Page 1926 - Week 06 - Thursday, 5 May 2005
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
which has played a major role in at least restricting the number of countries that have nuclear weapons. I would like to quote from the Medical Association for Prevention of War’s press release:
We welcome the beginning of this important Conference as it offers a one in five year opportunity for concerted international effort towards fulfilling the two key aims of the NPT—both halting any further spread of nuclear weapons and the total elimination of those weapons.
However, MAPW president, Dr Sue Wareham, who is, of course, a Canberra doctor and a well-known and very highly regarded person, has expressed doubts about the possibility of this review conference to be a success in light of the aggressive politics of the United States and the other nuclear weapons states which demonstrate a one-eyed focus on stopping others acquiring those weapons without taking sufficient measures towards eliminating their own. Dr Sue Wareham says:
Australia and all other nations must choose whether we focus at this year’s NPT Review Conference primarily on weapons that don’t yet exist, or … on the 28,000 plus that do exist. Without addressing the latter, non-proliferation is dead. And in the age of terrorism, that’s frightening. The problem is that double standards have become so much a part of the global order that they barely raise an eyebrow.
The MAPW press release points out that, in February 2004, Russian President Putin, who professes strong support from the NPT, affirmed Russia’s commitment to nuclear forces for some decades ahead. In May 2001, US President Bush stated:
We must work together with other like-minded nations to deny weapons of terror from those seeking to acquire them.
In the same speech, however, he stated:
Nuclear weapons still have a vital role to place in our security and that of our allies.
These are the two major nuclear weapons holding states and they are indicating that they intend to hold onto their nuclear weapons. Sue Wareham also says:
No awkward questions are asked of either leader, no need to explain such mind-blowing hypocrisy on the part of these two countries that, between them, maintain 96 per cent of the global nuclear weapons stockpile.
It is barely surprising, therefore, that this year’s NPT review is threatened by increasing frustration on the part of many nations, that the treaty’s promise of nuclear disarmament has not been fulfilled—not surprising, but of grave concern.
The NPT review conference will take place from 2 to 22 May and will involve 189 countries, only five of which have nuclear weapons. The only three nations in the world yet to sign the NPT—India, Pakistan and Israel, all of whom have nuclear weapons—will not participate in this conference.
Finally, on the topic of peace, I would just like to note a much more positive point. The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, better known as WILPF,
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .