REDUCTION IN UK NUCLEAR WARHEAD NUMBERS BEGINS
The Ministry of Defence has announced that the programme for implementing reductions in the number of UK nuclear warheads outlined in last year's Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) has now commenced.
Our new video blog shows an interview with Andreas Persbo, Executive Director of VERTIC, about the ground-breaking UK – Norway Initiative on disarmament verification. The UK – Norway Initiative has brought researchers from the two nations together to investigate the science of verification of the dismantling of nuclear warheads, and VERTIC has acted as the independent non-government observer for the programme.
More from Wikileaks about the power-play between the permanent five (P5) members of the United Nations Security Council before the Non Proliferation Treaty Review Conference earlier this year.
One of the Wikileaks diplomatic cables gives an interesting insight into the state of public opinion in Iran on the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme.
Ni Ruchi, a Chinese diplomat who had returned from visiting Iran, told staff from the US Embassy in Beijing that “considerable debate was taking place among ordinary Iranians over the utility of the nuclear program.
MOCK WEAPONS INSPECTION TO TAKE PLACE AT AWE
A mock weapons inspection will take place at the Atomic Weapons Establishment in December as part of the latest phase of the UK – Norway Initiative.
The aim of the exercise will be to test confidence building measures during an inspection so that international inspectors can be allowed access to sensitive sites without endangering nuclear secrets.
Our latest video interview shows an interview with the Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Reading, discussing his views on nuclear weapons and the prospects for arms control under the new Coalition government.
NIS researcher Steven Hendry discusses the upcoming Nuclear Abolition day, the basic ideas behind a Nuclear Weapons Convention and its possible place alongside the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.
One week on from the closing of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Review Conference (NPT) in New York, Anti-nuclear activists around the globe will gather on June 5th to call for a global nuclear weapons convention (NWC). Many activists had hoped that this years review would end with a commitment to building a NWC. However, it didn't – hence the need for action.
The USA has released information about the size of its nuclear weapons stockpile
President Obama's nuclear diplomacy agenda has taken some significant steps forward this week: firstly with the launch of the US Nuclear Posture Review, and then with the signing of a new US – Russia arms control treaty that will reduce the number of strategic nuclear warheads that each country has deployed. The momentum will continue into next week, when the President is hosting a global nuclear security summit in Washington.
