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Parliamentary Network for Nuclear Disarmament March 2003 Update
Dear PNND Members,
Below are links to some of the parliamentary actions and other information on current issues concerning nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. There is a particular focus on Iraq, North Korea and the United States. We hope this is useful to you in your disarmament and security work. Further information is available on our website at archive.pnnd.org
Yours truly,
Alyn Ware Coordinator, Parliamentary Network for Nuclear Disarmament P.O.Box 23-257, Cable Car Lane Wellington, Aotearoa-New Zealand Phone (64) 4 385-8192. Fax 385-8193 alyn@pnnd.org archive.pnnd.org
Contents: i. Australia ii. Philippines iii. United Kingdom iv. United States i. Legality of the use of force: International Lawyers’ Appeal ii. “Uniting for Peace” proposal
1. Iraq:
Australia:
Senate Censures Australian Prime Minister over Iraq.
Senate resolution on the use of nuclear weapons against Iraq
Philippines:
Philippines Congress-members lead delegation to Iraq in last minute peace initiative. March 11
United Kingdom
Early Day Motion 651 on US Compliance with Chemical Weapons Convention and its relevance to Iraq and Weapons of Mass Destruction
Early Day Motion 785: Nuclear Weapons in the Middle East and the continued imprisonment of whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu.
Early Day Motion 781: War on Iraq not necessary and commending US Senator Byrd.
Early Day Motion 733: War on Iraq would require consent of parliament.
Early Day Motion 716. Requirements for the use of force against Iraq.
USA:
House of Representatives 108th Congress: H.RES.55.IH: United Nations weapons inspectors should be given sufficient time for a thorough assessment of the level of compliance by Iraq. H.CON.RES.2.IH: Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 should be repealed. H.RES.118.IH: Calling for the establishment of an international criminal tribunal for the purpose of indicting, prosecuting, and imprisoning Saddam Hussein and other Iraqi officials who are responsible for crimes against humanity. H.J. Res.24: Requiring the President to report to Congress specific information relating to certain possible consequences of the use of United States Armed Forces against Iraq. Senate 108th Congress: S.RES.28.IS: United Nations weapons inspectors should be given sufficient time for a thorough assessment of the level of compliance by Iraq. S.RES.32.IS: Actions the President should take before any use of military force against Iraq. S.RES.76.IS : The policy of preemption, combined with a policy of first use of nuclear weapons, creates an incentive for the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Media statements by congress members:
Senators rip policy on use of nuclear arms, Nicholas Kralev. THE WASHINGTON TIMES, March 5, 2003. Reckless Administration May Reap Disastrous Consequences, by US Senator Robert Byrd. Obviously Oil, by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, AlterNet, Tuesday 11 March 2003.
Other information
i) Legality of the use of force. International Appeal by Lawyers and Jurists against the “Preventive” Use of Force
This has been endorsed by over 300 lawyers, jurists and law professors from over 40 countries and was presented to the United Nations by Judge Weeramantry, former Vice-President of the International Court of Justice.
ii) Uniting for Peace: The Centre for Constitutional Rights has proposed that the United Nations General Assembly convene through a “Uniting for Peace” action to deal with the Iraq situation.
iii) A Modest Proposal: Giving Bush and Blair a Deadline. By Richard Falk and David Krieger
2. North Korea
a. US Congress i. House Resolution: Calling on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the United States to return to an interim level of compliance with the Agreed Framework of 1994. H.CON.RES.18.IH ii. House Resolution: Condemning the Democratic People's Republic of Korea for its failure to comply with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the U.S.-North Korea Agreed Framework. H.CON.RES.10.IH iii. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing: Weapons of Mass Destruction Developments on the Korean Peninsula. February 4, 2003.
b. United Kingdom EDM 812. Nuclear Reactors to North Korea
North Korea Special Reports by the Nautilus Institute. Friends Committee on National Legislation site on North Korea
3. United States of America
4. Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee Meeting
The next meeting of the parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) will be held April 28-May 9, 2003, in Geneva, chaired by Ambassador Laszlo Molner of Hungary. All states, both signatories and non-signatories, are invited to attend the Conference. Parliamentarians are able to attend either as members of their government delegation or as independent observers. For background information see UN Department of Disarmament Affairs NPT Page |
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