Reaching Critical Will
Security and the human condition
As the United Nations General Assembly continues in New York, the First Committee, which deals with Disarmament and International Security, is listening to national statements. Our friends at Reaching Critical Will, are as ever doing the world a great serivce by live-tweeting and summarising what each country… »
It’s time to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons statement to the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, 26 September 2018, given by Ray Acheson from Reaching Critical Will. I’m speaking today on behalf of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. With 532 partner organisations in 103… »
NPT 2018: Focus on what really matters
Another round of preparatory meetings ahead of the 2020 NPT Review Conference kicks off in Geneva tomorrow, Monday 23rd April. The people at Reaching Critical Will are, as always, providing excellent coverage throughout. We republish their first editorial here for the benefit of Pressenza readers. Since states parties to the… »
Last minute drama at nuclear ban treaty talks
And the text goes to translation. High drama unfolded on Wednesday afternoon as debate erupted over the draft treaty’s withdrawal provision. After a full day of states reading their positions on various aspects of the text into the record without anticipation of changing that text, it was surprising—and welcome—to… »
Arms racing and the NPT : modernisation of nuclear weapon systems
Another cycle of conferences started this week in Vienna to culminate in a conference to review the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 2020. States Parties and civil-society organisations have exchanged views in the general debate and in a number of side events. Many nations with nuclear weapons, and those… »
The week the world agreed to make nuclear weapons illegal
It’s time This week, delegations to the UN General Assembly could help shift the course of history. This sounds dramatic, especially for First Committee. While it always presents a good opportunity for progress, First Committee can sometimes seem like a recycling facility for statements and resolutions. Some of the proposals… »
UN talks recommend the General Assembly ban nuclear weapons in 2017
The final day of the open-ended working on nuclear disarmament (OEWG) was a picture of diplomatic theatre. At the last moment the Australian delegation tried to upset the process by demanding a vote on what all other delegations believed was an agreed text. This did not prevent the… »
UN nuclear talks: Green eggs and ban
The second week of the open-ended working group on nuclear disarmament (OEWG) is illuminating a clear delineation between those who want to abolish nuclear weapons and those who don’t. Mexico’s Ambassador Lomonaco challenged Japan and other nuclear-supportive states over their commitment to change, asking whether their so-called progressive approach… »
UN nuclear talks: Who’s afraid of a ban treaty?
Back in October 2015, the UN General Assembly authorised the formation of a working group to study legal measures for nuclear disarmament. Work started in February and the group has convened again in the first two weeks of May before finishing its work in August. The International Campaign… »
Ban nuclear weapons, reject massive nuclear violence
Throughout the four weeks of the nuclear non-proliferation review conference at the UN in New York, the campaign group “Reaching Critical Will” of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom produces a daily newsletter. Pressenza reproduces this editorial with the permission of Ray Acheson, the editor. At… »