Australia and Japan launch N-commission

[Neo]

Australia and Japan launch N-commission ​

* The 15-member panel will work for nuclear non-proliferation​

NEW YORK: The leaders of Australia and Japan on Thursday launched a commission to press for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament ahead of review of a key international atomic treaty.

The International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament was unveiled by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and new Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The 15-member panel is led by former Australian and Japanese foreign ministers Gareth Evans and Yoriko Kawaguchi respectively, and comprises former heads of state, ministers, military strategists and disarmament experts.

It will seek to shape a global consensus in the lead up to the 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference and beyond, Rudd said. While being the most significant and successful arms control instrument of the nuclear age and the cornerstone of global disarmament efforts, the NPT “is facing increased pressure and strain from the actions of countries such as North Korea and Iran,” he said. Iran has been accused of carrying out an illegal nuclear program while North Korea has defiantly moved to restart its illicit nuclear activities after freezing them. “As the only country that experienced the bombing of a nuclear weapon, Japan has always undertaken a realistic and concrete approach towards realizing a nuclear weapons free world,” said Aso, who assumed the premiership this week.

He urged the commission to hold “active” discussions and prepare “meaningful” recommendations for a more effective non-proliferation and disarmament regime. The implications of a likely “nuclear renaissance” due to climate change and energy security concerns will be a focus of the commission, including the need for renewed attention to nuclear safeguards, safety and security, it said in a statement.

The first meeting of the commission, hosted by the Australian Government, will be held in Sydney from October 19 to 21. Among those in the commission are former Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo, former US defense secretary William Perry, ex-Indonesian foreign minister Ali Alatas, China’s ex-UN envoy Wang Yingfan. afp

 

[IceCold]

Certianly every one would like to mention Iran and North Korea and then Pakistan but what about the efforts taken by the US to undermine the NPT specially in case of India. No one seems to be bothered about it or perhaps raise a voice of concern over it. This is all rubbish any country that thinks it needs nuclear energy militarily or energy wise, has the right to develop it, if not then the world powers should step up and disarm first making an example. Others will soon follow the league but untill then this moral high horse should be laid to rest.

 

[Goodperson]

The topic post nowhere mentions India.

 

[Neo]

India, Pakistan Invited to NPT Meeting in Australia ​

September 27, 2008
PTI news agency, New Delhi

Melbourne, 26 September: For the first time, representatives from India and Pakistan have been invited to the meeting of the of the newly-constituted International Nuclear Disarmament Commission, which is working towards rectifying the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to make it more acceptable.

Former National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra and former Pakistan army chief Jehangir Karamat would be attending the 15 member International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament which is being held in Sydney from 19-21 October. The meeting to shape a global consensus on improving the 28 year old NPT, before it is reviewed in 2010, the government said here. India and Pakistan are not signatories to the NPT, but have been invited.

The 13 of the 15 members of the commission were revealed Friday who include former US defence secretary William Perry and former Indonesian foreign minister Ali Alatas. "The task is to develop the political and policy consensus necessary during the period ahead to make the NPT review conference, due in 2010, a success and, more broadly, to advance the nuclear disarmament agenda," Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said. Australia's former foreign minister Gareth Evans who will Co-Chair the event said that all nuclear powers including those who have refused to join NPT such as India, Pakistan, North-Korea and Israel must be included in the new process if the world is to ever achieve disarmament.

Evans said he hoped the commission would be able to re-energise the nuclear debate after a bleak period for those advancing a disarmament view. "The last 10 years have been fairly desolate ones for the disarmament and non-proliferation agenda," he said adding "I think we are seeing signs of a new momentum developing ... What this commission can do is energise a new debate at a high political level, which is what's really been missing." Some of the issues the commission will examine include the emergence of India and Pakistan as nuclear-armed states outside the NPT, as well as Iran's development of proliferation sensitive nuclear activities, which was occurring while it was a member of the treaty. Commissioners from five nuclear powers, the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France will attend, as well as Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Germany, Norway, South Africa and Mexico, the statement said.

A nuclear proliferation expert from the Australia said the inclusion of India and Pakistan was important since neither country
had been directly involved in such negotiations since the treaty came into force in 1970.

The 190-nation non-proliferation treaty, which is reviewed every five years, was established to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and promote the goal of nuclear disarmament.