ARMAMENTS – Page 56 – IDN-InDepthNews

ARMAMENTS2016-02-012023-07-10

Japan and Kazakhstan Campaign for Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

By Ramesh Jaura | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

VIENNA | TOKYO (IDN) – As the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) prepares to convene a ministerial meeting in June, Kazakhstan and Japan have reaffirmed their commitment to intensify their efforts toward entry into force of the Treaty.

During the first week of the symposium ‘Science and Diplomacy for Peace and Security’ from January 25 to February 4, representatives of the two countries in Vienna assured that they would set forth their efforts initiated by their respective foreign ministers in September 2015 at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

ARMAMENTS2016-01-312023-07-10

Nuclear-Test-Ban Debate Focuses on Iran and North Korea

By Ramesh Jaura | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

VIENNA (IDN) – Iran and North Korea dominated the landmark symposium ‘Science and Diplomacy for Peace and Security’ organised by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) end of January in Vienna, the capital of Austria.

As chance would have it, ahead of the event, on January 16, U.S. President Barack Obama revoked a 20-year system of sanctions against Iran and Federica Mogherini, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs, announced the lifting of EU economic blockade against Tehran.

ARMAMENTS2016-01-252023-07-10

Kazakh Efforts Lead to a UN Declaration on a Nuke Free World

By J Nastranis | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

NEW YORK (IDN) – The Central Asian Republic of Kazakhstan is widely acknowledged as an unrelenting champion of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. The country’s latest accomplishment is the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly along with the Universal Declaration on the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World.

ARMAMENTS2016-01-192023-07-10

New Study Says Next Generation Remains Oblivious To Nuclear Dangers

By Rodney Reynolds | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) – For over 70 years since the disastrous bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, peace activists have continued their relentless global campaign for a world without nuclear weapons.

The United Nations, which has remained engaged in a longstanding debate, continues to adopt scores of resolutions every year on nuclear disarmament.

ARMAMENTS2015-11-082023-07-10

World’s Major Powers, in ‘Shameful Behaviour’, Opt out of Nuclear Resolution

By Rodney Reynolds | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) – When the world’s major nuclear powers express their support for nuclear disarmament, their political rhetoric usually fails to match their actions – even as they continue to modernize their arsenals. Undeterred, the UN’s Committee on Disarmament and International Security (also known as the First Committee) traditionally adopts a cluster of over 15-20 resolutions every year – mostly on arms control and nuclear disarmament.

This year there was one significant exception: the U.S., Britain and France, three of the world’s major nuclear powers, opted to abstain on a resolution, spearheaded by Japan every year, on united action towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons. All three countries voted in favour of the resolution last year, with U.S. and Britain as co-sponsors. But this year both countries were missing in action – much to the disappointment of Japan, a key Western ally.

ARMAMENTS2015-11-072023-07-10

Need for Dialogue among Divides: A Pugwash Perspective

By Jayantha Dhanapala* | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

NAGASAKI (IDN) – The recent Nagasaki Pugwash Conference coincided with many significant anniversaries in the history of global peace and security – on this occasion with strong links to the host country, Japan.

– It was the 70th anniversary of the United Nations Organization, which underpins the prevailing global system of peace and security with its Charter and the framework of norms and values it upholds;

– It was the 60th anniversary of the Pugwash bedrock document and surely one of the earliest formulations of the “Humanitarian Pledge” of today – the 1955 London Manifesto of the Pugwash founding fathers Albert Einstein and Bertrand Russell – one of whose co-signatories was Professor Hideki Yukawa, the Nobel Physics Laureate from Kyoto University, Japan;

– And it was the 20th anniversary of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize jointly to Pugwash and to one of its founders Sir Joseph Rotblat three months after the Pugwash Conference was held in Hiroshima in that year.

ARMAMENTS2015-11-052023-07-10

Pugwash Conference Warns of the Growing Menace of Nuclear Weapons

By INPS* | IDN-InDepthNews Report

TOKYO (IDN) – The Pugwash Conference, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995, has urged all nuclear weapon states to abandon nuclear-weapon system modernization programmes, and spend the billions of dollars earmarked for those programs on minimizing nuclear risks, preventing accidental launches and cyber attacks, and promoting disarmament.

ARMAMENTS2015-10-302023-07-10

Nuclear-Weapons-Free Africa Keen To Harness Atomic Energy

By Jeffrey Moyo | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

HARARE (IDN) – Nuclear disarmament is a non-issue in Southern Africa. Because no African country possesses nuclear weapons. In fact the 38-nation African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (ANWFZ) Treaty, also known as the Treaty of Pelindaba, signed in 1996, established a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Africa. The treaty came into effect on July 15, 2009.

ARMAMENTS2015-10-262023-07-10

Australia Under Heavy Criticism For Nuclear Agreement with India

By Neena Bhandari | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

SYDNEY (IDN) – Though the Australian Parliament has not yet ratified the Australia-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement signed in 2014, civil society, environment and disarmament advocates caution that sale of uranium to India would fuel a nuclear arms race in the region and undermine Australia’s strong credentials as an exponent of nuclear safeguards policies.

ARMAMENTS2015-10-252023-07-10

Saudi Nuclear Blustering Remains Hollow – for Now

By Emad Mekay* | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

CAIRO (IDN) – When the U.S.-Iran nuclear deal was announced in July, the image in state-controlled Saudi media was of Western powers caving in to a new powerful neighboring foe. The usually reticent Saudi officials paid the usual diplomatic lip-service to the agreement but social media, academia and state-owned news outlet all portrayed a different picture; profound Saudi anxiety that included statements that the oil-rich country can use its wealth to go nuclear.