Nuclear Disarmament: Challenges, Opportunities and Next Steps.

BENCHMARK III

Student: Olga Tokareva

Teacher: Elena Gubina

Severskaya Gymnazia

Seversk 2009

ÒThere has never been a greater need for education in the areas of disarmament and nonproliferation, especially with regard to weapons of mass destruction. É

Since the end of the Cold War, changing concepts of Security and threat have demanded

new thinking. Such new thinking will arise from those who are educated today.Ó

Disarmament and Nonproliferation Education Expert Group report to the Secretary General. 2002

 

 

 

The beginning.

 

The history of nuclear weapons numbers many decades. First discoveries which started the active researches in the field of nuclear physics were made in 1898 by scientists Pierre Curie and Maria Sklodowska-Curie: they discovered the phenomenon of a radio-activity. The next years in the different countries of the world scientists started to investigate in details the nature of substance - its structure, up to the smallest particles and their properties.

Later the pace of appearance of new discoveries had increased, as well as their importance and gravity. Uniting these discoveries, the mankind gradually understood that they were on a threshold of something great, something that was never known earlier.

Nuclear weapons had become this discovery. The last step to it was the theory of chain reaction and its realization.

 

Road to the Hell.

 

Nuclear weapons which were made during the period of the World War II created a new scene for rivalry and hostility. The test of American atomic bomb on Japan had become the start point of new era in humanÕs history – it can be named the Atomic Era. This catastrophe turned out to be scale; its consequences were different in different places of the planet. But there was something common among these consequences – itÕs a condition of chaos in which the world had plunged promptly. Mankind had to forget about long expected peace after the World War II: now every country all over the world was under the threat of sharing the fate of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The development of nuclear weapons and technologies kept going and expanding at top speed. More and more countries wanted to have nuclear weapons in order to be able to defend their own country against the enemy. Spontaneous, almost uncontrolled emergence of plants where uranium was enriched and nuclear bombs were made gave a start to Arms Race.  This period lasted up to the disintegration of the Soviet Union was named a Cold War. The leaders have become two superpowers – US and Soviet Union.

However first attempts to halt the spread of nuclear weapons and secrets of its creation were made already in March, 1946, when on the meeting of Acheson-Lilienthal Commission, established by president Truman,  ÒOppenheimerÕs scientific committee issued a report calling for an international authority to govern all nuclear activities and to ensure (through the system of international inspections) that such programs remained oriented toward peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The report also called for the eventual elimination of nuclear weapons once the new international authority was in place and firmly establishedÓ. [1]

But this plan died because the Soviet Union declare that the United States must Òfirst eliminate their nuclear weaponsÓ to prove a direction on peaceful use of nuclear energy. [1]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At present.

 

The Cold War has ended; disarmament and nonproliferation are still one of the most important issues which are being discussed at the top level. Representatives from different nations suggest measures on precipitating and control of nonproliferation and disarmament process.  

In fact, the order in the "nuclear business" is being provided with the help of uni, bi and multilateral treaties and agreements. Such agreements are, firstly, worked out, then represented and after all signed by all the participants.  Later on they are ratified.

However, no one could make any of the countries, against its will, sign the treaty. That is its own private right to support world laws or to reject them. For example, the main document of nonproliferation of nukes – NPT (1970) – was not signed by India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea. Now they are not NPT members and that means they are not obliged to fulfill its directions. This fact makes these countries potentially dangerous for peace and security in the world.

Nonproliferation of nuclear weapons is under control of many official and nonofficial organizations. The principle is the UN aimed to help maintain international peace and security. The General Assembly, Security Council and the IAEA are also involved into the issues of nonproliferation and disarmament. Among their methods of work are: regular inspections, verifications, making new agreements and treaties, imposing sanctions if the adopted decisions are violated.  

Flags have been taken from  [4]

 

 

Nuclear weapons today – it isÉ

 

The stock of nuclear weapons in the world, in spite of they are one of the greatest threat to life on Earth, is still great. Step by step, NWS reduce their stockpiles. But that doesn't mean they can't make new once. It takes some months to take a new atomic bomb, they say. Why do countries make nuclear weapons? What it's for?

á      Defense. If nuclear weapons are available the country feels confident that potential enemies won't be able to attack it, because of strike back.

á      Effective lethal weapon. In the case of war nuclear weapons, without doubt, is the most effective means of enemy destruction.  

á      Threat to peace. If nuclear weapons are available to such politically unstable country as North Korea, it can be used in consequence of any, even small conflict.

á      The point of conflicts. The conflicts among countries often arise, because of the right to have NW.

 

 

 

At future.

 

Due to complicated situation in the world today we can't clearly imagine what nuclear weapon will be in future. Mankind cannot answer some essential questions nowadays: Will wars and international conflicts stop or will they become aggravated? Will the treaties be put in force? Will the policy of nonproliferation and disarmament be effective or not?

 

 

I reflected on the topic what way to act is true now. Barack Obama's speech in Prague with his analyses of international situation on the world helped me make my own conclusions. He said:

"Today, the Cold War has disappeared but thousands of those weapons have not. In a strange turn of history, the threat of global nuclear war has gone down, but the risk of a nuclear attack has gone up. " [2]

"So today, I state clearly and with conviction America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. É This goal will not be reached quickly – perhaps not in my lifetime. É But now we, too, must ignore the voices who tell us that the world cannot change.  We have to insist, "Yes, we can"". [2]

 

 

This is what I have understood.

 

 

It is possibleÉ

It is unrealÉ

Arms control.  I think it is the most effective way to watch the stability of situation in the world. We can rely on the IAEA quality inspections, the UN and the SC discharging their duties, but these measures must be constantly improved. Perhaps, it is worth setting up an extra organ that will concern only nonproliferation and disarmament issues. I would call it Nonproliferation Council. It might have got its own code of laws, staff and responsibilities. I have thought of a flag for this organization.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flag made by Tokareva Olga.

Elimination of nukes right now.  Nowadays as well as the nearest future elimination is impossible. Disarmament issues have been discussed since the time of the Cold War but neither of the NWS wants to be the first to eliminate nuclear weapons. They are afraid that eliminating their weapons they become exposed to unexpected attacks. Consequently, the problem, connecting with full elimination of weapons still exists.

 

 

Keep nukes as a part of national security. In the case when all the NWS will eliminate their nuclear stockpiles, I think it would be better to leave some warheads to provide the countries' national security.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion.

According to Barack Obama's speech in Prague, we may say there is hope that the USA soon will be able to place themselves at the head of disarmament. It raises great hopes as well as the positive results of Russian and American presidents' negotiations on prolongation of the treaty START II April 1, 2009. Both countries want this. [3]

 

 

The nuclear weapons can be either a defense or a great danger. What it is going to be in future is to be decided by the mankind. Our future is our responsibility and we must choose the right way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Citations:

[1] Sarah J. Diehl, James Clay Moltz. ÒNuclear Weapons and Nonproliferation. Second editionÓ Page 7, ÒEarly efforts to control nuclear weaponsÓ.

[2] Barack Obama's speech in Prague

[3] http://www.newsru.com/world/01apr2009/snvnew.html

[4] http://www.kitab.az/catlib2/imgs/2004/07/06/140733321_0.jpg

      http://www.souvenir.dp.ua/main/grafics/digit/big/d228.jpg

      http://www.enjoyfrance.com/images/stories/world/tech/Flag_of_Israel.svg.png

      http://maskas.ru/pics/north_korea/north_korea_1.jpg

 

 

Sources:

á      Sarah J. Diehl, James Clay Moltz. ÒNuclear Weapons and Nonproliferation. Second editionÓ

á      ÒNuclear nonproliferationÓ 2002. The manual for students. I. A. Atakhmazyan and others.

á      http://txt.newsru.com/world/05apr2009/pro.html

á      http://www.factnews.ru/article/05Apr2009_pro

á      Barack Obama's speech in Prague. 

á      http://www.kremlin.ru/text/docs/2009/04/214589.shtml

á      http://www.inosmi.ru/translation/248229.html

á      http://www.newsru.com/world/01apr2009/snvnew.html