Khamenei's Message on Nuclear Non-Proliferation

In a message read at the two-day the first International Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation in Teheran, Iranian supreme leader Khamenei has said that 'any use or even threat to use nuclear weapons is a serious and material violation of indisputable rules of humanitarian law,' adding that there is 'no winner in a nuclear war.' Khamenei also said that the United States is the 'only country' that has made the ultimate nuclear offense for its atomic attack on Japan.

The supreme leader stressed the need to find 'sensible and practical ways and solutions to counter the threat of nuclear weapons against humanity.' The Ayatollah also urged participants of the conference to take serious steps toward protecting world peace and stability.

Threat to World Peace
Although several countries have produced and stockpiled nuclear weapons that could lead to commission of a major nuclear crime and have seriously threatened world peace, only one government has committed the ultimate nuclear offence, the United States. I wish to welcome the honorable guests that have gathered here for this conference.

It is a source of pleasure for the Islamic Republic of Iran to be the host for this international disarmament conference. I hope this occasion will be an opportunity to yield enduring and important results from your dialogues and discussions for the whole humanity. Atomic and nuclear sciences are among the greatest achievement of humankind and must be at the service of welfare and advancement of all human societies. The application fields of nuclear science cover a wide spectrum of medical, energy and industrial uses, each being of essential importance. For this reason, we can rightly say that nuclear technology occupies a prominent position in our economic life and its importance will only rise as we move forward.

Health and Energy Sectors
As the needs of industry, the health and energy sectors grow, so do the efforts to make more use of nuclear energy. The nations of the Middle East, like other nations of the world, are thirsting for peace, security and progress. They have the right to ensure the economic position and prosperity of the future generations. Most likely, one of the reasons behind efforts to cast clouds of doubt on the peaceful nuclear activities of the Islamic Republic of Iran is to hold back the nations of the region from paying serious attention to this natural and important right of theirs.

The deceptive ploy by the sole nuclear offender that falsely claims to be advocating non-proliferation of nuclear arms, while doing nothing substantive for this cause, will never succeed. If the campaign by the United States was not fictitious, could the Zionist regime refrain from accepting the rules of international law, especially the nonproliferation regime, and turn the occupied land of Palestine into an arsenal with huge stockpiles of nuclear weapons?

The word 'atom' implies as much the advancement of human knowledge, as it does remind us of the most appalling event in history, the most dreadful genocide, and the gravest exploitation of scientific achievements of humankind. Although several countries have produced and stockpiled nuclear weapons that could lead to commission of a major nuclear crime and have seriously threatened world peace, only one government has committed the ultimate nuclear offence, the United States.

The innocent people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were attacked by atomic bombs in an unequal and cruel war. From the time of the first explosion of an atomic weapon by the government of the United States in Hiroshima and Nagasaki that caused human catastrophe with colossal proportions, the security of the entire humankind has been threatened and there has been a global consensus on the need for complete elimination of these weapons.

Consequence of Devastating Effects
The use of nuclear weapon not only caused massive loss of lives and destruction, but also was totally indiscriminate toward military and civilian population, young and old, women and men. Its ruthless consequences crossed political and geographical boundary lines and even wreaked irreparable losses on the next generations. As a consequence of these devastating effects, any use of or even threat to use nuclear weapons is a serious and material violation of indisputable rules of humanitarian law and a cogent example of a war crime, after a few countries acquired these weapons, it has been proven beyond any doubt that there is no winner in a nuclear war and entering such a war is irrational and inhuman.

Nevertheless, despite these simple moral, rational, humane and even military facts and justifications and emphatic and repeated desire of the international community for the total elimination of these weapons, a small number of governments that have built their illusion of security on the insecurity of others continue to ignore this global call.

The insistence of these governments on holding on and increasing the destructive powers of these weapons will have no use but to serve as a tool for collective intimidation and terror and to create a false sense of security based on deterrence resulting from assured destruction and perpetuation of the global nuclear nightmare.

Colossal amounts of resources have been spent in this irrational arms race, so each superpower could have this illusion and power to imagine that it is able to destroy its rivals and other inhabitants of the planet Earth, even their own population, many times over. It is for good reason that the deterrent strategy based on 'mutually assured destruction' is referred to as MAD.

Violating Commitments
Over the recent years some government have gone beyond the 'mutually assured destruction' deterrence doctrine in facing other nuclear powers. They have gone so far that their nuclear strategy emphasizes on maintaining nuclear choice in countering conventional threats by violators of Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), while the greatest violators of NPT are those powers that, in addition to violating their commitments under Article 6 of NPT on nuclear disarmament have even taken over others in the race for vertical and horizontal proliferation.

They have played a direct role in proliferation of these weapons by helping to arm the Zionist regime with nuclear weapons and supporting the policies of this regime. This is contrary to their undertaking under Article 1 of NPT, and poses a serious threat to the Middle East region and beyond.

Production and Stockpiling of Nuclear Weapons
The bullying and aggressor regime of the United States is leading these efforts. It behooves this international conference on disarmament to review and examine the perils resulting from production and stockpiling of nuclear weapons in the world, and to present sensible and practical ways and solutions to counter this threat against humanity so, serious steps could be taken toward protecting world peace and security. We believe that other weapons of mass destruction, in addition to nuclear weapons, such as chemical and biological weapons, also pose a serious threat to humanity.

The people of Iran were themselves victims of the use of chemical weapons and are better aware of the dangers of production and stockpiling of these weapons. We are prepared to make resources available to us to counter this threat. We regard the use of these weapons to be illegal and haram, and it is incumbent on all to protect humankind from this grave disaster.

Teheran International Nuclear Disarmament Conference

Iran organized the first International Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation in Teheran on 18 April in response to the Nuclear Security Summit, held recently in Washington, DC. The members and officials from 60 world countries were in attendance. At the conference, supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei condemned the use of nuclear weapons as 'haram' (illegal) and said that the United States is the 'only country' that has made the 'ultimate nuclear offense' for its atomic attack on Japan.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave a 25-minute opening address at the conference. In his speech, he said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'failed to exercise its duties' for ensuring disarmament, but said that Iran is willing to engage in 'constructive cooperation in managing global disarmament and formulating new rules.' He also called for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to be reviewed by impartial 'independent states that have no nuclear weapons,' adding that the "presence of those who have nuclear weapons, especially the US Government, is an obstacle to a fair agreement.

Proposed 15-Point Charter for Reforming NPT
Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran condemned double standards and discrimination by nuclear powers against NPT member states, and proposed a 15-point charter for reforming the NPT and enhancing the disarmament regime. He went on to outline 15 proposals for establishing trust and promoting nuclear disarmament, as follows:

1. He slammed what he called the exploitative and Machiavellian approach of some countries. He urged a more coherent approach to disarmament.

2. He called for security-military cooperation at an international level and the acceptance of joint responsibilities.

3. He called for destruction of all nuclear weapons.

4. He called for all nuclear countries to remove nuclear weapons from their defense doctrine.

5. He called for the removal of nuclear weapons from countries that are normally nonnuclear powers but whose territory is used to station atomic weapons.

6. He called for agreements by all nations and governments to commit to nonproliferation.

7. He called for a conference to revise the NPT, and urged that the Geneva Conference on disarmament be charged with issuing a binding convention to implement a strong and clear verification regime.

8. He echoed Jalili's remarks made earlier for a deadline imposed on all nuclear powers to eradicate all their nuclear weapons.

9. He called for all-round efforts by NPT members to create a climate for creating a binding accord for disarmament.

10. He called for all nations to be guaranteed the peaceful use of nuclear technology.

11. He called for an all-round increase in possibilities for nuclear technology exchange and transfer between NPT members.

12. He called for a change in the mechanism of budget-setting within the IAEA, allowing all member-states a fair share of this budget.

13. He called for pressure to be increased on those powers which are outside the NPT to join it and become committed to it, singling out the 'Zionist regime' as a case in point.

14. He called for a change in the double-standards approach under the current regime, in which non-NPT members 'such as Israel' are rewarded, while 'committed' members such as the Islamic Republic are punished.

15. He called for regional and international cooperation and for pressure to be exerted on Israel to join the NPT.

Nuclear Security Summit Releases Joint Communique

The 47-nation two-day Nuclear Security Summit concluded in Washington on 13 April. The leaders of the Summit to aim to lock down all vulnerable nuclear materials worldwide within four years, as advocated by host US President Barack Obama.

The Summit comes after Obama announced April 6 a new U.S. nuclear strategy that aims to limit the circumstances in which the country would use nuclear weapons, and after the US President and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a landmark strategic nuclear disarmament treaty on 8 April in Prague.

The participants, which include Japan and all five declared nuclear states -- the United Kingdom, China, France, Russia and the United States -- also called for the implementation of 'special precautions' against highly enriched uranium and plutonium that can be diverted to weapons.

Joint Communique
At the end of the Washington Summit the leaders of the participating countries issued a 12-point joint communique. The communique reaffirmed their ''fundamental responsibility'' in ensuring security for all nuclear materials, including those used in weapons and for nuclear facilities. It calls on the nations to fully implement all existing nuclear security commitments' and work toward acceding to those not yet joined, consistent with national laws, policies and procedures.

The countries recognize the need for concerted international efforts to promote capacity building, technological development and effectively prevent and respond to incidents of illicit nuclear trafficking. They agreed to promote the implementation of strong nuclear security practices that will not infringe upon the rights of states to develop and utilize nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and technology and that the related industry, including private firms, should also play a role in keeping nuclear materials out of the hands of terrorists.

The nonbiding work plan, which was also issued after the Summit, urges the nations to use low-enriched uranium instead of high-enriched fuel ''where it is technically and economically feasible,'' and consolidate national sites where nuclear materials are held so they can secure thorough control of the materials.

The plan also calls on the participants to build regulatory capacity and ensure sufficiently trained and fully vetted professional nuclear security staff and adequate resources. Among the other participants are India and Pakistan, which possess nuclear weapons but have refused to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), as well as Israel, the only country in the Middle East suspected of having a nuclear arsenal. Neither North Korea, which quit the NPT in 2003, nor Iran, suspected of developing nuclear weapons, was invited.

The Washington Summit was also aimed at boosting the momentum toward nuclear nonproliferation ahead of a NPT review conference scheduled to be held in May in New York, which is held once every five years.

One of the Summit's surprises is that it won't be a stand-alone event. South Korea has agreed to host the next Summit in 2012.

India's Stand and Offer
With Pakistan obviously on his mind, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has warned of the dangers posed by nuclear explosives falling into the hands of non-state actors posing danger to India and other countries. Addressing the Nuclear Security Summit, he pitched for zero tolerance against individuals and groups which engage in illegal trafficking of atomic explosives and announced India's decision to set up a 'Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership' for conducting research and development of design systems that are intrinsically safe, secure, proliferation resistant and sustainable.

Nuclear security is one of the foremost challenges we face today, Singh told the Summit of 47 countries which discussed ways to ensure that nuclear material and technology do not fall into the hands of terrorists.

Commenting US President Barack Obama for his initiative in convening the Summit, he said India would like the Summit to lead to concrete outcomes which help make our world a safer place. The danger of nuclear explosives or fissile material and technical know-how falling in to the hands of non-state actors continues to haunt our world, Singh said, adding India is deeply concerned about the danger it faces, as do other states, from this threat.

He regretted that the global non-proliferation regime has failed to prevent nuclear proliferation as clandestine proliferation networks have flourished and led to insecurity for all, including and especially for India.

Singh invited participation in the venture by other countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to make the Centre's work a success.

The Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership will consist of four schools dealing with Advanced Nuclear Energy System Studies, Nuclear Security, Radiation Safety and application of Radioisotopes and Radiation Technology in areas of healthcare, agriculture and food. As soon as the Indian prime minister announced the setting up of the centre, President Obama intervened to welcome it and said: "this will be one more tool to establish best practices" in the quest for nuclear safety.

The Centre is visualized to be a state-of-the-art facility based on international participation from IAEA and other interested foreign partners. It will conduct research and development of design systems that are intrinsically safe, secure, proliferation resistant and sustainable, the prime minister told leaders from 47 countries.

India is continually upgrading technology to develop nuclear systems that are intrinsically safe, secure and proliferation resistant. It recently developed an Advanced Heavy Water Reactor based on Low Enriched Uranium and thorium with new safety and proliferation-resistant features.

As a founder member of the IAEA, India has consistently supported the central role of the UN nuclear watchdog in facilitating national efforts to strengthen nuclear security and in fostering effective international cooperation. India has so far conducted nine Regional Training Courses on Nuclear Security in cooperation with the IAEA.

At the end, the 12-point joint communique states that South Korea will host the next Summit meeting on nuclear terrorism in 2012.

US, Russia Sign New Nuclear Arms Reduction Treaty

The United States and Russia signed a new nuclear arms reduction treaty on 8 April, marking a first step in US President Barack Obama's comprehensive strategy toward a world without nuclear weapons. The new START Treaty was signed by US President Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in Prague.

Although the signing of the treaty came after the expiration of START1 (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), the fact that both countries managed to reach an agreement that could be a milestone for future nuclear arms reductions in one year showed the underlying strength and determination of the Obama administration regarding the reduction of nuclear arsenals. However, the road to the complete abolition of nuclear weapons is still very long and steep.

Tactical Nuclear Weapons
The new treaty reduces the current maximum number of strategic nuclear warheads that can be deployed by 30 percent. But Daryl Kimbal, executive director of the Arms Control Association, says: 'Undeployed nuclear warheads, tactical nuclear weapons, and other elements of nuclear arms stockpiles must also be reduced.' More than 20,000 nuclear weapons will still exist in the world.

In line with the United States' Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) announced on 6 April, Obama said at his news conference that after the new nuclear arms control treaty goes into effect, he intended to pursue further nuclear arms negotiations with Russia targeting all nuclear weapons, including tactical nuclear weapons and undeployed nuclear warheads. However, Russia is still deeply distrustful about the United States' Missile Defense (MD) plans -- some voices in Russia suggesting that Russia would withdraw from the new treaty if the United States expands its MD program in Europe -- and uncertainty shadows any future negotiations.

The NPR also declared that the United States would not use nuclear weapons against any nonnuclear country that obeys the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). But in regards to countries, particularly with Iran and North Korea in mind, that violate the obligation not to proliferate nuclear arms, the NPR also concluded that the United States could not renounce the option to use nuclear weapons against such countries. Even if progress is made in greatly reducing nuclear arms, the reality in the world is that nations are unable to commit to 'zero nuclear arms.'

International Community's Responsibility
What the Obama administration is looking at beyond the new nuclear arms reduction agreement is the issue of nuclear nonproliferation. The most important issue now is preventing Iran's nuclear development, which could set off a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. The spread of nuclear weapons technology and nuclear-related materials by North Korea is also a pressing problem. The offensive in 2009 by the armed Taliban Islamic fanatics in Pakistan suddenly gave a new reality to the nightmare of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists.

At the nuclear security summit to be held in Washington on 12-13 April, the Obama administration will raise discussion on the creation of a system to secure and control nuclear materials to prevent nuclear terrorism. At the NPT Review Conference to be held in May, the White House will also urge a restructuring of provisions for strengthening measures that can be taken when countries violating the NPT declare they are withdrawing from the treaty.