Press Release

Obama’s Brandenburg Speech, 19 June 2013

BASIC staff and consultants are available for comment on President Obama’s speech today at the Brandenburg Gate, 2pm London time, in which he is expected to lay out his agenda on strategic nuclear deterrence, disarmament and arms control for the rest of his Presidency.

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.”

Former UK Diplomat To Head Up BASIC Team in Washington

BASIC is pleased to announce that Rebecca Cousins, former British diplomat, will be leading BASIC’s Washington team as Program Director, working with policy-shapers of diverse perspectives to achieve greater consensus on realistic measures that strengthen nuclear non-proliferation and secure moves towards global nuclear disarmament.

Media Release: BASIC Trident Commission Paper on UK-France nuclear cooperation: Yes we can, but…

Deeper nuclear cooperation between the UK and France is possible but constrained by a number of factors, including the close relationship between the UK and US, and could lock the two nuclear futures together and prevent unilateral steps towards disarmament, according to a new expert report by French researcher Dr Bruno Tertrais for the BASIC Trident Commission.

Press Release: NATO declaration on nuclear weapons is missed opportunity: BASIC Executive Director

NATO has missed an opportunity to clear up the divisive issue of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in Europe at its Chicago summit, BASIC Executive Director Paul Ingram said today.


“If the U.S. and its allies aren’t careful, they will find themselves scrambling to control disarmament by default , as the Germans and others take decisions about the future delivery systems of these Cold War relics which they all know serve no military purpose,” said Ingram.

Media Release: Second BASIC Trident Commission Paper outlines the costs for individuals, communities and the economy from the options for Trident Renewal

The BASIC Trident Commission publishes its second discussion paper Wednesday 21 March on the defence industrial aspects of the forthcoming decision on Trident renewal, and in particular the construction of the next generation of SSBN nuclear submarines.

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:

Experts Urge NATO to Reduce Role of Nuclear Weapons and Open the Door for the Removal of U.S. Tactical Warheads

More than two dozen nuclear experts and former senior government officials (including Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Gen. Bernard Norlain of France) are calling on NATO “to declare a more limited role for its nuclear capabilities that would help open the way for overdue changes to its Cold War-era policy of forward-basing U.S. tactical nuclear weapons. This would help facilitate another, post-New START round of reductions, which should involve of all types of Russian and U.S.