Reaching Critical Will

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Conference on Disarmament

General Assembly First Committee

UN Disarmament Commission

Special Session on Disarmament

News in Brief
Ray Acheson | Reaching Critical Will of WILPF

News in Brief section from the NPT News in Review, the daily NGO newsletter from the
2010 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference
Wednesday, 5 May 2010

Complete PDF of this edition

Disarmament

Bangladesh stated that any use of nuclear weapons would constitute international crime against humanity, war crime, and genocide.
Bangladesh also said it views disarmament from a development perspective, from which high military expenditures cannot be justified.
Algeria said NWS should commit themselves to a rigorous process for the denuclearization of our planet that would be progressive and constant and would address strategic and tactical nuclear weapons and their delivery vehicles.
Denmark welcomed the new START and encouraged further negotiations between the concerned states with a view to further reductions.
New Zealand called for systematic and progressive steps on nuclear disarmament that can be evaluated periodically.
Namibia argued that the current number of nuclear arms is unacceptable and urged the NWS to move away from reductions to elimination. It also criticized the idea that nuclear weapons are good for some to possess and bad for others.
The “de-alerting group” argued that de-alerting would help diminish the role of nuclear weapons and minimize risks of unintended or erroneous use.
ASEAN urged all nuclear weapon states to take a set of practical measures toward disarmament, such as declaring moratoriums on nuclear testing, de-alerting their operational nuclear weapon systems, and adopting no first use policies.
The NAC called on all the NWS to comply with their disarmament obligations under article VI. It argued new START is only a first step and that the US and Russia need to go for deep cuts to non-deployed and non-strategic nuclear weapons, which must be transparent, irreversible, and internationally verifiable.
The Republic of Korea welcomed the new START but said the international community still needs further progress on nuclear disarmament and that it needs to translate political will for disarmament into reality.
Norway argued that the best way to address dangers of nuclear weapons is to abolish them. It also stressed that the new START should be considered a first step to a more intensive process in nuclear arms reductions involving all NWS and all categories of nuclear weapons.
Norway also emphasized that NWS must refrain from developing new types of nuclear weapons; proceed with reductions based on transparency, verifiability, and irreversibility; and accelerate the reduction of the role of nuclear weapons in security doctrines.
Norway noted that it has worked to raise the disarmament profile of NATO and with Poland has proposed a step-by-step approach to eliminating tactical nuclear weapons in Europe.
Norway also reiterated that with the UK it is exploring modalities of nuclear disarmament verification.
Germany said that CBMs and transparency can help reduce and finally eliminate nuclear weapons, which no longer serve a military purpose and do not bring security. It noted that it is working with allies to bring about the withdrawal of tactical nuclear weapons in Europe and pointed out that sub-strategic nuclear weapons should also be included in the ongoing disarmament process.
Germany also argued that progress on conventional arms control was needed, since conventional disparities are sometimes used as an excuse to reject the reduction of nuclear potentials.
France said, “only real disarmament, disarmament by means of concrete action, can enhance stability,” but also argued that arsenals should be “scaled down to the level of strict sufficiency in relation to the international strategic context”
Venezuela said it hopes the new START is part of a sustained effort to measures of broader scope that includes non-strategic nuclear arsenals. It described new START as “more an arms assessment agreement than a reduction agreement,” but suggested it is useful to encourage both countries to work toward further reductions.
Nepal stated that a disarmament dividend would send a positive message around the world and that possession of weapons generate tensions, rather than security.

Non-proliferation

Algeria called for strengthening of article I of the NPT, arguing that NWS and the Nuclear Suppliers Group have particular responsibilities. Algeria urged them not to trade with non-states parties, which will help encourage them to join treaty.
Russia said that work still needs to be done to ensure universal compliance with Treaty's non-proliferation requirements, which will require difficult political decisions.
Germany and France welcomed Indonesia's intention to ratify CTBT.
Norway called for negotiations of a fissile material (cut-off) treaty to include existing stocks and suggested that if the Conference on Disarmament remains stalemated, the treaty should be negotiated elsewhere.

Nuclear energy and fuel cycle

The Pacific Islands Forum noted that comprehensive safeguards create an environment conducive to confidence and trust and therefore aid “peaceful uses” of nuclear energy.
Russia called for instruments for universalization of the IAEA safeguards system.
Denmark, New Zealand, the Czech Republic, Greece, Norway, and Germany expressed support for IAEA safeguards system and additional protocol as the verification standard.
Namibia cautioned that multilateralization of the fuel cycle should not result in concentrating the technology in the hands of a few.
The Republic of Korea argued that multilateralization of the fuel cycle both promotes the article IV right while addressing proliferation concerns, and urged consideration for the back end of the fuel cycle in any multilateral approaches to the fuel cycle.
Russia said it was looking forward to creating “truly modern and proliferation-resistant architectures” for nuclear energy based on IAEA safeguards and multilateral approaches to nuclear fuel cycle. It urged that the final document of the RevCon set down the best possible ways of enhancing international cooperation for promoting “peaceful uses” of nuclear technology.
Norway and Italy called for the development of international cooperation on the fuel cycle.
Namibia urged strengthening the technical cooperation of the IAEA with developing countries in particular.
Zambia noted that it is looking to exploit its uranium reserves and is looking to the international community for guidance on how to deal with challenges of nuclear energy, including waste disposal and storage.
France argued that the international community needs new global governance of “peaceful uses” of nuclear energy, which means strengthening the IAEA system, guaranteeing supply of nuclear fuel, dealing with radioactive waste collectively, and financing nuclear infrastructure. France said it hopes the RevCon launches this essential debate and that it will put forward proposals to that end.

Withdrawal

Denmark argued that obligations deriving from NPT cannot be terminated simply by withdrawing from the Treaty.
The Czech Republic urged for the strengthening of the withdrawals provisions of the NPT and argued it is unacceptable that a country would use such withdrawal provision as a way to evade sanctions and penalties for Treaty violations.

Nuclear weapon free zones

Zambia announced that it is in final stages of ratifying the Pelindaba Treaty.
Jordan argued that Israel's non-accession to NPT is source of instability in the Middle East.
Algeria stated that a NWFZ in the Middle East remains hostage to the refusal of Israel to acced to the NPT and put its nuclear installations under IAEA inspections.
The Gambia encouraged the IAEA Director General to redouble his efforts regarding the IAEA resolutions about Israel's nuclear capabilities and facilities, in order to establish a NWFZ in the Middle East.
The NAC argued that the 1995 Middle East Resolution is a matter of paramount importance and that the Review Conference should renew its support for the establishment of a NWFZ in the Middle East by taking concrete and practical steps toward the full implementation of the 1995 Resolution.
Germany suggested the European Union convene a seminar that brings all Middle East states to the table in order to provide practical substance to the issue of a NWFZ in the Middle East.
New Zealand welcomed the US announcement that it would seek ratification of relevant protocols to the Pelindaba and Raratonga treaties.
Nepal noted that implementation of the 1995 resolution on the Middle East would be a big step for non-proliferation.
Qatar it is imperative for the NWS that adopted the 1995 resolution on the Middle East to break their silence regarding Israel's nuclear programme.
Qatar also emphasized the importance of action on implementing this resolution at this RevCon, noting that otherwise the states of the region will have to consider “a range of alternatives” to turn the Middle East into a NWFZ

Transparency

New Zealand, Japan, and Germany welcomed the US decision to release numbers of its nuclear stockpile. Germany called on other NWS to follow this example.

Balance

Bangladesh noted that its parliament recently adopted a resolution emphasizing need of the RevCon to adopt an outcome on all three pillars and expressing concern about horizontal and vertical proliferation and the role of nuclear weapons in security doctrines.
Denmark argued that “peaceful uses” of nuclear technology must respect non-proliferation obligations, and non-proliferation requires disarmament.
ASEAN noted that the Review Conference provides an opportunity for a collective effort to abolish nuclear weapons and support non-proliferation.
All delegations highlighted the importance of ensuring positive outcomes on all elements of the NPT.

Civil society

Japan highlighted the strong interest of civil society, which broadly shares the goal of realizing a world without nuclear weapons, noting that civil society is vital to maintaining the momentum and that Japan supports disarmament and non-proliferation education.
Norway noted that its broad based NGO community has stated very clearly what it expects from the RevCon, cautioning that a failure would seriously undermine the authority and credibility of the NPT.