US Conference of Mayors unanimously backs ending WMD Warfare

June 25, 2007

Los Angeles, June 25th 2007 - A resolution proposed by the Mayors from Ohio, Nevada, California and Florida calls upon the nations to spurn the use of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons and work for their elimination.  The new resolution concludes:

“Be it further resolved that the United States Conference of Mayors stands united in opposition to the initiation of nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare under any circumstances and regardless of the target.

“Be it further resolved the United States Conference of Mayors shall remain engaged in this matter until our cities and citizens, and the cities and citizens located throughout the world, are no longer under the threat of nuclear, biological, and chemical devastation.”

The resolution was discussed in the International Affairs Committee which forwarded it by unanimous agreement to the plenary business session were it was adopted without opposition on June 25th. This is the third resolution in four years by the USCM that supports the 2020 Vision Campaign and Cities Are Not Target project of Mayors for Peace.  



The full text of the resolution and list of sponsoring mayors can be found below.



Submitted by"

The Honorable Thomas O'Grady

Mayor of North Olmsted, Ohio



The Honorable Oscar Goodman

Mayor of Las Vegas, Nevada



The Honorable Jennifer Hosterman

Mayor of Pleasanton, California



The Honorable Frank Ortis

Mayor of Pembroke Pines, Florida



Adopted



CALLING ON ALL NATIONS AND ALL WORLD POWERS TO PROHIBIT THE USE

OF ANY WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION AGAINST CITIES AND OTHER

CIVILIAN TARGETS AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO EMBRACE THE CONCEPT OF

PEACE



WHEREAS, The United States Conference of Mayors unanimously

adopted Resolution Number 62 at their national conference on

June 5, 2006, calling upon select nations to discontinue the

practice of targeting cities in the United States for nuclear

attack; and



WHEREAS, it is the desire of the United States Conference of

Mayors to seek the protection of cities and citizens in the

United States and throughout the world from the dangers arising

from the presence of weapons of mass destruction; and



WHEREAS, an alarming number of countries throughout the world

have nuclear capabilities, and a growing number of countries

are actively working to obtain such capability; and



WHEREAS, there is a corresponding increase in the number of

countries throughout the world that currently possess, or are

working to develop, other types of weapons of mass destruction;

and



WHEREAS, the International Court of Justice at The Hague,

Netherlands determined in 1996 that the threat or use of

nuclear weapons is unlawful under International Humanitarian

Law; and



WHEREAS, the International Court of Justice gave an advisory

opinion on nuclear weapons ten years ago in which it concluded

that all nations are under an obligation “to pursue

negotiations in good faith and bring to a conclusion measures

leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects”; and



WHEREAS, the United States Conference of Mayors stated on June

28, 2004, “weapons of mass destruction have no place in a

civilized world,” and further called for the commencement of

“negotiations on the prohibition and elimination of nuclear

weapons and nuclear-weapon-related materials”; and



NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the United States

Conference of Mayors fully supports the elimination of nuclear,

biological, and chemical warfare throughout the world, and

supports the efforts of all nations working to embrace the

concept of peace; and



BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the United States Conference of

Mayors stand united in opposition to the initiation of nuclear,

biological, and chemical warfare under any circumstances and

regardless of the target; and



BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the United States Conference of

Mayors shall remain engaged in this matter until our cities and

citizens, and the cities and citizens located throughout the

world, are no longer under the threat of nuclear, biological,

and chemical devastation.