Launch Event
The BASIC Trident Commission was launched in Parliament on February 9. The evening demonstrated the Commission’s promise to be the most important initiative on nuclear weapons policy in 2011.
BASIC has set up an independent, cross-party commission to look into UK nuclear weapons policy and the issue of Trident renewal.
Reflecting on the 2010 NPT Review Conference and future prospects, UK Amb John Duncan, for Multilateral Arms Control & Disarmament, interviews Amb Steffan Konstad, Dir Gen for Security Policy, Paul Ingram, BASIC's exectutive director, and Amb Eric Danon, French delegation leader to the NPT in 2010. The recording was made at Wilton Park in December 2010 and is shown on on the FCO website.
Select John Duncan's first podcast from: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/what-we-do/fco-websites/podcasts/
Since 2011 BASIC has been running an independent, cross-party commission to examine the United Kingdom’s nuclear weapons policy and the issue of Trident renewal. Its final report and background papers were published on 1 July 2014.
“This invitation is to be welcomed. Whilst no big breakthrough in openness in itself, as ambassadors without detailed technical understanding of the facilities will hardly discover any major new information from such a visit, it is a goodwill gesture and does mark a shift in approach towards engagement, and recognition that the international community has a legitimate interest in Iran's nuclear programme.” Paul Ingram, BASIC's executive director was quoted.
BASIC has been engaged with two major developments in nuclear weapons policy: U.S. ratification of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), and the results of NATO’s summit in Lisbon, including the release of its new Strategic Concept. See below for BASIC’s press releases and for more information on these topics, please scroll down to the sections on Commitments to Arms Control and Disarmament, and Missile Defense.
“The ratification of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) is a significant political victory for the global disarmament agenda and efforts to secure the world from nuclear dangers,” said Pa