By Jaya Ramachandran GENEVA (IDN) – Governor Denny Tamaki of Okinawa district has rejected the U.S. plans to base on the island missiles capable of threatening China – apparently as part of President Donald Trump’s move to challenge Beijing and upgrade the importance of Taiwan, 500 kilometres away from the island. If a plan for […]
The Future of Arms Control Hangs in the Balance After US Quits Open Skies Treaty
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – President Donald Trump’s surprise decision to withdraw from the 1992 Open Skies Treaty has posed unprecedented challenges, generated extensive debates among Russian politicians and experts. Equally worried are leaders in Europe and Asia. Trump administration notified international partners on May 21 that the US was pulling out of […]
‘Abolition 2000’ Warns Against Resumption of Nuclear Testing
By Radwan Jakeem NEW YORK (IDN) – “Resumption of nuclear explosive testing is absolutely unacceptable. Even discussing nuclear testing again is dangerously destabilizing,” the Abolition 2000 Global Network to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons has warned. Such testing would, in any case, be in contravention of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBTO), signed by the United States, […]
Global Civil Society Demands Bolder Action from NPT States Parties
By Jamshed Baruah GENEVA (IDN) – A diverse network of national and international peace and nuclear disarmament non-governmental organisations has in a joint statement urged government leaders, particularly from the nuclear-armed states and their allies, to act with greater urgency and cooperation to meet unfulfilled promises to reduce nuclear risks and advance progress on disarmament, […]
World Conference Calls for Abolition of Nuclear Weapons and Reversing Climate Change
By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK (IDN) -– In a dramatic warning from 13 Nobel Prize winners about the existential dangers of nuclear weapons and climate crisis, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists on January 23 set the hands of its iconic ‘Doomsday Clock’ to 100 seconds to midnight, On April 25, during the Covid-19 crisis, […]
Behind North Korea’s New Missile Launches in the Midst of Coronavirus Pandemic
By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK (IDN) – While the international community has been engrossed in combating the global COVID-19 pandemic, it has been constrained to respond to North Korea’s first missile launches this year. The United Nations Security Council convened behind closed doors on March 5 but failed to agree on a resolution. However, […]
Iran Should Demonstrate That Its Nuclear Program Is Peaceful
By Kelsey Davenport and Julia Masterson This article first appeared on Arms Control Association Website. Kelsey Davenport is director for nonproliferation policy, and Julia Masterson research assistant WASHINGTON, DC (IDN) – International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi raised concerns earlier in March about Tehran’s failure to cooperate with an agency investigation into possible […]
Bullish on Trilateral Arms Control and Bearish on New START
By Kingston Reif and Shannon Bugos While Kingston Reif is director for disarmament and threat reduction policy, Shannon Bugos is research assistant at the Arms Control Association. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) – President Donald Trump said recently that he is open to meeting with the other heads of state of the five permanent members of the […]
Five Nuclear Weapon States Pledge Commitment to NPT
By J C Suresh WASHINGTON, DC (IDN) — Five permanent members (P5) of the UN Security Council – USA, China, France, Russia and Britain – who together possess an overwhelming majority of 13,865 nuclear weapons have pledged “unstinting commitment to preserving and deepening … for future generations” the legacy of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation […]
Committee on Teaching About the UN Demands ‘War No More’
By Narin B. Stassis The writer currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Committee on Teaching About the UN. She is a former Director of Curriculum and Instruction, a lifelong Educator, and holds a Master’s degree in International Education from Lesley University. NEW YORK (IDN) – The United Nations was created with a determination […]