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L-R: Theo Kelchtermans, Belgian MP and Mayor of Peer; MEP Angelika Beer (Greens/EFA, Germany); MEP Annemie Neyts (ALDE, Belgium); MEP Ana Gomes (PSE, Portugal); MEP Girts Kristovskis (UEN, Latvia) MEP Frieda Brepoels (PPE-DE, Belgium)
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Brussels: On Tuesday, July 1, 2008 a cross-party group of Members of the European Parliament launched a Parliamentary declaration in support of the Nuclear Weapons Convention.
Their support marks the 40th anniversary of the nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), and the unfulfilled promise of the official Nuclear Weapon States to move towards total elimination of their nuclear arsenals.
The appeal calls for multilateral negotiations to prevent proliferation and achieve non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament through a Nuclear Weapons Convention. The parliamentary statement was drafted and agreed by the cross-party group of Deputy Chairs of the European Parliament section of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (PNND): Ms. Ana Gomes (PSE - Portugal) and Mr. Girts Kristovskis (UEN - Latvia), both vice-chairs of the EP Security and Defense subcommittee; Ms. Annemie Neyts (ALDE - Belgium); Ms. Angelika Beer (Greens - ALE - Germany) and Mr. Andre Brie (GUE/NGL - Germany).
Ms. Frieda Brepoels and Mr. Raymond Langendries (PPE-DE, Belgium), both members of the Christian-democratic political group within the EP, were among the first to endorse. By June 26, 73 members of the EP has signed the appeal.
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MEP Frieda Brepoels, Christian Democrat party |
During the launch in Brussels, Ms. Bolanos Adriana, Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of Costa Rica will highlight the need of the Nuclear Weapons Convention. The government of Costa Rica has been taking a leading role within the United Nations in favor of a convention banning all nuclear weapons. Last year Costa Rica submitted a Model Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC) to the Preparatory Committee of the NPT in Vienna
and at the General Assembly of the UN. The Model NWC (1) outlines the legal, technical and political elements required to achieve the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons under strict international control.
Every year since 1996, resolutions in favor of a Nuclear Weapons Convention have been adopted in the UN General Assembly with large majorities, including the support of some States that currently possess nuclear weapons – India, Pakistan, China and North Korea. The refusal of the other NWS and some of their allies to engage in multilateral negotiations for a total ban of nuclear weapons, as is required under Article VI of the NPT, has plunged the NPT into a deep crisis.
However, there is a new political opportunity to initiate such negotiations with both US presidential candidates supporting the vision of a nuclear weapons-free world, the recent establishment by Australia of an International Commission on Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, and the revival of the Seven Nation Initiative for nuclear disarmament by the government of Norway.
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Ms. Adriana Bolanos, Charge d'Affaires, Costa Rica |
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It is thus time for the European parliament and European countries to support this bold vision and take action to ensure its enactment, prompted by parliamentarians - the democratic voice of the people.
This event is part of an international conference in the EP marking the 40th anniversary of the NPT. The events are organized by PNND, Mayors for Peace, Abolition 2000 Europe, International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War, CNAPD and Greenpeace.
For more information, contact:
Pol D'Huyvetter, on behalf of PNND European Section +32-495-28 02 59
*Notes:
(1) Costa Rica & Malaysia submission model NWC at UN General Assembly 2007 to be downloaded in in all 6 UN languages on http://www.2020visioncampaign.org/pages/337/
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