The nuclear ban: it’s not just clever politics (original) (raw)

The Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons

2021

This book chronicles the genesis of the negotiations that led to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which challenged the established nuclear order. The work provides readers with an authoritative account of the complex evolution of the "Humanitarian Initiative" (HI) and the negotiation history of the TPNW. It includes a close analysis of internal strategy documents and communications in the author's possession which trace the tactical and political decisions of a small group of state actors. By demonstrating the unacceptable humanitarian consequences and uncontrollable risks that these weapons pose to everyone's security, the HI convinced many states to ban nuclear weapons and reject the policy of nuclear deterrence as unsustainable and illegitimate. As such, this book is a case-study of multilateral diplomacy and cooperation between state and civil society actors. It also contains a full discussion of both sides of the nuclear argument and assesses the extent to which the HI and the TPNW have moved the dial and presented opportunities for transformational change. This book will be of much interest to students of nuclear disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation, diplomacy, global governance and international relations in general.

PERSPECTIVES ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2017 NUCLEAR WEAPONS BAN TREATY

2021

The adoption of The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) by the UN General Assembly in July 2017 is a real success for the international community in the fight against armaments and the danger of an apocalyptic war. Despite the scepticism of many, the treaty entered into force in January 2021, with its 50th ratification. Although this story seems to have come to a happy end, it is only now that the turmoil begins. No nuclear-weapon state has supported the adoption of the treaty and they refuse to recognize its legal power. The implementation of this treaty will be the hardest test for the UN. Nuclear states are the strongest and most decision-making, especially within the Security Council. In this context, the question arises whether the UN will succeed in finding an effective way to persuade nuclear states to give up these weapons or whether we will witness an international "putsch" of nuclear states.

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons : Its Significance and Challenges

Osaka University law review, 2018

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was adopted at the United Nations Conference by 122 affirmative votes with one opposition and one abstention on July 7, 2017. The Treaty was open for signature from September 20, 2017. The initiative for this treaty emerged from international civil society groups and many non-nuclear-weapon states that supported the idea. The conference to negotiate a treaty was held in 2017 to successfully conclude a treaty through the collaboration of these two groups and states, after a discussion held at the United Nations on this issue in 2016. This paper first examines the background and negotiation process, then surveys the content of the treaty as a central issue, next introduces opposing opinions and clarifies the significance of this treaty, and finally points out future challenges.

Negotiation of a Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty: The New Treaty: Taking Stock

2017

The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)-an autonomous institute within the United Nations-conducts research on disarmament and security. UNIDIR is based in Geneva, Switzerland, the centre for bilateral and multilateral disarmament and non-proliferation negotiations, and home of the Conference on Disarmament. The Institute explores current issues pertaining to the variety of existing and future armaments, as well as global diplomacy and local tensions and conflicts. Working with researchers, diplomats, government officials, NGOs and other institutions since 1980, UNIDIR acts as a bridge between the research community and governments. UNIDIR's activities are funded by contributions from governments and donor foundations. Note The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication are the sole responsibility of the individual authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the United Nations, UNIDIR, its staff members or sponsors.

Towards a Nuclear Restraint Regime: From a Normative Ban Treaty to a Substantive Agenda

2018

Many strategic analysts fear that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons may widen the rift between the nuclear weapons states and the non-NWS by stigmatizing the nuclear weapon possessors rather than the weapons. The pertinent questions are therefore how to translate the normative pressure that the treaty poses into something more substantive? Can some measures be identified for the NWS to take, and for the non-NWS to encourage them into taking, to promote its objectives? Can bridges be built between the positions of NWS and non-NWS; and between adversarial nuclear rivals? This paper argues that the pathway to elimination is as important as the process of elimination itself. It suggests a nuclear restraint regime that addresses many dimensions of nuclear weapons deployment – their role, targets, force postures, types and numbers, and also the circumstances in which they are employed. Each restraint would circumscribe the role of nuclear weapons, and as the circle of their...

Banning Of Nuclear Weapons through Conferences: One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward

This paper examines the need to having a complete prohibition and total elimination of nuclear weapons, getting rid of the danger of nuclear war and the attainment of nuclear weapon-free world, just as chemical and biological weapons have been prohibited. The discourse reveals that effort is being made in achieving this onerous mission, with some conferences held in Oslo, Norway, Mexico and Austria. Interestingly, countries that are not in the possession of nuclear weapons are in the forefront in seeing that, that is achieved, by voting, overwhelmingly for a convention, for that purpose. On the other hand, nuclear-weapons states (with the exception of India and Pakistan) are against the convention and did not attend the conference held in March 2013, in Oslo. The position of permanent members of the UN Security Council in getting the convention is hypocritical, in the sense that, they are the ones with the notion that, a Convention is not achievable in the near term and therefore is not a realistic alternative to the step-by-step approach to disarmament currently under way. This notwithstanding the fact that, their citizen voted in support of the convention, in the Public Opinion Poll held in 2008. It is therefore worthwhile for states to see to the need to having and contributing to the successes of the convention. This study therefore found that, the issue of nuclear weapons Review Conferences, has been beclouded with a lot of politics, interest and double standard being exhibited. However, the hope is that the follow-up conferences will prove something tangible, in having a treaty that will ban, the production, stockpiling, use and transfer of nuclear weapons.