The Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy
The Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy has been working since
1995 to promote effective approaches to international security, disarmament
and arms control. Engaging with governments and civil society, Acronym
provides reporting, analysis and strategic thinking on a range of issues
relevant to peace and security, with special emphasis on treaties and
multilateral initiatives.
The Acronym Institute publishes the journal Disarmament Diplomacy, with comprehensive overview of
news, events and documentation relating to disarmament negotiations and
developments in proliferation.
Highlights
In this article for The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Acronym Institute Director Dr Rebecca Johnson, reflects on this year's NPT Review Conference calling it 'a necessary success' with 'far-reaching implications'. Published July 2010.
Download the PDF here
The Spring/Summer 2010 edition of International Nuclear Weapons & Non-Proliferation News includes information
on:
- Nuclear Disarmament Assessments
- NPT Review Conference
- Agreement on New START
- US Nuclear Posture Review
- Nuclear Security Summit
- Obama assessed one year on
- Continuing controversy: Missile Defence & Space
- NATO Nuclear Weapons
- Iranian dispute continues
- Nuclear North Korea: Tensions mount
- Israeli nuclear weapons in the spotlight
- Nuclear dealings: India & Pakistan
- New Proliferators
- In Other News
The NPT Review provided a bridge between the partial non-proliferation approach of the NPT and the comprehensive abolition objectives of a nuclear weapons convention. It will no longer be possible for governments to dismiss calls for a comprehensive nuclear abolition treaty.This article was originally published in Open Democracy on 15 June 2010.
UN Security Council Resolution 1929 (Iran sanctions)
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) held its 8th Review Conference during 3-28 May in New York 2010. For full Acronym coverage and analysis of the conference, visit our main 2010 Rev Con page here or read the Acronym blogs from the conference here.
We also produced a series of key briefings for the 2010 NPT Review Conference and beyond: read the briefings here
Key Rev Con analysis & documents:
New Book: Security Without Nuclear Deterrence by Commander Robert Green (Royal Navy Ret'd)
 As momentum grows for significant progress towards building more effective security in a world free of nuclear weapons, the role of nuclear weapons in national security policies is changing. In a timely contribution to the debate, retired Royal Navy Commander Robert Green has recently published 'Security Without Nuclear Deterrence', with the introduction to the book being provided by Acronym Institute Director Dr Rebecca Johnson. The book was launched at the UN on 5 May 2010 and its London launch on 16 June is being supported by the Acronym Institute. Attendance at the launch is by invitation only - if you would like to attend, please contact Acronym Institute Senior Associate, Carol Naughton. To purchase a copy, visit the Amazon website.
Download the full PDF document here
The section relating to nuclear weapons comes on page 23, near the top of the WMD portion:
"Pursue the Goal of a World Without Nuclear Weapons: While this goal will not be reached during this Administration, its active pursuit and eventual achievement will increase global security, keep our commitment under the NPT, build our cooperation with Russia and other states, and increase our credibility to hold others accountable for their obligations. As long as any nuclear weapons exist, the United States will sustain a safe, secure, and effective nuclear arsenal, both to deter potential adversaries and to assure U.S. allies and other security partners that they can count on America’s security commitments. But we have signed and seek to ratify a landmark New START Treaty with Russia to substantially limit our deployed nuclear warheads and strategic delivery vehicles, while assuring a comprehensive monitoring regime. We are reducing the role of nuclear weapons in our national security approach, extending a negative security assurance not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against those nonnuclear nations that are in compliance with the NPT and their nuclear nonproliferation obligations, and investing in the modernization of a safe, secure, and effective stockpile without the production of new nuclear weapons. We will pursue ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. And we will seek a new treaty that verifiably ends the production of fissile materials intended for use in nuclear weapons."
After a break of several months - due to staff changes - the Autumn/Winter 2009-2010 edition of International Nuclear Weapons & Non-Proliferation News includes information
on:
1. Preparing the way for nuclear disarmament
2. Progress stalls at CD
3. Prospects for the NPT
4. US nuclear spending and delayed posture review
5. START Follow-on
6. Contradictory signals on missile defence
7. New IAEA Director-General and increased pressure on Iran
8. North Korea
9. India & Pakistan
10. In other news
11. People
NATO states call for removal of US nuclear weapons from Europe
In late February 2010, several newspapers reported that five NATO states - Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Norway- plan to call for the removal of all the remaining US nuclear weapons on European soil. This follows the earlier call by a Belgian 'Gang of Four' in an op-ed piece in the country's national newspaper 'De Standaard', and the adoption last year by the German coalition government of a policy pressing for the removal of US nuclear weapons from Germany. Here are a selection of the articles including a comment piece on the German policy by Acronym contributor Martin Butcher.
- In praise of … a nuclear-free Europe, Editorial, The Guardian, 24 February 2010
- EU NATO allies to call for removal of US nuclear weapons, Michael Sorense, Global Crisis News, 24 February 2010
- Burying nuclear relics of the cold war, Anne Penketh, Comment is free, The Guardian, 24 February 2010
- Five Nato states to urge removal of US nuclear arms in Europe, Julian Borger, The Guardian, 22 February 2010
- Five NATO States Want U.S. Nukes Out of Europe, Report Says, Global Security Newswire, 19 February 2010
- Top politicians promote a nuclear-free Europe, Flandersnews.be, 19 February 2010
- Ex ministers urge NATO to scrap nuclear arms, Jakarta Post/Associated Press, 19 February 2010
- German Coalition Policy on withdrawal of US nuclear weapons, Martin Butcher, 6 November 2009
- Germans press for removal of US nuclear weapons in Europe, Julian Borger, The Guardian, 6 November 2009
Tory defence advisor says Trident may not be needed in 5-10 years time
After a break of several months - due to staff changes - the Autumn/Winter 2009-2010 edition of British Nuclear Weapons & Non-Proliferation News includes information
on:
- Trident Renewal: Developments and Concerns
1.1 Letters on Trident Replacement / Reductions
1.2 Gordon Brown Announces a Possible Reduction in the Number of Trident Submarines
1.3 Reactions to Brown’s Announcement
1.4 Blockade of Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment
- UK Nuclear Weapons Infrastructure and Safety Issues
2.1 Planning Applications
- Launch of New “Top Level” Cross-Party Group
- SNP Party Conference – Trident and Scottish Independence
- Calls for the UK to take Further Disarmament Steps
- Chilcot Inquiry on the Iraq War
- People
7.1 Baroness Catherine Ashton appointed first EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
7.2 Remembering friends
Ex-army and defence chiefs question need to replace Trident
In October 2009, Acronym Institute Senior Associate Carol Naughton attended the UN First Committee in New York. Her observations and comments can be read below:
Latest analysis from Rebecca Johnson
PrepCom Chair's Recommendations (Drafts)
For further coverage go to Acronym's NPT page.
North Korea is undermining international security with its high risk
nuclear brinkmanship. In conducting its nuclear test, North Korea is playing
a high risk game of nuclear brinkmanship that underscores the global urgency
of bringing the CTBT into force.
North Korea probably hopes to put pressure on the Obama administration
and the Six Party Talks, and increase the price of its denuclearisation
as required by the UN Security Council. This test demonstrates the need
to make the global prohibition on nuclear testing fully binding in international
law. Condemnation is not enough: the US and China have particular responsibility
and must accelerate their own efforts to ratify the CTBT.
180 states have signed the CTBT and 148 have ratified, including Britain,
France and Russia. The treaty cannot enter into force until 9 specified
states ratify, including China and the US.
For further background on North Korea, go
to Acronym's North Korea page.
 |
Published by UNIDIR, Unfinished Business: the Negotiation
of the CTBT and the End of Nuclear Testing, by Rebecca Johnson
details how the CTBT was fought for, opposed and finally negotiated.
It considers how a decade of political and institutional obstacles
have prevented the CTBT from entering into full legal effect, including
the Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests of May 1998, the US failure
to ratify the treaty in 1999, and the October 9, 2006 nuclear test
by North Korea.
|
For more on CTBT go to Acronym's CTBT page.
Acronym Institute Executive Director Dr Rebecca Johnson was part of a
plenary panel on International Expectations of the Obama Administration,
chaired by Naila Bolus of the Ploughshares Fund.
Transcripts, video and audio recordings of the panel are available from
the CEIP website at:
President Obama has reaffirmed his commitment to a world without nuclear
weapons. Obama said that the US would lead the endeavour to eliminate
nuclear weapons, saying that as the only country to have used a nuclear
weapon, it had a 'moral responsibility' to act.
Back to the Top of the Page
© 2010 The Acronym Institute
|
