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Update 3March 2002
Contents:
a) Non-Proliferation Treaty Prep-Com b) Inter Parliamentary Union General Conference
Dear PNND Member,
Events over the past few months have demonstrated the need for collaborative international action on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. First there were reports that al Qaeda had nuclear weapons ambitions. Then the conflict in India and Pakistan intensified with the terrorist assault on the Indian Parliament followed by comments by leaders of both countries regarding the possibility of sustaining nuclear strikes. And just this month, details from the US 2002 Nuclear Posture Review indicated US nuclear targeting plans against a number of countries, some of which are non-nuclear.
Actions by parliamentarians in such situations are vital to ensure that cooler heads prevail and nuclear disarmament options are pursued.
We welcome your continued involvement in these issues, and hope that the PNND can assist you in this endeavour.
Yours,
Alyn Ware PNND Coordinator
Currently there are 99 members of PNND from 27 countries. Countries include: Algeria, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Argentina, Armenia, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Germany, Ghana, Guyana, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyz Republic, Lithuania, Netherlands, Niger, Norway, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, South Africa, St Lucia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, UK,
In due course we will be placing a list of members and their contact details on the website in a member-access-only page. Until then, please feel free to contact us if you would like the names and contact details of members in a specific country.
Devon Chaffee has been updating the documents section of the website archive.pnnd.org to include: National Parliament documents International Parliamentary Assembly documents Treaties and other international agreements United Nations resolutions International Court of Justice cases
If you are aware of resolutions and other key documents from your parliament that we haven’t included on the website, please send them to us. Thank you.
Parliamentarians and Nuclear Weapons: A Briefing Book for the Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, will be printed and sent to you by the end of March.
The book : · provides basic information on nuclear weapons and their effects; · introduces technical, political and legal issues relating to nuclear disarmament; · outlines current nuclear weapons agreements; · describes the national and international arenas in which parliamentarians can exert influence or become engaged; and · explores some disarmament proposals and plans.
Jayantha Dhanapala, Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, United Nations, introducing the book, notes: The journey to global nuclear disarmament will not by-pass the legislatures. The publication of this Briefing Book represents an important first step in this historic journey to a safer and more secure world for all.
At this stage the book is in English. We are planning translations into French, Spanish and Japanese, if funding permits. Please let us know if any of these translations, or translations into other languages, would be useful for you.
On December 13 assassins attacked the Indian Parliament. The attack intensified tensions between India and Pakistan, fueled further by provocative statements from both sides asserting their ability to survive a nuclear attack. (See for example, “We could take a strike and survive: Pakistan won't". Hindustan Times 30 Dec 2001)
Diplomatic, public and parliamentary action has been helping to diffuse the crisis.
The European Parliament, for example, called for restraint in a resolution adopted on February 7. The resolution notes that
The US completed a Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) in January 2002. However, its contents remained secret until a leak in early March. The leak indicated that the US has broadened its nuclear policy, expanding the role of nuclear weapons beyond their core function as a deterrent against nuclear attack, and suggesting that nuclear weapons could be used in a variety of circumstances, including against non-nuclear countries. The NPR also calls for the development of new low-yield "mini-nukes" that could be used against hardened underground bunkers and the possibility of the resumption of nuclear testing.
Excerpts of the NPR are available at www.globalsecurity.org, or on archive.pnnd.org “Nuclear Posture Review”
Congressman Ed Markey, Chair of the US Congress Bipartisan Task Force on Nonproliferation, and 75 other US members of Congress, sent a letter to President Bush expressing concern about the plans for new nuclear weapons and for the possibility that US may resume underground nuclear testing. www.house.gov/markey/iss_nuclear_ltr020214.pdf
Hon Mat Robson, PNND member and New Zealand Minister of Disarmament, released a statement on March13 calling on the United States to re-think its nuclear plans. Robson said
For the full statement see archive.pnnd.org “Nuclear Posture Review”
PNND member Canadian Senator Douglas Roche wrote an article on NPR - Rethinking the Unthinkable - that was published in the Globe and Mail on March 12. See archive.pnnd.org “Nuclear Posture Review”
International concern about the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) has begun to put pressure on the US to backtrack from some of the postures, but the US has yet to show signs of relenting.
a) Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee Meeting United Nations, New York, April 8-19
Meeting of states parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty in preparation for the 2005 NPT Review Conference. There will also be a number of NGO organised events of interest alongside the meeting. Contact: UN Department of Disarmament Affairs, United Nations, Tel: (1) 212 963 7714. Fax: (1) 212 963 1121 Email: Rydell@un.org Websites: www.un.org/Depts/dda/WMD/treaty/index.html
b) Inter-Parliamentary Union General Conference Morocco, March 17 – 23
The IPU comprises 141 member parliaments and five international parliamentary assemblies. It has adopted resolutions at previous conferences opposing nuclear testing, supporting the prohibition on transit of nuclear weapons through exclusive economic zones, and the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction.
Key issue on the agenda: International terrorism Possible focus for PNND members: Nuclear terrorism, strengthening international controls on nuclear weapons and fissile material, and calling for progress in nuclear disarmament.
Useful background paper: Terrorism and nuclear disarmament at archive.pnnd.org\terrorism_and_nuclear_disarmament.htm Other useful information on archive.pnnd.org\terrorism_and_nuclear_weapons.htm
Contact: IPU 107th Conference, House of Representatives, Avenue Mohamed V, Kingdom of Morocco Tel: 212 3776 2620. Fax: 212 3776 7726 http://www.majliss-annouwab.ma/ipu107/
The main office of the PNND is in Wellington, Aotearoa/New Zealand. Administration oversight and fundraising has moved, along with the Middle Powers Initiative, from Cambridge, USA to the Global Security Institute in San Francisco, USA.
Devon Chaffee (Washington, USA) worked as a consultant from October 2001 – February 2002 to update the website and help write the briefing book. Alyn Ware (Wellington, Aotearoa/New Zealand) works part-time coordinating the PNND. Diane Mailey (Global Security Institute) works part-time on PNND development and fundraising. Zachary Allen (Global Security Institute) works part-time on PNND administration and development. Volunteer regional coordinators Hiro Umebayahsi (Japan) and Karel Koster (Netherlands) have been coordinating outreach and strategy in Europe and North East Asia. |
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