Peace – the way and our goal
We believe that effectively addressing threats posed by nuclear weapons can only be achieved by integrating national and international security interests. We are thus pleased to share recent reports, briefs and announcements of upcoming events that advance global security.
Middle Powers Initiative (MPI) Briefs and Reports
MPI Releases its paper for the 2007 Preparatory Committee of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
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Since the 2000 Review Conference, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) has suffered a long winter of discontent. It is time for a springtime of hope. That hope must be based on realistic political prospects for progress. This paper, based on four meetings of the Article VI Forum, specifies areas where progress can be made on a consensus basis. Leadership by middle power states is essential in forging the consensus. The threat-reducing, security-enhancing aspects of that consensus should be compelling to security policy planners in nuclear weapon states.
MPI Convenes Fourth Meeting of the Article VI Forum, Vienna
The Middle Powers Initiative held the fourth consultation of the Article VI Forum in Vienna, March 29-30, 2007.
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» Read full report, “The Article VI Forum: Forging a New Consensus for the NPT”
» Executive Summary only
» Briefing Paper
» Opening remarks by Hon. Douglas Roche, O.C., Chairman of the MPI
» Remarks by Jayantha Dhanapala, former Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament
» Remarks by Amb. Choi, Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Korea
» Remarks by Dr. John Burroughs, LCNP
» Remarks by Merav Datan, Greenpeace
» Remarks by Dr. Emily Landau, INSS
» Remarks by Adrian McDaid, Foreign Ministry of Ireland
» Remarks by Caroline McDonald, Foreign Ministry of New Zealand
» Conference Program
Events at the Gathering of the States Parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in Vienna, Austria
May 1 -10: Consultations with States Parties to the NPT
GSI President Jonathan Granoff, MPI Chair Douglas Roche, MPI Director James Wurst, BSG Director Ambassador Robert Grey, Jr. PNND Global Coordinator Alyn Ware and GSI Program Officer Rhianna Tyson, will be meeting with states delegates to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to promote the priorities outlined in “Towards 2010: Priorities for NPT Consensus” and cooperative security in space.
May 1: The Revised Model Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC): A Tool for Nuclear Disarmament
Alyn Ware, PNND Global Coordinator, will be chairing a panel discussion at the Austria Center Vienna in Vienna, Austria from 3:00 – 5:30 p.m.
In this panel, a group of experts will outline the Model NWC, summarize the revisions and discuss how it can assist deliberations and negotiations for nuclear disarmament.
» Parliamentary Network for Nuclear Disarmament
» Model UN Weapons Convention
May 2: Towards 2010: Priorities for NPT Consensus
Hon. Douglas Roche, O.C., MPI Chairman, will chair a panel at the Austria Center Vienna from 1:15-2:45 p.m. At this meeting, MPI’s comprehensive brief on the future of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Towards 2010: Priorities for NPT Consensus, will be discussed.
This paper, based on four meetings of the Article VI Forum, specifies areas where progress can be made on a consensus basis. Leadership by middle power states is essential in forging the consensus. The threat-reducing, security-enhancing aspects of that consensus should be compelling to security policy planners in nuclear weapon states.
Participants will include:
H.E. Sergio Duarte, Representative of Brazil to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Dr. John Burroughs, Lawyers’ Committee on Nuclear Policy and author of “Towards 2010: Priorities for NPT Consensus”
May 3: Private Reception for MPI hosted by the Canadian Mission in Vienna
A private reception for MPI will be hosted by the Canadian Mission where the brief Towards 2010: Priorities for NPT Consensus will be presented to the delegates of 70 countries.
May 7: Future of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)
Ambassador Robert Grey, Jr., Director of the Bipartisan Security Group, will be speaking at an event sponsored by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research in Vienna on the future of the CTBT.
» United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)
» Bipartisan Security Group
May 9: Weapons in Space and the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Regime
GSI President Jonathan Granoff will chair a panel discussion hosted by the Swedish Mission in Vienna and co-sponsored by the Secure World Foundation on the role of space weaponization on the non-proliferation and disarmament regime for members of the diplomatic and non-governmental communities in Plenary Room A, of the Austria Center Vienna from 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Participants include:
Dr. Hans Blix, Chairman, Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission
Dr. Patricia Lewis, Director, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)
Ambassador Robert Grey, Jr. Co-Chair, The Bipartisan Security Group
Ambassador Henrik Salander, Secretary-General, Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission
Events in Washington, DC
May 3: Nuclear Weapons, Resolving Iran, and Reviewing Iraq
Hosted by the Bipartisan Taskforce on Nonproliferation of the US House of Representatives with Co-Chairs Hon. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Christopher Shays (R-CT).
Dr. Hans Blix, Chairman of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission, Ambassador Thomas Graham Jr, Chairman of the Bipartisan Security Group, and Jonathan Granoff President of the Global Security Institute will meet with senior members of the United States Senate, followed by a presentation sponsored by the House of Representatives’ Bipartisan Task Force on Non-Proliferation.
May 4: Addressing the Critical Challenges to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime
Dr. Hans Blix, Ambassador Thomas Graham, Jr. and Jonathan Granoff will be speaking to a group of Senate staff members on the critical challenges to the NPT.
Special Showcase Presentation of the International Law Section of the American Bar Association with Dr. Hans Blix and Ambassador Thomas Graham, Jr.
Dr. Hans Blix and Ambassador Thomas Graham, Jr. will be speaking before the Spring Meeting of the ABA’s International Law Section in a showcase presentation moderated by Jonathan Granoff from 4:30-6:00 p.m.
Mr. Granoff and Ambassador Graham are Co-Chairs of the American Bar Association’s Blue Ribbon Taskforce on Nonproliferation.
For more information on the ABA Spring Meeting, click here.
GSI Mourns the Loss of Mayor Itoh
GSI, MPI, PNND and BSG mourn the tragic death of Mayor Iccho Itoh of Nagasaki, a strong advocate for nuclear disarmament and abolition and a member of the Mayors for Peace Campaign on April 17, 2007.
MPI Chairman Hon. Douglas Roche, O.C. published a letter mourning this tragic loss.
Program Officer Rhianna Tyson wrote about her high regard for Mayor Itoh in the condolence book at the Japanese Mission to the United Nations, as reported in the Japan Times.
Global Impact Forum
Jonathan Granoff hosted the inaugural planning session of the Global Impact Forum at the Global Security Institute office in New York in partnership with Humanitad, an international non-governmental, non-profit, self-funding organization committed to the promotion of inter-faith and inter-cultural tolerance and fellowship between all nations and faiths.
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Pictured (from left): President Janez Drnovšek, Pir Granoff, Jonathan Granoff, Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, Dr. Deepak Chopra |
Members of the inaugural planning sessions included President Janez Drnovšek of Slovenia, Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, Sacha Stone, Founder of Humanitad, Rt. Rev. Riah Hanna Abu El-Assal, the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem and others.
» Information about the Global Impact Forum
» Click here for more photos of the planning meeting
Senator Romeo Dallaire Calls on Canada to Take Lead at PrepCom
On March 29, 2007 the Canadian Senate adopted a motion by Romeo Dallaire, Canadian Senator and the former Force Commander of UNAMIR, the United Nations peacekeeping force for Rwanda, calling on the Canadian government “to take a leading role in the reinvigoration of the urgent matter of nuclear disarmament in accordance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at the Preparatory Committee Meetings scheduled to convene April 30 to May 11, 2007 in Vienna which act as a prelude to the next Treaty Review Conference in 2010” and urged the Government of Canada to “take a global leadership role in the campaign of eradicating the dire threat to humanity posed by nuclear weapons.”
In his speech before the Senate, Senator Dallaire, a humanitarian, author and retired general highlighted the contribution of MPI Chairman Douglas Roche, stating “On behalf of all Canadians, I salute Senator Roche and his colleagues for their ongoing work and for making us aware of the fact that we are living with that threat not only to our security but also to our fundamental ability to live on this planet, for the planet itself is at risk.”
He praised the work of the Middle Powers Initiative as a “key group” of middle power countries, of which Canada is a member.
» Read Senator Dallaire’s Speech
