The Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy

About the Acronym Institute

The Acronym Institute was set up in November 1995 under the name 'Disarmament Intelligence Review'. In April 1997 it became sole publisher of Disarmament Diplomacy, a journal of news, documentation and opinion pieces on disarmament and arms control negotiations. In September 1997 the Institute was legally established in London, UK, under the name The Acronym Institute.

The Acronym Institute works with policy makers and non-governmental organisations to promote non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament by disseminating information and maximising negotiating opportunities in all available fora. When arms control measures become blocked, as at present on treaty ratification and the proposed ban on the production of fissile materials, the Acronym Institute will work to promote constructive dialogue and alternative approaches.

The Acronym Institute aims to:

• provide timely, high quality reporting of negotiations at the UN, the CD, and the NPT review process. Publications include the ACRONYM Reports on the CTBT negotiations and NPT Review Process.
• promote further ratifications and the full implementation of arms control treaties;
• promote talks among the nuclear weapon states and identify concrete measures for further progress in transparency, arms control and confidence building, focusing on unilateral initiatives, five-power (P-5) agreements or joint declarations, as well as multilateral negotiations;
• exchange information and increase understanding of arms control and non-proliferation issues and fora among diplomats, parliamentarians and officials in non-nuclear-weapon and threshold states, with a view to more effective participation, especially from states in regions of high tension or proliferation concern.

Background: The Acronym Institute was founded to continue the investigative work on disarmament negotiations Rebecca Johnson had carried out from 1994 in Geneva and New York for four nongovernmental organisations, VERTIC, ISIS, BASIC and Dfax, known as 'The Acronym Consortium'. The Acronym Consortium dissolved into its constituent parts in October 1995. You will find related material and some earlier publications on the websites of former Consortium members.

Personnel and Consultants:

Founding Director & Editor: Dr Rebecca Johnson rej@acronym.org.uk
Deputy Director and Website manager: Nicola Butler
Assistant Editor: Henrietta Wilson
Senior Associate: Carol Naughton
European and NATO Analyst: Martin Butcher

Board of Directors:

David Atwood, Representative, Disarmament and Peace Quaker United Nations Office
General Sir Hugh Beach (retired)
Professor Christine Chinkin
Tim Caughley, former Director, United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs, Geneva
John Edmonds CMG CVO, retired UK Ambassador
Dr Joanna Spear, Director, US Foreign Policy Institute, The Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington DC

Acknowledgements:

The Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy is grateful to the Ford Foundation, the Ploughshares Fund, and the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust for their enabling support of our work and publications, including this website.

The Acronym Institute can be contacted at:

24 Colvestone Crescent
London
E8 2LH

Rebecca Johnson's direct lines:
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7503 8857
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7503 8857

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© 2008 The Acronym Institute.