The book Securing our Survival: The Case for a Nuclear Weapons Convention was launched in the Grand Hall of the New Zealand parliament today by the Parliamentary Network for Nuclear Disarmament (PNND), International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace and International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms.
A gathering of parliamentarians, doctors, lawyers, city council members, civil society representatives and diplomats from New Zealand and around the world gathered for the event highlighting the proposal for a Nuclear Weapons Convention – a treaty to abolish nuclear weapons - and to hear presentations by Sir Paul Reeves (former Governor General), Hon Dr Nick Smith (Chair of PNND New Zealand), Hon Marian Hobbs (PNND Global Council Member), George Salmond (former Director-General of Health) and Alyn Ware (co-author of the book).
Supportive statements for the launch were also received from:
Hon Jim Bolger, former Prime Minister of New Zealand
Mairead Corrigan Maguire, 1976 Nobel Peace Laureate
Senator Emeritus Douglas Roche, Chair PNND Global Council, former Canadian Minister for Disarmament
Sergio Duarte, United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs
Lieutenant General Roméo A. Dallaire, Canadian Senator, former Commander of UN Peacekeeping Forces in Rwanda
Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor of Hiroshima, President of Mayors for Peace
Tomas Magnusson, President of International Peace Bureau – 1910 Nobel Peace Laureate organisation
Michael Powles, former New Zealand Ambassador to the United Nations
Uta Zapf MP, Chair of the Bundestag (German Parliament) Committee on Disarmament and Nonproliferation
Senator Francesco Martone, Italian Senate
Hallgeir Langeland MP, Norway. PNND Global Council Member
Robert Harvey, Mayor of Waitakere City
Matt Robson, former Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control
Below is the press release for the launch and excerpts from the support statements. Further information, including the full text of support statements, will be available soon on archive.pnnd.org and www.peacelaw.org.nz
Information about the book Securing our Survival: The Case for a Nuclear Weapons Convention is at http://www.icanw.org/publications
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Kiwis lead international effort to abolish nuclear weapons
Press release
August 12
Contact:
Alyn Ware phone 04 496-9629 (wk), 021 260 3727 (cell)
Lucy Paul (office of Hon Nick Smith) 04 471 9291
A cross-party group of New Zealand parliamentarians is working together with local and international non-governmental organizations and overseas parliamentarians on a global effort for the abolition of nuclear weapons through the achievement of a multilaterally negotiated nuclear disarmament treaty.
Hon Dr Nick Smith, Chair of the New Zealand Section of the Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (PNND), is hosting a parliamentary launch on August 14 of the book Securing our Survival: The Case for a Nuclear Weapons Convention. The book includes a Model Nuclear Weapons Abolition Treaty that has been circulated by the United Nations for consideration by the countries possessing nuclear weapons.
Dr Smith notes that “New Zealand has prohibited nuclear weapons in our own country, helped establish a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in the Pacific and led a case in the World Court which declared that nuclear weapons must be abolished. We have the credentials to lead the global effort for the abolition of these weapons of mass destruction, just as has been done with chemical weapons, biological weapons and landmines.”
“As long as nuclear weapons exist, there is the risk of others acquiring them, and there is the threat that they could be used by accident, miscalculation or intent,” says New Zealander Alyn Ware, co-author of the book and coordinator of the Model Nuclear Weapons Convention drafting team. “The Model Nuclear Weapons Convention demonstrates that nuclear abolition has moved from being an idealistic imperative to a practical and achievable goal.”
“Nuclear weapons are the ultimate threat to human security, the environment, development and peaceful relations between countries,” says Hon Marian Hobbs, who sits on the PNND Global Council and will be speaking on nuclear abolition at the United Nations in October. “We must abolish nuclear weapons before they abolish us.”
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Excerpts from support statements:
I personally cannot conceive any circumstances when any Government could justify the use of modern nuclear weapons, so I strongly support moves to achieve a nuclear free world.
Rt Hon Jim Bolger, New Zealand Prime Minister 1990-97
New Zealand Ambassador to US 1998-2002
This launching of Securing our Survival is a memorable event. Parliamentarians have essential roles to play in promoting this goal, through collaborative non-partisan efforts, mobilizing support for disarmament among their constituents, and ultimately in the process of ratifying the convention. The ultimate beneficiaries of nuclear disarmament are the people, and as their representatives, parliamentarians have a unique stake in ensuring its success.
Sergio Duarte, United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs
Nuclear weapons constitute the most massive abrogation of human rights possible and are the ultimate weapon of genocide… No physical or financial obstacle is preventing us, within a decade or less, from freeing the world from the man-made scourge of nuclear weapons. The only things lacking are moral leadership and political will.
Lieutenant General Roméo A. Dallaire, Canadian Senator, former Commander of UN peacekeeping forces in Rwanda
I and other Nobel Peace Laureates have concluded that nuclear weapons are more of a problem themselves than any problem they seek to solve, and we called on all nations to immediately commence negotiations to obtain the universal, legally verifiable elimination of nuclear weapons.
Mairead Corrigan Maguire, 1976 Nobel Peace Laureate
When William Wilberforce started his campaign to oppose the slave trade, he did not accept mere steps to make the trade more humane or reduce the numbers of slaves. He called for its abolition. Nuclear weapons, like slavery, are inhumane, illegal and immoral and must be abolished, not merely reduced in numbers. The Nuclear Weapons Convention shows us how this can be done.
Douglas Roche O.C. Canadian Senator Emeritus and former Disarmament Ambassador, Chair of PNND Global Council
It is fitting and hopeful that, as we here in Hiroshima commemorate the first ever use of a nuclear weapon, we will also be celebrating the launch of Securing Our Survival: The Case for Nuclear Weapons Convention…Anyone who respects democracy, values civilization or wishes to secure our collective survival should be aware of this document and do everything in their power to bring it into force as the law of the planet.
Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor of Hiroshima, President of Mayors for Peace
I came back less and a week ago from Nagasaki, Japan, where I have again experienced the memory of the atomic bombing, and the strong emotions it awakes. A Nuclear Weapon Convention was much mentioned in the debate, as a needed step on the road to a nuclear free world in our lifetime.
Tomas Magnusson, President of International Peace Bureau – 1910 Nobel Peace Laureate organisation
While we no longer have the nuclear confrontation of the Cold War, in many ways the danger from nuclear weapons is greater today than it has ever been. Securing Our Survival points the logical way forward. With the credentials of now 20 years of having a Nuclear Free New Zealand, my hope is that New Zealand might again take a lead internationally.
Michael Powles, former New Zealand Ambassador to the United Nations
The disarmament process seems locked in a stalemate and the NPT-regime is in real danger. Under these circumstances, the work for a Nuclear Weapons Convention could strengthen public pressure for nuclear arms control and disarmament and help put the issue again in the focus of the political debate.
Uta Zapf MP, Chair of the Bundestag (German Parliament) Committee on Disarmament and Nonproliferation
Existing instruments and frameworks risk being unable to harness and redirect the political will of nuclear states, actual and to-be, to find a common understanding and commitment to get rid of nuclear arms. It is now that a new framework needs to be promoted, on the basis of mutual agreement and respect, dialogue and inclusion, to make nuclear disarmament a common challenge of Humankind. In this sense a Convention on Nuclear Weapons marks an important step forward and deserves all the political support it needs to become reality.
Senator Francesco Martone, Italian Senate
In Norway, our Pension Fund has recently divested from all corporations involved in the manufacture of nuclear weapons and their delivery vehicles. This is just one small step towards the complete abolition of nuclear weapons through a Nuclear Weapons Convention.
Hallgeir Langeland MP, Norway. PNND Global Council Member
I am looking forward to reading the book and to the establishment of a Nuclear Weapons Convention. It seems to me such a convention would be an incredibly worthwhile step in the world’s struggle against weapons that could, in just a few hours, bring about the end of human civilization.
Robert Harvey QSO, JP. Mayor of Waitakere City
It is important to remember that the overwhelming majority of nations and the peoples of the world want nuclear disarmament. The authors of this important book are in step with the people of the world, in step with international law, although out of step with those leaders who are trying to ignore their legal obligations under international law.
Matt Robson, former New Zealand Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control
