Nuclear Risks and Technological Proliferation
Viewpoint by Sergio Duarte
The writer is a former High Representative of the United Nations for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and President of Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs.
NEW YEAR (IDN) — 60 years after the Cuban missile crisis, the spectre of the imminent use of nuclear weapons once again haunts humankind. On that occasion, however, the crisis lasted for just 13 days until John Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev, in direct contact, arrived at the agreement that made possible the withdrawal of the Soviet weapons from the Caribbean Island in exchange for the non-stationing of American nuclear arms in Turkey. [2022-12-08-22] JAPANESE TEXT VERSION PDF | PORTUGUESE | SPANISH
Washington Should Offer Iran a Nuclear Deal It Cannot Decline
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power
LUND, Sweden (IDN) — The policies of Iran’s government are not set in stone, as critics interminably suggest. Only three days ago (on December 4), Iran’s prosecutor-general was reported as saying that the morality police were being disbanded. Clearly, two months of demonstrations, led mainly by women, and now with open support from Iran’s football World Cup team competing in Qatar, have made the government have a big think about its long-term policies. [2022-12-06]
India Urged to Join the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty
By Ramesh Jaura
BERLIN | NEW DELHI (IDN) — India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is confronted with an increasing demand to join the landmark Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which was adopted in January 2021 by 122 members of the UN General Assembly—a clear majority. The Treaty entered into force after ratification by 50 member-States of the UN. The number of signatories has since risen to 91. The TPNW bans the use, possession, testing, and transfer of nuclear weapons under international law. [2022-12-01-21] GERMAN | HINDI | JAPANESE TEXT VERSION PDF
A Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone in Middle East Remains a Fantasy
By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — A longstanding proposal for a nuclear-weapons-free-zone (NWFZ) in the politically and militarily volatile Middle East has been kicked around the corridors—and committee rooms—of the UN since the 1960s.
A joint declaration by Egypt and Iran in 1974 resulted in a General Assembly resolution. But it never reached the stage of political reality. [2022-11-23-20] ARABIC | GERMAN | JAPANESE TEXT VERSION PDF
Ukraine War Should Prompt Us to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power
LUND, Sweden (IDN) — In the year 2000 President Vladimir Putin made his own contribution to solving the nuclear weapons imbroglio. Moscow, he said in a speech, was prepared to drastically reduce its stockpile of nuclear missiles. Putin's call was not just for further cuts than the U.S. suggested ceiling of 2,500 for each side but for reductions far below Moscow's previous target of 1,500. (At present Russia has around 6,000 warheads, and the U.S. has 5,400.) [2022-11-22]
Building Security in the Korean Peninsula
Pursue Fresh Diplomatic Approaches, Not Military-Nuclear Posturing
Viewpoint by Dr Rebecca Johnson
LONDON (IDN) — Nuclear fears have been increasing in North-East Asia in recent months. From early November, North Korea ratcheted up its usual sabre rattling with more direct threats, ‘tactical nuclear drills’, apparent preparations for more nuclear tests, and by firing around 25 different missiles towards South Korea and Japan. [2022-11-15-19] CHINESE | JAPANESE TEXT VERSION PDF
Religious & Civil Society Call for An End to Crisis in Korean Peninsula
By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — A coalition of over 700 religious and civil society organizations (CSOs) is making a collective appeal to end the crisis in the Korean peninsula and avoid "military action provoking war".
In a recently released statement, the coalition says: "We are here today in a great sense of crisis. The word 'war' feels closer than ever. Tensions are rising like never before as the military exercises of South Korea, the US, and North Korea continue for days." [2022-11-15-18] JAPANESE TEXT VERSION PDF | THAI | SPANISH
North Korea Abandons US and Aligns with China and Russia
Viewpoint by Jackie Cabasso
The writer is the Executive Director of the Western States Legal Foundation, based in Oakland, California.
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, USA (IDN) — If our attention wasn’t riveted on the midterm election results and Russia’s continuing nuclear threats in Ukraine, we would be rightly alarmed about rising nuclear tensions on the Korean Peninsula. It’s a very dangerous situation and one that presents extraordinary challenges. [2022-11-13]
No First Use of Nuclear Weapons Policies: A Path to Risk Reduction
Viewpoint by Tomohiko Aishima
The writer is the Executive Director of Peace and Global Issues, Soka Gakkai International
TOKYO (IDN) — While the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference held this past summer failed to adopt a final document, the fact that the conference saw a repeated debate on reducing the risk of nuclear weapon use was a small but real, source of hope. Policies of No First Use (NFU) of nuclear weapons were referenced in early drafts of the final document for the first time in the conference’s history. [2022-11-11] JAPANESE
Avoiding Arms Racing and the Possibility of Nuclear Catastrophe
Viewpoint by Daryl G. Kimball
The writer is the Executive Director of the Arms Control Association (ACA). The following text was published in the organization’s monthly journal, Arms Control Today.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) — Over the long, dangerous course of the nuclear age, the easing of tensions and resolution of crises between the nuclear-armed states have relied not only on good luck and self-restraint but on effective, leader-to-leader dialogue.
For example, a key turning point in the 1962 Cuban missile crisis was the decision by President John F. Kennedy to listen to advisers recommending a diplomatic course of action and back-channel talks. This allowed the two sides, as Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev described it, to “take measures to untie that knot” and thus avoid “the catastrophe of thermonuclear war.” [2022-11-04]
