Update 1

We are currently completing the first stage of development of this network which has been to consult with parliamentarians and disarmament groups in key countries on the need, scope and nature of the network. Next month we will begin outreach to invite parliamentarians to join.

We have secured a website domain and begun the work of constructing a website, at archive.pnnd.org Once this is properly operational, information on disarmament issues and parliamentary actions around the world will be available on the site. The main language for the website will be English. However, there will be information pages in French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Japanese, Russian, Arabic and other languages as we develop.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or suggestions on alynw@pnnd.org or the European Coordinator Karel Koster on k.koster@inter.nl.net or the East Asian Coordinator Hiromichi Umebayashi on CXJ15621@nifty.ne.jp

Yours

Alyn Ware

PNND coordinator

2. United Nations Statements on Terrorism and Nuclear Disarmament

a) Secretary-General Kofi Annan

Nuclear Disarmament Progress Even More Important after Terrorist Attack on United States Says Secretary-General to Atomic Energy Agency Meeting
17 September 2001

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in a message to the forty-fifth General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency on 17 September, noted that:

"Making progress in the areas of nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament is more important than ever in the aftermath of last week's appalling terrorist attack on the United States. The States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) agreed last year that this challenge could not be overcome by halfway measures. Indeed, they concluded that "the total elimination of nuclear weapons is the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons". Regrettably, several important treaties aimed at nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear disarmament or nuclear reductions still await entry into force. It is vitally important for the world community to continue its efforts to implement the commitments already made, and to further identify the ways and means of achieving nuclear disarmament as soon as possible."

"Looking towards the future, it is evident that broad international cooperation is essential to upgrade the physical protection of nuclear material, to improve capabilities for intercepting and responding to illicit trafficking in nuclear materials and other radioactive sources, and to enhance the protection of facilities against terrorism and sabotage. Another issue of fundamental importance is the enhancement of nuclear safety worldwide."

The full statement is available on http://www.wagingpeace.org/terrorism/010917annan.htm

b) UN Under-Secretary General Jayantha Dhanapala

Wednesday, 19 September 2001

Terror attacks underscore need for nuclear disarmament, UN official says

19 September -

The terrorist attacks against the United States on 11 September underscore the need to cut the world's arsenal of nuclear weapons, according to the top United Nations disarmament official.

"We need to be aware of the fact that this situation could have been much worse than it has been -- consider for example if weapons of mass destruction were used by these terrorists," said Under-Secretary-General Jayantha Dhanapala in response to questions from journalists during a just recorded World Chronicle television programme. Produced by UN TV, the 30-minute roundtable show will be distributed to broadcasters next week.

"We need to eliminate weapons of mass destruction because they could fall into the hands of terrorists," Mr. Dhanapala said. "We don't want to give terrorists more tools than they have at the moment."

The Under-Secretary-General also stressed the importance of international anti-terrorism treaties, which "set norms, and give us - civilized society - the moral right to act in the name of those laws."

Concerning a possible response to the devastating terror attacks, Mr. Dhanapala noted that the UN Charter did not rule out the use of force. "We're not talking about an idealistic, utopian world where there are no weapons," he said of the Charter's vision, noting that Article 51 covers the right of countries to defend themselves, while Chapter VII deals with the right of defence in the collective interest of international peace and security. "Both of those obviously require weapons to be used."

"Clearly, this is a matter which the Security Council ideally should look at," he stressed. "If you can identify the person or persons responsible for this dastardly act of terrorism, then there will be opportunities for action to be taken."

Contact UN Department of Disarmament Affairs

United Nations, #3194a

New York, NY 10017, USA

Phone: 212 963 1570 or 212 963 5537

Fax: 212 963 5060

Randy Rydell (Assistant to Ambassador Dhanapala) at rydell@un.org

3. Pentagon recommends use of nuclear weapons

Wednesday, September 19, 2001

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has recommended to President George W Bush the use of tactical nuclear weapons as a military option to retaliate for last week's terrorist attacks in the United States, diplomatic sources said Tuesday.

It is unknown whether Bush has made any decision. But military analysts said the president is unlikely to opt for the use of nuclear weapons because doing so would generate rebuke from the international community and could even trigger revenge from the enemy involving weapons of mass destruction.

But the Pentagon's suggestion shows the determination of U.S. officials to retaliate for the first massive terrorist attacks on the U.S. mainland, the analysts said.

The recommendation appears intended to deter terrorists, they said.

On ABC television's THIS WEEK program Sunday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld refused to rule out the use of tactical nuclear weapons. He avoided clearly answering a simple question on whether their use can be ruled out. To a similar question, a Pentagon official also replied, "We will not discuss operational and
intelligence matters."

According to the diplomatic sources, the Pentagon recommended using tactical nuclear weapons shortly after it became known that an unprecedented number of civilian casualties resulted from the terrorist attacks.

On Sept 11, hijackers seized four commercial U.S. aircraft. Two of the planes slammed into the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center, while a third hit the Pentagon near Washington. The fourth plane crashed outside Pittsburgh. More than 5,000 people were left dead or missing in the attacks.

Tactical nuclear weapons have been developed to attack very specific targets. The military analysts said Pentagon officials are apparently thinking of using weapons that can reach and destroy terrorists hiding in an underground shelter, limiting damage to non-targets.

In 1986, the U.S. conducted an air raid on Libya, attempting to target Col. Muammar Qaddafi. In 1998, Washington fired cruise missiles into Afghanistan in an attempt to kill Osama bin Laden, whom the U.S. sees as behind last week's terrorist attacks.

The analysts said that since these attempts failed, it may be assumed that U.S. officials are mulling the use of tactical nuclear weapons, which can cause much greater destruction.

Declassified official documents show that since the mid-1990s, the U.S. has indicated that it does not rule out the use of nuclear weapons if a country attacks the U.S., its allies, or its forces with chemical or biological weapons.

(Kyodo News)

4. International Disarmament meeting dates

a) The Conference of States Parties to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to discuss Entry into Force of the Treaty, which was scheduled to take place September 25 - 27, has been postponed. A new date for the conference has not yet been scheduled.

For updated information contact:

Department of Disarmament Affairs

United Nations, #3194a

New York, NY 10017, USA

Phone: 212 963 1570 or 212 963 5537

Fax: 212 963 5060

Randy Rydell (Assistant to Ambassador Dhanapala) at rydell@un.org

b) The United Nations General Assembly First Committee (Disarmament and Security) will commence at the UN Headquarters in NY on October 8 as originally scheduled.

Contact:

UN Dept of Dis't Affairs (DDA) 1st (Disarmament) Committee

Mr. Kuo-Chung LIN (Secretary)

http://www.un.org/ga/55/first/first.htm

Ph : 212 963 5595; Fax : 212 963 5305;

e-mail : lin@un.org

See also www.un.org/Depts/dda/dda.htm

c) Biological & Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC): Review Conference

19 Nov-7 Dec Geneva

Contact:

Dr Jan van Aken, Sunshine Project (Gernany)

Tel. 00 49 40 43188001 van.aken@sunshine-project.org

d) Certain Conventional Weapons Convention Review Conference

Geneva 10-21 Dec

Contact:

Peter Herby

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Tel. 00 41 22 734 60 01

5. United Nations Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education Study

The Department of Disarmament Affairs is conducting a study on disarmament and non-proliferation education globally following a consensus resolution requesting this from the United Nations General Assembly in 2000. UN Member States have been requested to inform the study group of disarmament and non-proliferation education in their countries and to make any suggestions on how such education could be enhanced internationally. Parliamentarians can encourage their Ministries of Education to respond to this request.

For more information contact:

Michael Cassandra

Secretariat of the Group of Governmental Experts

Room S-3151 A, Department for Disarmament Affairs

United Nations, New York, New York 10017, USA

Tel: (212) 963-4620 or 7714, Fax: (212) 963-1121

Email: cassandra@un.org

Progress on the study can be monitored on www.un.org/Depts/dda/education

email: info@pnnd.org

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