Come Clean Nuclear Weapons

Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

Geneva 28th April – 2nd May 2008

All the documents that were made publically available can be seen on the Reaching Critical Will website as well as a daily critique of the proceedings in ‘News in Review’ see: http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org

Rebecca Johnson has produced and circulated a comprehensive daily analysis and an in depth first week round up of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) and which is also available on the Acronym website at: www.acronym.org.uk

Both of these above cover the excellent statements from the NGO community presented to the PrepCom. The written papers are available on the Reaching Critical Will website.

These are my own reflections of the first week in more general terms.

Carol Naughton 5/5/08

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A man of peace. One scientist's journey from the Manhattan Project to the Nobel Peace Prize.
Malcolm Dando

Joseph Rotblat, when receiving the honorary degree of Doctor of Science from Bradford University in 1973, described the ongoing build-up of nuclear arms and the underlying doctrine of deterrence: "This doctrine of deterrence is known under the name of mutual assured destruction: M.A.D. It is indeed a mad system in which survival depends on the threat of total annihilation.
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The Peacboat and Nuclear Weapons - Interview with Nagasaki School Children Originally I intended to interview these students about their project to collect signatures to abolish nuclear weapons. The intention was to collect the information revise it and provide an edited version for the purposes of this manual. However the stories told and the sentiments expressed need no dilution, their passion and power speak for themselves and I would do them no justice by intervening. Below is as close to an accurate account as could record, word for word for what they chose to share with me. ... more

The Peacboat and Nuclear Weapons - Report on Nanjing By Iain Naughton

Beep. Beep. I awoke. Tired and drained. It was early; in Scotland we refer to this time as the morn too early to be fully morning. Showered, dressed, coffee, drank, tired souls collected on the way to departure. A very busy Zheng Fei arranging and distributing bodies to taxis. ... more

The Peacboat and Nuclear Weapons - Report on Meeting with Etsuko Nagano By Iain Naughton

As I sat waiting to meet Etsuko Nagano I was scared and nervous, I had meet Hibakusha before but never one to one. I felt humbled and honoured; I had no idea what to say. Nagano was very gracious and she had a beautiful smile, she reminded me of my grandmother which made the stories she had to tell even harder to hear. ... more

Exhibition on Trident
Now available to download.
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Nuclear accident exercise reveals ‘fatal flaws’
By Rob Edwards
Environment Editor
Sunday Herald - 30 April 2006
http://www.sundayherald.com/search/display.var.1315298.0.
response_to_nuclear
_accident_exercise_like_keystone_kops.php
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Russia Working To Upgrade ICBM Arsenal by Viktor Litovkin
UPI Outside View Commentator
Moscow, Apr 17, 2006
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Russia_Working_To_Upgrade_ICBM_Arsenal.html
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We should, so we can - Life without the bomb
Max M. Kampelman The New York Times
TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2006

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Selected VERTIC publications regarding Nuclear Weapons verification issues ... more

Peace Boat's Youth Ambassadors for Disarmament present their statement to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Peace Boat’s 50th voyage – Peace and Green in Asia – saw the launch of a new programme “Youth Ambassadors for Disarmament.”
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'My god that must have been an advanced society' Cartoon by Nick Hardcastle
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History of Nuclear Weapons The world’s first nuclear test was conducted on 16 July 1945 by the United States. It took place in Alamogordo, in the desert of New Mexico, and was codenamed ‘Trinity’. ... more

Nuclear Testing Following the end of the second world war, the US began a series of tests at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. ... more

Effects of Nuclear Testing Most of the troops ordered to take part in the testing programme were not equipped with any specialised protective clothing. They were simply ordered to turn their backs or cover their eyes to avoid being blinded by the flash of the explosion. ... more

Nuclear Testing and the Environment French testing had so damaged Moruroa Atoll that it was crumbling away and radioactive coral was polluting the sea. ... more

Nuclear Testing and Animals Apart from deliberate experiments, there have been many other animal casualties. The survivors of the Hiroshima bomb often describe the number of horses they saw burning in the devastated streets. ... more

Opposition to Nuclear Weapons By the late 1950s, there was huge opposition to nuclear weapons. Initially, the protests were about the testing of these weapons and the damage that could do to the environment. But this quickly moved on to opposition to the weapons themselves. ... more

Deterrence There are a number of problems with the theory of ‘deterrence’. For a start it is a contradiction in itself. Each side must believe that it will use nuclear weapons if necessary. ... more

Treaties The 1960s saw a number of negotiations taking place with the Outer Space Treaty, banning the use of nuclear weapons in space, being signed in 1967. ... more

Who Has Nuclear Weapons? There are five ‘declared’ nuclear weapon states. They are the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia and China. ... more

Nuclear Policy As you might expect, different countries have different policies when it comes to nuclear weapons. ... more

Effects of Nuclear Weapons Most of what is known about the effects of nuclear weapons on humans comes from the two atomic bombs dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. ... more

Statement on Nuclear Weapons by International Generals and Admirals We, military professionals, who have devoted our lives to the national security of our countries and our peoples, are convinced that the continuing existence of nuclear weapons in the armories of nuclear powers, and the ever present threat of acquisition of these weapons by others, constitute a peril to global peace and security and to the safety and survival of the people we are dedicated to protect. ... more

Statement by Heads of State and Civilian Leaders Worldwide These leaders, many of whom led their nations during the Cold War, urge that the nuclear states declare unambiguously that their goal is ultimate abolition of nuclear weapons. ... more

Statement of the Canberra Commission on the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons The destructiveness of nuclear weapons is immense. Any use would be catastrophic.
Nuclear weapons pose an intolerable threat to all humanity and its habitat, yet tens of thousands remain in arsenals built up at an extraordinary time of deep antagonism. ... more

International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on Nuclear Weapons
After studying reports and papers and hearing oral evidence from many countries, organisations and individuals, a series of advisory opinions were given at the end of the ICJ discussions. ... more

The United Nations The United Nations was formed in October 1945 and the preamble to the UN Charter reads as follows: ... more