Roundtable on Nuclear Non-Proliferation in the Gulf: Istanbul, 25-26 March 2013

BASIC is hosting its second annual meeting on nuclear non-proliferation in the Gulf this coming Monday and Tuesday. There will be a number of experts and officials attending from the region.

BASIC’s Executive Director, Paul Ingram, says: “States around the Gulf face daunting security challenges, and it is crucial they communicate clearly and unambiguously their intention to seek strong international regimes that prevent nuclear proliferation and strengthen regional security. This can only happen through open and honest dialogue.”

Iraq War anniversary and regional non-proliferation

Today marks the tenth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. On 19th March, 2003, U.S., U.K., Australian and Polish forces sent forces into Iraq on the grounds of ridding the country of—and preventing their further development of—weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

Conference on Nuclear Non-Proliferation in the Gulf

BASIC hosted its second conference on Nuclear Non-Proliferation in the Gulf in Istanbul, Turkey on March 25-26, 2013.

Russia in the Middle East

With recent regime changes and ongoing conflicts, the Middle East is a major concern for security threats and proliferation of WMD. The international community is heavily involved in the region, but it seems that Russia's goals in and for the Middle East have been scrutinized by Western powers.

Announcements made on the Helsinki ‘2012 Conference’

The long-awaited announcements on the delay to the Helsinki ‘2012 Conference’ on a nuclear and other WMD free zone in the Middle East came out over the weekend from the co-sponsors.

What will be the fate of the Helsinki Conference?

An announcement is widely expected this week that the intergovernmental conference in Helsinki, on the establishment of a nuclear and WMD-free Zone in the Middle East, will be postponed.

Istanbul Workshop Final Report: Preparing for the Helsinki conference on a Middle East Nuclear and WMD-free zone

This is the final report to come out of a roundtable workshop held by BASIC in Istanbul on October 24-25th, 2012 on preparing for the Helsinki conference on nuclear and WMD-free zone in the Middle East. Participants included Jaakko Laajava, facilitator for the Conference on a nuclear and WMD-free zone in the Middle East, and senior officials and experts from the region and beyond.

Russia’s Iran Game

Russia’s refusal to follow the leadership of the West, and to resist attempts to strengthen multilateral sanctions, has complicated efforts to put stronger pressure on Iran over its nuclear program.