Cities are not targets statement launched at NPT PrepCom Vienna
May 1, 2007
Vienna, May 1st 2007 - During a signature ceremony Mayors and representatives of cities from Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Turkey and NGO representatives joined the mayor of Hiroshima in signing a statement that "Cities Are Not Targets."
Mayor Akiba Tadatoshi declared before signing the declaration that he brought the message of the Hibakusha, the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, "No one should suffer ever again an nuclear attack on a city." Each signer offered their thoughts and sentiments upon signing the statement, and specified the city they called home.
If you would like add your name and city to the list of signatories, please use this email address: 2020visioncampaign@ieper.be
Please free feel to express your thoughts and sentiment in your email.
STATEMENT
“Cities Are Not Targets”
Keeping firmly in mind that for the first time in history half of all humankind now lives in cities upon which they depend for their livelihoods, health, and safety;
Concerned that the massive destruction of cities first witnessed in the last century continues shamefully to this day, and that in any war involving a nuclear-armed state there is a danger of escalation to nuclear attack;
Noting that the rules of war, not to mention humanitarian law, are too often disregarded and that even when nominally respected they do not provide sufficient protection to cities in time of war;
Concerned that the nuclear doctrines of the nuclear-armed states envision the use of nuclear weapons, including in some cases first use, and that once use has begun the likelihood of cities being impacted increases dramatically;
Noting that none of the nuclear-armed states has explicitly ruled out the use of nuclear weapons directly against cities or in such way that might expose a city to radioactive fallout;
Concerned that terrorists may gain access to weapon-grade fissile materials or an actual nuclear weapon and use it in an attack on a city;
Recognizing that these threats persist because citizens have not spoken out against them in a unified and sustained way, and that social injustice and intolerance undermine their capacity to do so.
We, the undersigned,
Declare that there must never be another Hiroshima or Nagasaki and that weapons of mass destruction have no place in the civilized world;
Welcome the Cities Are Not Targets project of the Mayors for Peace under the leadership of the Mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki;
Express its solidarity with any city seeking assurances from any nuclear-armed state that it explicitly rules out that city as a target of nuclear attack;
Call upon each nuclear-armed state to immediately acknowledge publicly the illegality of threatening cities with nuclear attack or radioactive fallout;
Resolve to promote within the UN system the convening of two global governmental conferences for the negotiation of:
1) a framework agreement on the elimination of nuclear weapons and weapon-grade fissile materials;
2) enhanced rules of war for the protection of cities from the scourge of war;
Call upon nuclear-armed states to demonstrate good faith toward achievement of the first objectives by renouncing the use of nuclear weapons; and upon all states toward the second by renouncing the bombardment of cities;
Call upon national, regional, and international associations of mayors and local governments to actively support these objectives.
Call upon mayors and citizens to promote social justice and tolerance in their cities, thereby increasing their capacity for united resistance to threats to their cities.
Opened for signature on May 2, 2007 at the first Preparatory Committee meeting for the 2010 NPT Review Conference:
Members of the Mayors for Peace delegation:
Dr. Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor, Hiroshima, Japan
Senator Patrik Vankrunkelsven, Councilor, Laakdal, Belgium
Sumer Aygan, Mayor, Girne, northern region of Cyprus
Klaus-Peter Murawski, Deputy Mayor, Stuttgart, Germany
Hillrud Gödelmann, Councilor, Nuremberg, Germany
Sebastian Müller, Councilor, Freiburg, Germany
Saffet Pehlivan, Deputy Mayor, Duzce, Turkey
Emine Yuksel, Councilor, Duzce, Turkey
Mayor Akiba Tadatoshi declared before signing the declaration that he brought the message of the Hibakusha, the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, "No one should suffer ever again an nuclear attack on a city." Each signer offered their thoughts and sentiments upon signing the statement, and specified the city they called home.
If you would like add your name and city to the list of signatories, please use this email address: 2020visioncampaign@ieper.be
Please free feel to express your thoughts and sentiment in your email.
STATEMENT
“Cities Are Not Targets”
Keeping firmly in mind that for the first time in history half of all humankind now lives in cities upon which they depend for their livelihoods, health, and safety;
Concerned that the massive destruction of cities first witnessed in the last century continues shamefully to this day, and that in any war involving a nuclear-armed state there is a danger of escalation to nuclear attack;
Noting that the rules of war, not to mention humanitarian law, are too often disregarded and that even when nominally respected they do not provide sufficient protection to cities in time of war;
Concerned that the nuclear doctrines of the nuclear-armed states envision the use of nuclear weapons, including in some cases first use, and that once use has begun the likelihood of cities being impacted increases dramatically;
Noting that none of the nuclear-armed states has explicitly ruled out the use of nuclear weapons directly against cities or in such way that might expose a city to radioactive fallout;
Concerned that terrorists may gain access to weapon-grade fissile materials or an actual nuclear weapon and use it in an attack on a city;
Recognizing that these threats persist because citizens have not spoken out against them in a unified and sustained way, and that social injustice and intolerance undermine their capacity to do so.
We, the undersigned,
Declare that there must never be another Hiroshima or Nagasaki and that weapons of mass destruction have no place in the civilized world;
Welcome the Cities Are Not Targets project of the Mayors for Peace under the leadership of the Mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki;
Express its solidarity with any city seeking assurances from any nuclear-armed state that it explicitly rules out that city as a target of nuclear attack;
Call upon each nuclear-armed state to immediately acknowledge publicly the illegality of threatening cities with nuclear attack or radioactive fallout;
Resolve to promote within the UN system the convening of two global governmental conferences for the negotiation of:
1) a framework agreement on the elimination of nuclear weapons and weapon-grade fissile materials;
2) enhanced rules of war for the protection of cities from the scourge of war;
Call upon nuclear-armed states to demonstrate good faith toward achievement of the first objectives by renouncing the use of nuclear weapons; and upon all states toward the second by renouncing the bombardment of cities;
Call upon national, regional, and international associations of mayors and local governments to actively support these objectives.
Call upon mayors and citizens to promote social justice and tolerance in their cities, thereby increasing their capacity for united resistance to threats to their cities.
Opened for signature on May 2, 2007 at the first Preparatory Committee meeting for the 2010 NPT Review Conference:
Members of the Mayors for Peace delegation:
Dr. Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor, Hiroshima, Japan
Senator Patrik Vankrunkelsven, Councilor, Laakdal, Belgium
Sumer Aygan, Mayor, Girne, northern region of Cyprus
Klaus-Peter Murawski, Deputy Mayor, Stuttgart, Germany
Hillrud Gödelmann, Councilor, Nuremberg, Germany
Sebastian Müller, Councilor, Freiburg, Germany
Saffet Pehlivan, Deputy Mayor, Duzce, Turkey
Emine Yuksel, Councilor, Duzce, Turkey
