The Nuclear World in 2012

This week marks the fifth anniversary of the first Wall Street Journal op-ed from the four former US politicians, often known as the “Gang of Four”, that opened up the recent movement pulling together establishment support for serious moves towards multilateral nuclear disarmament. 

Wilton Park arms control conference

Some of the world’s leading nuclear arms controllers are meeting at the UK Foreign Office conference centre in Wilton Park, Sussex, this week. As the week progresses, there will be discussions on the state of the nuclear non-proliferation system, the initiatives currently in train after the  NPT agreement around an Action Plan in May 2010, and prospects for progress in the current five-year NPT round that culminates in the 2015 Review Conference.

IAEA Board discusses Iran this week – where now?

The IAEA Board meets this week on November 17 and 18 to accept a report from the Secretary General on Iran and to discuss its reactions. Last week witnessed an escalation in the threat of military action against Iran from the most senior Israeli officials, just prior to the IAEA report said to have detailed irrefutable evidence of warhead research within Iran.

This Week: Trident Commission turbines are turning

Tonight the Trident Commission hosts the first of its public events to involve Parliamentarians and others in the brewing debate over this stage in Britain’s nuclear weapons development. It will be holding a Question Time in Parliament on Britain’s nuclear choices, hosted by Anita Anand of the BBC in the chair with Baroness Williams, Julian Lewis MP, David Omand, Prof Mike Clarke and Tim Hare on the panel.

Media Release: First BASIC Trident Commission Paper Points To Worrying Trends in the World’s Nuclear Armed States

The BASIC Trident Commission publishes its first discussion paper Monday 31 October on recent worrying developments in the nuclear force structures of the world’s nuclear armed states. The report argues that “the evidence points to a new era of global nuclear force modernisation and growth”. The paper published with a Foreword from the Commission co-Chairs, is written by Ian Kearns and present evidence that: