On March 25th BASIC hosted a conference in collaboration with Cairo University and the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, in order to stimulate discussion about Egypt’s role and strategy in the regional and global non-proliferation regime over the next crucial period leading up to the 2015 NPT Review Conference and beyond, in the interests of effective impact on the disarmament debate.
Non-Proliferation and Disarmament in the Middle East
Building Capacity for a WMD-Free Middle East*
WMD-free zones have already been successfully established elsewhere in the world, including in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the South Pacific and South East Asia. Rich expertise exists from the establishment of those zones, both on navigating political blockages and on developing the necessary technical capacity to deliver an agreement, which could provide valuable lessons for the Middle East. This article reviews the potential utility of focusing on the technical capacity that would be needed to support a WMD-Free Zone in the Middle East.
The OPCW and Syria: learning the lessons of verification
Verification remains a key challenge on the road to nuclear disarmament and the continued non-proliferation of WMD. It is complex, politically and technically, and ultimately can only be sustainable in the long run if it is freely entered into, non-discriminatory, universally applicable and credible. Does the OPCW hold lessons for confidence in multilateral nuclear disarmament?
Belief in the WMD Free Zone: Designing the corridor to Helsinki and beyond
This briefing is related to a unique process conducted in Israel in November 2013, involving International and Israeli civil society, think tanks and government representatives, under a joint project by BASIC, IKV Pax Christi, and the Israeli Disarmament Movement.
Belief in the WMD Free Zone: Designing the corridor to Helsinki and beyond
This briefing, done under a joint project with BASIC, IKV Pax Christi, and the Israeli Disarmament Movement, is the result of a unique process conducted in Israel in November 2013 which involved International and Israeli civil society, think tanks and government representatives.
Is Rouhani the real deal?
Negotiating parties in the E3+3 process meet again this Wednesday in Geneva to hammer out an initial agreement on specific limits to Iran’s nuclear program in return for limited sanctions relief. The last time the parties met just over a week ago hopes were high, but an early deal was blocked by France.
Syria: lessons for the nuclear debate
The threat of military intervention in Syria in response to alleged chemical weapons use by Bashar Al-Assad’s government was put on hold this past week as U.S. and Russian Foreign Ministers, John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov, negotiated a deal that would see Syria sign up to the U.N. Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and hand their chemical weapons stockpile over to the international community. As we edge towards a decision, it may be valuable to reflect on the core arguments that have been driving the debate.
Egypt & the future of the Middle East WMDFZ
What happens when the regional leader in WMD Free Zone talks suddenly undergoes a volatile regime change?
For years, Egypt, driven by a desire to avoid the insecurity and perceived imbalances that would stem from nuclear weapons proliferation, has been a strong advocate for a weapons of mass destruction free zone (WMDFZ) in the Middle East.