U.N. Disarmament Conference closes
Aug. 30, 2010
by Kohei Okata, Staff Writer
The 22nd United Nations on Conference on Disarmament Issues, organized by the U.N. Disarmament Affairs and other entities at a hotel in Saitama Prefecture under the theme of "A Nuclear-Weapon-Free World: Making Steady Progress from Vision to Action," completed its three-day schedule on August 27 with a summary of its discussion.
The rapporteur of each of four sessions reported on that meeting's discussion. With regard to the outcome of the 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, the Session I discussion, Nobumasa Akiyama, the rapporteur of the session and an associate professor at Hitotsubashi University, argued for implementing the action plan included in the final document of the 2010 NPT Review Conference. He said that a nuclear-free world cannot be realized until all parties to the NPT are willing to set aside political differences in favor of cooperation.
Roman Hunger, rapporteur of Session II regarding the role of civil society and special coordinator at the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, touched on the fact that efforts for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation education are sluggish worldwide. He called for strengthening coordinated efforts to advance this cause among governments, NGOs, and civil society.
In the general exchange of views at the end of the conference, Akira Kawasaki, executive committee member of Peace Boat, a Tokyo-based NGO, and Zenpei Kunimoto, permanent director at the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, requested that a nuclear weapons convention be included as an agenda item at the next disarmament conference.
(Originally published on August 28, 2010)
by Kohei Okata, Staff Writer
At the 22nd United Nations Conference on Disarmament Issues, discussion to create a solid road map toward a nuclear-free world was made largely in response to the NPT Review Conference held this past May. That said, there is no magic wand for producing a dramatic advance in this effort, and deeply-rooted quarrels continue to exist among nations. The wall that must be climbed is high indeed.
In the sessions that took place on the first day (Sessions I and II), some claimed victory over the outcome of May's NPT Review Conference. Since the final document was adopted after many twists and turns at the review conference, held every five years, an environment was prepared in which positive discussion toward nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation can now be made.
The central player behind that effort was Libran Cabactulan, Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations, who served as the president of the 2010 NPT Review Conference. He spoke about the pains he undertook to realize the adoption of the final document, and repeatedly called for steady progress in advancing the 64-item action plan which appeared in the document.
Meanwhile, no immediate solutions to the challenges discussed over the course of many years, including the realization of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the start of negotiations for the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty, can be seen. Dialogue involving the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and a nuclear weapons convention, both of which were clearly stated in the final document of the NPT Review Conference, was not deepened at the disarmament conference.
Of gravest concern are the nuclear issues vexing Northeast Asia and the Middle East. In the closing session of the final day, government officials from the United States and Iran were at loggerheads over Israel. The former is a staunch supporter of Israel, while the latter is disapproving of its neighbor.
Jurg Lauber, head of the Swiss delegation to the conference, said that he cannot claim victory when there is unfinished business. Nobuyasu Abe, former U.N. undersecretary general and now director of the Centre for the Promotion of Disarmament and Non-proliferation, pointed out that prospects for the action plan will depend on the strength of the commitment that the NPT signatories make. The only way to advance the effort for nuclear abolition is for states and citizens to act promptly.
(Originally published on August 28, 2010)
The 22nd United Nations on Conference on Disarmament Issues, organized by the U.N. Disarmament Affairs and other entities at a hotel in Saitama Prefecture under the theme of "A Nuclear-Weapon-Free World: Making Steady Progress from Vision to Action," completed its three-day schedule on August 27 with a summary of its discussion.
The rapporteur of each of four sessions reported on that meeting's discussion. With regard to the outcome of the 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, the Session I discussion, Nobumasa Akiyama, the rapporteur of the session and an associate professor at Hitotsubashi University, argued for implementing the action plan included in the final document of the 2010 NPT Review Conference. He said that a nuclear-free world cannot be realized until all parties to the NPT are willing to set aside political differences in favor of cooperation.
Roman Hunger, rapporteur of Session II regarding the role of civil society and special coordinator at the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, touched on the fact that efforts for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation education are sluggish worldwide. He called for strengthening coordinated efforts to advance this cause among governments, NGOs, and civil society.
In the general exchange of views at the end of the conference, Akira Kawasaki, executive committee member of Peace Boat, a Tokyo-based NGO, and Zenpei Kunimoto, permanent director at the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, requested that a nuclear weapons convention be included as an agenda item at the next disarmament conference.
(Originally published on August 28, 2010)
Commentary: Act promptly for nuclear abolition
by Kohei Okata, Staff Writer
At the 22nd United Nations Conference on Disarmament Issues, discussion to create a solid road map toward a nuclear-free world was made largely in response to the NPT Review Conference held this past May. That said, there is no magic wand for producing a dramatic advance in this effort, and deeply-rooted quarrels continue to exist among nations. The wall that must be climbed is high indeed.
In the sessions that took place on the first day (Sessions I and II), some claimed victory over the outcome of May's NPT Review Conference. Since the final document was adopted after many twists and turns at the review conference, held every five years, an environment was prepared in which positive discussion toward nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation can now be made.
The central player behind that effort was Libran Cabactulan, Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations, who served as the president of the 2010 NPT Review Conference. He spoke about the pains he undertook to realize the adoption of the final document, and repeatedly called for steady progress in advancing the 64-item action plan which appeared in the document.
Meanwhile, no immediate solutions to the challenges discussed over the course of many years, including the realization of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the start of negotiations for the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty, can be seen. Dialogue involving the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and a nuclear weapons convention, both of which were clearly stated in the final document of the NPT Review Conference, was not deepened at the disarmament conference.
Of gravest concern are the nuclear issues vexing Northeast Asia and the Middle East. In the closing session of the final day, government officials from the United States and Iran were at loggerheads over Israel. The former is a staunch supporter of Israel, while the latter is disapproving of its neighbor.
Jurg Lauber, head of the Swiss delegation to the conference, said that he cannot claim victory when there is unfinished business. Nobuyasu Abe, former U.N. undersecretary general and now director of the Centre for the Promotion of Disarmament and Non-proliferation, pointed out that prospects for the action plan will depend on the strength of the commitment that the NPT signatories make. The only way to advance the effort for nuclear abolition is for states and citizens to act promptly.
(Originally published on August 28, 2010)
