Former U.S. secretary of defense speaks in Hiroshima, expresses deep concern over nuclear weapons
Sep. 9, 2015
by Michiko Tanaka, Staff Writer
On August 23, William Perry, 87, the former U.S. secretary of defense and an advocate of a world free of nuclear weapons, made a speech in Minami Ward, Hiroshima. Referring to the recent impasse in nuclear disarmament efforts, along with worsening relations between the United States and Russia, Mr. Perry expressed deep concern. He said, “It is a fundamental problem that most of our citizens do not understand just how devastating nuclear weapons could be,” and stressed the importance of people from the world visiting the A-bombed city of Hiroshima.
Mr. Perry served as the under secretary of defense in the Cold War era and was involved in crafting U.S. nuclear policy. Looking back at Cuban Missile Crisis, when tensions between the United States and the former Soviet Union were at their peak, he said, “Each day I believed would be my last day on earth. That was one of several such incidents that could have led to an accidental nuclear war.”
Mr. Perry also mentioned the current state of relations between the United States and Russia, which have worsened again over the Ukraine crisis, and emphasized that it is a false sense of complacency to believe that nuclear weapons will never be used and that governments and citizens must unite to eliminate this threat in new and creative ways. He introduced a disarmament education program for youth that he has been developing.
Mr. Perry will also attend a meeting of the “Group of Eminent Persons” organized by the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) on August 24 and 25 in Minami Ward. Following his speech, Mr. Perry took part in a panel discussion with Lassina Zerbo, the executive secretary of the Preparatory Commission Organization, and Hiroshima Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki. He also responded to questions from the Chugoku Shimbun junior writers and high school students from Hiroshima Prefecture.
This day of events was organized by Hiroshima Prefecture and attended by around 100 people.
(Originally published on August 24, 2015)
On August 23, William Perry, 87, the former U.S. secretary of defense and an advocate of a world free of nuclear weapons, made a speech in Minami Ward, Hiroshima. Referring to the recent impasse in nuclear disarmament efforts, along with worsening relations between the United States and Russia, Mr. Perry expressed deep concern. He said, “It is a fundamental problem that most of our citizens do not understand just how devastating nuclear weapons could be,” and stressed the importance of people from the world visiting the A-bombed city of Hiroshima.
Mr. Perry served as the under secretary of defense in the Cold War era and was involved in crafting U.S. nuclear policy. Looking back at Cuban Missile Crisis, when tensions between the United States and the former Soviet Union were at their peak, he said, “Each day I believed would be my last day on earth. That was one of several such incidents that could have led to an accidental nuclear war.”
Mr. Perry also mentioned the current state of relations between the United States and Russia, which have worsened again over the Ukraine crisis, and emphasized that it is a false sense of complacency to believe that nuclear weapons will never be used and that governments and citizens must unite to eliminate this threat in new and creative ways. He introduced a disarmament education program for youth that he has been developing.
Mr. Perry will also attend a meeting of the “Group of Eminent Persons” organized by the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) on August 24 and 25 in Minami Ward. Following his speech, Mr. Perry took part in a panel discussion with Lassina Zerbo, the executive secretary of the Preparatory Commission Organization, and Hiroshima Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki. He also responded to questions from the Chugoku Shimbun junior writers and high school students from Hiroshima Prefecture.
This day of events was organized by Hiroshima Prefecture and attended by around 100 people.
(Originally published on August 24, 2015)
