Urgent Request to All Abolitionists - New Approaches - To Respond to grave recent Developments

Dear Abolitionist Executive Committee and Global Council Members, and all other participants at Abolition 2000 Campaign, together with MPI and campaigners to prevent BMD deployment.

Happy new year and every success to your activities in 2002.

Friends

At the time of NPT Prep Com to be held next April 2002 seven years will be passed since the program of Abolition 2000 Campaign to free the world from nuclear weapons had been approved. Many grave and far reaching developments had taken place recently. New points for the program may be needed and others may be reformulated.

Therefore a meeting of the Global Council with the participation of other NGOs members of Abolition 2000 available at Prep Com meeting is suggested to be convened in New York next April to discuss, among other points the following issues:

1. The impact of the plans to reduce strategic nuclear arsenal from approximately 7000 nuclear weapons to between 2,200 and 1,700 over a ten years period announced by US administration at Bush-Putin Summit, held November 13-15, 2001. The Statement of Middle Power Initiative issued on this step on November 27 can be a base to promote the discussions in order to reach a joint agreement.
2. The intention of US administration and possibly other nuclear states to produce low yield and mini nukes to be used in theater operations to destroy bunkers and missile silos was very much highlighted at the time of US military activities in Afghanistan. Contributions of several members of Abolition 2000 campaign concerned over this issue are available to enhance discussions on this point.
3. The consequences of the possible use of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction by terrorists against reactors and other targets is now a deadly threat to the people in many countries. Discussions on ways and means to avoid such eventualities are very much needed.
4. The impact of the grave decision already taken by US administration to withdraw from the 1972 ABM Treaty on nuclear proliferation and nuclear deterrence should be discussed. Also, the abrogation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty will take place once weaponisation of Space will dominate the military scene Already President Regan Star War suggested the use of nuclear weapons in Space as part of his Strategic Defense Initiative. Also, several treaties signed by US administration were either abrogated or abandoned. Participants at Santa Barbara Panel convened to discuss BMD, the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space and other concerned NGOs can enhance discussions on this point.
5. In our region we raise at present a slogan to "free the Middle east from nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) together with their delivery vehicles". This is adopted because states of the region will seek WMD so long as Israel acquire nukes and TMDs whereas Israel will continue to maintain its nuclear arsenal and TMDs as long as other states will seek WMD.

Now, US administration is also pursuing simultaneously counter proliferation strategy, BMD deployment, nuclear weapons threats and the possible production and use of mini-nukes under the pretext of combating rogue states and terrorists. All WMD, nuclear, chemical and biological, together with BMD systems are at present, interconnected in one package and integrated in a comprehensive plan. US is threatening others with its nukes and BMD while the others are seeking to acquire WMD to counter US threats. In such a situation will it be advisable to change our main slogan from a World free from nuclear weapons to a World free from nuclear and other WMD together with their delivery vehicles?? This slogan does not prevent the development of our activities in any area more than the others. On the contrary such an advance in any area will enhance activities in other areas. Also, NGOs may highlight activities in certain areas according to the interests of their countries and regions or in order to meet the demands of international developments. The main aim of the proposed slogan is to respond to the new integrated military policy of US administration and its allies.

To solve all these political problems our campaign is currently facing, we urgently request a meeting of the Executive Committee of Abolition 2000 Campaign to lay down a plan, as quickly as possible, in order to conduct a dialogue among NGOs in preparation for the proposed April Meeting. Major development had recently occurred which directly affect our program and actives, and accordingly they should be reoriented in response to these developments.

Bahig Nassar
Coordinator, Arab Coordination Center of NGOs
Member, AAPSO Disarmament Committee
January the first, 2002

Remark:
Recently the activities of the leading bodies of abolition 2000 Campaign is relaxing in spite of the fact that they are very much needed due to the current events. Why?? Bahig.