Prime Minister's push to ban nuclear weapons
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced plans for an International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, to be co-chaired by former Foreign Minister and now President of the International Crisis Group, Gareth Evans.
The Commission will be an international body that would build policy and political momentum towards the 2010 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. It will include an international conference in Australia in 2009.
Following on from the 1995 Canberra Commission on the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, ICAN welcomes this move and will work to ensure that this Commission considers fully the merits of a Nuclear Weapons Convention to outlaw the development, production, testing, deployment, stockpiling, transfer, threat, or use of nuclear weapons.
Click below to see the ICAN message from Gareth Evans:
It was time the world moved beyond stopping the spread of nuclear weapons, and on to outlawing "these awful weapons" for good, Mr Evans said today.
- 'Ban nukes for good, says Evans' - The Australian.
Kevin Rudd became the first acting Prime Minister to visit the Hiroshima memorial, at which he lay a wreath for the many victims and wrote:
"Let the world resolve afresh from the ashes of this city - to work together for the common mission of peace for this Asia-Pacific century, and for a world where one day nuclear weapons are no more."
Mr Rudd later added in public comments: "Hiroshima should cause the world community to resolve afresh that all humankind must exert their every effort for peace in this 21st century".
'Rudd heralds new nuclear disarmament body' - ABC News.
