MAY – JUNE 2011

Nuclear diplomacy in London and Paris

Whilst the momentum in intergovernmental negotiations on nuclear disarmament has not been maintained into 2011, the pace of non-governmental activity continues, with a flurry of meetings over the summer. The BASIC Trident Commission met with George Shultz and others from NTI prior to the top level NTI-ELN-Hoover seminar on deterrence in Lancaster House the following day (May 20). Discussion ranged around the tensions of showing movement on disarmament whilst maintaining for now a robust nuclear deterrent.

An agenda for the P5 meeting in Paris: BASIC report

The world’s officially recognised nuclear powers, meeting in Paris today, should expand upon their existing commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and agree a disarmament roadmap, according to a new report from the British American Security Information Council.

APRIL 2011

BASIC held the fourth of its roundtables this last 12 months, on NATO’s nuclear policy, under the grant from the Hewlett Foundation on April 28^th. This time it was in non-NATO Helsinki, in collaboration with the Peace Union of Finland and the Foreign Ministry. Gathering participants from Central and Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Netherlands and Britain, we discussed the deterrence review, relations with Russia and the prospects for NATO contributing more actively to the agenda of global nuclear disarmament.

Iran Update: Number 151

Iran pronounces strong commitment to nuclear program after IAEA releases latest critical report
Major diplomatic maneuvers remained stalled
Western countries continue to tighten sanctions
BASIC at Iran’s second international nuclear disarmament conference, June 12-13

Getting to Zero Update

NATO proceeded quietly with its Strategic Deterrence and Defense Posture Review, while U.S. and Russian disagreements over missile defense continued. The United States was also conducting a review of nuclear targeting. In the United Kingdom, the “successor” to the Vanguard-class submarine that carries Trident missiles officially entered “Initial Gate,” or the initial design phase.

Italy’s Tactical Nuclear Weapons

Debate in Europe about the role and future of tactical nuclear weapons (TNW) has revealed different positions between allies. NATO considered first, its new Strategic Concept, and now embarks on a review of the deterrence and defense posture.

NATO’s Defense and Deterrence Posture Review: A French Perspective on Nuclear Issues

Paul Zajac reviews the assumptions about the apparent rift between France and Germany over nuclear weapons and NATO, and the extent to which the alliance should play a role in nuclear disarmament. He argues that allies must be careful not to let other initiatives, such as projects on missile defense or aspirations for a world without nuclear weapons, harm alliance unity around nuclear deterrence.

The United States, NATO’s Strategic Concept, and Nuclear Issues

Washington appeared satisfied with the November 2010 Lisbon Summit outcome and new Strategic Concept regarding nuclear weapons and arms control. In this article, Amb. Steven Pifer analyzes the dual tracks of the Deterrence and Defense Posture Review process and development of a U.S. approach to nonstrategic nuclear weapons for possible future negotiations with Russia.

Search Results for: publication