Non-Governmental Organisations support the IAEA

BASIC and other Non-Governmental Organisations have written to Dr ElBaradei, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to support his call for a new global security framework to control nuclear weapons and promote disarmament. To add your organisation's name, please contact Nigel Chamberlain, nchamberlain@basicint.org. You can view Dr ElBaradei's response below.

Open Letter to Dr ElBaradei

Dr M. ElBaradei
Director-General
International Atomic Energy Agency
Wagramerstrasse 5
A-1400 Vienna, Austria

23 December 2003

'Open Letter'

Dear Dr ElBaradei,

We note and share your concerns that a new global security framework is needed to control nuclear weapons and promote disarmament. Existing nuclear arms control, reduction and elimination measures have failed to prevent the horizontal and vertical proliferation of nuclear weapons, nor could they without the goodwill and honest endeavour of the 'declared', 'de-facto' and 'aspirant' nuclear weapon states.

The 'declared' nuclear weapon states under the Non-Proliferation Treaty persist in claiming that their arsenals are 'legitimate' and that they have the 'right' to upgrade or replace existing nuclear weapons with newer, modified versions. Justifying the retention of nuclear weapons as the ultimate security guarantor is both arrogant and instructive to those states seeking to acquire their own 'deterrents'.

However, the 'de-facto' and 'aspirant' nuclear weapon states, by their actions and statements, have also made a substantial contribution to the erosion of international efforts to curb proliferation and promote an understanding that the possession and threatened use of nuclear weapons is dangerous, counterproductive, hugely wasteful of resources and scientific endeavour and an impediment to rational thought. Ultimately, we are made less, not more secure by the existence of nuclear weapons.

In addition to commending and actively supporting the five components you set out for a new global nuclear compact to strengthen the NPT - (1) better multilateral controls over the sensitive parts of the fuel cycle; (2) deployment of proliferant-resistant energy systems (and conversion of existing high-enriched facilities to low-enriched facilities); (3) new multilateral approaches to the management and disposal of spent fuel and radioactive materials; (4) implementation of a Fissile Material (Cut-Off) Treaty; and (5) a concrete programme for nuclear disarmament, complete with a timetable - we would advocate two additional measures.

First, a new United Nations Security Council Resolution should be sought to tighten the diplomatic pressure on countries that violate non-proliferation agreements. This might include establishing the right of designated UN member states to search ships, aircraft and land vehicles originating from countries found to be in violation.

Second, more money and resources need to be provided to accelerate implementation of Cooperative Threat Reduction programmes to end the dangers of 'loose nukes' in the former Soviet Union and around the world.

We call on the political leaders around the world to support you in these endeavours and commit ourselves to working for a productive outcome to the 2005 NPT Review Conference in New York.

Yours sincerely

Dr Ian Davis
Director BASIC

Supporting signatories to date:

George Farebrother, Secretary World Court Project UK
Barbara Forbes, Chair West Midlands Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Catriona Gourlay Executive Director International Security Information Service, Europe
Kate Dewes & Commander Robert D Green, Royal Navy (Retired), Coordinators, Disarmament & Security Centre, Christchurch, Aotearoa/New Zealand
Robert Hinde, Chairman of the British Pugwash Group
Dr Douglas Holdstock, Hon. Secretary, Medact (UK affiliate of IPPNW)
Neil Kingsnorth, Regional Development Worker, Yorkshire Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
David Krieger, President, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
Di McDonald, Nuclear Information Service (NIS)
Lindis Percy and Anni Rainbow, Joint Co-ordinators Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases (CAAB)
Joelien Pretorius, National Coordinator, Student Pugwash UK
John Sloboda, Executive Director, Oxford Research Group
Dave Webb, Convenor, Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space

Reply from Dr ElBaradei

International Atomic Energy Agency

Dr Ian Davis
Director
British American Security Information Council
The Grayston Centre
28 Charles Square
London N1 6HT
United Kingdom

14 January 2004

Dear Dr. Davis and supporting signatories

I am writing to thank you for the supportive initiative represented by your open letter to me of 23 December. As you will be aware, I am strongly committed to the involvement of Non-Governmental Organizations as essential stakeholders in the nuclear non-proliferation system and in the development of nuclear policy more generally.

I welcome in particular your call for implementation of the NPT undertakings of all the treaty's States Parties, to preserve and strengthen the global non-proliferation norm. I am also grateful for your endorsement of IAEA and associated programmes such as those for innovative and proliferation-resistant energy options, the conversion of nuclear facilities away from high-enriched uranium, and controlling fissile material.

A major undertaking of recent months has been the effort to identify ways to limit or oversee national programmes for proliferation-sensitive stages of the front and back ends of the nuclear fuel cycle. I very much hope that NGOs will be aprt of this renewed consideration of international approaches to the technologies in question.

Yours sincerely

Mohamed ElBaradei