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The
Challenge of Moving Fast Toward
a Nuke-Free World
BY
ERNEST COREA (IDN)
Gloom-and-doom
headlines in the waning days of the 2010 review conference of the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) caused many observers to assume
that negotiations would collapse in deadlock, but the Final Declaration
of the conference was adopted without dissent. Consensus on potentially
contentious issues was a significant milestone on the path toward
nuclear disarmament.
A NPT review conference is held every five years and the previous
conference ended in deadlock. At the time, many delegates blamed the
collapse of the conference on the previous U.S. administration.
“The NPT could not have suffered another failed review conference
after 2005 and it is a tribute to the 172 states parties present (out of
a total of 190) that they agreed on a document strengthening all three
pillars of the treaty – nonproliferation, disarmament and peaceful
uses of nuclear energy,” said Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala, president of the
Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs and formerly president
of the 1995 NPT review and extension conference.
OUTCOME
Dhanapala added that “the newly adopted separation of the Final
Declaration into a Review section which was ‘noted’ and a Conclusion
and Recommendations part – including a 64-point Action Plan – which
was adopted by consensus, augurs well for the future.”
The encouraging outcome of the conference, he said, “is a result of
new political leadership in the world and a strong current of global
public opinion channeled by civil society organisations. This synergy
must grow despite obstacles that may arise so that the goal of a nuclear
weapon free world is reached sooner rather than later.”
In Dhanapala’s assessment – an assessment shared by several
delegates and observers – “the most significant achievement” of
the conference “was the agreement on implementing the 1995 resolution
on the Middle East – 15 years later – for which the Pugwash
Conference had worked hard, convening a specially focused side event
during the conference and lobbying many governments on this.
“The convening of a conference in 2012 on the establishment of a
Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass
destruction and the appointment of a facilitator to consult and prepare
the conference with responsibilities after the conference are major
steps forward.
The acknowledgement in the document of ‘the important role played by
civil society in contributing to the implementation of the resolution’
is an encouragement to Pugwash to continue its efforts.”
DISARMAMENT
Dhanapala, who is a former UN Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament,
pointed out that “while an optimum result on nuclear disarmament was
diluted by resistance from nuclear weapon states the action plan is, by
common consent, an advance over the 2000 Review Conference document.
“All state parties are committed to pursue irreversible, verifiable
and transparent policies with the objectives of achieving a world
without nuclear weapons and nuclear weapon states will implement their
unequivocal undertaking to eliminate their nuclear weapons totally.
“The conference noted the UN Secretary-General’s Five-Point Proposal
for Nuclear Disarmament, which includes negotiation of a Nuclear Weapons
Convention while the nuclear weapon states committed themselves to
accelerate nuclear disarmament engaging promptly on a number of specific
issues.”
REAFFIRMED
In agreement on other key issues:
- the importance of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was
reaffirmed and the conference recognised that the total elimination of
nuclear weapons is the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat
of use of nuclear weapons;
- Russia and the U.S. were encouraged to implement the nuclear weapons
reduction treaty they signed earlier this year;
- all states were reminded of the need to prevent nuclear proliferation,
and “to detect, deter and disrupt trafficking.”
- states which have not yet signed a number of existing agreements that
serve as a deterrent against trafficking that includes nuclear terrorism
were urged to sign such agreements;
- the importance of Israel joining the NPT regime and placing all its
nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
safeguards was reaffirmed.
- NPT member states were reminded of the obligation to resolve all
unresolved issues in their dealing with the IAEA.
LEADERSHIP
The eighth NPT review conference has ended and in whatever way the clean
sheet of success might get ruffled in the future, there is no doubt that
the outcome of the meeting was, as Dhanapala has pointed out, a tribute
to the current political leadership.
Conference President Ambassador Libran Cabactulan (Philippines) worked
indefatigably to craft reasonably robust documents on which consensus
could be reached, without the sacrifice of guiding principles.
Also hard at work was the current leader of the Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM) at the UN, Egyptian Ambassador Maged Abdelaziz who provided his
NAM colleagues with enlightened leadership.
Perhaps the strongest influence, however, was that of a leader who was
not even present: President Barack Obama. His groundbreaking speech in
Prague over a year ago when he shared with his audience a vision of a
nuclear weapons free world has created a trend of public opinion that
continues to influence public policy at international gatherings.
This might not last long. Indeed, in nut country there is already a
backlash developing. Speed is vital, therefore, in following up the good
intentions expressed at what was certainly a positive, even historic,
meeting in New York.
[Source:
IDN-InDepthNews
| Analysis That Matters]
_____________
The
writer has
served as Sri Lanka's ambassador to Canada, Cuba, Mexico, and the USA.
He was Chairman of the Commonwealth's Select Committee on the media and
development.
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