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.
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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 28th. 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.
Turkey, NATO & and Nuclear Sharing: Prospects after NATO’s Lisbon Summit
Mustafa Kibaroglu presents Turkey's political, military and diplomatic views to the prolonged deployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons on their soil. Turkey's policy of non-proliferation contrasts with their hosting – albeit burden sharing – of NATO tactical nuclear weapons. He concludes that Turkey, preferably together with other NATO members, should take the initiative in asking the United States to draw them down and remove them entirely, in the interests of Turkish security and alliance cohesion.