The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament today broadly welcomed a new government-funded report in to how nuclear disarmament could be achieved. The study concludes that "nuclear disarmament is firmly back on the international agenda" and has been widely trailed by Defence Secretary Des Browne and former Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett.

The report ‘Abolishing Nuclear Weapons’ [see note 3 for details] explores the major technical issues which stand in the way of the goal of a nuclear free world. Both the steps nuclear-armed states – initially the US and Russia, followed by others, could take in concert to reduce their arsenals to a small fraction of their current size and then the problems of verifiably destroying the remaining warheads are given serious discussion.

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said, "We broadly welcome the study as a significant contribution to the debate. Government should now translate their support for this initiative into political action at the highest levels. The conceptual framework of the report – that multilateral disarmament is a difficult, but vitally important goal reflects the reality now accepted by many governments – that without serious disarmament steps, more nations will seek to acquire the bomb." She continued, "The suggested creation of a high-level panel of experts to build international consensus on the technical requirements for disarmament would be a valuable addition to political-level discussions. And there are many other positive suggestions in the report. But if our government is serious about disarmament it must end its contradictory approach to it. Contributing to nuclear proliferation by pursuing Trident replacement, and backing the missile defence system which is already leading to a new nuclear arms race, is incompatible with the goal of zero nuclear weapons."

ends

Notes to Editors:

1) For further information and interviews please contact Ben Soffa, CND's Press Officer, on 0207 7002350 or 07968 420859

2) The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) is one of Europe’s biggest single-issue peace campaigns, with over 35,000 members in the UK. CND campaigns for the abolition of all nuclear weapons everywhere. www.cnduk.org

3) International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) report ‘Abolishing Nuclear Weapons’ by George Perkovich and James M. Acton, is available from on Leah Charpentier at the IISS on 020 7395 9112, charpentier@iiss.org

further details at www.iiss.org/publications/adelphi-papers/2008-adelphi-papers/abolishing-nuclear-weapons/

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CND - campaign for nuclear disarmament
http://www.cnduk.org/index.php/press-releases/global-abolition/cnd-broadly-welcomes-government-backed-study-on-nuclear-abolition.html

eGov monitor
http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/20985