Nuclear Disarmament

Countdown: Noch drei Monate bis zur Überprüfung des nuklearen Nichtverbreitungsregimes

Marc Saxer und Marius Müller-Hennig

Die Überprüfungskonferenz zum nuklearen Nichtverbreitungsvertrag (NPT) im Mai 2010 in New York muss erfolgreich sein, um die nukleare Proliferationsspirale abzumildern. In allen Atomwaffenstaaten bestehen starke Beharrungskräfte. Befürworter nuklearer Abrüstung sollten durch gezielte Einflussnahme, öffentliche Unterstützung für die Vision einer „atomwaffenfreien Welt“ und durch Ausarbeitung konkreter Vorgehensweisen versuchen, das politische Momentum in der Abrüstungspolitik zu erhalten.

FES Perspektive, FES Berlin, February 2010

FES Perspektive

Countdown: Noch 12 Monate bis zur Überprüfung des nuklearen Nichtverbreitungsregimes

Marc Saxer

Zwölf Monate vor der kritischen Überprüfung des nuklearen Nichtverbreitungsvertrages identifiziert Marc Saxer vier Felder, auf denen sichtbare Fortschritte erzielt werden sollten, um trotz zu befürchteter Rückschläge eine konstruktive politische Atmosphäre zu erzeugen. Europa kann die mutigen Initiativen Präsident Obamas flankieren, indem es die wiederaufgenommenen Verhandlungen über den FMCT unterstützt, auf eine Abwertung der Rolle von Atomwaffen in der NATO Strategie drängt, die US Senatoren von der Ratifizierung des Teststoppvertrages überzeugt und bei der Schaffung einer nuklearen Brennstoffbank neue Barrieren für die Nutzung ziviler Atomenergie verhindert.

DoG Standpunkt, FES Berlin, May 2009

FES Standpunkt

New Momentum for Nuclear Disarmament?

Marc Saxer

In London, Presidents Obama and Medvedev agreed in London to reopen bilateral negotiations over nuclear warheads and stockpiles and in Prague, President Obama reiterated his commitment to a nuclear weapon free world. Against this background, policy makers and experts from Brazil, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States met on April 22 in Berlin to explore if and how these and other international stakeholders would be willing to join these initiatives to create new momentum for nuclear disarmament.

DoG Conference Report, FES Berlin, May 2009

FES Conference report

Interviews with Ambassador Thomas Graham and Professor Rajesh Rajagopalan on Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

recorded April 22, 2009 on the occasion of the conference "New Momentum for Nuclear Disarmament?" at FES headquarters in Berlin.
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Conference Program

In London, Presidents Obama and Medvedev agreed to reopen bilateral negotiations over nuclear warheads and stockpiles. In Prague, President Obama reiterated his commitment to a nuclear weapon free world, and announced a set of initiatives to lay the ground for the 2010 NPT Review. In the course of the Berlin conference "New Momentum for Nuclear Disarmament?" Marc Saxer had the opportunity to interview former U.S. Special Representative for Arms Control, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Ambassador Thomas Graham and Disarmament and Non-Proliferation expert Professor Rajesh Rajagopalan from JNU in New Delhi, India on the chances for success of this new initiative.

Interview with Thomas Graham (18min)

Interview with Rajesh Rajagopalan (16min)

Nuclear Non-Proliferation: An Indian Perspective

Rajesh Rajagopalan

Rajagopalan analyses the strategic calculus of Indian nuclear policy, concluding that the US Indian nuclear deal is unlikely to have major impact on India’s nuclear weapons program. He concludes that though the current crisis in the nuclear non-proliferation regime can affect India also, New Delhi has only limited means to tackle the problem. According to Rajagopalan, the key requirement to deal with the crisis in the non-proliferation regime is consensus among the major powers. Without such a consensus, institutional tinkering will be useless and the current nuclear non-proliferation challenges cannot be met.

Briefing Paper 10-2008, FES New Delhi, October 2008

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Can the NPT Regime be fixed or should it be abandoned?

Ramesh Thakur, Jane Boulden and Thomas G. Weiss

Nuclear issues are back on the global political agenda. Apart from the day-to-day fire fighting, a more wide-ranging debate on how to tackle nuclear challenges has emerged. With this paper by Professors Ramesh Thakur, Jane Boulden and Thomas G. Weiss, FES wishes to contribute to this debate. The authors conclude provocatively that the NPT has passed its use-by date in world politics, creating a situation of nuclear apartheid which confronts the world with a highly precarious and unsustainable balance. They anticipate a post-NPT world of either multiplying nuclear weapons states (NWS) or one without nuclear weapons, and explore a potential role of the United Nations in underpinning, shaping, and transforming nuclear orders.

Occasional Paper 40, FES New York, October 2008

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A Pakistani perspective on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation

A. H. Nayyar

Nayyar gives an overview of Pakistani measures to strengthen nuclear non-proliferation after the discovery of the A.Q. Khan network. He analyses the strategic framework of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program in relation to India. Nayyar argues that the Pakistani fear of India's conventional superiority informs Islamabad's attitude towards global and regional disarmament and non proliferation initiatives as well as the US- Indian 'nuclear deal'. It is against this strategic risk analysis that the numerous Pakistani disarmament initiatives should be evaluated.

Briefing Paper 9-2008, FES Islamabad, August 2008

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Nuclear Non-Proliferation from a Chinese Perspective

Xia Liping

Liping argues from a Chinese perspective for a continued role of the NPT as the main nuclear non proliferation mechanism, but also identifies its main shortfalls and conflicts of interest between major stakeholders. Liping proposes concrete measures to reform the non proliferation regime. He suggests that if the U.S. and Russia would reduce their nuclear warheads to 1,000 respectively, China and other nuclear-weapons states should join the process of nuclear disarmament. According to Liping, China supports the establishment of an internationalized multilaterally controlled nuclear fuel cycle and Beijing would not oppose the revision of Article X of the NPT Treaty. If the U.S. Senate ratifies the CTBT, he suggests the Chinese People’s Congress would ratify it soon.

Briefing Paper 8-2008, FES Shanghai, August 2008

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Nuclear Weapons in NATO's New Strategic Concenpt -
A Chance to take Non-Proliferation Treaties Seriously

Christos Katsioulis & Christoph Pilger

There is a crisis in the international regime on the non-proliferation of
nuclear weapons. The NPT as the center piece of non-proliferation is in
danger and the further spread of nuclear weapons is a realistic threat. NATO has a responsibility to secure and strengthen the NPT as it provides the best means to stop proliferation. The new strategic concept, to be outlined in 2009/2010 is a chance to redefine nuclear sharing and the role of nuclear weapons in the alliance’s strategy. NATO can make substantial contributions towards a strengthened nonproliferation regime.

International Policy Analysis Paper, FES Berlin, May 2008

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The Undiminished Relevance of Disarmament and Arms Control:
Ten Theses

Rolf Mtzenich

International Policy Analysis Paper, FES Berlin, May 2008

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Nuclear Non-Proliferation from a Gulf Perspective

Nicole Stracke

Many observes see the nuclear non-proliferation regime at the verge of collapse. In the run up to the NPT review conference in 2010, FES wants to contribute to a better understanding of the perspectives of key players. Nicole Stracke analysis of the Gulf perspective is the first of a series of Briefing Papers. Stracke analyses the stragegic frame in which nuclear policies of the Gulf states are situated, and presents the GCC Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone initiative. She concludes that the nature of nuclear programs in the region could shift from civilian to military if the non-proliferation regime suffers a setback as a result of one regional state’s success in acquiring nuclear military capability.

Briefing Paper 3-2008, FES Yemen, April 2008

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