In this eNews alert:
- What’s Next for India’s Nuclear Trade Future: Press Briefing on Key Issues before the IAEA, NSG and US Congress
- MPI Chairman Calls on World Leaders to Stop US/India Trade Deal
- PNND Notes, 2008 edition, now available
- Video from the High-Level Conference in India now available: Prime Minister Singh, Vice-President Ansari, GSI President Granoff and MPI Chairman Roche included
- The People Vs. The Bomb: An independent documentary airs on Hiroshima Day
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Ambassador Robert Grey, Jr., Director of the Bipartisan Security Group |
Fresh off the heels of a vote of confidence from parliament, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has renewed a push for nuclear cooperation between the US and India. Late this week, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors will meet to consider an unprecedented safeguards agreement for India. Soon thereafter, the 45 member states of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) will consider an India-specific exemption to allow civil nuclear trade for the first time in 30 years. The NSG has restricted trade with India and other states that have not signed the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Before the end of the year, the US Congress may consider a bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement between the US and India. As these events unfold, a number of experts are raising alarms about the implications of this agreement on global stability.
WHAT: Press briefing to address key issues before the international community on the controversial proposal and outline key conditions and restrictions that would reduce the adverse impacts on nonproliferation.
Panelists include:
- Ambassador Robert T. Grey, Jr., Director, Bipartisan Security Group, former U.S. Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament
- Sharon Squassoni, Senior Associate, Nonproliferation Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Daryl G. Kimball, Executive Director, Arms Control Association
WHEN: Wednesday, July 30, 2008, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: National Press Club
Murrow Room, 13th Floor
529 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20045
RSVP: Kevin Davis, BSG Program Associate
p.202.543.9017
f.202.543.0799
kdavis@gsinstitute.org
For more information, see The Campaign for Responsible Nuclear Trade
2. MPI Chairman’s Statement
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Hon. Douglas Roche, O.C. |
The proposed U.S.-India nuclear trade deal would critically undermine the Non-Proliferation Treaty and must be stopped, former Canadian Senator Douglas Roche, Chairman of the Middle Powers Initiative, said on Wednesday, July 23.
“MPI calls once again on all relevant governments and international authorities to use their authority to stop the agreement from being reached,” Senator Roche said…
… MPI maintains that the United States and India must show absolute commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation before this agreement can be completed without damaging the NPT. The US and India must sign and ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and a verifiable Fissile Materials Cut-off Treaty. In addition, India must make a formal declaration accepting the NPT obligation of good-faith negotiation for the elimination of nuclear weapons.
» Read the whole statement
» Read “Canadian leader asks to stop Indo-US Nuke deal“, article in MyNews.In
3. PNND Notes, 2008 edition, now available
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The 2008 editiong of PNND Notes, the publication of the global network of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, is now available in English, Spanish and German.
Contents include:
– “Preventing Nuclear Genocide,” feature article by Senator Romeo Dallaire, PNND Special Representative and former Commander of UN forces in Rwanda.
– Reports on Nuclear Weapon-Free Zones by MPs in New Zealand, Tanzania, Israel, Canada, and South Korea
– European MPs’ reports on NATO, the European Parliament and the movement to remove tactical nuclear weapons from Europe
– Useful information for MPs on conventional weapons, including small arms and cluster munitions
– Update from the US Congress
– News from the PNND network, new Presidents, new members and more.
To receive a hard copy of PNND Notes, contact us, or download it for free online.
For more information, contact Alyn Ware, Global Coordinator.
Tel: +64 4 496 9629
Fax: +64 4 496-9599
4. Video from the High-Level Conference in India now available: Prime Minister Singh, Vice-President Ansari, MPI Chairman Roche and GSI President Granoff
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Jonathan Granoff, President, GSI; Hon. Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Vice President of India: Hon Douglas Roche, O.C., Chairman, MPI; Air Cmde Jasjit Singh, Director, CSIS |
The presentations delivered at the recent, high-level conference in New Delhi are now available online, including those delivered by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, GSI President Jonathan Granoff, MPI Chairman Douglas Roche, O.C. and UN High Representative Sergio Duarte.
All of the featured speakers listed here promoted a world free of nuclear weapons. Prime Minister Singh’s urging for a global regime to eliminate nuclear weapons received widespread coverage in the media.
» VIDEO: Prime Minister Singh’s presentation
» VIDEO: High Rep. Duarte’s presentation
» VIDEO: Vice President Ansari’s presentation
» VIDEO: Senator Roche’s presentation
» VIDEO: Mr. Granoff’s presentation
As Senator Roche told the conference, “Clearly there is renewed desire in India to once more strike a stance to rid the world of nuclear Armageddon. It is not too much to say that India today is at a crossroads and holds the global future of nuclear weapons in its hands…The world will welcome India actively working with like-minded states for the advancement of human civilization by the abolition of nuclear weapons.”
Mr. Granoff’s suggestion that “India convene at the earliest possible time a Nuclear Weapons Convention Preparatory Conference to examine the conditions to obtain a nuclear weapons convention and forge a path to its achievement,” was received with much enthusiasm, particularly from Mani Shaker Aiyar, member of the coaltion government’s cabinet and member of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament.
» Read the full transcript of Mr. Granoff’s remarks, Beyond Deterrence
» Read the full transcript of Hon. Douglas Roche’s remarks
» Read the full transcript of High Representative Duarte’s remarks
» Read the full transcript of Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, PNND Member
» View the conference agenda and speakers
» Browse media articles relating to GSI and MPI’s participation in the conference
5. The People Vs. The Bomb
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“The People vs. The Bomb,” an independent look at the global movement to abolish nuclear weapons, has just been updated to include nuclear weapons policy statements by US Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain. The new trailer also highlights the work of the Global Security Institute, in particular its events at the United Nations with President Mikhail Gorbachev, Ted Turner and, most recently, Christie Brinkley.
The one-hour program will screen three times– 7 AM, 1 PM and 11 PM– on CUNY TV on August 6th, as a Hiroshima Day special.
» Watch the seven minute trailer
