Nonproliferation Panel Gives Up Nuke Cut Target

HIROSHIMA, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- An international nuclear nonproliferation panel currently meeting in Hiroshima gave up Monday on making recommendations to reduce the number of nuclear warheads in the world from more than 20,000 at present to less than 1,000 by 2025, Japan's Kyodo news reported quoting sources close to the panel as saying.

The sources did not elaborate on the concrete figure to be stated but said the targeted figure appeared to have been raised from the previous one because of opposition from some nuclear armed states.

The International Commission on Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament is expected to make final adjustments to reduction target figures for each nuclear power in Tuesday's session.

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=448135

Joint Statement by Commission Co-Chairs Gareth Evans and Yoriko Kawaguchi on the Conclusion of the Meeting of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament

Tokyo and Hiroshima, Japan 16-20 October 2009

http://www.icnnd.org/releases/091020_js_evans_kawaguchi.html

Seeking nuclear protection from another state is deceptive

Australia and Japan make themselves targets by relying on a US shield.

IN JAPAN, the Democratic Party of Yukio Hatoyama has just swept to power with the same readiness for change and hope for a new kind of politics that saw Barack Obama become US president.

A new generation of Japanese leaders now has an unprecedented opportunity to join Obama and other leaders in the pursuit of a vital goal overwhelmingly supported by people the world over: ridding our planet of nuclear weapons.

It is a goal that Australia has also stated its support for. The International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, established by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, is co-chaired by the former Australian and Japanese foreign ministers Gareth Evans and Yoriko Kawaguchi. However, pressure from the Japanese Government is compromising the commission's ability to advocate boldly and independently.

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/seeking-nuclear-protection-from-another-state-is-deceptive-20090917-ftmz.html

International commission weighs no-first use of nukes

Discussions by an international commission that started Sunday are expected to focus on the need to call on nations to pledge not to use nuclear weapons except in retaliation against a nuclear attack.

The three-day closed-door session that began in Hiroshima will be the last meeting of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND).

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200910190053.html

In Surprise, Obama Wins Nobel for Diplomacy

By WALTER GIBBS and ALAN COWELL

Published: October 9, 2009

OSLO — In a stunning surprise, the Nobel Committee announced Friday that it had awarded its annual peace prize to President Obama “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples” less than nine months after he took office.

“He has created a new international climate,” the committee said in its announcement. With American forces deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, President Obama’s name had not figured in speculation about the winner until minutes before the prize was announced here.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/world/10nobel.html?_r=1&hp

Obama's Foreign Policy

Transcripts of Major Addresses

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/foreignpolicy/obamatranscripts.html?sid=ST2009100901112

ICNND urges international community to work for disarmament

New Delhi, Oct 4 (ANI): The Co-Chairman of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND) Gereth Evans on Sunday urged the global partners to work in order to make the world a safer place to live by disarming nuclear weapons.

Evans said this while addressing the media after the two-day regional summit of ICNND, which was convened with the support and assistance of the Delhi Policy Group (DPG) in the national capital. The summit looked forward to a successful review of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in May 2010.

“It is the responsibility of the every country in every region of the world to contribute in making world a safer place to live,” Evans said.

http://trak.in/news/icnnd-urges-international-community-to-work-for-disarmament/10530/

A message from Queen Noor

What an exciting week! Last Thursday, the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. Her Majesty Queen Noor was at the meeting representing Global Zero and the millions around the world who believe that when it comes to nuclear weapons, one is one too many.

I had a chance to talk to Queen Noor as she left the special meeting. Her excitement was contagious. She told me we had to seize this historic moment while we have the momentum and get people around the world to join the movement for global zero. I captured the moment in a video message for you! To watch Queen Noor's video and invite your friends to join you in supporting Global Zero, click on the link below:

http://www.globalzero.org/en/qn-taf

Getting to zero will be a long process, but Presidents Obama and Medvedev have made it clear that they are really committed to it, and other leaders are joining their effort. To make sure these commitments turn into action, we must build an unprecedented global movement, and keep reminding our leaders, at every chance we get, that we expect them to stay strong and keep working towards a world free of nuclear weapons.

The Security Council's resolution means that leaders recognize that whatever stability nuclear arsenals may have provided during the Cold War is now outweighed by the growing risks of proliferation and nuclear terrorism, and the only way to eliminate the nuclear threat is to eliminate all nuclear weapons.

Those 15 votes cast yesterday could mean the beginning of the end of nuclear weapons. The movement we're building will be a strong base of support for the courageous leaders who take the bold actions needed to turn the vision of global zero into a reality. We cannot do it without you, so please invite everyone you know to join us.

http://www.globalzero.org/en/qn-taf

Thanks a lot!

Galit Gun
Global Zero Campaign Director

Security Council Adopts Nuclear Arms Measure

PITTSBURGH — President Obama moved Thursday to tighten the noose around Iran, North Korea and other nations that have exploited gaping loopholes in the patchwork of global nuclear regulations. He pushed through a new United Nations Security Council resolution that would, if enforced, make it more difficult to turn peaceful nuclear programs into weapons projects.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/world/25prexy.html?scp=5&sq=NPT,UN%20security%20council&st=cse

Video

Report on Security Council

Neal MacFarquhar, the United Nations bureau chief for The New York Times, talks about Thursday's special Security Council session on nuclear arms presided over by President Obama.