Hopes high for a nuclear weapons ban treaty after positive negotiations at UN

Following the first week of negotiations at the United Nations on a new international treaty to outlaw nuclear weapons, hopes are high among campaigners that the process will result in a positive outcome by the time they conclude later in the year. 

As ICAN Executive Director, Beatrice Fihn put it, "it felt like we made the transition from arguing that we need a ban treaty to actually banning nuclear weapons." With participation from over 130 states, as well as civil society organisations, the constructive atmosphere could be described by John Loretz of IPPNW as "one of the most productive, energized, and energizing exchanges most of us have ever experienced inside a UN conference room."

ICAN Executive Director, Beatrice Fihn, speaks to journalists during the ban treaty negotiations

Given that Ireland was one of the co-sponsors of the UN resolution establishing the negotiations, Ireland's diplomatic contributions during the first week were strongly supportive of a "robust treaty" and were warmly welcomed by campaigners. Helena Nolan, Director to Disarmament in the Department of Foreign Affairs, called for prohibitions on the "possession, use, development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention and transfer" of nuclear weapons. 

Among the contributions from civil society, a poignant highlight was the contribution of Hiroshima survivor Setsuko Thurlow, who spoke on behalf of ICAN on the second day of the talks. 

Setsuko Thurlow addresses the ban treaty negotiations

While the nuclear-armed states and some allies - mostly NATO members - boycotted the talks, participants stressed their determination to press forward to close the current legal gap by banning nuclear arms. A ban treaty will stigmatise nuclear weapons possession internationally by setting clearly-defined norms and discrediting the claims to prestige some states have attached to nuclear arms. 

Following decades of stalemate as the nuclear-armed states have blocked progress under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, this week's talks show non-nuclear-armed states and civil society reclaiming the initiative in setting the legal framework emphatically back in motion. As has been the case with other weapons of mass destruction, international prohibition offers a significant step towards elimination. 

The second phase of negotiations will begin in June, with the talks President, Ambassador Elayne Whyte of Costa Rica, expected to circulate a draft treaty before then. 

For more detailed information on the negotiations, see the website of Reaching Critical Will, which includes documentation and transcripts of many of the statements delivered by participation, as well as ICAN's dedicated nuclear ban treaty website, their blog of the week's events, and the IPPNW blog. 

Over eighty Irish scientists back international open letter on UN nuclear ban

As negotiations on a new treaty to ban nuclear weapons get underway at the United Nations in New York on Monday, March 27th, 2017, over 3,300 professional scientists from more than 70 countries worldwide have published an open letter supporting the negotiations.

The signatories include 28 Nobel Prize winners in the fields of physics, chemistry and medicine. Internationally well-known figures such as Stephen Hawking, Peter Higgs and Charles D. Fergusson, President of the Federation of American Scientists, are among those backing the letter.

Among those who have signed the letter are 85 scientists based in Irish third-level institutions, including TCD, UCD, DCU, DIT, UCC, NUIG, NUIM, UL and GMIT. Organised by the US-based Future of Life Institute, the signatories state that " scientists bear a special responsibility for nuclear weapons, since it was scientists who invented them and discovered that their effects are even more horrific than first thought.”

Ireland has long been a strong supporter of nuclear disarmament, and was one of the sponsors of the resolution which paved the way for the current negotiations. Irish ambassador to the UN, David O’Donoghue, will co-host a special side event with the Future of Life Institute on Tuesday evening.

The letter was presented to the chair of the negotiations, Ambassador Elayne Whyte Gomez of Costa Rica, at a ceremony at the United Nations Assembly Hall at 1.00 p.m. (New York time) on Monday.

Commenting on his support for the negotiations, neuroscience professor Edvard Moser from Norway, 2014 Nobel Laureate in Physiology/Medicine, said, “Nuclear weapons represent one of the biggest threats to our civilization. With the unpredictability of the current world situation, it is more important than ever to get negotiations about a ban on nuclear weapons on track, and to make these negotiations a truly global effort.”

Global Week of Action: Only Disarmament Offers Safety from Nuclear Threat

In January 2017, the Doomsday Clock, updated annually by a committee of international scientists to register the earth's risk of destruction, was moved to two and a half minutes to midnight, its most dangerous reading since the 1950s. This reflects the intensified threat posed by nuclear weapons in light of statements by Presidents Trump and Putin, evoking the prospect of a renewed nuclear arms race, as well as threats posed by other issues such as climate change.

Even since the adjustment to the Doomsday Clock, there have been further reports that President Trump, in a telephone conversation with President Putin, denounced the 2010 treaty between Russia and the United States which limits the number of deployed nuclear weapons held by the two countries.

In its report on the risks in 2017, the Doomsday Clock committee concluded, "The probability of global catastrophe is very high, and the actions needed to reduce the risks of disaster must be taken very soon. ... It is two and a half minutes to midnight, the Clock is ticking, global danger looms. Wise public officials should act immediately, guiding humanity away from the brink. If they do not, wise citizens must step forward and lead the way."

With little sign of the leadership in the states with the world's largest arsenals of nuclear weapons facing up to the responsibility to move away from the brink, the onus falls on non-nuclear-armed states and civil society to drive the agenda for nuclear disarmament forward.

In spite of the intensifying risks, there are signs of possible hope. In March, the first session of United Nations negotiations on a new treaty to ban nuclear weapons will take place. While unlikely to have initial support from nuclear-armed states, such a treaty would close current loopholes regarding the legal status of nuclear weapons, and greatly increase the stigmatisation attached to possessing them.

In advance of the negotiations, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), is launching a Global Week of Action on February 10th, aimed at highlighting the urgency of a successful outcome to the negotiations and maximising international participation.

As Ireland was one of the original sponsors of the resolution proposing the negotiations, we are hopeful that Ireland will play a strong and constructive role in taking the talks on a new treaty forward when it comes down to the actual negotiations.

Historic UN vote defies nuclear threats from Trump and Putin

The United Nations General Assembly has approved the final stage of a resolution to launch negotiations in 2017 on a new treaty to outlaw nuclear weapons, by a majority of more than three to one. The proposal was originally introduced by Ireland, Austria, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa and Nigeria, and gained the approval of the General Assembly's First Committee, which deals with disarmament and security issues, in October. 

The historic vote, carried on the evening of 23rd December, offers the possibility of ending decades of stalemate in nuclear disarmament, coming at the end of a week which saw both Russian president Vladimir Putin and US president-elect Donald Trump speak of intensifying their countries' nuclear weapons capacities. 

Welcoming the vote, the Chairperson of the Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Dr David Hutchinson Edgar, stated, "A treaty to outlaw nuclear weapons would provide an important step towards the elimination of these horrific weapons of mass destruction. It would close the loopholes in the 1970 Non-Proliferation Treaty which a small number of states have exploited to avoid their clear obligations in relation to nuclear disarmament under that treaty."

"The aggressive comments this week from two countries with huge nuclear arsenals show that they have little intention of complying with even their limited legal obligations to disarm under the Non-Proliferation Treaty," he continued. "We believe that this demonstrates the urgent necessity for other countries to seize the initiative from the aggressors and pursue a clear legally-binding treaty which will stigmatise and outlaw these horrific weapons of mass destruction. Even if nuclear-armed states do not participate in the negotiations, it would be grossly irresponsible for the rest of the world to do nothing." 

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons' Executive Director, Beatrice Fihn, stated, “Every nation has an interest in ensuring that nuclear weapons are never used again, which can only be guaranteed through their complete elimination. We are calling on all governments to join next year’s negotiations and work to achieve a strong and effective treaty.” 

“We believe that, through its normative force, the nuclear weapon ban treaty will affect the behaviour of nuclear-armed nations even if they refuse to join it. It will also affect the behaviour of many of their allies that currently claim protection from nuclear weapons, including those in Europe that host nuclear weapons on their territory. It will contribute significantly towards achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world,” she said. 

Biological weapons, chemical weapons, anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions are all explicitly prohibited under international law. Nuclear weapons remain the only weapons of mass destruction not yet outlawed in a comprehensive and universal manner, despite their well-documented catastrophic humanitarian and environmental impacts. A number of recent studies have also demonstrated that the risks of accidental or intentional detonations of nuclear weapons have been dramatically underestimated or misunderstood.

United Nations backs Irish-sponsored nuclear disarmament resolution by large majority

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a historic resolution to begin negotiations in 2017 on a treaty outlawing nuclear weapons. This decision heralds an end to decades of paralysis in multilateral nuclear disarmament efforts.

The resolution will set up a UN conference beginning in March next year, open to all member states, to negotiate a “legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”. Ireland, along with Austria, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria and South Africa, was one of the lead sponsors of the resolution. 

A large majority - 123 nations - voted in favour of the resolution, with 38 against and 16 abstaining. Biological weapons, chemical weapons, anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions are all explicitly prohibited under international law. But only partial prohibitions currently exist for nuclear weapons.

The Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament warmly welcomes the decision to start talks on a ban treaty, and, in particular, Ireland's role in promoting the resolution. The Chairperson of Irish CND, Dr David Hutchinson Edgar, stated, "A treaty to outlaw nuclear weapons would provide an important step towards the elimination of these horrific weapons of mass destruction. It would close the loopholes in the 1970 Non-Proliferation Treaty which a small number of states have exploited to avoid their clear obligations in relation to nuclear disarmament under that treaty. 

"A nuclear weapons ban treaty would intensify the global stigmatisation of nuclear weapons, and would ramp up pressure on the nuclear weapons possessors to accept the abolition of nuclear weapons as a legal necessity. As this vote shows, it would reflect the will of a clear majority of the world's nations. 

"Irish CND welcomes the key role played by officials of the Disarmament Section in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in framing and promoting the resolution. We also welcome the statement issued today by Minister Flanagan in support of the start of negotiations next year. It is very positive to see Ireland again taking the lead in attempts to rid the world of the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction."

The vote in favour of the resolution has been widely welcomed by campaign groups internationally. Beatrice Fihn, Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), said, “Today’s vote demonstrates very clearly that a majority of the world’s nations consider the prohibition of nuclear weapons to be necessary, feasible and urgent. They view it as the most viable option for achieving real progress on disarmament. This treaty won’t eliminate nuclear weapons overnight,” she continued. “But it will establish a powerful new international legal standard, stigmatizing nuclear weapons and compelling nations to take urgent action on disarmament.”

Ireland to sponsor UN resolution on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons

Ireland is one of six countries sponsoring a landmark resolution for the United Nations General Assembly, proposing that negotiations begin in 2017 on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons. Austria, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa and Nigeria are also sponsoring the draft resolution, which will be voted on in late October or early November. 

The announcement has been widely welcomed by international advocates for nuclear disarmament. “This is an historic breakthrough in global efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons. A treaty banning nuclear weapons will be of enormous importance in establishing a clear, legal rejection of these weapons by the majority of the international community and has the potential to jump start the nuclear disarmament movement – even in the face of resistance from the nuclear-armed states,” said Beatrice Fihn, executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, which represents 440 organisations in almost 100 countries, including Ireland.

The Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (Irish CND) has warmly welcomed the announcement, made by the Austrian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday. "Nuclear weapons still have the capacity to wipe out life on earth as we know it, and even limited use would inflict catastrophic humanitarian harm and cause serious environmental damage," said Dr David Hutchinson Edgar, chairperson of Irish CND. 

"This resolution opens the way for the first legally-binding step forward on nuclear disarmament in decades. A treaty banning nuclear weapons would play a very important role in stigmatising the production and possession of nuclear weapons, as well as their use or the threat of their use. It would send a clear signal internationally that the vast majority of states, who do not possess nuclear weapons, will no longer accept the possession and modernisation of these weapons of mass destruction by a handful of states.

"We are delighted that Ireland is one of the states sponsoring this resolution," he continued. "International peace and disarmament are areas in which Ireland has a long tradition of active engagement and leadership. It is reassuring to see that despite our economic woes in recent years, Ireland is still continuing to make its voice heard in working internationally for a world free of the unthinkable potential for destruction represented by nuclear weapons."

The proposal seeks to break decades of deadlock in nuclear disarmament, which has seen nuclear-armed states exploit a loophole in the 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to avoid the disarmament obligations implied by that treaty. Ireland's participation builds on a long tradition of leadership in nuclear disarmament, with the Non-Proliferation Treaty widely acknowledged as the brainchild of Irish diplomacy in the 1950s and 1960s. 

The newly-published resolution builds on the report of the United Nations Open-Ended Working Group on Nuclear Disarmament, which met for several sessions in Geneva this year and recommended, in accordance with the majority view at the Working Group meetings, that a resolution along these lines should be brought to the General Assembly. 

Irish CND joins condemnation of North Korean nuclear test

As confirmation emerges of North Korea's largest underground nuclear explosive test to date, the Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has joined with other international civil society organisations in strongly condemning this act. 

"Nuclear weapons are the most notorious weapons of mass destruction ever developed," said Dr David Hutchinson Edgar, Chairperson of the Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. "They are in effect weapons of genocide, capable of killing thousands, possibly millions of people in one blast. They cause immeasureable humanitarian suffering and environmental damage. They have no place in civilised society. We urge the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to desist from any further nuclear explosions and to rejoin international processes for nuclear disarmament." 

"We call on all nuclear armed states to engage in negotiations leading to the elimination of nuclear weapons," he continued. "The possession and modernisation of nuclear arsenals by a small number of states acts as an incentive to states like North Korea to acquire these horrific weapons. Non-nuclear-armed states like Ireland have an important role to play within the international community in keeping up pressure to stigmatise, ban and eliminate nuclear weapons." 

Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN, of which Irish CND is a member), Beatrice Fihn, stated, "We are calling on the international community as a whole to prohibit the use, production, testing and stockpiling of nuclear weapons, just as it has prohibited biological and chemical weapons, anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions. A treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons, even if not universally supported at its outset, would greatly strengthen the global norm against nuclear weapons. It would represent a clear declaration by the international community that nuclear weapons are unacceptable not only for North Korea but for all nations."

More than 15,000 nuclear weapons remain in the world today, with all nine nuclear-armed nations investing in the build-up and modernisation of their arsenals. As North Korea has pursued its nuclear programme, so too have other nations, often without media scrutiny or widespread condemnation. Last month a UN Working Group in Geneva, backed by Ireland, recommended that a conference be convened in 2017 to negotiate a “legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”.