NPT Review Conference to be held this May in New York
Jan. 11, 2010
by Toshiko Bajo, Staff Writer
The next Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, which will have a significant impact on the future of nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, will be held from May 3~28 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The previous Review Conference held five years ago in 2005 foundered into failure with no substantive agreement concluded. This conference is a turning point and the outcome will either move the world community toward abolition or proliferation. A-bomb survivors (hibakusha) and citizens across Japan, including the A-bombed city of Hiroshima, plan to gather at the conference to observe the discussions.
Open the door to a nuclear-free world
The last NPT Review Conference, held in 2005, closed without producing tangible results due to discord between the United States and Middle East nations. In contrast to the conference in 2000, in which an "unequivocal pledge" to abolish nuclear weapons was made, the 2005 conference left bitter feelings and disappointed people around the world, including the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Five years have passed since then. The year 2009 saw a surge in global anti-nuclear sentiment, raising expectations for this year's conference. U.S. President Barack Obama declared in a speech made in Prague last April that the United States, as the nation which dropped the atomic bombs, has a moral responsibility to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, in an address to the United Nations General Assembly in September, responded by referring to Japan's moral responsibility as the A-bombed nation. Other world leaders, too, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, have called for efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons.
The voices of many groups, too, were heard stressing the necessity of nuclear abolition and formulating roadmaps toward this goal. These groups included Global Zero, composed of eminent world figures, and the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND). And a group of 17 Nobel Peace laureates released the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Declaration.
At the same time, North Korea has been proceeding with its development of nuclear weapons and the world's fears of nuclear terrorism have grown. The proliferation of nuclear weapons has not been arrested while India, Pakistan and Israel have maintained their possession of nuclear arms without joining the NPT.
Because of such circumstances, many experts are pointing out the importance of the 2010 Review Conference. With expectations now high for nuclear disarmament and abolition, failure of the conference may result in greater frustration among the non-nuclear states, undermining the NPT regime.
A litmus test of the commitment by the international community may be whether the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol will be adopted at the conference. The protocol, proposed by Mayors for Peace, is a roadmap toward the elimination of nuclear weapons by 2020.
Will the world head for disarmament or further proliferation? The NPT regime, 40 years after its effectuation, will be put to the test.
Let the voices of hibakusha be heard
To make a direct appeal for the abolition of nuclear weapons during the NPT Review Conference, A-bomb survivors and other Japanese citizens will travel to New York. On May 2, the day before the conference opens, demonstrations and rallies will be held in Manhattan by a number of the world's peace organizations.
The Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations will send about 50 of its members, including 10 members from Hiroshima. The delegation will be led by Sunao Tsuboi, co-chairperson of the confederation, who also serves as chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations. The group plans to urge the permanent missions of countries to the United Nations to abolish nuclear weapons and hold an A-bomb exhibition at the UN Headquarters building, where the NPT Review Conference will be held. It also expects to hold gatherings at nearby schools where A-bomb survivors will share their accounts.
The Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs plans to assemble a large delegation, a total of approximately 1,200 people, for the conference. They will conduct such activities as holding an international peace conference in New York City, collaborating with peace organizations from the United States and Europe, and dividing into 18 groups to tour a number of U.S. states, including the state of Nevada. The members will also engage in activities with various others, including 10 members sent by another Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, chaired by Kazushi Kaneko, hibakusha living in South Korea and in the Marshall Islands, as well as radiation sufferers living near the nuclear test sites located in Nevada.
They will also submit a petition with the signatures of over 10 million people, which they collected in collaboration with the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations, to the conference. While in New York, they also plan to gather signatures from residents of the city.
The Japan Congress Against A- and H-Bombs plans to dispatch 20 to 25 people. The group will join the demonstrations on May 2 and is discussing the possibility of visiting such places as the nuclear test sites in Nevada.
The Japanese Consumers’ Cooperative Union will send about 70 people. They will join hands with the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations to organize the A-bomb exhibition in New York City.
Steven Leeper, chairperson of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, will work with Japanese nationals and others living there. The organization will support the activities of A-bomb survivors and others by providing interpretation services and needed information. The Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition plans to hold a photo exhibition to present the devastation wrought by the atomic bombing and depleted uranium bombs, as well as holding a symposium at the City University of New York.
In addition, there are individuals who plan to put forth efforts in New York. Hiroo Iso, 68, living in the city of Fukuyama in Hiroshima Prefecture, is a member of the "Yes! Campaign," which is aimed at encouraging mayors across Japan to support the "Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol," advocated by Mayors for Peace. Mr. Iso will share his experience of the atomic bombing at high schools and other places in New York City in cooperation with a citizens' group in the United States. Hiroyuki Kubo (whose stage name is Kankyusha Kumosuke), 78, who lives in the city of Kure in Hiroshima Prefecture, is a professional kodan storyteller. Mr. Kubo plans to go to New York with a series of picture cards and perform an original kodan story to express the horror of the bombing.
What are your thoughts on this year's Review Conference?
I will travel to New York City as the leader of the 50 hibakusha to be dispatched by the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations. Last year the international community took some bold steps forward with regard to eliminating nuclear weapons, such as U.S. President Barack Obama's speech in Prague and the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Declaration of Nobel Peace Laureates. Above all, it is admirable that the United States is now taking the lead. After the previous conference, which produced no decisions and was a disappointment, I look forward to the outcome of this year's conference. I believe that this time agreements and promises will be made with regard to nuclear abolition.
Can you be specific?
I hope that a pledge to reinforce Article 6 of the NPT, which stipulates the obligation that the nuclear powers have to disarm, will be made. It is imperative to set a concrete deadline to specify the year nuclear weapons must be completely eliminated. It is also important to make international controls much tighter in regard to the peaceful use of nuclear energy that Article 3 of the NPT grants. Some criticize the NPT as "unfair" due to the fact that it permits only certain nations the right to possess nuclear weapons. However, if the treaty did not exist, the number of nations testing nuclear weapons would have increased. It is essential to move for the abolition of nuclear weapons while abiding by the NPT.
What sort of appeal would you like to make there?
I regret that we have not been engaged more actively on a global scale over the past five years. In Japan, the class action lawsuits involving A-bomb diseases have won a partial review of the certification criteria. However, I wonder how much effort we have actually made for nuclear abolition on the international stage. I suspect that we should have done more.
While in New York, we plan to share our A-bomb accounts at schools and churches, in addition to holding an A-bomb exhibition at UN Headquarters. We also plan to visit the embassies of various nations to appeal for our cause directly. This might be the last chance for us to attend the Review Conference with a large contingent of A-bomb survivors. Some of our members who went to the previous conference are unable to attend this year's conference due to deteriorating health. Therefore, with this awareness, we are determined to produce results.
What do you ask of the Japanese government?
We will bring with us the signatures of 10 million people from across Japan who desire the abolition of nuclear weapons. We have worked hard to collect the signatures and we want them to be properly recognized. However, some of our members don't speak English so we may have some difficulties in meeting with various government officials. We would be happy if the Japanese government could support our efforts there.
On the diplomatic side, since Japan is the A-bombed nation, we demand, of course, that the government take action to get out from under the U.S. nuclear umbrella.
Professor Kurosawa commented:
The year 2009 saw a number of positive developments in moving toward a world without nuclear weapons. These included the speech in Prague by U.S. President Barack Obama, the G8 Summit, and the resolution adopted by the UN Security Council Summit. But nations have yet to take concrete action and we have no clear picture of their intentions at this point. We may feel some optimism, but the progress forward must be watched carefully.
The last conference ended in failure because the United States insisted that it would not move forward with nuclear disarmament measures, that it would instead strengthen non-proliferation, and this created a backlash from most of the non-nuclear states. To avoid repeating this mistake, the U.S. leadership must cooperate with other nations.
President Obama has adopted a cooperative stance toward the international community, saying he will take the initiative in efforts to realize a nuclear-free world. The effects of this change alone will surely be positive. The problem will lie in how to handle possible opposition from a small number of countries.
A resolution adopted by the Security Council in September 2009 provides a minimum agreement necessary for nuclear disarmament. This resolution is stronger than the agreement made at the 2000 Review Conference. Now that we have this agreement, the 2010 conference will no doubt produce an even stronger pledge than the agreement reached in 2000.
However, France, which wishes to remain a superpower, and Russia, which intends to maintain its nuclear deterrence, may stand in the way.
The adoption of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol, advocated by Mayors for Peace, may not be easy. Still, the protocol is important and significant as a message for nuclear abolition. It is an influential message.
(Originally published on January 1, 2010)
Keywords
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT)
The NPT restricts the nuclear weapon states to the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China and stipulates these three pillars: 1) The obligation of nuclear disarmament on the part of the nuclear weapon states; 2) Nonproliferation efforts by the non-nuclear weapon states; and 3) The peaceful use of nuclear energy. The NPT went into force in 1970 and has about 190 signatory nations. India, Pakistan and Israel have not joined the treaty, and North Korea declared its withdrawal from the NPT. The NPT Review Conference is held once every five years. At the conference, the three pillars of nuclear disarmament, nonproliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear weapons are discussed to verify the execution of the treaty among its member nations.
Major outcomes of the previous three Review Conferences
In 1995: Indefinite extension of the NPT was decided. Review process was reinforced. The Middle East Resolution (including establishing the weapons of mass destruction free zone) was adopted.
In 2000: Final document with 13 articles, including the "unequivocal pledge" to abolish nuclear weapons, was adopted.
In 2005: No substantive agreement was made.
(Originally published on Jan. 1, 2010 )
The next Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, which will have a significant impact on the future of nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, will be held from May 3~28 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The previous Review Conference held five years ago in 2005 foundered into failure with no substantive agreement concluded. This conference is a turning point and the outcome will either move the world community toward abolition or proliferation. A-bomb survivors (hibakusha) and citizens across Japan, including the A-bombed city of Hiroshima, plan to gather at the conference to observe the discussions.
Open the door to a nuclear-free world
The last NPT Review Conference, held in 2005, closed without producing tangible results due to discord between the United States and Middle East nations. In contrast to the conference in 2000, in which an "unequivocal pledge" to abolish nuclear weapons was made, the 2005 conference left bitter feelings and disappointed people around the world, including the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Five years have passed since then. The year 2009 saw a surge in global anti-nuclear sentiment, raising expectations for this year's conference. U.S. President Barack Obama declared in a speech made in Prague last April that the United States, as the nation which dropped the atomic bombs, has a moral responsibility to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, in an address to the United Nations General Assembly in September, responded by referring to Japan's moral responsibility as the A-bombed nation. Other world leaders, too, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, have called for efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons.
The voices of many groups, too, were heard stressing the necessity of nuclear abolition and formulating roadmaps toward this goal. These groups included Global Zero, composed of eminent world figures, and the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND). And a group of 17 Nobel Peace laureates released the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Declaration.
At the same time, North Korea has been proceeding with its development of nuclear weapons and the world's fears of nuclear terrorism have grown. The proliferation of nuclear weapons has not been arrested while India, Pakistan and Israel have maintained their possession of nuclear arms without joining the NPT.
Because of such circumstances, many experts are pointing out the importance of the 2010 Review Conference. With expectations now high for nuclear disarmament and abolition, failure of the conference may result in greater frustration among the non-nuclear states, undermining the NPT regime.
A litmus test of the commitment by the international community may be whether the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol will be adopted at the conference. The protocol, proposed by Mayors for Peace, is a roadmap toward the elimination of nuclear weapons by 2020.
Will the world head for disarmament or further proliferation? The NPT regime, 40 years after its effectuation, will be put to the test.
Let the voices of hibakusha be heard
To make a direct appeal for the abolition of nuclear weapons during the NPT Review Conference, A-bomb survivors and other Japanese citizens will travel to New York. On May 2, the day before the conference opens, demonstrations and rallies will be held in Manhattan by a number of the world's peace organizations.
The Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations will send about 50 of its members, including 10 members from Hiroshima. The delegation will be led by Sunao Tsuboi, co-chairperson of the confederation, who also serves as chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations. The group plans to urge the permanent missions of countries to the United Nations to abolish nuclear weapons and hold an A-bomb exhibition at the UN Headquarters building, where the NPT Review Conference will be held. It also expects to hold gatherings at nearby schools where A-bomb survivors will share their accounts.
The Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs plans to assemble a large delegation, a total of approximately 1,200 people, for the conference. They will conduct such activities as holding an international peace conference in New York City, collaborating with peace organizations from the United States and Europe, and dividing into 18 groups to tour a number of U.S. states, including the state of Nevada. The members will also engage in activities with various others, including 10 members sent by another Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, chaired by Kazushi Kaneko, hibakusha living in South Korea and in the Marshall Islands, as well as radiation sufferers living near the nuclear test sites located in Nevada.
They will also submit a petition with the signatures of over 10 million people, which they collected in collaboration with the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations, to the conference. While in New York, they also plan to gather signatures from residents of the city.
The Japan Congress Against A- and H-Bombs plans to dispatch 20 to 25 people. The group will join the demonstrations on May 2 and is discussing the possibility of visiting such places as the nuclear test sites in Nevada.
The Japanese Consumers’ Cooperative Union will send about 70 people. They will join hands with the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations to organize the A-bomb exhibition in New York City.
Steven Leeper, chairperson of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, will work with Japanese nationals and others living there. The organization will support the activities of A-bomb survivors and others by providing interpretation services and needed information. The Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition plans to hold a photo exhibition to present the devastation wrought by the atomic bombing and depleted uranium bombs, as well as holding a symposium at the City University of New York.
In addition, there are individuals who plan to put forth efforts in New York. Hiroo Iso, 68, living in the city of Fukuyama in Hiroshima Prefecture, is a member of the "Yes! Campaign," which is aimed at encouraging mayors across Japan to support the "Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol," advocated by Mayors for Peace. Mr. Iso will share his experience of the atomic bombing at high schools and other places in New York City in cooperation with a citizens' group in the United States. Hiroyuki Kubo (whose stage name is Kankyusha Kumosuke), 78, who lives in the city of Kure in Hiroshima Prefecture, is a professional kodan storyteller. Mr. Kubo plans to go to New York with a series of picture cards and perform an original kodan story to express the horror of the bombing.
Interview with Sunao Tsuboi, 84, co-chairperson of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations
What are your thoughts on this year's Review Conference?
I will travel to New York City as the leader of the 50 hibakusha to be dispatched by the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations. Last year the international community took some bold steps forward with regard to eliminating nuclear weapons, such as U.S. President Barack Obama's speech in Prague and the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Declaration of Nobel Peace Laureates. Above all, it is admirable that the United States is now taking the lead. After the previous conference, which produced no decisions and was a disappointment, I look forward to the outcome of this year's conference. I believe that this time agreements and promises will be made with regard to nuclear abolition.
Can you be specific?
I hope that a pledge to reinforce Article 6 of the NPT, which stipulates the obligation that the nuclear powers have to disarm, will be made. It is imperative to set a concrete deadline to specify the year nuclear weapons must be completely eliminated. It is also important to make international controls much tighter in regard to the peaceful use of nuclear energy that Article 3 of the NPT grants. Some criticize the NPT as "unfair" due to the fact that it permits only certain nations the right to possess nuclear weapons. However, if the treaty did not exist, the number of nations testing nuclear weapons would have increased. It is essential to move for the abolition of nuclear weapons while abiding by the NPT.
What sort of appeal would you like to make there?
I regret that we have not been engaged more actively on a global scale over the past five years. In Japan, the class action lawsuits involving A-bomb diseases have won a partial review of the certification criteria. However, I wonder how much effort we have actually made for nuclear abolition on the international stage. I suspect that we should have done more.
While in New York, we plan to share our A-bomb accounts at schools and churches, in addition to holding an A-bomb exhibition at UN Headquarters. We also plan to visit the embassies of various nations to appeal for our cause directly. This might be the last chance for us to attend the Review Conference with a large contingent of A-bomb survivors. Some of our members who went to the previous conference are unable to attend this year's conference due to deteriorating health. Therefore, with this awareness, we are determined to produce results.
What do you ask of the Japanese government?
We will bring with us the signatures of 10 million people from across Japan who desire the abolition of nuclear weapons. We have worked hard to collect the signatures and we want them to be properly recognized. However, some of our members don't speak English so we may have some difficulties in meeting with various government officials. We would be happy if the Japanese government could support our efforts there.
On the diplomatic side, since Japan is the A-bombed nation, we demand, of course, that the government take action to get out from under the U.S. nuclear umbrella.
Comments from Mitsuru Kurosawa, professor at Osaka Jogakuin College
Professor Kurosawa commented:
The year 2009 saw a number of positive developments in moving toward a world without nuclear weapons. These included the speech in Prague by U.S. President Barack Obama, the G8 Summit, and the resolution adopted by the UN Security Council Summit. But nations have yet to take concrete action and we have no clear picture of their intentions at this point. We may feel some optimism, but the progress forward must be watched carefully.
The last conference ended in failure because the United States insisted that it would not move forward with nuclear disarmament measures, that it would instead strengthen non-proliferation, and this created a backlash from most of the non-nuclear states. To avoid repeating this mistake, the U.S. leadership must cooperate with other nations.
President Obama has adopted a cooperative stance toward the international community, saying he will take the initiative in efforts to realize a nuclear-free world. The effects of this change alone will surely be positive. The problem will lie in how to handle possible opposition from a small number of countries.
A resolution adopted by the Security Council in September 2009 provides a minimum agreement necessary for nuclear disarmament. This resolution is stronger than the agreement made at the 2000 Review Conference. Now that we have this agreement, the 2010 conference will no doubt produce an even stronger pledge than the agreement reached in 2000.
However, France, which wishes to remain a superpower, and Russia, which intends to maintain its nuclear deterrence, may stand in the way.
The adoption of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol, advocated by Mayors for Peace, may not be easy. Still, the protocol is important and significant as a message for nuclear abolition. It is an influential message.
(Originally published on January 1, 2010)
Keywords
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT)
The NPT restricts the nuclear weapon states to the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China and stipulates these three pillars: 1) The obligation of nuclear disarmament on the part of the nuclear weapon states; 2) Nonproliferation efforts by the non-nuclear weapon states; and 3) The peaceful use of nuclear energy. The NPT went into force in 1970 and has about 190 signatory nations. India, Pakistan and Israel have not joined the treaty, and North Korea declared its withdrawal from the NPT. The NPT Review Conference is held once every five years. At the conference, the three pillars of nuclear disarmament, nonproliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear weapons are discussed to verify the execution of the treaty among its member nations.
Major outcomes of the previous three Review Conferences
In 1995: Indefinite extension of the NPT was decided. Review process was reinforced. The Middle East Resolution (including establishing the weapons of mass destruction free zone) was adopted.
In 2000: Final document with 13 articles, including the "unequivocal pledge" to abolish nuclear weapons, was adopted.
In 2005: No substantive agreement was made.
(Originally published on Jan. 1, 2010 )
