Category Archives: DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

United Nations: Reaching HIGH civil society ‘virtual’ conference for nuclear disarmament proposals

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article from UNFOLD ZERO

Governments have gathered at the United Nations in New York this month (October) to discuss and adopt nuclear disarmament proposals, including a draft resolution to set the dates and mandate for the first ever UN High Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament (UNHLC), scheduled for 2018. A coalition of international civil society organisations and networks used this occasion to meet on Oct 11-12 in a ‘virtual’ conference to discuss action plans and strategies to ensure success of the UNHLC.


Alyn Ware and Marzhan Nurzhan at the hub of the virtual conference – the Global Security Institute office next to the United Nations in New York

The conference involved a series of webinar sessions with civil society representatives participating from around the world through their home/office computers, laptops, cell phones and smart phones.

It was convened by the Basel Peace Office, Global Security Institute, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, UNFOLD ZERO and the Abolition 2000 working group on the 2018 UN High-Level Conference.

Why the UN High-Level Conference

‘We are at a cross-roads of increased nuclear dangers and alternative realities,’ said Alyn Ware, convener of the conference.

‘On the one hand regional conflicts and tensions, such as in North-East Asia, and between Russia and the West, are increasing the reliance on nuclear weapons and the risk of a nuclear catastrophe by accident, miscalculation or even intent. On the other hand, we have a majority of UN member states – all non-nuclear countries – adopting a Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).’

‘These two communities are living in different realities, and the divide between them is increasing. The 2018 UN High-Level Conference provides an opportunity to bridge the communities, and make progress on both nuclear-risk reduction and disarmament measures.’

‘The UN Conference can also bridge the different multilateral processes and forums such as the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review process, UN General Assembly (through which the TPNW was negotiated), UN Security Council and the Conference on Disarmament.’

Most importantly, the UN High-Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament, which will take place in May 2018, can elevate the political, media and public attention to nuclear disarmament in all UN member states, and establish a global expectation of a concrete outcome or outcomes.

We have had considerable success with similar high-level UN conferences on Sustainable Development (2015) which adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals; Climate Change (2016) which adopted the Paris Agreement; Refugees and Migrants (2016) which achieved the New York Declaration; and Oceans (2017) which adopted the 14-point action plan Our Ocean Our Future.

But these all required cooperative action by civil society to push their governments into concrete action. The civil society virtual conference on Oct 11-12 is one of the many efforts to build cooperation and action to ensure the 2018 UNHLC on Nuclear Disarmament is also a success.

The Oct 11-12 conference included six sessions focusing on:

* Politics of current nuclear weapons policies. Nuclear risk-reduction and disarmament initiatives;

* Value of UN High-Level Conferences/Summits. Learning from UN summits on other issues (climate change, sustainable development);

* Visions for the 2018 UNHLC. What are possible outcomes which we should be promoting;

* Engaging governments and preparatory work. How to ensure governments will attend at the highest level and take action in good faith on concrete nuclear disarmament measures;

* Summarizing and packaging the politics and opportunities of the UNHLC; Making it understandable to public.

* Engaging key constituencies and building the campaign. Involvement of parliamentarians, mayors, youth, religious leaders/communities, academics… Public events and promotion.

The conference built on a series of consultation events and meetings conducted by the co-sponsoring organisations in key capitals, UN centres and inter-parliamentary assemblies over the past year. Input from these consultations provided the basis for a food-for-thought paper which explores the optimum agenda and approach of the 2018 UNHLC to ensure success.

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Question for this article:

A UN High-Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament: Distraction or progress?

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Key themes and approaches;

There were a number of key themes and approaches to the UNHLC discussed during the Oct 11-12 conference. These included:

Civil society should call on all governments to attend the UNHLC at the highest level. This call can be made to governments of nuclear-armed, allied and non-nuclear countries alike;

Governments already supporting the UNHLC could do joint calls on all other governments to attend the UNHLC at the highest level. CELAC (organisation of Latin American and Caribbean governments) is an obvious possibility given their initial push for the high-level conference;

The UNHLC should provide a space for all countries to participate, and for a range of initiatives to be advanced, including the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, lowering the salience of nuclear weapons, de-alerting, no-first-use, ending nuclear tests, negative security assurances, nuclear stockpile reductions, establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones and developing a framework for global elimination;

A goal for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons could be to obtain 100 signatures by the close of the UNHLC (a number of governments could choose to sign at the UNHLC);

A ‘gift-basket‘ approach could be useful, as it was in the Nuclear Security Summits. This would involve the announcement and/or adoption of a range of measures and initiatives by groups of States, without requiring unanimity of all at the UNHLC;

The UNHLC could recommend UN Security Council action on a number of initiatives, such as that any testing of nuclear weapons would be a threat to peace and security, and that any use of weapons of mass destruction would be a crime against humanity and a threat to peace and security;

In order to move nuclear-armed and allied States to agree to eliminate the role of nuclear weapons in their security doctrines, it will probably be necessary to advance common security approaches for addressing security situations in which they currently believe that nuclear deterrence is necessary. Common security approaches (diplomacy, mediation, arbitration, adjudicaton…) and mechanisms (United Nations, International Court of Justice, International Criminal Court, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe…) are already available but need promoting;

Parliamentarians have a key role to play in moving governments to attend the UNHLC and to commit to concrete outcomes. Civil society should work with parliamentarians to raise questions and advance debates/motions about the 2018 UNHLC in their parliaments;

Civil society should also contact their government officials (foreign ministries and UN ambassadors) directly. PNND and GSI maintains (and will expand) a database of government officials from key countries, plus background on ‘entry points’ (relevant UN resolutions they have supported, and IPU resolutions their parliaments have supported) in order to assist civil society advocates.

Actions and commitments arising from, or announced at, the Oct 11-12 conference include:

1. Abolition 2000 has established a working group on the 2018 UNHLC which is open to anyone to join.This will provide a basis for building cooperation amongst civil society on actions and plans for the 2018 UNHLC;

2. PNND is organising an event at the Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in St Petersburg to promote the ban treaty, nuclear-risk reduction measures and the 2018 UNHLC;

3. The Abolition 2000 Youth Network and PNND are organising an international youth conference on the 2018 UNHLC. The youth conference will take place in Prague, Czech Republic on Nov 28-29, 2017;

4. UNFOLD ZERO maintains a webpage dedicated to the 2018 UN High-Level Conference. This includes all relevant documents, reports and actions;

5. The Abolition 2000 Youth Network is planning a global Reach HIGH for a nuclear-weapon-free world video, which will involve youth around the world lifting a peace sign high and then passing it to youth video video connection (more detailed explanation to follow). The final video will be shown during the Prep Com for the 2018 UNHLC in New York on March 28;

6. PNND has just produced a Parliamentary Action Plan for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World which includes parliamentary actions to support the 2018 UNHLC;

7. UNFOLD ZERO and PNND will produce a civil society action guide for the 2018 UNHLC;

8. PNND, Mayors for Peace and Religions for Peace will present the joint appeal ‘A Nuclear-Weapon-Free World: Our Common Good‘ to the President of the 2018 UNHLC and participating governments at the UNHLC Preparatory Meeting in New York on March 28. Additional mayors, parliamentarians and religious leaders can be invited to endorse before March 25, 2018.

9. World Future Council, PNND, Basel Peace Office and the Abolition 2000 working group on the 2018 UNHLC are planning an action ‘Count the nuclear weapons budget‘ in New York over the three days of the UNHLC. Celebrities, youth and peace activists will count 1 million mock $1 million notes = $1 trillion dollars (the nuclear weapons budget for the next decade).

USA: Campaign Nonviolence Organizes over 1,600 events for Week of Actions

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article by Maria Benevento for the National Catholic Reporter Online

A grassroots movement to bring nonviolence into the mainstream has been quietly but exponentially growing, resulting in 1,600 nonviolent actions in all 50 U.S. states and 16 other countries during the week of Sept. 16-24.


A March for Peace in Wilmington, Delaware on Sept. 23. Organizers in Delaware held over 60 events during Campaign Nonviolence’s Week of Actions. (Courtesy of Pace e Bene)

For the fourth year in a row, Pace e Bene, an organization founded by Franciscan Friars in 1989 and dedicated to promoting peace, justice and well-being for all, sponsored the Week of Actions as part of Campaign Nonviolence, a long-term movement to build a culture of peace.

“We have started this with the hope to get people to ‘connect the dots’ on issues of violence,” said Fr. John Dear, nonviolence outreach coordinator for Pace e Bene, “but also to promote the vision of a new culture of nonviolence, to try to get the movement moving.”

Campaign Nonviolence asked local event organizers to take a holistic approach, drawing attention to the interconnection of four main issues — poverty, racism, war and environmental destruction — as forms of violence and promoting a positive vision of a culture of nonviolence.

Common events included vigils, marches, public lectures, teach-ins, nonviolence trainings and prayer services.

In Cincinnati, the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center worked with Dear to launch “Nonviolent Cincinnati” as part of the Nonviolent Cities Project.

Charity Sr. Andrea Koverman, a program manager at the center who helped initiate and organize the launch, said the first goal of the project is to promote awareness that violence is “a really pervasive and critical problem,” then show people there are alternatives to solving problems with violence or failing to respond.

The growing “Nonviolent Cincinnati” coalition currently has about 35 groups and individual members, including religious orders, schools and community organizations. Several elected officials also attended the launch.

“We’re trying to make it very inclusive and cross-sectional, so we want people at the grassroots all the way up to elected officials,” Koverman said.

Meanwhile, organizers of Arkansas Peace Week planned a total of 60 events such as daily activities for elementary school students, an art contest, a peace fest, lectures, movie showings, a food drive and events commemorating the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School.

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Question for this article:

The peace movement in the United States, What are its strengths and weaknesses?

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Other notable actions included Peace Week Delaware, which put on over 60 events; an interfaith prayer service outside the civil rights museum in Memphis and events in Huntington, Indiana, where Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters held a peace march and the mayor proclaimed a day of peace.

Campaign Nonviolence organizers see this year’s actions as only the early stage of a decades-long movement.

“We have been so immersed in the vision and belief system of violence, we’ve been formed and trained in it, and it’s obviously something where that unlearning is going to take a long time,” said Ken Butigan, a professor at DePaul University and a strategist and consultant for Campaign Nonviolence.

“We would love to see the question: ‘What is the nonviolent option?’ on the lips of the media, members of Congress and the larger movement for change,” Butigan said.

As the campaign prepares for its fifth Week of Actions, which will take place a few weeks before the November 2018 congressional elections, Butigan said they plan to sharpen the focus, encouraging “people all over the country to find creative ways to pose that question.”

This year, organizers were most focused on getting large numbers of people involved in events and giving new activists the opportunity to gain experience.

“These are not long-time activists, generally speaking,” said Dear. “These are people who have stepped up to the plate. They have been so energized by the response locally that they have kept at it.”

Campaign Nonviolence organizers also hoped the week would give local groups a chance to get acquainted and find ways to collaborate and form coalitions throughout the year.

This was definitely true in Little Rock, where Cheryl Simon, president of the city’s new Pax Christi chapter, said she met more people from other organizations at the peace fest than she would otherwise have met in a year.

“I really believe meeting those people in only the first step,” Simon said. “I really hope that we’ll keep working together throughout the year. Now that we know one another I want those relationships to deepen. … The more people that can do the work, the broader our scope can be.”

Butigan certainly hopes the movement keeps growing.

Activists need to mobilize and train about 3.5 percent of the population, 11 million people in the case of the U.S., in order to effect change, he said, citing research by international relations experts Erika Chenoweth and Maria Stephan in their book Why Civil Resistance Works.

“In the next few years, say in the next five years, we envision helping to build a movement of millions of people who want an alternative to violence that’s neither violent nor passive,” said Butigan.

This could help people respond to specific manifestations of violence, he said, “but also help a growing number of people see that there is an alternative and that we can actually build a society and institutions that put the message and vision of nonviolence into practice.”

Spreading Hiroshima’s Message of Peace

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article from NHK World

Atomic bomb survivors are getting older and their number is dwindling. An American NGO has come up with a new way of preserving their experiences. It’s calling global educators to Hiroshima and Nagasaki to discuss how to share the survivors’ messages with their students.


Frame from NHK video

In early August, a group of teachers from around the world gathered in the peace park.

“My first impression of the site was… It’s hard to look at for too long for me,” says Matthew Winters, one of the participants. He is a junior high school teacher from the US state of Utah.

“There is a narrative in the United States about Nagasaki and Hiroshima in which you enunciated very well about, it was necessary to drop the nuclear bomb. It was necessary to end the war,” he says.

Winters has held classes discussing whether the bombing was necessary. But he says he wasn’t sure what the right answer was. He came to Hiroshima to learn more. “There is a human factor there that goes well beyond what’s happening in the pages of a history book,” he says.

Another participant is Hacene Benmechiche from Algeria. He is a history lecturer, and believes that peace education is especially important in his region and the Middle East, where violence persists.

“So I want our students to be peace-loving children. We are weary of violence. Violence is not a good thing. It beats development, it shatters countries, it destroys families,” he says.

This program, “Oleander Initiative,” is named after the city flower of Hiroshima, the first one to bloom after the bombing. It has become a symbol of resilience and peace. The organizer, Ray Matsumiya, hopes the teachers and their students take home the spirit of Hiroshima. He learned about the horror of the bombing from his grandfather, who experienced it.

“With the nuclear weapons ban treaty, one of the ideas is to mobilize civil societies around the world. In terms of our program, it helps spread that knowledge of why nuclear weapons shouldn’t exist,” he says.

On this day, the participants visited an atomic bomb survivor. 88-year-old Teruko Ueno welcomed them for lunch. Ueno was 1.6 kilometers away from ground zero when the bomb was dropped.

She was 16 years old and worked as a nurse at the Red Cross Hospital. She was shielded from the extreme heat by the hospital building. She still suffers from the effects of the radiation.

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Question related to this article:

Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

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After the bombing, she struggled for days to save her colleagues and patients, who were badly burned. “Their skin was melted off their bodies. People came to my hospital saying ‘Give me water,’ and collapsed,” she explains.

She recalls how many children were born with physical disabilities. Her daughter and granddaughter listen next to her. “People were saying we would give birth to children with deformities. I was so worried,” says Ueno.

The participants are at a loss for words. “Your story…Thank you, thank you, thank you…” Winters says to Ueno.

“I am glad to hear that,” Ueno responds.

“She gave me a giant hug that just made me cry immediately. It was like being hugged by my grandmother. It was so emotionally fulfilling. It changed me. I feel like a different person today than I did yesterday,” says Winters.

Benmechiche says he learned something different. “I cannot feel exactly the way they feel. But I think that they are ready to forgive, otherwise there are still very deep wounds inside, because they know that forgiveness, not forgetfulness,” he says.

The teachers were deeply impressed with the openness and resilience of the people of Hiroshima.

The ceremony this summer was particularly special for the people of Hiroshima. It marked the achievement of a long-standing goal — the nuclear weapons ban treaty adopted in July. The teachers took part in the events.

The teachers discussed the goal of a nuclear-free world and how countries can work together to attain it. They talked about the recent nuclear weapons ban treaty, and the deep rift between nuclear powers and non-nuclear states.

“It was almost like a virtual media blackout. There was nothing said about it, even though it happened at the UN in New York,” says Kathleen Sullivan, a lecturer from the US.

“Nothing would make any change. The gap will be there unless we do something with the leaders, with the politicians,” says Khalil Smidi, a teacher from Lebanon.

“That’s where the educator’s roles are so important. It was the people that brought the ban treaty. I mean the thing that was so exciting about it, was that it was actually a process of education,” responds Sullivan.

Winters shared his new determination with his peers.

“A large majority of my students have parents that work at that military base. They are air force people and it’s a large economic center for the city. So, to combat that is going to be very difficult. We have to start a dialogue about these issues,” he says.

The teachers come up with a motto: “Education is the best weapon.” They want their students to think about how they can make even a small amount of change toward a better world.

(Thank you to the Global Campaign for Peace Education for calling this article to our attention.)

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2017

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

Press release from the Official website of the Nobel Prize

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2017 to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). The organization is receiving the award for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons.

We live in a world where the risk of nuclear weapons being used is greater than it has been for a long time. Some states are modernizing their nuclear arsenals, and there is a real danger that more countries will try to procure nuclear weapons, as exemplified by North Korea. Nuclear weapons pose a constant threat to humanity and all life on earth. Through binding international agreements, the international community has previously adopted prohibitions against land mines, cluster munitions and biological and chemical weapons. Nuclear weapons are even more destructive, but have not yet been made the object of a similar international legal prohibition.

Through its work, ICAN has helped to fill this legal gap. An important argument in the rationale for prohibiting nuclear weapons is the unacceptable human suffering that a nuclear war will cause. ICAN is a coalition of non-governmental organizations from around 100 different countries around the globe. The coalition has been a driving force in prevailing upon the world’s nations to pledge to cooperate with all relevant stakeholders in efforts to stigmatise, prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons. To date, 108 states have made such a commitment, known as the Humanitarian Pledge.

Furthermore, ICAN has been the leading civil society actor in the endeavour to achieve a prohibition of nuclear weapons under international law. On 7 July 2017, 122 of the UN member states acceded to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. As soon as the treaty has been ratified by 50 states, the ban on nuclear weapons will enter into force and will be binding under international law for all the countries that are party to the treaty.

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Question related to this article:

Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

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The Norwegian Nobel Committee is aware that an international legal prohibition will not in itself eliminate a single nuclear weapon, and that so far neither the states that already have nuclear weapons nor their closest allies support the nuclear weapon ban treaty. The Committee wishes to emphasize that the next steps towards attaining a world free of nuclear weapons must involve the nuclear-armed states. This year’s Peace Prize is therefore also a call upon these states to initiate serious negotiations with a view to the gradual, balanced and carefully monitored elimination of the almost 15,000 nuclear weapons in the world. Five of the states that currently have nuclear weapons – the USA, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China – have already committed to this objective through their accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 1970. The Non-Proliferation Treaty will remain the primary international legal instrument for promoting nuclear disarmament and preventing the further spread of such weapons.

It is now 71 years since the UN General Assembly, in its very first resolution, advocated the importance of nuclear disarmament and a nuclear weapon-free world. With this year’s award, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to pay tribute to ICAN for giving new momentum to the efforts to achieve this goal.

The decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2017 to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons has a solid grounding in Alfred Nobel’s will. The will specifies three different criteria for awarding the Peace Prize: the promotion of fraternity between nations, the advancement of disarmament and arms control and the holding and promotion of peace congresses. ICAN works vigorously to achieve nuclear disarmament. ICAN and a majority of UN member states have contributed to fraternity between nations by supporting the Humanitarian Pledge. And through its inspiring and innovative support for the UN negotiations on a treaty banning nuclear weapons, ICAN has played a major part in bringing about what in our day and age is equivalent to an international peace congress.

It is the firm conviction of the Norwegian Nobel Committee that ICAN, more than anyone else, has in the past year given the efforts to achieve a world without nuclear weapons a new direction and new vigour.

Mali: Ségou: capital of peace and national reconciliation of the regions of central Mali

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article by Douba Dembele for Mali Actu

The urban commune of Ségou hosted on 7, 8 and 9 September two consultations on peace and national cohesion. Participants from the Mopti and Niono, Macina and Tominian areas in the Ségou region came for two days of reflection and identification of lasting solutions to their intra and intercommunal conflicts.


The town of Ségou (for illustrative purposes)

140 representativers took part in the meeting. It was initiated by the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, with funding from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, accompanied by the Ministry of National Reconciliation. As a result of the meeting, an additional day of exchange, information and awareness-raising on the mission to support reconciliation and support teams was held on Saturday, 9 September, at the same venue as the previous session, the conference room of the Governorate of Ségou. The work of this day was attended by some forty delegates from the 7 areas of the region of Ségou.

The delegates, chosen on the basis of their social influence and their involvement in the management of conflicts in their areas, were mostly civil society leaders. These included village chiefs, religious leaders, traditional communicators and journalists. Organized by the Ministry of National Reconciliation in partnership with the Reconciliation Support Mission and the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, the one-day meeting was also suppoted by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This meeting in Ségou brought together actors from Douentza, Tenekou, Mopti, Djenné, Youwarou, Koro, Bankass, Ké-Macina, Niono and Tominian areas. The head of the mission of the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, Hama Amidou Diallo, set the scene for the meeting. According to him, the Ségou meeting, like that of Mopti, is in keeping with the actions taken to promote social dialogue within the communities, through intra-community and inter-community meetings organized at the village, communes, circles and in the regional capitals. The result should be the safeguarding of social peace and the consolidation of living together.

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(Click here for the French version of this article.)

Question related to this article:

Pan-African initiatives for peace: Are they advancing?

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The head of cabinet of the Ministry of National Reconciliation welcomed the meeting in Ségou, affirming that it aims to reinforce the actions carried out by his department as part of its strategy of reconciliation. He also urged each of the participants to call for the promotion of the culture of peace and non-violence. The governor of the region of Ségou, Georges Togo, who presided over the meeting, was pleased to see Mali’s communities gather in Segou to forgive and build lasting peace in their respective localities, based on societal values.

At the end of the meeting, on Friday, 8 September, the participants drew up a series of recommendations for peace, social cohesion and living together. It should be noted that the meeting of Ségou mainly brought together actors from the communities, Bamanan, Peul and Dogon of the circles cited above.

The Segou meeting was attended by the head of the mission, Modibo Kadjogué, the head of cabinet of the Ministry of National Reconciliation, Colonel Moussa Zabou Maïga, the governor of Ségou, economic operator Djadié Bah de Niono, himself chairman of the committee for monitoring peace and reconciliation in his circle, and many other personalities from the Ségou region.

The Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Reconciliation presented the missions of his ministry and the objectives of the mission to support peace and national reconciliation. He added that the State alone can not bring peace without the involvement of communities at the grassroots level, that the Department of National Reconciliation has set up the support mission to reconciliation. For the best functionality of the objectives of this unit, it was decided to establish regional support teams in all regions of Mali.

The conclusion for Segou was the proposal of moral personalities committed to social cohesion, for the establishment of the regional team of Segou, composed of 7 members. This team, once installed, will be involved in preventing and managing conflicts in all circles in the region.

With the two meetings held in Segou, it can be said that Segou had become the capital of the humanitarian dialogue for the regions of central Mali. It should be recalled that the region of Ségou has been affected by intra and inter-community conflicts, notably in the circles of Macina and Niono. Also, the Tominian Circle has received displaced persons following similar conflicts in the Mopti region.

At the United Nations, leaders voice support for nuclear ban treaty

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

During the general debate of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly from 19 to 25 September in New York, presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers from all regions of the world spoke in favour of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which opened for signature on 20 September. Here are some of the highlights.

Austria: H.E. Mr. Sebastian Kurz, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs

“The new Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is an important achievement … It is a crucial step to get rid of all nuclear weapons. Today, we often hear that nuclear weapons are necessary for security. This narrative is not only wrong, it is dangerous. The new treaty provides a real alternative: a world without nuclear weapons, where everyone is safer. The overwhelming support of the international community in adopting this treaty demonstrates that many countries share this goal.”

Botswana: H.E. Mr. Mokgweetsi Eric Masisi, Vice-President

“Botswana fully supports the international community’s efforts towards nuclear disarmament. We also reaffirm our commitment to international instruments that ban weapons of mass destruction … In this respect, we welcome the recent adoption by the UN General Assembly of a legally binding treaty to prohibit the production of nuclear weapons. We are fully convinced that only a nuclear-free world would guarantee a safer future for our populations.”

Brazil: H.E. Mr. Michel Temer, President

“Tomorrow [20 September] I will have the honour of signing the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Brazil was among the drafters of the treaty. It will be a historic moment.”

Burkina Faso: H.E. Mr. Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, President

“I urge all countries, particularly those whose ratification is necessary to this end, to make the rapid entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty a priority. In this context, the adoption on 7 July 2017 of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons should reinforce this dynamic.”

Cabo Verde: H.E. Mr. Jose Ulisses Correia e Silva, Prime Minister

“Cabo Verde has recently … signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was concluded in New York on July 7, 2017.”

Chile: H.E. Mrs. Michelle Bachelet Jeria, President

“We actively participated in the negotiations to generate the nuclear weapons prohibition treaty, which we signed this morning [20 September]. It is a historical fact that creates a rule establishing the basis for future negotiations that will allow the total elimination of nuclear weapons in a verifiable and irreversible way.”

Comoros: H.E. Mr. Azali Assoumani, President

“The Union of the Comoros, which took part yesterday [20 September] at UN headquarters in the signing ceremony for the new nuclear weapons treaty, which I myself signed, is joining the international community to require all countries concerned to comply fully with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and to abandon their nuclear weapons programmes.”

Costa Rica: H.E. Mr. Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera, President

“We see with hope, joy and pride that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was finally approved in July of this year, a process in which I congratulate the Costa Rican ambassador Elayne Whyte, who, as president of the conference during the negotiations, led the process with courage and great skill. That effort, together with that of the participating delegations, made a dream come true after more than seven decades. This treaty is a strong message that most UN member states do not support, do not accept, and do not consider nuclear weapons as legitimate, and that the international community clearly states that nuclear weapons are not only immoral, but are henceforth illegal. The adoption of this new norm of international law that absolutely prohibits nuclear weapons is therefore established in all circumstances and provides a solid and legally binding framework for the destruction and total elimination of nuclear weapons in a transparent, irreversible and verifiable manner within specified time frames. As an unarmed democracy resting its defence on international law, we are satisfied that in addition to prohibiting the development, production, manufacture, transfer, possession, storage, location, installation and deployment of nuclear weapons, the treaty explicitly prohibits the threat of its use, thereby also banning so-called doctrines of nuclear deterrence security. Many will say that all this effort is meaningless, since none of the nuclear powers had wanted to be part of it. I tell them they are wrong. The desire of the 122 countries that approved the text of the treaty is the legitimate voice of people who are lovers of peace and of the defence of humanity. Any effort to be on the side of disarmament will never be nonsense. Being on the side of peace will never be a mistake. Costa Rica applauds these 122 countries and all those who will sign the treaty tomorrow [20 September] and makes a vehement call for others to join in, so that we can ensure a future for us and for those who will come after us. It is our responsibility to continue to support the creation of peace so that we can build the world we dream about.”

Cuba: H.E. Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“We all share the common responsibility to preserve the existence of human beings in the face of a nuclear threat. An important contribution to the achievement of that goal was the historic adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons under the auspices of the United Nations, which proscribes the use and the threat of use of those weapons that have the capacity to annihilate the human species.”

Ecuador: H.E. Mr. Lenin Moreno Garcés, Constitutional President

“Today [20 September] we will subscribe to the nuclear weapons prohibition treaty, and we call on all countries to subscribe to this historic international instrument.”

Egypt: “Several recent remarkable developments, such as the adoption of the humanitarian pledge as well as a landmark treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons, are clear signs that the circumstances have changed on the international stage. These are clear messages that those non-nuclear-weapon states who have truly committed themselves to the principle of disarmament and non-proliferation are becoming increasingly impatient regarding the necessity of seriously addressing the gaps in the prevailing regime and the discrimination embedded therein, which was not intended to last forever at the time the NPT was negotiated and entered into force.”

Grenada: H.E. Mr. Elvin Nimrod, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“Grenada views the situation on the Korean peninsula with great trepidation, and our position on these matters is clear, and to that effect the cabinet of ministers has recently approved the signing of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The proliferation of nuclear weapons is inherently destructive and serves no useful purpose for humanity. The mere existence of these weapons is unacceptable. Let us never forget the suffering of the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”

Guatemala: H.E. Mr. Jimmy Morales, President

“Collective security can only be achieved through the prohibition and total elimination of nuclear weapons. For this reason, Guatemala tomorrow [20 September] will sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which constitutes an important step towards a world free of nuclear weapons.”

Holy See: H.E. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary of Relations with States

“The Holy See has signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and has already deposited its ratification, because it believes that it is an important contribution in the overall effort toward complete nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, an advance toward the fulfilment of the commitment of the states parties to the NPT ‘to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament’, and a step toward negotiating a ‘general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control’. While much remains to be done for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons truly to make a difference and achieve its full promise, the Holy See believes that it is one more blow on the anvil toward the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.’”

Iran: H.E. Mr. Mohammad Javad Zarif, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“Iran voted in favour of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and will continue to support its overall objective. Contrary to some arguments that this treaty will undermine the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Iran is of the view that it will reinforce the nuclear disarmament regime.”

Ireland: H.E. Mr. Simon Coveney, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade

“Earlier this week I was very pleased to sign the recently approved Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was supported by 122 members of this Assembly. Ireland is proud to have played a leadership role, together with Austria, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria and South Africa, in bringing forward the UN resolution convening the diplomatic conference that negotiated this ground-breaking treaty. The case for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons has never been stronger as the volatile situation in the Korean peninsula makes clear.”

Jamaica: H.E. Mrs. Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade

“Jamaica is deeply concerned about the heightened menace to international peace and security arising particularly from the threat of nuclear weapons. We have had a longstanding commitment to the goal of achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world and are a state party to the Treaty of Tlatelolco, which declared the Caribbean and Latin America as the first nuclear-weapon-free zone in a densely populated area. At the universal level, therefore, we welcome the fact that we now have the first global treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons, as a critical step towards addressing some of these concerns. It is our hope that it will enter into force in short order and will be duly observed universally.”

Kazakhstan: H.E. Mr. Kairat Abdrakhmanov, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“President Nazarbayev outlined a number of important initiatives [in August] that I would like to share with you … [including] to call for joint efforts to ensure that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons enters into force by 2020 – this is the 50th anniversary of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons entering into force.”

Kenya: H.E. Ms. Amina Chawahir Mohamed, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade

“Kenya welcomes the historic adoption on 7 July 2017 of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Although nuclear-weapon states are absent, the overwhelming majority of member states support the treaty. This demonstrates our concerns with the danger the use of such weapons poses to humanity, as we were all reminded by the unfortunate nuclear detonation that took place on 3 September. The adoption of the treaty gives us renewed hope that it is possible, if we work together, to rid the world of nuclear weapons.”

Laos: H.E. Mr. Saleumxay Kommasith, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“The Lao People’s Democratic Republic earnestly hopes to see the world without nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. In this context, we welcome the recent adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which we also signed two days ago [21 September]. But we are well aware that we still have an uphill task ahead of us for this treaty to enter into force and be effectively implemented. Therefore, the international community has to redouble its efforts in this respect.”

Lesotho: H.E. Mr. Thomas Motsoahae Thabane, Prime Minister

“On the nuclear disarmament landscape, the UN made significant progress a few months ago with the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as the first legally binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons, with the goal of leading towards their total elimination. This is a historic achievement of our time, especially in light of the ongoing tensions in the Korean peninsula. The argument that nuclear weapons are a deterrent is a fallacy; these weapons are a threat to human existence and their possessors should do the right thing and renounce them in line with their international obligations. This treaty should not remain on paper only, but it must be ratified and implemented by all.”

Libya: H.E. Mr. Elmahdi Elmajerbi, Permanent Representative to the UN

“We believe that the international community has moved in the right direction by agreeing on a legally binding treaty for the prohibition of nuclear weapons … We welcome this treaty and we urge all states to sign and ratify it in order for it to enter into force. In this respect, we are among the 50 countries who have signed this treaty.”

Liechtenstein: H.E. Ms. Aurelia Frick, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“The people we serve look at us to reduce risks, to defuse tensions. Yet the world spirals towards a new arms race. We are facing increased risks of self-destruction. This includes the unspeakable horror of the use of nuclear weapons. Most of us remember the shocking pictures from Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 from our history books. The United Nations was built on the ashes of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and on the promise of ‘never again’. But we have not delivered on this promise – in collective complacency. This week we have changed course for the better, with the signing of the treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons. No doubt, it will take time to see the effects of the treaty on nuclear stockpiles. But setting a number of important legal benchmarks that will become binding norms is great progress. Nuclear weapons are prohibited and should be eliminated. Their use can never be justified. The suffering they cause runs counter to the principles of humanity, basic tenets of international humanitarian law and the dictates of public conscience. On Wednesday [20 September], I signed the treaty on behalf of Liechtenstein, as one of 50 states. Together we extend a hand to those who so far have chosen to stay apart. We need their commitment to finally rid the world of nuclear weapons.”

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Question related to this article:

Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

(Continued from left column)

Malaysia: H.E. Mr. Dato’ Sri Anifah Aman, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“Earlier this week [20 September], Malaysia joined other member states in signing the treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons. We are convinced that the political and legal impact of this treaty will steer the international community collectively towards the elimination of nuclear weapons and the maintenance of a world free of nuclear weapons. We were guided by the commitment of states on an instrument which is legally sound, feasible to implement and one that sends a powerful political message that nuclear weapons are categorically unacceptable.”

Maldives: H.E. Dr. Mohamed Asim, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“The Maldives applauds the monumental adoption on 7 July 2017 of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons following the United Nations conference to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading to their total elimination. The treaty is the most important pledge that the international community has made in the relentless pursuit of a nuclear-free world.”

Marshall Islands: H.E. Mr. John Silk, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“Recent events should create far greater political resolve to curb and ultimately eliminate global nuclear threats. But if it were a task so easily done, perhaps the world would not have struggled for so long. In this regard, the Republic of the Marshall Islands supports those nations who are now able to affirm the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and we will continue to add our own voice in all fora, including the CTBT and NPT. We are committed to a close and inclusive examination of our own participation in the nuclear ban treaty, listening closely to our stakeholders and affected communities, and also taking into account any possible implications on our mutual security relationships. It will always remain our fervent hope that such weapons of mass destruction shall never again be tested or unleashed, and that all nuclear-armed nations will have the necessary political will to disarm.”

Mauritius: H.E. Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister

“Mauritius voted in favour of the resolution adopting the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons last July and we hope to see complete denuclearization throughout the world. We urge all those involved in potential conflicts around the world, especially where there is a possibility of nuclear weapons being used, to exercise restraint and promote dialogue instead of belligerent posturing that feeds unrest and dangerous escalation.”

Mexico: H.E. Mr. Luis Videgaray Caso, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“The existence of nuclear weapons poses a threat to the whole of humanity. Faced with the persistent nuclear danger, yesterday [20 September] the government of Mexico signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which the executive will shortly submit to Senate for the approval of the republic.”

Mongolia: H.E. Mr. Tsend Munkh-Orgil, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“Current tensions have only deepened the concern associated with nuclear weapons. Mongolia welcomes the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on 7 July 2017. So long as nuclear weapons exist, the risk of their use will persist. The only guarantee of the non-use of nuclear weapons is their total elimination.”

Morocco: H.E. Mr. Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative to the UN

“The adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is a landmark step towards the total elimination of these weapons and towards a more reassuring future.”

Nepal: H.E. Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba, Prime Minister

“The vicious race for weapons of mass destruction continues to threaten the world. Nepal calls for a time-bound, general and complete disarmament. Nepal welcomes the confidence-building measures on conventional weapons, ending nearly two decades of stalemate in the UN Disarmament Commission. Nepal has signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as a step towards nuclear disarmament.”

New Zealand: H.E. Mr. Craig Hawke, Permanent Representative to the UN

“The risks associated with nuclear weapons and nuclear proliferation have been a key factor in New Zealand’s longstanding commitment to international nuclear disarmament. Last week [20 September] we were pleased to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The treaty represents an important step towards a nuclear-free world.”

Nicaragua: H.E. Mrs. María Rubiales de Chamorro, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs

“Nicaragua advocates for a general and complete disarmament and is in favour of the total elimination of nuclear weapons. We have signed the nuclear weapons prohibition treaty.”

Nigeria: H.E. Mr. Muhammadu Buhari, President

“The crisis in the Korean peninsula underscores the urgency for all member states, guided by the spirit of enthroning a safer and more peaceful world, to ratify without delay the treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons, which will be open for signature here tomorrow [20 September].”

Palau: H.E. Mr. Tommy Esang Remengesau Jr., President

“Taking into account the recent actions by North Korea, we must take seriously the long-term need to ban nuclear weapons. A good place to start is the accession to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. I must give credit to the leaders of my country, who, over 30 years ago, recognized the threat of nuclear weapons and banned the use, testing and storage of nuclear weapons in Palau’s constitution. In their honour, yesterday [20 September] I signed this treaty.”

Paraguay: H.E. Mr. Horacio Manuel Cartes Jara, President

“In Paraguay, a constitutional provision bans weapons of mass destruction. Consequently, our country commends the recent adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.”

Peru: H.E. Mr. Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, Permanent Representative to the UN

“The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the possible access to them by terrorist groups are real threats. That is why we have signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and we hope that all states possessing such weapons will join this instrument.”

Philippines: H.E. Mr. Alan Peter S. Cayetano, Secretary for Foreign Affairs

“If we listen to each other, we will hear the same thing. We have no need for nuclear weapons. There is absolutely no benefit in another cold war, neither in an arms race. We want nuclear weapons to be a thing of the past and we do not want an arms race anywhere in the world. On July 7, the Philippines joined 121 other member states in securing our world from weapons of mass destruction by adopting the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Three days ago [20 September], I signed the treaty. The Philippines calls on member states with nuclear weapons to likewise sign on. We can only have a safe world if we get rid of all nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. By doing so, we ‘save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind’.”

Samoa: H.E. Mr. Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister

“As small island Pacific countries, we are no longer protected by our isolation – we are bystanders but with the greatest to lose in the unfolding power drama being played out in the Korean peninsula. We pray for visionary leadership with sound moral judgement on both sides to ensure we give peace a chance. It explains why I signed yesterday [20 September] on Samoa’s behalf the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. As a signatory to this historic treaty, we wanted to demonstrate unequivocally our aspiration to have a world without nuclear weapons. The conventional narrative that the possession of nuclear weapons will act as deterrent to make the world a safer place to live is not borne out by the current realities – otherwise the developments in the Korean peninsula would not have happened at all. We firmly believe that possessing nuclear weapons and adding new nuclear powers only make our world less safe, less secure and less peaceful – hence the need to rid our world completely of all nuclear weapons.”

San Marino: H.E. Mr. Nicola Renzi, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“The Republic of San Marino took part in the negotiations that led to the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons last July. The treaty is an important step to achieve the common goal of a world without nuclear weapons.”

South Africa: H.E. Mr. Jacob Zuma, President

“As a country that voluntarily dismantled its nuclear weapons programme, South Africa is of the firm view that there are no safe hands for weapons of mass destruction. The only viable solution to the problems of nuclear weapons is their total elimination as expressed in the recently UN-adopted treaty banning nuclear weapons. It can no longer be acceptable that some few countries keep arsenals and stockpiles of nuclear weapons as part of their strategic defence and security doctrine, while expecting others to remain at their mercy. We are concerned that any possible accidental detonation would lead to a disaster of epic proportions. We are making a clarion call to all member states of the UN to sign and ratify the ban treaty in order to rid the world and humanity of these lethal weapons of mass destruction.”

Tanzania: H.E. Mr. Augustine Phillip Mahiga, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

“Tanzania commends the recent adoption of the nuclear ban treaty, which puts nuclear weapons on the same legal ground as other weapons of mass destruction. We should all support this treaty in order to increase our moral authority in the fight against nuclear weapons proliferation.”

Thailand: H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“Two days ago [20 September], Thailand signed and deposited our instrument of ratification to the nuclear weapons ban treaty. We are proud to be among the first countries to do so. We wish to call on others to do the same. By doing so, we are sending out our message to our children and grandchildren that we do care.”

Trinidad and Tobago: H.E. Mr. Dennis Moses, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“Trinidad and Tobago was among the 122 states which voted in favour of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was adopted on 7 July 2017. This treaty is particularly significant as it is the first multilateral legally binding instrument for nuclear disarmament to have been negotiated in 20 years. We look forward to the convening of the high-level conference on nuclear disarmament by 2018. As a small island developing state, Trinidad and Tobago actively participated in the negotiations to prohibit nuclear weapons, acutely aware of the destructive force of these weapons of mass destruction to, inter alia, human life, the environment, food security, infrastructure and economic growth.”

Tuvalu: H.E. Mr. Enele Sosene Sopoaga, Prime Minister

“Just yesterday [20 September], with pride on behalf of Tuvalu, I signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as a further commitment to the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, which was negotiated and drafted in the 1984 Pacific Island Leaders Forum held in Tuvalu. It is our fervent hope that nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, including the trade of materials and development of technologies to produce such weapons, are totally banned and prohibited worldwide by the UN. Humanity must be advanced not on the principles of fear and deterrence, not on the adage of might is right, rather on moral justice for human equity, trust, respect, and the full enjoyment of basic human rights.”

Uruguay: H.E. Mr. Rodolfo Nin Novoa, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“Uruguay welcomes the success of the United Nations conference that negotiated a binding instrument to ban nuclear weapons and bring about their total elimination, which concluded with the adoption of the historic Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, recently opened for signature by all states, and which Uruguay has just signed [20 September]. In this sense, we call on all countries to sign this instrument, which aims to ensure a decent life for future generations and avoid a humanitarian catastrophe.”

Vanuatu: H.E. Mr. Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas, Prime Minister

“My government reaffirms its commitment to the denuclearization of the Pacific, and we salute the treaty adopted by the conference to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons. Vanuatu reaffirms its commitment to total nuclear disarmament.”

Venezuela: H.E. Mr. Jorge Arreaza Montserrat, Minister for Foreign Affairs

“Venezuela is strongly opposed to the existence of nuclear weapons on our planet. Their possession presents to humanity unjustifiable and unimaginable anguish and risks. That is why we signed last Wednesday [20 September] the nuclear weapons prohibition treaty. We must make a supreme effort, so that the nuclear crises de-escalate and disappear (hopefully with their weapons) through dialogue and human rationality.”

Vietnam: H.E. Mr. Phạm Bình Minh, Deputy Prime Minister

“We welcome the recent adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a historic milestone towards a world free of nuclear weapons. Today [22 September], I sign this treaty and call upon others to sign and ratify the treaty to enable its early entry into force. Let us all be clear: the danger of nuclear weapons still looms over mankind as long as they exist.”

Zambia: H.E. Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President

“Zambia is gratified by the signing of the nuclear weapons ban treaty recently [adopted] in July 2017. We congratulate all those who worked so hard to achieve this result, and we look forward to witnessing its coming into effect.”

United Nations High-Level Meeting on the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article from the United Nations Press Centre

Against a backdrop of rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula, speakers in the General Assembly today emphasized the urgent need for firm political will to advance towards the total elimination of all nuclear weapons.

Ministers and representatives of 46 Member States, delegations, the United Nations system and civil society took the floor during a day-long General Assembly high-level meeting held on September 26 to commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

“The only world that is safe from the use of nuclear weapons is a world that is completely free of nuclear weapons,” said Secretary‑General António Guterres, recalling that nuclear disarmament had been a principled objective of the United Nations from the very first Assembly resolution in 1946 to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which had opened for signature on 20 September.

In opening remarks, he noted, however, that the universally held goal of disarmament had been challenged of late, including by a series of provocative nuclear and missile tests by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.  Unequivocally condemning Pyongyang’s actions, he welcomed the Security Council’s firm response and its desire for a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution.

He went on to note significant steps by nuclear-weapon States — especially the Russian Federation and the United States — to cut back their arsenals.  However, subsequent expensive modernization campaigns and the absence of planned arsenal reductions made it hard to see how disarmament could move forward, he said.

General Assembly President Miroslav Lajčák (Slovakia) described the Treaty as a sign of determination.  Pledging to do everything possible during his term in office to realize the vision of a nuclear-weapon-free world, he said discussions that had led to that instrument’s adoption should continue to ensure that all the differing views of Member States were properly addressed.

In the ensuing debate, speakers underlined the humanitarian and environmental consequences of an accidental or deliberate detonation of nuclear weapons, with some highlighting how money spent on producing, maintaining and modernizing them could be better invested in sustainable development.

Speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, Jorge Arreaza, Venezuela’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, urged Member States to support the convening of an international conference on nuclear disarmament at the United Nations no later than 2018.  “As long as nuclear weapons exist, the risk of proliferation exists”, emphasizing the need for a new comprehensive and systematic approach to disarmament, he said.
Numerous delegates condemned the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for violating international law and ignoring Security Council resolutions in its pursuit of nuclear weapons.  Many appealed for dialogue and a diplomatic solution, and for all sides to refrain from rhetoric that might inflame the situation.

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Question related to this article:

Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

(Continued from left column)

Japan’s delegate, recalling the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, said the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s nuclear tests were not only a grave and imminent threat, but also a challenge to the disarmament and non-proliferation regime.

Two of the five nuclear-weapon States shared their perspective, with China’s representative saying disarmament efforts must proceed in a step-by-step manner through existing mechanisms to ensure the participation of all countries.

His counterpart from the Russian Federation, asserting that the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons had been developed in haste, said nuclear-weapon States had had good reasons for not attending the recent conference.  The instrument ignored the existing reality and the opinion of nuclear-weapon States, he said, noting that it should have been adopted by consensus instead of through a vote.  The focus now should be on creating a favourable atmosphere for progress towards disarmament on the principle of equal, indivisible security for all States without exception.

Raising another concern, he voiced regret over recent attempts to torpedo the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran’s nuclear programme, stressing that all parties should continue to implement the agreement in good faith.  The same approach must be taken with regard to the tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the cause of which was not only Pyongyang’s possession of nuclear weapons, but the absence of an overall security mechanism for the region as a whole, he said.

Germany’s representative, underscoring his country’s commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), said disarmament efforts could only succeed if they took the prevailing security environment into account.  With like-minded partners, Germany advocated a step-by-step approach, with the Non-Proliferation Treaty at the core of an effort that would include a fresh nuclear arms control agreement between the Russian Federation and the United States, which together controlled 90 per cent of the world’s estimated 15,000 nuclear weapons.

The representative of South Africa, which had voluntarily dismantled its nuclear weapons programme, said there were “no safe hands” when it came to weapons of mass destruction.  He expressed deep concern about the catastrophic consequences of detonating atomic bombs, a point highlighted in three international conferences on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons.

Turning to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, several speakers appealed for the remaining Annex II countries that had yet to sign or ratify that instrument to do so.  Delegates from the Middle East, noting that Israel was not a party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, expressed frustration that a nuclear-weapon-free zone had yet to be established in the region.
Also speaking today were ministers, senior officials and representatives of El Salvador (on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States), Guyana, Indonesia, Maldives, Iran, Philippines, Cuba, Algeria, Turkey, Thailand, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Austria, India, Costa Rica, United Republic of Tanzania, Jamaica, Libya, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Ecuador, Egypt, Pakistan, Morocco, Iraq, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Colombia, Chile, Honduras, Argentina, Samoa, Guatemala, Ireland, Timor-Leste, Malaysia and Sweden, as well as the Holy See and the League of Arab States.  Also speaking were representatives of two civil society groups:  Basel Peace Office and Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.

Click here for the speeches.

France: What mobilizations for peace?

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article in L’Humanite (translated by CPNN)

Panel discussion with Paul Quilès, President of IDN, former Minister of Defense and former Chairman of the Defense Committee of the National Assembly, Patrice Bouveret, Director of the Armaments Observatory, co-host of Ican France (International Campaign to abolish nuclear weapons) and Roland Nivet, vice-president of Mouvement de la Paix.


Background facts. With the exacerbation of tensions in Asia, the question of peace is urgent. As part of the International Day of Peace, a call for demonstrations everywhere in France on Saturday 23 September was launched by a collective of more than 50 organizations.

A renewal of international tensions seems to be observable since the inauguration of the new President of the United States. Is this situation irreversible?

Paul Quilès
Donald Trump is not solely responsible for what you call the revival of international tensions, even though his foes and his changing and aggressive attitude tend to destabilize the international scene. Beyond the excitement of a news that the media make us live minute by minute, we must put the developments in their context in the long term. Our multipolar world is crossed by many conflicts of interests and potential confrontations. The reduction of tensions can only be achieved if there is an international will of the great powers to dialogue, which is irreconcilable with systematic defiance, radical antagonism and threats.

The new arms race that we are witnessing is making this dialogue even more difficult. It is regrettable in this respect that France, which is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), is not meeting its commitments and is preparing to substantially increase the budget for nuclear deterrence. As for the official discourse of the atomic weapons powers (including France), it is similar to that of the North Korean leader in an astonishing way, justifying the possession of this weapon by the need to defend the “vital interests” of their countries ! The agreement negotiated two years ago with Iran shows that even in a very complex context, a strong political will and persevering diplomatic work can open the way for a less conflict-oriented world.

Patrice Bouveret
The renewal of tension began before Trump came to the presidency of the United States, although his way of managing his country’s relations with the rest of the world resulted in an acceleration of certain ongoing crises. Effectively, we have to get out of the short media time to take into account, on the one hand, the root causes of the current international disorder – mainly the reinforcement of inequalities – on the other hand, the main threats we face, climate change and weapons of mass destruction. History has taught us that no situation is irreversible. Everything depends on the ability of different civil societies to seize this or that topic to shake up the game of states and their leaders – both internally and within the international community. In this regard, the adoption of the UN treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons last July is a good example of what mobilization of associations can achieve when they group around a specific objective and find relays among a majority of States. The fierce opposition of the nuclear Powers, the pressure they have exerted on many States, underlines, if need be, the shock caused by this development.

Roland Nivet
Trump multiplies irresponsible decisions and contributes to creating a climate of fear to justify massive increases in the US military budget, a source of profits for the military-industrial complex. It will be increased to $ 600 billion in 2018 (+ $ 54 billion). It fuels the arms race ($ 1.8 trillion worldwide in 2016), the militarization of international relations, and perpetuates the logics of domination. The policy of NATO encircling Russia, the Korean crisis, etc. strain tensions. These policies accentuate the uncertain and dangerous character of the present period. The situation, especially in the Near and Middle East, shows that war is always a failure, leads to chaos and engenders monstrosities like Daech. It is never the solution. On the other hand, the political resolution of the Iranian crisis, the peaceful transition in Colombia and the adoption of a treaty banning nuclear weapons in the United Nations show that political solutions are possible and that nothing is irreversible.

The United Nations voted a nuclear-weapons treaty on 7 July. How can we get out of the era of nuclear terror?

Patrice Bouvere
By bringing this treaty into force so that the nine current nuclear powers – the five permanent members of the Security Council – the United States, Russia, France, China, the United Kingdom, plus India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea – find themselves forced to participate, not only by stopping to modernize their arsenal – as planned in particular by France – but also by eliminating their nuclear weapons in a controlled, transparent and irreversible way. This implies, of course, a complete change in their strategy, which is currently based on the threat of mass destruction, a strategy not aimed at ensuring the security of the population, but their domination on the international scene – or the regime’s “impunity” its national space as for North Korea or Israel – at the risk of total destruction of the planet! Yet, as Mikhail Gorbachev noted in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet bloc, “everyone must ensure the safety of the other”. It is exactly the opposite way that is being implemented with the nuclear threat and the increase in military budgets.

(Article continued on the right column)

(Click here for the original version of this article in French.)

Question for this article:

Does military spending lead to economic decline and collapse?

(Article continued from the left column)

Paul Quilès
This requires demonstrating that nuclear weapons are useless in current and future conflicts, that they are in themselves a cause of nuclear proliferation, that they are very costly, and that they are terribly dangerous. The world came close to the catastrophe during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, not to mention the dozens of accidents or possible misinterpretations that could have led to the outbreak of nuclear war. Tomorrow, a technical error, a cyber attack, a terrorist attack could threaten global security. Even limited use of nuclear weapons would have catastrophic environmental impacts on a part of the planet, resulting in the devastation of agriculture, cold and famine through a “nuclear winter”. The treaty that has just been voted at the UN is to delegitimize nuclear weapons, as has already been done to eliminate other weapons of mass destruction – biological, chemical – antipersonnel mines, submunitions, to prohibit nuclear testing and even to reduce nuclear weapons stocks (from 70,000 in the late 1990s to about 15,500 today). It is the indisputable proof of the will of a majority of States to overcome the era of nuclear terror, despite the strong contrary pressures of the “endowed” states.

Roland Nivet
The UN treaty of July 7 states that atomic weapons pose a major risk of humanitarian catastrophe. It prohibits any State from engaging in the development, testing, production, manufacture, acquisition, possession or storage of nuclear weapons and prohibits any commitment to use or threaten to use weapons nuclear. This is another historic achievement in the actions that, since the 1950s, have mobilized tens of millions of people for the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction, without undervaluing the determination of the military-industrial complex and of the nine States, which possess a total of 18,000 nuclear bombs (184 states do not), to delay its implementation. But the principle of the illegality of nuclear weapons being confirmed, it is the timetable for their elimination which is now on the agenda. The register of ratification of the treaty will be opened at the UN on September 20, 2017. There is urgency to get together in action to win ratification of the treaty by the maximum number of states, including France, but also the immediate freeze modernization programs, for which it is planned to double the expenditure on nuclear weapons in France in the years to come, when so many resources are lacking to meet social needs (health, education, employment).

What can be the role of popular mobilizations to promote peace as a goal of international relations?

Patrice Bouveret
War is above all the result of a political choice. So it is obvious that the mobilization of the various civil societies and the establishment of strong solidarities between them, are paramount. It remains to define what is meant by the word “peace”! We are witnessing a global pacification of our societies. The number of deaths due to armed conflict is decreasing. Except that in parallel, the number of migrants, the violence they suffer, is exploding; the climatic catastrophes have dramatic human consequences that are becoming more and more important, to take only the two most glaring examples … Except that this pacification takes place with a reinforcement of the militarization of our societies, through the development of various tools social control, the reduction of individual freedoms, etc.

Peace is not only the absence of war, but must be accompanied by freedom and social justice. It must be shared by all of us, no matter where on the planet we live. It is indeed the whole issue of the nuclear-weapons treaty that concerns the right of non-dominant states to say precisely the right, a binding right for all.

Roland Nivet
A global convergence of forces for peace is brought about by the mobilization of the peoples (trade unions, NGOs, parliamentarians, mayors, International Red Cross, feminist, pacifist and environmental movements, associations for the defense of human rights, social forums …) with the action of the United Nations. It is this convergence that has won the prohibition treaty and seeks to build peace through projects such as the culture of peace and the objectives of sustainable development (SDO). In this context, the collective “En marche pour la paix” was founded in France, including more than 120 different organizations working for human rights, against racism and xenophobia, for gender equality, for the decrease in armaments expenditure, for peace education, to deal with the climatic emergency. In this dynamic, 53 organizations of this collective have co-authored a white paper for peace, which formulates concrete alternative proposals for a policy of peace. This white paper is meant to be a tool for the debate and the popular mobilization of all those who intend to come together so that the right of everyone to peace and human security is the primary goal of international relations. Believing that “none of our differences of belief, belonging or philosophical, political, religious, trade union or other sensibilities should hinder the expression of our common will to live in peace in a world of solidarity, justice and fraternity”, this collective calls, within the framework of the International Day of Peace, to organize, all over France, Saturday, September 23, marches for peace to express this common will. These marches will also contribute to the global wave of peace launched on 6 August 2017 in Hiroshima

Paul Quilès
This mobilization would be desirable and certainly effective, even if the leaders do not always listen to the people! It would still be necessary for the latter to be able to express himself or herself and to be provided with the information needed to assess what is happening when a conflict spreads. For example, the alarmist and sometimes caricatured statements about the Korea do not help understand the distant origin of the confrontation between North Korea and the United States, the interests involved, and the role of China. By suggesting warlike responses (bombardment of Korean nuclear sites), evoking the hypothesis of a third world war, or suggesting that France might be at the mercy of a Korean missile fire, to prove to public opinion that there is no other answer than military, this is inaccurate.

USA: Campaign Nonviolence Mounts Nationwide “Week of Actions” September 16-24, 2017

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

A press release from prweb

Over 1000 marches, actions, events and rallies will take place in all 50 states, as part of Campaign Nonviolence’s upcoming “Week of Actions” culminating on International Day of Peace. People nationwide are joining together to urgently insist on unity and peace.


Thousands will be participating in Campaign Nonviolence’s “Week of Actions” from September 16-24, 2017. This unprecedented nationwide campaign of grassroots activism calls for an urgent unifying peace that is free from racism, war, poverty, and environmental destruction.

“People across the United States are taking Campaign Nonviolence to the streets to immediately end violence and injustices, and begin peacemaking,” said Dr. Ken Butigan, cofounder of Campaign Nonviolence and professor at DePaul University. “This unified voice calls for policy shifts to build peace, economic justice, and environmental healing.”

Campaign Nonviolence has grown from 230 events in its inaugural year of 2014, to more than 1,000 events today.

Campaign Nonviolence is sponsored by Pace e Bene, a non-profit organization building a culture of peace through active nonviolence and shared understanding and partnerships that protect human rights, abolish war and nuclear weapons, end poverty, challenge injustice, heal the planet—and meet today’s profound spiritual task: to create a just, peaceful and nonviolent world. True to the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Campaign Nonviolence teaches how to resolve conflicts peacefully at home and abroad.

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Question for this article:

The peace movement in the United States, What are its strengths and weaknesses?

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“Americans need a positive vision of hope and peace for our country and our world,” said the Rev. John Dear, the nationally known peace activist and cofounder of Campaign Nonviolence who is Nobel Peace Prize nominee and author of 35 books. “During this week of national actions, we are mobilizing local grassroots initiatives to end today’s culture of violence, greed, and war. We are engaging the vision and tools for nonviolent change that Mohandas Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and many others have activated for personal and global transformation.”

Following are a sampling of planned events.

* Delaware Peace Week will hold more than 60 events from vigils and teach-ins to meetings statewide.

* Raleigh and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, have declared “Campaign Nonviolence North Carolina Week,” with events that will advance a peace free from racism and discrimination, poverty, war, and environmental destruction.

* The Chicago area will host 100 events in support of nonviolence and the environment.

* To date, 1,000 people are expected to join the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Peace Fest in Binns Park on Sunday, Sept. 24. Featured will be four bands and speakers that include the Rev. John Dear.

* Marches, prayer services, vigils, workshops, teach-ins, and rallies nationwide will include major events in Little Rock, Arkansas; Memphis, Tennessee; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Clinton, Iowa; Huntington, Indiana; Bangor, Maine; Lansing, Michigan; and Erie, Pennsylvania.

For a list of peacemaking rallies, with states and cities, descriptions, organizations and contact information, please visit: actions.campaignnonviolence.org.

Campaign Nonviolence is sponsored by Pace e Bene, a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization founded in 1989 by the Franciscan Friars of California. Campaign coordinators Ken Butigan and Father John Dear teach that nonviolence most effectively characterizes Jesus’ way. “It is a way that combines both the unmistakable rejection of violence, and the power of love and truth in action for justice, peace, and the integrity of creation.” For more information please visit: http://www.paceebene.org/about.

Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly now endorsed by over 1,500 current and former lawmakers from 120 countries

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article from the Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly

The international Campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, in short UNPA, is now endorsed across party lines by more than 1,500 current and former members of parliament from over 120 countries.


Possible logo of a UN Parliamentary Assembly

The campaign’s appeal for the creation of a UN Parliamentary Assembly that was signed by the lawmakers calls for “a gradual implementation of democratic participation and representation on the global level” and states that “to ensure international cooperation, secure the acceptance and to enhance the legitimacy of the United Nations and strengthen its capacity to act, people must be more effectively and directly included into the activities of the United Nations and its international organizations.”

“This is an important milestone,” said Andreas Bummel, the campaign’s coordinator. “The support of a UN Parliamentary Assembly by such a broad group of parliamentarians from all the world’s regions shows once again that it is high time for the United Nations to consider this project,” he emphasized. 

“If it comes to democratizing the world organization and global cooperation, it is no longer possible to ignore the proposal for a UN Parliamentary Assembly. This is a success of the campaign and of the numerous parliamentarians whose support the campaign could mobilize”, commented Jo Leinen, a member of the European Parliament and co-chair of the campaign’s parliamentary advisory group.

The 1,500th lawmaker who signed the appeal for a UNPA last week was Nomsa Tarabella-Marchesi from South Africa. “The UN would benefit from involving elected representatives in its deliberations. After all, in many cases it’s them who are needed to help implement UN policy at the national level, especially if it comes to the Agenda 2030. A UN Parliamentary Assembly would also provide for democratic oversight of the UN’s operations, including playing a meaningful role vis-à-vis the Security Council. This additional layer of accountability would increase the world organization’s democratic character,” Mrs. Tarabella-Marchesi said.

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Question for this article:

Proposals for Reform of the United Nations: Are they sufficiently radical?

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European lawmaker Soraya Post who recently supported a pro-UNPA motion in the European Parliament said that “we as peoples of the world must be be able to directly influence the UN’s political agenda and its implementation. It is a matter of our human rights and their full realization”.

Signatories include the president of the Pan-African Parliament, Roger Nkodo Dang from Cameroon, and the chairpersons of the parliamentary committees on foreign affairs in Belgium and India, Dirk van der Maelen and Shashi Tharoor, respectively. 

Numerous lawmakers who signed the appeal occupy important executive positions today. Among them are Germany’s foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel, the EU’s commissioner for the digital economy and society, Mariya Gabriel from Bulgaria, the president of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, Sweden’s minister for international development cooperation, Isabella Lövin, the EU’s foreign minister and vice-president of the EU’s commission, Federica Mogherini, Argentina’s vice-president, Gabriela Michetti, or Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau.

With more than 100, the highest number of current members of parliament who endorse the campaign come from Germany, followed by Canada with over 50 and Sweden with over 40. Other countries with more than 10 current parliamentarians include Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, India, Italy, South Africa, Spain and Switzerland. More than 50 individual members of the European Parliament are on record as well.

The establishment of a UNPA has been supported by the European Parliament, the Latin-American Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament, among others.

Apart from members of parliament, the campaign has also been endorsed by numerous former UN officials, distinguished scholars, cultural innovators, representatives of civil society organizations, and many committed citizens from all walks of life.

Full list of signatories

Current Members of Parliament
Former Members of Parliament