ICNND report to specify target number for nuclear arms reductions as 2,000 or less
Oct. 26, 2009
by Tsuyoshi Urushihara, Staff Writer
On October 23, Yoriko Kawaguchi, former Japanese foreign minister and a co-chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), held a news conference at the Foreign Ministry and revealed the target number for nuclear arms reductions en route to nuclear abolition, which was set during the final ICNND discussions at the Hiroshima meeting. "In practical terms, we agreed to reduce nuclear weapons in the world to 2,000 or less by 2025," Ms. Kawaguchi said. The agreement will be included in the ICNND report, which is scheduled to be released in January of next year and will present the commission's recommended path toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.
According to Ms. Kawaguchi's explanation, the nuclear superpowers of the United States and Russia would reduce their nuclear arsenals to 500, respectively, while the other nuclear weapon states combined would reduce their nuclear weapons to a total of 1,000 at most. If these reductions are realized, the number of nuclear weapons in the world, which stands at over 20,000 now, will be reduced by more than 90 percent. Ms. Kawaguchi stressed again that they set "a very ambitious target." She then explained: "The report will ask mainly the United States and Russia to reduce their nuclear arsenals. But we have no intention of making the case that the other nuclear weapon states can maintain the status quo."
However, considering that the target number for nuclear arms reductions was "1,000 or less in total" in the previous draft of the ICNND report, it is undeniable that the ICNND took a step backward during its discussions at the Hiroshima meeting.
The ICNND Hiroshima meeting began on October 17. At a news conference on October 20, after the gathering closed, the ICNND did not make public a specific target number for nuclear arms reductions by 2025.
(Originally published on October 24, 2009)
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ICNND closes discussion, seeking "no first use" declaration but compromising 2025 reduction target (Oct. 22, 2009)
Kawaguchi indicates inclusion of "nuclear abolition by 2020" in ICNND report difficult (Oct. 20, 2009)
Nuclear panel meets in Hiroshima, seeks ways for nuke-free world (Oct. 19, 2009)
On October 23, Yoriko Kawaguchi, former Japanese foreign minister and a co-chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), held a news conference at the Foreign Ministry and revealed the target number for nuclear arms reductions en route to nuclear abolition, which was set during the final ICNND discussions at the Hiroshima meeting. "In practical terms, we agreed to reduce nuclear weapons in the world to 2,000 or less by 2025," Ms. Kawaguchi said. The agreement will be included in the ICNND report, which is scheduled to be released in January of next year and will present the commission's recommended path toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.
According to Ms. Kawaguchi's explanation, the nuclear superpowers of the United States and Russia would reduce their nuclear arsenals to 500, respectively, while the other nuclear weapon states combined would reduce their nuclear weapons to a total of 1,000 at most. If these reductions are realized, the number of nuclear weapons in the world, which stands at over 20,000 now, will be reduced by more than 90 percent. Ms. Kawaguchi stressed again that they set "a very ambitious target." She then explained: "The report will ask mainly the United States and Russia to reduce their nuclear arsenals. But we have no intention of making the case that the other nuclear weapon states can maintain the status quo."
However, considering that the target number for nuclear arms reductions was "1,000 or less in total" in the previous draft of the ICNND report, it is undeniable that the ICNND took a step backward during its discussions at the Hiroshima meeting.
The ICNND Hiroshima meeting began on October 17. At a news conference on October 20, after the gathering closed, the ICNND did not make public a specific target number for nuclear arms reductions by 2025.
(Originally published on October 24, 2009)
Related articles
ICNND closes discussion, seeking "no first use" declaration but compromising 2025 reduction target (Oct. 22, 2009)
Kawaguchi indicates inclusion of "nuclear abolition by 2020" in ICNND report difficult (Oct. 20, 2009)
Nuclear panel meets in Hiroshima, seeks ways for nuke-free world (Oct. 19, 2009)
