Nuclear Weapons Treaty Review - Action Alert Background

The biggest anti-nuclear weapons conference in five years starts on May 2nd in New York! It is a gathering of the 187 states that have agreed to abolish nuclear weapons under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons or "NPT". More than three decades ago, the NPT set into place one of the most important international security bargains of all time: states without nuclear weapons pledged not to acquire them, while nuclear-armed states committed to eventually give them up. The treaty's success depends on universal compliance with tighter rules prohibiting the spread of nuclear weapons and controlling access to nuclear energy technology. It also requires that nuclear-weapon states fulfill their disarmament obligations and give credible assurances to non-nuclear-weapon states that they will not be subjected to nuclear attack.

Tension regarding the mutual obligations of NPT members is nothing new. Yet, at the recently concluded Preparatory Committee meeting for the 2005 NPT Review Conference, U.S. officials pushed for greater limitations on other states while arguing the United States needs to do little or nothing more on disarmament. As a result, states-parties are more divided than ever about how to enforce the treaty, deal with the three nonsignatories (India, Israel, and Pakistan), and tighten restrictions on the availability of nuclear weapons technology. The World Court has said that all states are legally obligated to negotiate and conclude an agreement for the elimination of nuclear weapons. But this is not happening!

Here are 4 steps you can take to call for action in May:

1. Sign Declarations of Conscience:
   Let the Ambassadors at the UN know you want negotiations for the elimination of nuclear weapons started! Here's how:
   
   • a) Download, print and share with your friends the World Court Project Declaration at http://www.pgs.ca/updir/wcpdeclaration.pdf
     To ensure your declarations get to the UN Ambassadors,
     return them by MONDAY APRIL 25^th to:
     Physicians for Global Survival (PGS), 145 Spruce, #208, Ottawa, K1R 6P1
   • b) Link the Declaration to your website. Mention it in listserves and newsletters.
   
   
2. Attend the May 1st Demonstration in New York City Contact [email protected] for information on buses being organized to go from Canada to New York City. There are numerous educational events scheduled at the UN the week starting May 2, however you must be accredited with a UN pass to attend. For info: http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/
   
   
3. Encourage your Mayor to attend the Mayors for Peace activities in New York during the NPT Review Conference. For info, watch the http://www.pgs.ca/ website for information on the Mayors for Peace campaign.
   
   
4. SIGN and send the form letter below to Prime Minister Paul Martin. Encourage the Prime Minister to direct the Canadian delegation to play a leadership role in meeting the goals of the NPT Review Conference. Copy the letter to your MP. BETTER YET, write a personalized letter using the information provided.