN in New York to attend the event.

Adapt and send a letter to your Minister of Foreign Affairs calling on your government to sign or ratify the treaty as soon as possible (if they haven’t done so already)
You can find tempalte letters here: www.stopclustermunitions.org/take-action/government/
We recommended that you adapt the letter so that it is appropriate to your national context. Here are some suggestions:

Welcome any announcements that the government has made saying it will sign the Convention soon if it hasn’t yet signed, or that it will ratify the Convention quickly if it has already signed, as well as any steps already taken towards signature or ratification. If you are writing to your country about ratification, you may also want to make clear what next steps are needed to complete this procedure;
Highlight why it is important that this country signs/ratifies the Convention, for example if it is an affected country then it will be able to request and receive assistance to clear contaminated land and if it stockpiles then it will obligate the country to start destruction.
Copy the letter to all relevant people in government, parliament and civil society that can help to follow up on ensuring that the signature / ratification procedure is carried out quickly and efficiently.
Attach to the letters the CMC Briefing Paper on the Convention and the ‘How to’ guides on signing and ratifying the Convention.

Contact members of parliament and engage them in your campaign
Check out the excellent new Parliamentary Action Kit online which has information on the Parliamentary Friends of the CMC network, parliamentary forums on cluster munitions, and other useful resources. Thanks so much to Portia Stratton and Landmine Action for putting this together.

Send letters to parliamentarians asking that they encourage your government to sign and ratify the Convention (if they haven’t done so already). You can find template letters here: www.stopclustermunitions.org/take-action/mp/

Arrange a briefing for key government officials and parliamentarians

There is a range of materials to support briefings including the lobbying guides and practical information on how to sign and ratify the Convention, ratification and signature, briefing papers explaining what the treaty means, PowerPoint presentations and photo slide shows: www.stopclustermunitions.org/campaign-resources/

9) Call for art, articles, and advertisements for the News in Review
The News in Review is a daily publication produced during NPT Preparatory Committee and Review Conferences. It features analysis of the day's events, feature articles from NGOs around the world, interviews with diplomats and NGO representatives, nuclear facts, announcements, cartoons, a calendar of events, and more. You can access archived NIRs online at http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/npt/nirindex.html. You can also subscribe to receive the NIR daily during the NPT by emailing info[at]reachingcriticalwill.org with the subject line "subscribe nir".

We encourage you to submit to this year's News in Review. The guidelines are as follows:

Feature articles: In addition to the daily analysis of the proceedings of the PrepCom, the News in Review also contains feature articles that cover a range of nuclear disarmament issues. We welcome submissions from NGO experts around the world, regardless of whether or not you will be in Geneva. Articles should be between 500-1000 words. The deadline for feature submissions is 18 April. Please submit in .doc format and the body of the email. Articles will be attributed to the author and may be edited for length.

Advertising space: You can use the News in Review to publicize an important announcement, event, or project hosted by your organization. NIRs are hand-distributed to all of the delegates at the PrepCom, sent by email to more than 2000 subscribers, and are archived on our website.

1/4 page ad: $40
1/2 page ad: $60
full page ad: $130
back page ad: $185

(Run your ad twice and get $5 off. Run your add three times and get $10 off. Run your ad four times and get $15 off.)

Cartoons, photos, artwork, poetry: The News in Review wouldn't be complete without its fill of poignant, satirical, and beautiful artwork. We are accepting all forms of anti-nuclear artwork, to be sent in either a .jpg, .gif, or .pdf file. Photos, paintings, doodles, cartoons, collage, mixed media, and drawings are all welcome.

Submit your ad, article, or artwork by sending to ray[at]reachingcriticalwill.org:

your organization's name;
contact person;
email address;
phone number;
type of submission (for ads, please specify the size of the ad, dates for it to run, and payment method); and
the submission

The deadline for all art, article, and advertising submissions to the News in Review is 19 April 2009. The earlier, the better.

17 February 2009

Dear Reaching Critical Will friends and advisors:

On 12 February, Brazil's ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva eloquently argued, "the sense of insecurity is a fertile soil not only for the reluctance to disarm but also for the ambition to acquire nuclear weapons. The malaise of insecurity can be remedied by weapons in the way that vitamins are supposed to strengthen ones resistance to disease. Taking further that image, nuclear weapons are like anabolic androgenic steroids which are outlawed in the world of sports." The articulation of various conceptions of security have been a highlight of this year's CD plenary meetings, with delegations debating the validity of the notion of equal security and others encouraging the development of regional security mechanisms. Very few, however, have called for emphasis on human security, except for Costa Rica's representative, Counsellor Carlos Garbanzo, who argued that the problem with the CD is that states are approaching disarmament from an armament or military perspective rather than a humanist one and that only a comprehensive point of view centered on the humanitarian side will move the Conference forward. He also reminded the Conference that disarmament is not a topic exclusive to those countries that have weapons; it effects any country and any population that might suffer negative effects of use of any weapons. Reaching Critical Will welcomes and encourages this dialogue and urges civil society representatives to call on their governments to think and talk about security in the most comprehensive way possible. Government contact information is available on RCW's website.

In peace,
Ray Acheson, Project Director

1) Information on NGO accreditation and registration for the 2009 NPT PrepCom is now available
The Office for Disarmament Affairs has released the official aide memoire for NGO participation at the NPT PrepCom. Below is some very important information on accreditation and registration. The complete aide memoire can be accessed at http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/npt/prepcom09/aidememoire09.pdf

Important notes overall
1. Your organization MUST work specifically on nuclear weapon issues in order to be approved for accreditation. Only those organizations that can demonstrate their active engagement on related issues will be approved.

2. You do not need to send your registration form to UNODA in advance. Please only send your accreditation request, as detailed below, not your registration form. Bring your registration form, along with your letter of approved accreditation, with you to New York.

3. UNODA is not in a position to provide letters of invitation and letters to consulates requesting that NGO representatives be provided visas for travelling to the United States for the PrepCom. The procurement of visas, travel arrangements, and related costs are strictly the responsibility of the NGO representatives.

Accreditation
NGO representatives with or without valid UN grounds passes must apply for accreditation to ODA. All NGOs, even those with ECOSOC or DPI accreditation, must apply.

Please submit, by 31 March 2009, the following materials:

1) a letter on organizational letterhead, signed by the head of the organization, requesting attendance at the Conference, which includes the composition of the delegation and an overview of past interactions between your organization and the United Nations, particularly in relation to disarmament and non-proliferation. Such interactions may include affiliation with the Department of Public Information (DPI), consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), etc. NGOs that will be participating for the first time should indicate this in their request for accreditation.

Note: Names submitted for the delegation will not eligible for later revision. It is advised that organizations submit the composition of their delegations only after careful review. Applicants for accreditation to UN conferences and individuals planning to attend side events must be at least 18 years of age.

Additional note: Your organization MUST work specifically on nuclear weapon issues in order to be approved for accreditation. The UN will consider requests from all organizations but only those that can demonstrate their active engagement on related issues will be approved.

2) A mission statement or summary of work that should include information on the organization's purpose, programmes, and activities related to the PrepCom. Not to exceed two pages in length.

Please send all of the above materials to:

Secretariat of the Preparatory Committee
c/o Ms. Silvia Mercogliano
Information and Outreach Branch
Office for Disarmament Affairs
Room S-3151E
United Nations
New York, NY 10017
USA

Tel: +1 917 367 4124
Fax: +1 917 367 5369
Email: UNODA.NPT.NGO[at]un.org

Requests for accreditation that are received by fax or email will be considered provisional until the signed letters are received by mail. You must send hardcopies to the above address.

NGO representatives will be notified by email on 8 April 2009 as to whether their documentation was received in order and whether the name of their organization will be included in the list for submission to states parties.

Registration and issuance of identification badges
NGO registration will be open in the visitor's lobby of the United Nations from 8:00 AM-12:00 PM and from 3:00-5:00 PM on Monday, 4 May and Tuesday, 5 May. You must bring your filled out registration form, the provisional accreditation request that has been authorized by the Secretariat of the PrepCom (UNODA) and a valid photo identification - passport is strongly encouraged, driver's license is acceptable. Please come early to register and please fill out your registration form in advance. The process this year will be more tedious than in years past and will take longer than in Vienna or Geneva. If you want to attend the first plenary meeting at 10:00 AM, please make sure you're in line by 8:00 AM.

Registration form: http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/npt/prepcom09/registrationform09.doc

Note: You do not need to send your registration form to UNODA in advance. Please only send your accreditation letter, not your registration form. Bring your registration form with you to New York.

If you cannot come on the above dates and times for registration, please contact Ms. Silvia Mercogliana at mercogliano[at]un.org, +1 917.367.4123 or Ms. Jenny Fuchs at fuchs[at]un.org, +1 212.963.2386.

Please note: UNODA is not in a position to provide letters of invitation and letters to consulates requesting that NGO representatives be provided visas for travelling to the United States for the PrepCom. The procurement of visas, travel arrangements, and related costs are strictly the responsibility of the NGO representatives.

Additional information for NGOs

The PrepCom will take place in Conference Room 1.
NGOs may display their documents and other materials on a table located outside Conference Room 1, though one copy of each document/material must be provided to the Secretariat through the NGO Coordinator, Ms. Ray Acheson.
Limited space is available for exhibits. Please contact Ms. Silvia Mercogliana at mercogliano@un.org for exhibit requests.

2) Judge Weeramantry argued against renewal of the UK's nuclear weapons
At a conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, Judge Weeramantry, the former vice president of the International Court of Justice supported attempts by the Scottish government to remove nuclear warheads from Scottish soil and will argue that nonviolent resistance to nuclear weapons can be justified under international law. His speech was reportedly an eloquent indictment of the possession, development, and threatened use of nuclear weapons.

Judge Weeramantry argued that the right of nations such as Scotland to challenge the deployment of weapons which threaten their people, their environment and future generations is undeniable, saying, "These are all areas which must necessarily be concerns of the parliament of Scotland."

In its article about the event, the Sunday Herald noted, "Last April, the Scottish government set up a Trident Working Group to investigate ways of getting rid of nuclear weapons using devolved powers. The group is due to report in the spring. In June last year, the Scottish parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of a motion calling on the UK government not to go ahead with the planned replacement of Trident."

3) The UK government released a public information paper on UK nuclear weapon policy
On 4 February 2009, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office released a public information paper, "Lifting the nuclear shadow: Creating the conditions for abolishing nuclear weapons" (pdf). Ambassador Duncan of the United Kingdom explained that the paper does not change any formal statements made by him or other UK ambassadors to the CD but is rather a "compendium" of UK policies on nuclear weapons, "expressed in simple language."

The paper outlines three conditions and six steps that are "potentially attainable" within the next few years toward "a global ban on all nuclear weapons," including:

Preventing nuclear weapon proliferation by "securing agreement among all the Non-Proliferation Treaty states that the way forward must include tougher measures to prevent proliferation and tighten security" and by "working with the International Atomic Energy Agency to help states which want to develop a civil nuclear energy industry to do so in ways which are safe and secure and which minimise the risks of nuclear weapons spreading."
Aiming for "minimal arsenals" and an "international legal framework which puts tight, verified constraints on nuclear weapons" through US-Russian negotiations and agreements on further nuclear weapon reductions, bringing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty into force, and starting negotiations "without preconditions" on a fissile materials cut-off treaty.
Finding solutions to the challenges of moving from small numbers of nuclear weapons to zero in ways which enhance security by "exploring the many complex political, military, technical and institutional issues" through a "strategic dialogue among the five Nuclear Weapon States (and, in due course, others)."

Brief analysis from Reaching Critical Will's CD Report of 5 February 2009
The key phrase in the information paper is that the UK government has issued "a call to accelerate disarmament to prevent proliferation to new states and to ultimately achieve a world that is free from nuclear weapons" [emphasis mine].

In their Foreign Policy in Focus article on the phenomenon of "anti-nuclear nuclearism"—the concept of the nuclear powers' quest for sustained hegemony masquerading as non-proliferation masquerading as disarmament—Darwin BondGraham and Will Parrish note that this type of position emphasizes "disarmament" steps and conditions "entirely for what it means for the rest of the world — securing nuclear materials and preventing other states from going nuclear or further developing their existing arsenals." Current nuclear weapon states' "responsibility to disarm remains in the distant future, unaddressed as a present imperative."

Indeed, the UK information paper has sections on "stopping proliferation" in Iran, North Korea, and Syria, on "tightening controls" on nuclear materials and technology, on "strengthening international commitment to preventing proliferation," on "managing the growth in nuclear power" and finally, on "reducing arsenals" and "going to zero". In the "reducing arsenals" section, the paper argues, "Significant reductions in the nuclear arsenals of the US and Russia should be achievable without necessarily raising fundamental security issues." BondGraham has argued that whereas nuclear weapons once offered prestige and privilege in the international community they are now seen by government elites as as a drain on national resources, political capital, and other forms of military power.

The UK paper also asserts, "A global ban [on nuclear weapons] will not be successfully achieved and sustained without removing or at least significantly improving the political tensions which have led states to maintain their nuclear weapons." In this regard, the UK government argues, the nuclear weapon states have to ensure that elimination of nuclear weapons does not spark an arms race in chemical, biological, or conventional weapons—therefore, the international community needs "effective international controls on other weapons before a global ban on nuclear weapons could be agreed" [emphasis mine].

One suggestion for preventing arms races the UK paper does not make is that of reducing global and regional military expenditure. The Costa Rican government, in its concept paper on Article 26 of the UN Charter circulated before the open debate in the Security Council last fall, suggested the establishment of regional commitments to maintaining collectively agreed levels of military spending.

Regarding the possibility of starting negotiations in the near future on a Nuclear Weapons Convention, the UK information paper asserts:

most of the states with nuclear weapons, including the UK, while accepting that some form of such an agreement is likely to be necessary in due course to establish the final ban, consider that it would be premature and potentially counter-productive to focus efforts on it now when the many other conditions necessary to enable a ban have yet to be put in place. Words alone will not rid the world of nuclear weapons.

However, the paper contains several points on how to "transition securely from low numbers to zero," which include "fierce verification requirements." WILPF notes that the United Kingdom has utilized some of their nuclear weapon establishment to conduct an intensive verification study, which was launched in 2005. Since they, it has also undertaken a joint study with a Norway and the non-governmental organization VERTIC on the technical aspects of verifying the dismantlement of nuclear weapons.

Leave your feedback
Anyone can leave feedback on this information paper on the UK ambassador to the CD's blog at http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/roller/duncan/.

4) The Indian government signed an IAEA Safeguards Agreement
The agreement, once ratified, will give International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors the right to monitor up to 14 Indian reactors by the year 2014. However, the process of deciding which Indian facilities to place under IAEA safeguards might prove to be politically difficult, according to an anonymous diplomat. Due to the US-India deal and the waiver granted by the Nuclear Suppliers Group, India has recently entered into nuclear cooperation agreements with the United States, Russia, and France and is close to concluding one with the Canada.

5) Security without Empire: National Organizing Conference on Foreign Military Bases
On 27 February–2 March 2009, a US organizing conference on foreign military bases will meet at American University in Washington, DC. The Project on Military Bases, a coalition of fifteen national and community based organizations has organized the conference and will also be joined by leading anti-bases activists from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, and Europe. The conference will provide a unique opportunity to learn about the dangers, "abuses and usurpations" that come with foreign military deployments, and to join in the process of organizing to win the closure and withdrawal of these bases.

The conference aims to:

* Share information about U.S. military bases and resistance
* Develop strategies and expand the U.S. anti-bases movement
* Raise the visibility of the U.S. and international anti-bases movements
* Apply pressure on Congress to close and reduce the number of foreign bases

Speakers will include leading U.S. peace activists, scholars, and allies from the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Germany, Guam, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Okinawa, and South Africa. Additionally, they have arranged twenty workshops to allow participants to explore issues and campaigns more deeply and to develop new strategies.

Please find more detailed information at www.projectonmilitarybases.org.

6) International Women's Day Disarmament Seminar: 4 March 2009
Since 1984, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) has worked with other NGOs to organise a seminar linking 8 March–International Women's Day–with disarmament, peace and security issues. Each year, a report and statement from the NGO conference has been read into the record of the Conference on Disarmament (CD), the only official oral statement from NGOs to this body.

On 4 March 2009, the International Women's Day disarmament seminar will concentrate on the security challenges in the Middle East, specifically on the threat perceptions that create a professed need for a reliance on military means, including weapons of mass destruction, to provide security.

Getting To Peace in the Middle East
The Role of Women in Changing Threat Perceptions
International Women's Day Disarmament Seminar
4 March 2009, 13:15
Palais des Nations - Room IX

Speakers will address the impact of media as well as other actors in creating and sustaining the perception of imminent danger, imminent threat. The seminar will also provide an opportunity to brainstorm about how the international community can better understand these threat perceptions, and help shift them to create the conditions for negotiations on both peace agreements and weapons of mass destruction free zone agreements.

Building on the success of our 2008 seminar, that focused on the roles and responsibilities of women in conflict prevention and peace building, this seminar will examine the complex issues in the Middle East and the efforts that women are taking there to de-escalate current conflicts, and to shift governmental spending priorities from the false sense of military security to true human and sustainable security.

The goal of a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction has been repeatedly affirmed by all states in the region, as well as the international community at the highest political levels. In preparation for the 2010 nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, many states have raised the issue of the status of implementation of the 1995 resolution on the Middle East. It has been said that this resolution cannot be implemented without; at least, concurrent discussions on the Middle East peace process overall. The roadmap to peace between Palestine and Israel is known; it was defined decades ago through UN brokered principles and resolutions. Another paper roadmap is not needed; what is needed is the road. This seminar will pave the way for creative thinking about new actors and new actions needed to build and hopefully walk down this road.

Please save the date and join us for this seminar. You can register online at:
http://www.wilpf.int.ch/events/2009/IWD_registration.html

2 February 2009

Dear Reaching Critical Will friends and advisors:

The Conference on Disarmament (CD) has met for its first three plenary meetings of 2009, each of which has featured an interesting discussion on questions of regional security, military spending, and civil society participation. Regarding the latter, several delegations supported increased engagement between the Conference and civil society. Austria's Ambassador Strohal noted that time and again "cooperation between governments, parliaments and civil society" has been beneficial to "other security related initiatives" and that "success in the field of disarmament in general will depend not only on a full commitment on the political level but on a strong involvement by our civil societies as well."

In the spirit of strong involvement of civil society and cooperation between governmental and non-governmental actors, Reaching Critical Will encourages our readers to take action. On 15 January, the E-News announced an opportunity for NGOs to make submissions to the Australian government's review of its nuclear treaties - submissions will be accepted until 15 February. Another chance to contribute to global disarmament efforts is the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, which will next meet in Washington, DC on 13 February. Civil society organisations in Australia and Japan are forming an NGO Shadow Commission and are welcoming groups from all of the ICNND Commission countries to join. Please contact WILPF International's Vice President Felicity Hill at felicity.hill[at]wilpf.ch for more information. Also see Reaching Critical Will's Action page to learn about more oppotunities for getting involved.

In peace and action,
Ray Acheson, Project Director

1) Resources on anti-nuclear nuclearism
From Darwin BondGraham and Will Parrish, "Anti-nuclear Nuclearism," Foreign Policy in Focus, 12 January 2009

Anti-nuclear nuclearism is a foreign and military policy that replies upon overwhelming U.S. power, including the nuclear arsenal, but makes rhetorical and even some substantive commitments to disarmament, however vaguely defined. Anti-nuclear nuclearism thrives as a school of thought in several think tanks that have long influenced foreign policy choices related to global nuclear forces. Even the national nuclear weapons development labs in New Mexico and California have been avid supporters and crafters of it.

As a policy, anti-nuclear nuclearism is designed to ensure U.S. nuclear and military dominance by rhetorically calling for what has long been derided as a naïve ideal: global nuclear disarmament. Unlike past forms of nuclearism, it de-emphasizes the offensive nature of the U.S. arsenal. Instead of promoting the U.S. stockpile as a strategic deterrence or umbrella for U.S. and allied forces, it prioritizes an aggressive diplomatic and military campaign of nonproliferation. Nonproliferation efforts are aimed entirely at other states, especially non-nuclear nations with suspected weapons programs, or states that can be coerced and attacked under the pretense that they possess nuclear weapons or a development program (e.g. Iraq in 2003).

Effectively pursuing this kind of belligerent nonproliferation regime requires half-steps toward cutting the U.S. arsenal further, and at least rhetorically recommitting the United States to international treaties such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It requires a fig leaf that the United States isn't developing new nuclear weapons, and that it is slowly disarming and de-emphasizing its nuclear arsenal. By these means the United States has tried to avoid the charge of hypocrisy, even though it has designed and built newly modified weapons with qualitatively new capacities over the last decade and a half. Meanwhile, U.S. leaders have allowed for and even promoted a mass proliferation of nuclear energy and material, albeit under the firm control of the nuclear weapons states, with the United States at the top of this pile.

Many disarmament proponents were elated last year when four extremely prominent cold warriors — George P. Shultz, William Perry, Henry Kissinger, and Sam Nunn — announced in a series of op-eds their commitment to "a world free of nuclear weapons." Strange bedfellows indeed for the cause. Yet the fine print of their plan, published by the Hoover Institute and others since then, represents the anti-nuclear nuclearist platform to a tee. It's a conspicuous yet merely rhetorical commitment to a world without nuclear weapons. These four elder statesmen have said what many U.S. elites have rarely uttered: that abolition is both possible and desirable. However, the anti-nuclear posture in their policy proposal comes to bear only on preventing non-nuclear states from going nuclear, or else preventing international criminal conspiracies from proliferating weapons technologies and nuclear materials for use as instruments of non-state terror. In other words, it's about other people's nuclear weapons, not the 99% of materials and arms possessed by the United States and other established nuclear powers.

This position emphasizes an anti-nuclear politics entirely for what it means for the rest of the world — securing nuclear materials and preventing other states from going nuclear or further developing their existing arsenals. U.S. responsibility to disarm remains in the distant future, unaddressed as a present imperative.

Please go to http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/5782 to continue reading this article.

For more information, please see:

Darwin BondGraham on the Wall Street Journal op-ed
http://darwinbondgraham.blogspot.com/2009/01/in-january-2007-four-elder-statesmen.html

2) Brief overview of the new US administration's take on space weapons and missile "defence"
On 20 January 2009, US President Obama reportedly pledged to seek a "'worldwide ban' on weapons that could be used against military or commercial satellites." Results of the Congressionally-mandated Space Posture Review, due December, are expected to further formulate the Obama administrations national space policy. Obama's statement, however, did not "entirely" rule out "military action to defend U.S. spacecraft."

According to Reuters, Obama's administration will also review plans to deploy elements of its ballistic missile "defence" system in Poland and the Czech Republic. Michele Flournoy, undersecretary for policy at the Pentagon, said the plans should be reviewed as part of a regular broad look at policy, known as the quadrennial defense review, or QDR, due to take place this year. However, Flournoy also indicated it is in US interests to "cooperate" with Russia on missile defence, providing further indications that "reducing tensions with Russia" over the plans to install missile "defence" systems in Eastern Europe means bringing Russia into the fold, not withdrawing the plans themselves. Russian officials have previously rejected US offers of cooperation as "insufficient", though they have not ruled it out as an option altogether. Since this review has been announced, the Russian government declared a halt to its own plans to deploy missiles in Kaliningrad in response to US missiles in Eastern Europe.

It is also important to remember that US Defense Secretary Robert Gates supports missile "defence" in general and the plans for US interceptors and radars in Europe. In addition, Obama has picked a former Raytheon lobbyist, William Lynn, to serve as Deputy Secretary of Defense. Raytheon is one of the major US missile defence contractors. While Obama previously "vowed to stop the revolving door that lets onetime lobbyists go to work for the Federal Government and oversee contracts that could harm—or help—their former employer," administration officials said the loophole was allowed because Lynn is "uniquely qualified" for the job. Danielle Brian, head of the nonprofit Project on Government Oversight, a watchdog group in Washington, pointed out, "While Lynn may be well qualified, it is absurd to argue that he is uniquely qualified. There are plenty of people with far greater business-management experience than that of a lobbyist." Likewise, Time Magazine argues, "the idea that Lynn is 'uniquely qualified'—the White House's language—for the post is simply bogus. The phrase doesn't mean merely good or talented; it means that Lynn, of all the possible candidates for the position, is the only person who could fill it."

3) International Conference on missile "defence" in the Asia Pacific to convene in April
From Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space
International Conference against the Asia Pacific Missile Defense and for the End of Arms Race
Seoul, South Korea | 16-18 April 2009

1. Background Information

The 17th annual conference of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space will be held in Seoul, Korea from April 16-18, 2009, under the title of the 2009 International Conference against the Asia Pacific Missile Defense and for the End of Arms Race.

The Korean committee for the conference, lead by the Peace Network (Korean), (English) and Center for Peace and Disarmament, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (Korean), (English) and is formed by 10 peace organizations is the Co-Sponsor with the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space for this conference.

The signs of a 'new cold war' are brewing as the U.S. pushes ahead with the missile defense (MD) system installations in Eastern Europe against Russia's strong opposition. There is an urgent need for the international civil society to respond against the current rapid arms race in the Asia Pacific where the US leads the Asia Pacific MD efforts, supported strongly by Japan, Australia and South Korea; against the frontline of opposition formed by China, Russia and North Korea.

The MD issue is becoming the core element of the destabilization of peace in Northeast Asia, not to mention the Korean peninsula, especially when the U.S. intends to make South Korea its MD outpost and the Lee Myung Bak government promotes stronger US-South Korea alliance and the US-South Korea-Japan trilateral system formation.

By this great chance, the Korea Committee points out the Korean peace issues within the international peace movement circles, and wants to share international understanding and cooperation about Korean peninsula's peace and reunification issues.

In light of such concerns, holding an international peace conference in South Korea on missile defense and arms race issues will provide an important momentum in bringing the issues pertaining to the Korean peninsula-one of the last divided countries by the cold war in the world- and the North East Asia to the international community and in developing international solidarity.

We, the Korea Committee is already excited and grateful by many international participants' enthusiasm to participate. Above all, we, the Korean Committee welcomes everyone in the world, who wants to share the urgent issues in each country regarding the Missile defense, military base, arms race etc. issues and to promote further international solidarity one another.

2. Summary of the International Conference

Official event dates: April 16 to 18, 2009

- Core issues: MD and space weaponization; Arms race and arms reduction; US bases and the peace movement in Northeast Asia; and global meaning of the peaceful reunification process in Korea etc.

- Main events: International symposium (Seoul), International news conference (Seoul), Visit to Panmunjeom, Peace campaign (Pyeongtaek) and GN annual strategy and business meeting (Seoul)

- Interpretation: International symposium will be translated in Korean and English simultaneously while the other programs will be done consecutively. The GN annual strategy and business meeting will be done in English. For the effective usage of time, we integrated the whole program rather than having separate workshops.

3. Daily events and programs of the GN International Conference(Consecutive Interpretation)

(1). April 16, 2009 (Thursday)

09:00(07:00)-15:00(17:30): International participants trip to Panmunjeom(the symbol of Korean division, http://koreadmztour.com/english/tour/tour2.htm) or Visit to the vicinity of the DMZ(Imjingak, Dorasan observatory etc.)/meeting with activists/cultural event etc as a plan B

18:00-21:00: dinner and entertainment(including the speech by 3~4 GN participants)

(2). April 17, 2009 (Friday): International meeting (Simultaneous interpretation)

9:00-10:00 Foreign and domestic press conference (consecutive translation)

9:45-10:00: Registration

10:00-10:10: Welcome speech (Korean dignitary)

10:10-10:20: Greeting speech (GN Chairman )

10:20-10:40: Keynote speech, "Star Wars (space weaponization), Future Warfare, and the Global Peace" (GN)

10:40-12:20: Plenary session I "MD and the World"

10:40-11:00: The MD policy of the overall and Obama government (USA participant)

11:00-11:20: MD, Europe and the New Cold War including the NATO missile defense(European participant): 11:20-11:40: MD, Arms Race and the Future of the North East Asia(Korean participant):

11:40-12:00: What is the alternative against the MD?: Nuclear Disarmament and Conversion of the Military Industrial Complex(GN participant)

12:00-12:20: Q and A

12:20-14:00: Lunch and break (There will be short presentation(about 4min.) of the slide projection )

14:00-15:20: Plenary session II "Global Anti-War and Peace Movements"
* Each international participant requested to give a ten minute speech on the MD and No US bases movements; and Q&A. The participants from GN are cordially asked to give a speech.

15:20-15:30: Break

15:30-17:00: Plenary session III " Korea, Japan and the Northeast Asia Peace

15:30-16:00: Peace Constitution in Japan and the Northeast Asia Peace (Japanese participant):

16:00-16:30: Korea Peace and Reunification Process and the Northeast Asia Peace (Korean participant): ?

16:30-17:00: Q& A

17:00: Closing the symposium

18:00-21:00: Dinner and Entertainment: includes three Keynote speeches

(3) April 18, 2009 (Saturday) (English)

9:00-12:00: GN Annual Strategy and Business Meeting

12:00-13:00: Lunch

13:00-20:00: visit and rally/ protest in front of the military base in Pyeongtaek (the emerging hub of US military bases in construction) and dinner meeting with the local peace organizations

(4). Official Conference and Stay site
Seoul Women's Plaza, Seoul, from April 15 to April 19(During the given official dates above, no stay cost by the international participants. The Korean Committee is reserving seven western-style two-bed rooms and seven Korean-style two bed rooms except for the special request. The rooms are the building can best afford. Reservation for the first comers, first. The international participant may pay for other nights at low cost or request for the info. of home stay/ other hotels as alternative. Regarding stay, please contact wooksik[at]gmail.com, armha5156[at]gmail.com, and globalnet[at]mindspring.com.

4) Pouring water on the fire of military spending
Several articles providing arguments against increased military spending as a reasonable response to the financial crisis have been released recently. All of them point out the counterproductive nature of giving money to the US Department of Defense in order to increase jobs.

In the Washington Times, William Hartung and Christopher Preble argue, "The defense budget is not a jobs program, nor should it be. Decisions on how many Humvees to buy, or how many bases to refurbish, should rest on military necessity, not economic expedience subject to political chicanery."

See William Hartung and Christopher Preble, "Defense Doesn't Need Stimulus," The Washington Times, 28 January 2009.

In CounterPunch, William T. Wheeler notes, "if employment is the aim, it makes more sense to cut defence spending and use the money in programmes that do it better."

See Winslow T. Wheeler, "Save the Economy by Cutting the Defense Budget," CounterPunch, 27 January 2009.

In addition, Greg Mello of the Los Alamos Study Group (LASG) argued in a recent letter, "there could be a temptation, what with very large financial bailouts and large economic stimuli passing and under discussion in Congress, to consider defense spending and Weapons Activities spending in particular as useful forms of economic stimuli. Relative to almost any other use for federal money, they aren't." He goes on to cite a recent study (pdf) "of the relative merits of various forms of fiscal stimulus" done by Robert Pollin and Heidi Garrett-Peltier at the University of Massachusetts in 2007, noting, "health care or home weatherization creates about 1.50 times as many jobs as defense spending, education 2.07 times as many, and mass transit 2.31 times as many. Total wages and benefits are also higher."

5) Nobel Laureates send a letter to US President Obama on the abolition of nuclear weapons
On 20 January 2009, twelve Nobel Prize Laureates and a former Under-Secretary General of the United Nations addressed US President Barack Obama on nuclear disarmament. In an open letter, they reminded President Obama of his promise to seek a world in which there are no nuclear weapons. Pointing to the shortfalls of the existing international regime for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, Sir Harold Kroto (Nobel Prize for Chemistry), Member of the Advisory Board of INES, and his co-signers remind Barack Obama of the recent suggestion by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to use the existing Model Nuclear Weapons Convention as a starting point for the path into a nuclear weapons free world.

Letter Text
An initiative of International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES)
International Network of Engineers and Scientists Against Proliferation (INESAP)

20 January, 2009

Open Letter to the President of the United States of America Barack Obama

Dear Mr. President,

Much hope has been created in your nation and in the entire world due to your election as President of the United States of America.

We are inspired by your public statements, that you will seek a world in which there are no nuclear weapons. This fundamental change of thinking deserves our full support. We agree that the dangers of existing nuclear arsenals of the five acknowledged nuclear weapon states and the four de-facto nuclear weapon states (more than 100,000 Hiroshima bomb equivalents) as well as the dramatically increasing risks of nuclear proliferation to other states and terrorists require new political concepts and technical approaches. Nuclear weapons are inherently inhumane because they can cause the extinction of all humankind and have long-term genetic and ecological effects.

The world desperately needs a conspicuous signal of commitment and willingness by the nuclear weapon states to eliminate their arsenals as well as a convincing and irreversible plan to achieve a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World, one which can be secured and stabilized against possible new proliferators and which would be enshrined in international law.

We would like to offer our support in helping to conceptualize and elaborate the details of a plan towards this goal meeting the demands for new thinking and for realistically feasible action.

Our proposal today is to start negotiations on a Nuclear Weapons Convention now. The pattern has to be the one which has already been set by the Biological and the Chemical Weapons Conventions – a total ban. A Nuclear Weapons Convention should not be regarded as a premature jump to a distant goal. Instead, it establishes the framework for a logical sequence of steps that ensure the safe transition to the complete disarmament of nuclear weapons in all its aspects under strict and effective international control. The Convention should guarantee the irreversibility of disarmament and security against break-out scenarios by using stringent verification measures, preventive control measures leading to non-accessibility to proliferation-prone nuclear materials and technology.

We would like to encourage you to take the lead in this direction. We believe that the arguments for choosing this path are irrefutable.

We briefly outline a few of these:

• If a smaller number of states continue to possess nuclear weapons and have plans to use them to enforce regional security or their global interests that will certainly increase the perceived "value" of these weapons and thus dangers of proliferation. Steps aiming at only reduced arsenals will not suffice, since there is no permanent stability at low numbers. There are only two options: one is the progression down to zero; in the absence of a serious move to zero, the other option is the spread of nuclear weapons to many nations. Any argument in favour of maintaining nuclearweapons is an unwanted and dangerous support for nuclear weapon related activities in other states. Thus, maintaining the arsenals increases the danger of further spread of these weapons. North Korea and other countries should not be given an excuse by the nuclear-weapons-based rationale of those countries that still maintain nuclear arsenals and doctrines.

• Two decades after the end of the Cold War and four decades after finalization of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the time is ripe for the nuclear weapon states to fully comply with the spirit and letter of NPT Preamble and Article VI. The world has lost trust in the repeated declarations of nuclear disarmament by the nuclear weapon states. Instead, the world sees the stabilization and modernisation of nuclear arsenals without fundamental changes and, even worse, that nuclear strategies tend to reduce the threshold to nuclear weapons use.

• We recall the 13 steps noted in the Final Document of the NPT Review Conference of 2000 asking for the abolition of all nuclear arsenals to which all States parties are committed. In particular, we recall the promise of an unequivocal undertaking of the five acknowledged nuclear weapon states for the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Further, we recall the globally accepted interpretation of the NPT norms and goals as recorded in the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament objectives of the NPT Review and Extension Conference of 1995. Thus, we as world citizens are awaiting a substantial move from the side of the nuclear weapon states.

• We recall the Advisory Opinion issued on 8 July 1996 by the International Court of Justice on the illegality of the use or the threat of use of nuclear weapons. The Court called for a legally binding instrument filling the gap in international law as promised in Article VI of the NPT by negotiating in good faith the global ban of nuclear weapons and bringing the negotiations to a conclusion by a new Treaty.

• A carefully elaborated Model Nuclear Weapons Convention has already been developed and released by NGOs in 1996 and revised in 2007; it was first submitted in 1997 to the UN Secretary-General and in a revised version in 2007. On 18 January 2008, the UN Secretary-General has circulated it as UN Document No. A/62/650 to all UN member States at the request of Costa Rica and Malaysia. On 24 October 2008, United Nations Day, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon gave a landmark speech, entitled "The United Nations and Security in a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World", in which he called on governments to fulfill their nuclear disarmament
obligations. He gave a five-point disarmament plan calling for negotiations on a Nuclear Weapons Convention and recommended the
existing Model Convention to be used as a starting point.

• The NPT might not be the suitable framework for the entire path towards total elimination. First, the NPT has been criticized for its
loopholes allowing further spread of nuclear weapons. Second, the NPT is regarded by many as discriminatory in nature and unjust in practice. Third, the disarmament objective is not elaborated in detail. Further, the NPT can hardly be universalized because the de-facto nuclear weapon states cannot be drawn in by signing the NPT as non-nuclear-weapon states. Indeed, there have been encouragements to stay outside such as by the Indo-US nuclear co-operation agreement. Finally, the NPT cannot be sustained when nuclear weapon states give up their status as this is defined in Article IX (3). Thus the Nuclear Weapons Convention would eliminate the contradictions and weaknesses of the NPT and could substantially increase effectiveness against further proliferation.

We know quite well that the Nuclear-Weapon-Free World will not come overnight. We are also aware that other fundamental questions regarding peaceful and just living together of people and nations will be on the agenda when the renouncing of nuclear weapons by their possessors will become reality. However, we are convinced that the process of negotiations has to be started right now. Only then, we can expect to bring in the harvest of this undertaking within the coming ten to twenty years.

Please, act now and take the lead in starting negotiations on a Nuclear Weapons Convention. The people and nations of the world will follow suit, we are sure.

We hope that we can join you in your efforts towards this challenging goal, which is deeply rooted in our respect to humankind and our planet as well as in our own commitment to humanity.

Sincerely,
Sir Harold Kroto (Nobel Prize for Chemistry)

On behalf of my colleagues who, until January 20, 2009 have also signed this letter:

Mairead Corrigan-Maguire (Nobel Peace Prize)
Paul Crutzen (Nobel Prize for Chemistry)
Jayantha Dhanapala (former Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament
Affairs at the United Nations)
Dudley Herschbach (Nobel Prize for Chemistry)
International Peace Bureau (Noble Peace Prize)
International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (Nobel Peace Prize)
Jerome Karle (Nobel Prize for Chemistry)
Wolfgang Ketterle (Nobel Prize for Physics)
Wangari Maathai (Nobel Peace Prize)
Erwin Neher (Nobel Prize for Medicine)
John Polanyi (Nobel Prize for Chemistry)
Jack Steinberger (Nobel Prize for Physics)

For more information, please contact:
Prof. Dr. Harry Kroto, Member of the Advisory Board of the International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES)
c/o INES, Glinkastrasse 5, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 30-20 65 38 31; Fax: +49 (0) 30- 21 23 40 57
ines.office[at]web.de | www.inesglobal.co

6) IANSA Women's Network to address connections between HIV/AIDS and small arms
From the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) Women's Network, Bulletin No. 17, January 2009

The 53rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women will be held at the United Nations headquarters in New York from 2-13 March 2009. The priority theme is 'The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including care giving in the context of HIV/AIDS'.

IANSA women will be making the connection between small arms and HIV/AIDS, and how small arms fuel conflicts that contribute to forced migration, infectious disease, and psychological trauma. Sexual violence at gunpoint poses high risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Sexual violence and exploitation, all too common in conflict and post-conflict settings, contribute to increased rates of HIV transmission. Rape by an infected man directly exposes a woman to the virus, and the abrasions or tearing of vaginal tissues that may result, increase their risk of infection even more.

In some conflicts the planned and purposeful infection of women with HIV becomes a tool of ethnic warfare. Some HIV-infected rape survivors may become pregnant as a result of the assault, bearing children who will eventually become AIDS orphans or succumb to the disease themselves.

There are many important dynamics involved in HIV transmission, including ongoing displacement and poverty which create environments that place women at risk. Internally displaced women face additional dangers as they are often invisible to the international community within the context of violent conflict.

Camps for refugees and the internally displaced have been criticised for not addressing women's needs and concerns in their design and procedures. Failure to account for women's security and health needs can make a camp intended to provide refuge a dangerous and deadly place for women and girls.

"Wars and armed conflicts generate fertile conditions for the spread of HIV. Rape inside or outside refugee camps has doubtless played a part in spreading the virus." UNAIDS

Small arms proliferation may also force governments to focus a majority of their efforts on defense and security measures, leaving them with few resources to cope with the health effects of gun violence, or deal with HIV/AIDS.

Even as conflicts subside, the extremely difficult economic and social conditions that follow often leave many people unemployed and unable to resume their normal community or family lives. In such situations, where AIDS is already a problem, women bear the largest burden of care for family members. Thus, women are not only uniquely at risk of HIV contraction during and after conflicts; they also bear a disproportionate amount of the burden of caring for family members with HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDS is not only a health issue: it is a social issue. Girls and women who have been raped and/or captured are often blamed for their fate. Therefore impact of conflict and HIV/AIDS on women and girls' affects their social status and can lead to further violence.

The review theme of the CSW "Equal participation of women and men in decision making processes at all levels" adopted at the 50th session of the CSW will be discussed through an interactive dialogue. IANSA will participate as part of the NGO Working Group (NGO WG) on Women Peace and Security and link the issue of gun violence with women's peace and security, to ensure that women's participation in disarmament processes and the development of small arms policy and practice are clearly included in issues of 1325 implementation, and in advocacy around 1325 National Action Plans.

For more information, see:

Commission on the Status of Women
www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw

HIV/AIDS, Conflict and Displacement
UNICEF and UNHCR, 2006
http://data.unaids.org

IANSA Women's Network
http://www.iansa.org/women/

15 January 2009

Dear Reaching Critical Will friends and advisors:

Welcome back for another year of campaigning for nuclear disarmament, the reduction of military expenditures, and the elimination of militarism and its associated structures and systems. 2009 is a special year for Reaching Critical Will, as it marks the project's tenth anniversary! Founded in 1999, Reaching Critical Will has been providing information, analysis, and liaison services for the disarmament NGO, UN, and diplomatic communities for ten years. In anticipation of continuing for another ten years, we ask all those who use Reaching Critical Will's resources and services on a regular basis to donate at least $10 in 2009. $10 from each of our subscribers would ease RCW's financial concerns in this economically troublesome time, ensuring that the project continues to operate as you've come to expect—and to grow and improve. For information on how to donate to Reaching Critical Will, please contact the Project Director or go to http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/about/donate.htm.

2009 also holds more opportunities to advance our goals for disarmament, peace, and justice. Below, learn how to get involved with the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty conference in New York, and find out more about civil society efforts for disarmament around the world.

In peace,
Ray Acheson, Project Director

1) Conference on Disarmament 2009
The first part of the Conference on Disarmament (CD)'s 2009 session will begin 19 January. Subscribe to RCW's CD Report to keep informed, by emailing ray[at]reachingcriticalwill.org with the subject line "subscribe cdreport". Also check in with the RCW CD webpage, where all CD Reports, press releases, statements, and papers will be posted.

An updated version of Reaching Critical Will's Guide to the Conference on Disarmament is now available online in both PDF and HTML. Designed for activists and educators to use when learning or teaching about the CD, our guide is an easy information reference. It includes general information about the CD, a brief chronological history, an overview of the agenda and CD groupings, a summary of the critical issues, and information on what NGOs to help activate the CD. Please use and distribute widely through your networks.

2) Preparing for the NPT Preparatory Committee 2009
The third Preparatory Committee of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty 2010 review cycle will be held 4–15 May 2009 at UN Headquarters in New York City.

Accreditation and registration
The Office for Disarmament Affairs has not yet released its aide memoire with accreditation and registration information. As soon as this information becomes available, Reaching Critical Will will distribute it to this email list and post it on the website at:
http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/npt/2009index.html

In the meantime, Reaching Critical Will has many ways for NGOs to begin preparing for the PrepCom.

The role of NGOs at the PrepCom
In recent years, NGOs have provided invaluable insight and expertise to the conference, and their influence is growing. In order to continue and build on this influence, committed NGOs should attend the PrepCom to insist states parties make use of their time and devote their energy to progress. NGOs are needed to provide credible analysis, views, and perspectives on the global nuclear regime, support progressive measures towards disarmament and non-proliferation, and bring media and public attention to these important issues.

At this meeting, NGOs will be:

urging the governments to renew their commitment to the NPT in a fair and balanced manner;
offering review and analysis of the nuclear weapon states' progress on the 13 point action plan for disarmament;
fostering a reassessment of the role and level of participation of NGOs in international fora;
recommending ways of strengthening other disarmament machinery, including the Conference on Disarmament, the Disarmament Commission, and First Committee;
engaging diplomats in discussions on the newest ideas and issues in disarmament at side-events and lunch time panels;
holding press conferences and conducting media outreach to draw attention to the PrepCom and the issues;

and more.

NGO Side Events
NGOs will probably be allowed access to one conference room for their use throughout the Preparatory Committee. If your organization wishes to organize an event, we encourage you to book your time slot as soon as possible - many organizations have already booked the room. Check the Calendar of Events on the Reaching Critical Will website to make sure the time you want is available, then send an email to ray[at]reachingcritialwill.org with the title of your event, the time and date, and contact information. All events will be posted on the Calendar of Events as well as in the daily News in Review.

NGO Statements
Reaching Critical Will continues to serve as facilitator for NGO statements to the PrepCom. NGOs will probably be allotted a three-hour session to present their ideas and recommendations to states parties. These presentations are drafted through an online process and will be distributed to all governments and archived on the RCW website.

(You can read the statements from the 2008 PrepCom at http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/npt/prepcom08/ngostatements.html)

If you are an NGO wishing to participate in this drafting and editing process - and we urge you to do so, whether or not you plan to go to New York - we invite you to join the NPT Presentations yahoo group by sending an email to npt_presentations-subscribe@yahoogroups.com, or by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/npt_presentations/. Once you have subscribed, you will receive further instructions on participating.

If you joined this listserve in 2008, you do NOT need to join again. Only those who did not participate in the NGO presentations process last year need to subscribe. If you joined in 2008 but do not wish to participate this year, please send an email to npt_presentations-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/npt_presentations/.

This process will begin soon, so subscribe today!

News in Review
The News in Review is a daily publication produced during NPT Preparatory Committee and Review Conferences. It features analysis of the day's events, feature articles from NGOs around the world, interviews with diplomats and NGO representatives, nuclear facts, announcements, cartoons, a calendar of events, and more. You can access archived NIRs online at http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/npt/nirindex.html

We encourage you to submit to this year's News in Review. The guidelines are as follows:

Feature articles: In addition to the daily analysis of the proceedings of the PrepCom, the News in Review also contains feature articles that cover a range of nuclear disarmament issues. We welcome submissions from NGO experts around the world, regardless of whether or not you will be in Geneva. Articles should be between 500-1000 words. The deadline for feature submissions is 19 April. Please submit in .doc format and the body of the email. Articles will be attributed to the author and may be edited for length.

1/4 page ad: $40
1/2 page ad: $60
full page ad: $130
back page ad: $185

Run your ad twice and get $5 off. Run your add three times and get $10 off. Run your ad four times and get $15 off. We accept cheques, cash, money orders, PayPal, and wire transfers. Ads can be sent in .jpg, .gif, or .pdf format.

Submit your ad, article, or artwork by sending to ray[at]reachingriticalwill.org:

your organization's name;
contact person;
email address;
phone number;
type of submission (for ads, please specify the size of the ad, dates for it to run, and payment method); and
the submission.

The deadline for all art, article, and advertising submissions to the News in Review is 19 April 2009. The earlier, the better.

Accommodations in New York City
Reaching Critical Will's stellar intern Lacy has researched information for many budget hotels and hostels in NYC. The links provided are intended to assist you in making your own arrangements. We are providing information from our own research, but do not endorse any of the accommodations in any way. See http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/npt/prepcom09/accommodations.html

What to do if you can't go to New York
There are plenty of opportunities for active involvement with the PrepCom even if you can't make it to New York City:

See where your government stands on the issues by reading their statements from the 2008 PrepCom here: http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/npt/prepcom08/statements.html
Subscribe to RCW's CD Report list, and receive weekly updates on what your government is saying in Geneva (email the Project Director with the subject line "subscribe cdreport"). http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/cd/cdindex.html
Subscribe to the News in Review, the daily non-governmental NPT publication, and receive daily updates on what is happening at the PrepCom (email the Project Director with the subject line "subscribe nir"). http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/npt/nirindex.html
Make an appointment with your Foreign Ministry or equivalent. Urge your Foreign Minister to attend the conference, reminding them that they represent YOU. Call your representatives in New York and Geneva, to let them know that you are paying attention, and that you are demanding nuclear disarmament. Use our Governmental Contact Database for their information: http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/resources/govcontacts/govindex.html
Call your local media. Publicize your views and your government's policies, and let them know what's happening in New York.
Once the PrepCom is in session, you can read what your government did or did not say by checking RCW's NPT page every day. We post all statements, working papers, non-papers, reports, NGO statements, and official documents on our website in near real-time: http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/npt/2009index.html

Links for more information
The Reaching Critical Will website hosts a wealth of information on the NPT:
http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/npt/nptindex1.html

3) International NGOs are encouraged to submit a report to the Australian Federal Parliamentary Inquiry on Nuclear Disarmament and Uranium Exports

As an input to the joint Australia-Japan International Commission on Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, the Prime Minister of Australia has initiated a Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament issues. The inquiry will examine the set of international nuclear treaties involving Australia—including Australia's uranium exports bilateral agreements—and report on how they may be made more comprehensive or effective and how they may advance Australia's objectives in this field.

This is a key opportunity for international civil society to comment on Australia's performance in international disarmament and nuclear diplomacy.

The Inquiry is also an opportunity to influence the Australian Government to take up a lead role for nuclear disarmament and to drive strengthened international initiatives in the lead up to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in 2010; to recognise nuclear insecurity issues and to reject any proposed expansion of nuclear reactors; and to require a range of strengthened safeguards as pre-conditions on supply of Australia's uranium exports—including on nuclear disarmament, nuclear waste management, security and safety issues, as a step toward phase out of uranium exports.

Australian NGOs strongly encourage input, however brief!

This Inquiry should give lead consideration to a proposed Nuclear Weapons Convention to bring about the elimination of nuclear weapons and recommend that Australia champion this initiative before the United Nations, see: http://www.icanw.org/nuclear-weapons-convention

The Inquiry will conduct a review of the NPT and examine a range of other nuclear treaties—including steps to bring the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) into force and for a proposed Fissile Materials Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) that must prohibit reprocessing and the separation of weapons-usable fissile materials as a key step toward an end to the production of fissile materials.

This Inquiry also provides a lead opportunity for a critical review of Australia's nuclear cooperation and uranium exports agreements across the board and in particular the treaty signed with China by the previous Federal Liberal Government.

The Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCT) will conduct the Inquiry and report in mid-2009.

Public submissions are sought by 30 January 2009 (extensions will be provided by the Secretary; many Australian NGOs have sought them, and there is discussion underway within the Committee about changing the deadline until the end of February - Ph: 02-6277 4002 and e-mail: jsct[at]aph.gov.au).

Hearings will be held around Australia with the committee to Report in mid-2009. For further information on the JSCT Inquiry see: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jsct/nuclearnon_proliferation/tor.htm

For more information on the inquiry contact WILPF International Vice-President Felicity Hill at Felicity.Hill[at]wilpf.ch. For more information and on Australia's uranium exports and safeguards contact. Jim Green, Friends of the Earth Australia, Ph 03-94198700 and e-mail: jim.green[at]foea.org.au and from David Noonan, ACF Nuclear Free Campaigner, Ph 08-82116838 and e-mail: d.noonan[at]acfonline.org.au

4) New peace campaign will launch on 19 January 2009 in honour of Martin Luther King, Jr.
In honour of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, celebrated in the United States on 19 January 2009, United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) is launching its 'Beyond War, A New Economy Is Possible: Yes We Can' campaign. This campaign, set to run from 19 January to 4 April, is a call for a new set of national priorities rooted in the vision and values of Dr. Martin Luther King: a world without racism, poverty, or war.

In his speech of 31 March 1968, "Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution," Dr. King said, "It is no longer a choice, my friends, between violence and nonviolence. It is either nonviolence or nonexistence. And the alternative to disarmament, the alternative to a greater suspension of nuclear tests, the alternative to strengthening the United Nations and thereby disarming the whole world, may well be a civilization plunged into the abyss of annihilation, and our earthly habitat would be transformed into an inferno that even the mind of Dante could not imagine."

Join UFPJ in mobilizing and organizing people who want to see an end to war with that money going to fund housing, healthcare, education, jobs and a radically different environmental policy. For more information, visit www.unitedforpeace.org.

5) Czech activists continue to protest US missile "defence" in Europe
The following are two letters sent from activists in the Czech Republic who are opposing, along with 2/3 of the Czech population, the installation of a US missile "defence" radar system on Czech soil. In the second letter, one of the activists, Jan Tamáš, proposes a day of action of 18 February in Brussels.

a) Open letter to Mayors and organizations
Re: 18 February 2009: Meeting with European Parliament

The U.S. government and the Czech government have agreed to place the military radar base of the US National Missile Defense (NMD) system on Czech territory.

Despite the fact that it is called "Space Shield", this is not a defense weapon but an attack one, and it represents a real danger for all: this plan in fact is already increasing tensions between USA, Russia and the European Union and is leading to a new expansion of the arms race and establishing another "cold war" atmosphere.

This issue involves not only Czech Republic and Poland (where a base for interceptor missiles would be installed) but all Europe, because it will influence the security in the entire continent. We are concerned that due to this advanced system, Europe will become the main battlefield in a potential international conflict.

It is not by pure chance that European politicians who usually support militaristic policies have declared their opposition to the Space Shield.

Two thirds of the Czech citizenry do not agree with the arrangement. Despite their opposition, the Czech government has signed agreements with the United States that are due to be ratified shortly by the Parliament. Unfortunately our Constitution does not offer the mechanism of a referendum, but in the dozens of self-conducted consultations we have organized in the villages and towns of the area where the radar base would be installed, more than 95% of the population on average voted against this project.

We have also organized demonstrations, international conferences and a hunger strike that involved activists (not only Czech, but all over the world) and Czech personalities in the academic, sports, artistic, trade-union and political fields, united in their request to suspend this dangerous project.

In the beginning of 2009 the Czech Republic has assumed for 6 months the presidency of the European Union; for this reason we thought it was important to bring our protest inside the European Parliament, that so far has not taken a position on this fundamental issue. On February 18th we are organizing a meeting of 40 members of the League of Mayors against the Radar with members of the European Parliament in Brussels.

In view of this important gathering, we address this appeal to you and ask you to show your support for our protest with a solidarity letter that will be brought to this meeting. To present, discuss and approve in your City Council a position against the Space Shield would be another important help.

We hope that our common commitment can contribute to the construction of a world without wars and violence, and that the tendency towards the escalation of arms and military aggression will be replaced instead by investment into areas that contribute to real human development.

Best regards
Jan Neoral, spokesperson of the League of Mayors against the radar base
Jan Tamáš, spokesperson of Non-violence Movement against the bases
Dana Feminová, Czech spokesperson of Europe for Peace

Information:
Video about "Star Wars" http://www.nenasili.cz/en/945_about-the-star-wars-shield

Video – interview with N. Chomsky (explaining the link between the US project and nuclear danger)
http://www.europeforpeace.eu/video-detail.php?id=1027&country=

World March for Peace and Non-violence: http://www.worldmarch.info/

b) Letter to disarmament activists
Re: Day of protest on 18 February 2009

Dear friends,
The situation in the Czech Republic (CR) regarding the installation of the radar base – part of the United States Star Wars project – is the following:

1. The Senate has ratified the agreement with the United States
2. The Lower House has not managed to do so, thanks to the protests, but could do in the following months.
3. The protest is still very strong and 2/3 Czechs continue to oppose this project. The censorship against us by mass media has been worsened by a truly slanderous campaign: Jan Tamas is a terrorist, a left-wing radical, a right-wing radical. A real witch hunt has begun. Since we have various activities as humanists, including projects in Africa, long distance adoptions, schools, hospitals etc, some journalists were sent to Guinea to check the projects and create false proof to affirm that we are using the money destined to help the children for a political battle against the radar. There is a real repression going on.
4. In the next six months the Presidency of the European Union will be in charge of the CR.

We've said, time and again, that the Star Wars project divides Europe, increases international tensions, especially with Russia and encourages the arms race. The attitude of the new US administration is not clear yet, but it is evident that CR and Poland are a Trojan horse, their leaderships have the task of dividing Europe, at the mercy of the United States .

Proposal of a Day of Protest on February 18th in Brussels:

On February 18, about 40 mayors of the region in which the radar is to be built, Czech representatives of the nonviolent movement against the bases and Europe for Peace were invited by some MEPs to the European Parliament to address the missile shield.

We invite the representatives of Europe for Peace in various European countries, as well as, other organizations to attend the meeting with a delegation and to organize, together, a protest in front of the European Parliament.

In different European cities, we could organize, on the same day, protests and sit-ins, send letters of protest to the Czech embassies and solidarity messages to the mayors and to the movement against the bases, adding other initiatives suggested by creativity.

Another proposal is to ask mayors and city councils in all Europe to express their solidarity to the mayors of the CR, sending a letter and having their council (city, province, region etc) approve a motion against the US missile shield.

We have examples of this in certain Italian municipalities (Bresso, Rozzano, Limbiate).

Attached is a letter to the mayors.

These are the materials we can use:

* (the old) Star Wars video http://www.nenasili .cz/en/945_ about-the- star-wars- shield
* Video – interview to N. Chomsky (excellent because it explains the link between the US project and nuclear danger) http://www.europefo rpeace.eu/ video-detail. php?id=1027&country=
* A power point which will be ready in the following days.

In general, we think it is necessary to strengthen the protest against wars, arms' race and especially against nuclear weapons. The last events in Gaza are alarming.

Finally, we propose to start organizing great activities to ask for peace and nuclear disarmament in March, during the 6th anniversary of the invasion of Irak (a possible date could be March 21st, the exact date the war began.)

A strong hug
Jan

6) The International Renewable Energy Agency will meet on 26–27 January 2009
Mandated by governments worldwide, IRENA aims to guide and coordinate renewable energy initiatives on an international level. Acting as the global voice for renewable energies, IRENA will provide practical advice and support for both industrialised and developing countries, help them improve their regulatory frameworks, and build capacity. The agency will facilitate access to all relevant information including reliable data on the potential of renewable energy, best practices, effective financial mechanisms and state-of-the-art technological expertise. For more information on IRENA, see www.irena.org.

All UN member states are invited to sign the Statute at the Conference on the Establishment of IRENA on 26 January 2009, in Bonn (Germany). From that day forth, the Statute will be ready for signature by any states interested in becoming a member of the Agency. Please check to see if your country is planning to attend and encourage your government to do so if its not yet on the list—or congratulate them if they are planning to be there. Notably absent at the table will be Canada, Japan, Russia, Australia and the United States.

Regarding the Canadian government's decision not to attend the conference, Embassy Magazine reported, "The decision not to join has left veteran diplomats mystified, while environmentalists and opposition politicians say this is just one more example of the Conservative government's lax environmental policy." German, Danish and Spanish officials encouraged the Canadian government to join, but the government declined to participate aside from its observation of the first IRENA preparatory conference, arguing that IRENA is a redundant organization. An e-mail statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs pointed to Canada's membership in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership, the Global Bio-Energy Partnership, and the International Energy Agency.

However, German Ambassador Hauswedell argues that IRENA is being founded because these organizations give short shrift to renewable energy:

All of the organizations cited by DFAIT have fewer members than IRENA, he said, and do not as effectively bring together developed and developing economies. The IEA in particular, he said, has only a minor mandate for renewable energy and is focused primarily on fossil fuels. "It spends just two per cent of its resources and very little personnel on renewable energy," Mr. Hauswedell said. "If you look at the [IEA's] advisory board, it is structured by fossil fuel interests and of course the analytical tools and analysts are more there for fossil fuels and not renewable energy," he continued. "We don't think renewable energy gets a fair deal at the IEA."

Meanwhile, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the Japanese government "has expressed reluctance to join IRENA partly because Japan likely would be asked to contribute hundreds of thousands of yen a year to the new entity at a time when the national economy is weak." However, as the news source points out, "dozens of nations, including developing nations, likely will join IRENA." Reportedly, some government officials have "urged the government to actively utilize IRENA," noting "that Japanese industries would benefit from the measures the body will promote. 'Joining IRENA would contribute to the proliferation of Japanese technologies, such as solar power generation,' one official said."

7) United States ratifies IAEA Additional Protocol
On 6 January 2009, the US Mission to the International Organizations deposited its instrument of ratification for the Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the USA and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the Application of Safeguards, which requires states to provide broader declarations to the IAEA about their nuclear programmes and nuclear-related activities and expands the access rights of the Agency. US President Bush signed the Additional Protocol on 30 December 2008.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said the US ratification gives the country "a stronger foundation from which to encourage other states to adopt the Protocol. The President has spearheaded international efforts to bring about universal adoption of the Additional Protocol."

To date, 118 countries have signed the Additional Protocol. 89 have ratified it.

8) Conference on uranium weapons in San José, 4–6 March 2009
In March 2009, San José, Costa Rica, will be the location of the annual International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons (ICBUW) conference. The conference is being organised and hosted by the San Jose Friends Peace Centre (CAP) on behalf of ICBUW. CAP has invited representatives from government and non-governmental organizations throughout Latin American to attend, as well as experts from around the globe to discuss the effects of DU. This event is an important opportunity to raise awareness in the Americas and to make a unified stand against the use of these arms.

Background information in English and Spanish and a list of confirmed speakers is available on the conference websites:

http://amigosparalapaz.org/conference
http://amigosparalapaz.org/conferencia

To register for this conference, please contact:

Isabel Macdonald, Coordinator
The Friends Peace Center
ducongress[at]amigosparalapaz.org
2222-1400, 2233-6168
Costa Rica