Conference on Disarmament on the verge of ending 10 years of inaction
On 13 April, the President of Mayors for Peace, seeing this as a moment of truth for the Conference on Disarmament which has done no productive work in over ten years, called upon Heads of Government to urgently communicate directly with each other in the coming weeks to ensure a breakthrough is achieved. This, below, is a generic version of that letter. The 2020 Vision Campaign urges other groups to make similar appeals for leadership.
April 13, 2007
<Name of the Head of Government>
<Title>
<Address >
<Country>
After ten barren years, the Conference on Disarmament verges today on agreement on the process by which to address four key international security concerns. Building on a tradition begun last year, the six ambassadors slated to chair the CD this year have collectively put forward a proposal for work by the CD. As the six come from a wide variety of political perspectives, it is not surprising their proposal has very broad support. However, reservations have been expressed, and its final consideration has been postponed until an unspecified date prior to May 14th.
I appeal to each and every one of you to take personal responsibility for building unified support for this proposal in the coming days and weeks. Its acceptance would mean that negotiations would begin on a treaty to cut off the production of fissile materials for weapons purposes (FMCT). It would also mean the commencement of substantive discussion on legally binding guarantees that non-nuclear-weapon states will not be subjected to nuclear threats (so-called negative security assurances or NSAs). Substantive discussion would also begin on the prevention of an arms race in outer space (
Dearest to my heart, a third area of substantive discussion would also open up: nuclear disarmament and the prevention of use of nuclear weapons.
Mayors for Peace, through its 2020 Vision Campaign, has been advocating that work begin on a framework agreement on nuclear disarmament in all its aspects. We see this as the most logical and consistent means of living up to the legal obligation of all states identified by the International Court of Justice over ten years ago: “…to pursue in good faith and bring to conclusion measures leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects.” We are confident that once substantive discussions begin it will quickly become evident that a framework agreement is the best way forward. Such an agreement would have a positive effect on all the other issues – FMCT, NSAs, and
This is a critical moment for disarmament. If you fail to act decisively now, you will be condemning the CD to the depths of irrelevance and obscurity. A new forum will have to be created out of whole cloth. While that alternative remains, it would be better avoided. Here is a chance for the CD to do what it was designed to do and what it has been called upon by the international community to do on innumerable occasions.
Mayors for Peace has advanced the vision of a world free of nuclear weapons by the year 2020. Missing this opportunity in the CD could jeopardize the achievement of that goal. As long as nuclear weapons and weapons-grade fissile materials exist, cities are at risk. Why would anyone want to prolong that risk? Please do not be party to such criminal negligence.
Your good faith and that of your nation is being put to the test. Please urgently contact your counterpart representing each of the other 64 members of the Conference on Disarmament and urge him or her to stand together with you for the “P6” work proposal. Those that rise to this challenge will be hailed as champions of a nuclear-weapon-free world.
<signed>
Tadatoshi Akiba
Mayor
The City of
President, Mayors for Peace
