Pugwash, Nova Scotia: Key parliamentarians and nuclear weapons experts from around the world gathered at the historic Thinkers Lodge in Pugwash, Nova Scotia from July 10-12 to consider the growing dangers from nuclear weapons proliferation, and how to make use of the new opportunities for progress on nuclear disarmament.
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Canadian Defense Minister Peter Mackay, delivering the official announcement designating the Thinkers' Lodge as a Historic Site |
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The conference focused on the role of parliamentarians to build the political will of governments to take concrete non-proliferation and disarmament steps leading to the global prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons.
Specific attention was given to the emerging possibilities for progress on tactical nuclear weapons, the establishment of additional nuclear weapons free zones, entry-into-force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, negotiations on a treaty to control fissile materials, further reductions in nuclear stockpiles, national measures such as criminalising nuclear weapons and divesting from nuclear weapons corporations, and the start of deliberations (and possibly even negotiations) on a nuclear weapons convention – a global treaty for the elimination of nuclear weapons under international control.
The conference culminated in the dedication by Canada of the Thinkers Lodge as a National Historic Site.
For further information see:
Speeches/presentations:
Hon Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen MP, Norwegian Minister of Defense; Emerging opportunities for nuclear disarmament
Andre Brie, MEP, Nuclear Disarmament and the European Parliament
Dr Adele Buckley, Canadian Pugwash Group; Towards an Arctic Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Emerging opportunities for nuclear disarmament
H.E. Mrs. Emilia Maria Alvarez Navarro, Ambassador of Costa Rica to Canada; The Costa Rican initiative for a Nuclear Weapons Convention
H.E. Sergio Duarte, U.N. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs; Disarmament and Political Will
Senator Emeritus Douglas Roche O.C. Chair of the Middle Powers Initiative; Pugwash, Parliamentarians, Political Will: Advancing the Agenda for Abolition Opening address
Hon Warren Snowdon MP, Australian Minister for Defence Science and Personnel. New opportunities and the role of middle power countries
Steve Starr, Physicians for Global Survival; Climatic consequences of nuclear conflict – building links with the environmental movement
Baroness Sue Miller, The UK, Inter-Parliamentary Union, and prospects for a nuclear weapons convention
Keith Hunter, Warden of the County of Cumberland, Representative of Mayors for Peace; Collaboration between mayors and parliamentarians
Jayantha Dhanapala, President Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs; Message to the conference
Dr Raphael Chegeni MP, Deputy Secretary General, Amani Forum of The Great Lakes Parliamentary Forum (for Peace); Building links with the campaign on small arms and light weapons
Prof. Sergei I. Kolesnikov MP, Deputy Chair of the Russian Parliament Committee for Public Health; Ways to influence nuclear disarmament in Russia (paper and power point)
Hallgeir Langeland MP, Divesting from nuclear weapons corporations (power point)
Martin Butcher, Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy; A new NATO Strategic Concept without nuclear weapons
DVD presentations:
Hon Kim Howells, Minister of State at the UK Foreign Office; Towards a world without nuclear weapons
Taro Kono MP, Japan Senior Vice-Minister for Justice; US-India deal and nuclear stand-down
Papers submitted/circulated:
Mani Shankar Aiyar MP, Former Private Assistant to Rajiv Gandhi; Towards a World Free of Nuclear Weapons and Rajiv Gandhi Plan for a Nuclear-Weapons-Free and Non-violent World Order
Jayantha Dhanapala, President Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs; Arctic Security problems – A Multilateral Perspective.
Alyn Ware, PNND Global Coordinator; A Nuclear Weapons Convention and the NPT: Is it a diversion or an enabler?
Additional information:
» Click here for the full conference program
» Download the Media Packet
» See a map of Pugwash Village
» Google view of Pugwash Village
» Accomodations in Pugwash information
» Click here for the Pugwash Village website
» Click here for the Pugwash Wikipedia site (includes location map of Pugwash in Nova Scotia)
* Click here for a full list of participants' bios
Nova Scotia tourism sites:
» Canada Select
» NovaScotia.com
» NovaScotia.com/Northcumberland
For more information contact alyn@pnnd.org
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