The Middle Powers Initiative (of which IPB is a member organisation) recently released a summary report of its recent consultation of the Article VI Forum, held in Dublin in March 2008 with the co-sponsorship of the Government of Ireland.
The final report will be issued in June, 2008.
http://www.middlepowers.org/

>> Read the report
>> View a photo gallery of the conference

Statement to the 2nd Session
of the Preparatory Committee
for the 2010 NPT Review Conference

JAPAN Hiroshima: A visiter to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum looks at photographs of some of the victims of the atomic bomb 'Little Boy' which was dropped on the city in August 6th 1945 by the United States of America.It was the first atomic bomb ever used as a weapon and was dropped three days before the "Fat Man" bomb was used against Nagasaki. The two bombs killed over 100,000 people.
Photographer © Toru Morimoto / Panos Picture

Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (GENSUIKYO)
April 2008

The next NPT Review Conference is only within two years.  Now that almost 63 years will have passed since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we are deeply concerned that about 26,000 nuclear weapons are still stockpiled or deployed, while we witness the danger of proliferation of nuclear weapons in the world. >>More

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2008 World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs

Here is a call for participation in and support for the 2008 World Conference against A and H Bombs, and attached its provisional program and pre-registration form, plus a call for joining the 2008 International Youth Rally "Let us get rid of nuclear weapons". Please make a plan to come to Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Aug. 2-9, 2008. We look forward to receiving your pre-registration forms!

For a Nuclear Weapon-Free, Peaceful and Just World:
Call for Participation in and Support for the
2008 World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs

February 14, 2008

61st General Meeting, Organizing Committee of the World Conference against A & H Bombs

Aspiring to a nuclear weapon-free, peaceful and just world, we will hold the 2008 World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs from August 2 to 9, 2008, in the A-bombed cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We cordially invite people worldwide, both in and out of Japan, who share the common goal to take part in and support the World Conference.

This year’s world conference will serve as a springboard for developing a joint international campaign toward the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in the spring of 2010. The implementation of the “unequivocal undertaking” to eliminate nuclear weapons, agreed to in the 2000 Review Conference by the nuclear weapons states was sought for in the last NPT Review Conference held in 2005. But the conference ended in failure, due to the attempt by the U.S. to focus only on “nuclear non-proliferation.”

However, the disastrous situation in Iraq caused by the US led-war using the proliferation as a pretext has not only shown the bankruptcy of “order imposed by power” but also the fact that the abolition of nuclear weapons is the only way to overcome threats from nuclear weapons. Under these circumstances, a determination to jointly endeavor to achieve the implementation of promise by the nuclear weapons states is growing among NGOs, national governments and local municipalities.

The U.N. General Assembly last December adopted resolutions to urge the implementation of the agreement to abolish nuclear weapons and to demand an early commencement of negotiations leading to the elimination of nuclear weapons with greater support than in previous years. We are also witnessing a new move in which former advisors to different U.S. Presidents, secretaries of state and defense, and the defense and foreign ministers of its allies are calling on the nuclear weapons states to take action toward a “nuclear weapon-free world.”

Now is the time for all the people of the world who wish to achieve a “nuclear weapon-free world” to work together and develop broader and greater actions.

At the same time, we are aware of the responsibility of the Japanese movements. Against the wish of the people for a nuclear-free and peaceful Japan, and in defiance of a worldwide trend, our government is deepening Japan’s dependence on the U.S. “nuclear umbrella” and promoting revision of the peace Constitution. We urge the government of the world’s only A-bombed nation to assume a leading role for nuclear weapons abolition and to contribute to world peace by strictly observing the Three Non-Nuclear Principles and Article 9 of the Constitution. To this end, we are determined to make progress in our grass-roots movements, working together with the Hibakusha.

The World Conference against A & H Bombs has helped develop international solidarity and joint efforts between anti-nuclear peace movements of the world and governments working for the elimination of nuclear weapons. Let us have active discussion and interactions, and expand our movements further to open a sure perspective for a future set free of threats from nuclear weapons. We also hope to develop our solidarity with the movements against war and for peace, and for protection of environment and people’s livelihoods.

We cordially call on you to take part in and give support to the 2008 World Conference. We also call for your cooperation with the Nationwide Peace March which marks its 50th anniversary this year, the signature campaign for the abolition of nuclear weapons, and holding of A-bomb exhibitions. (end)

Contact: Yayoi Tsuchida
In charge of International Relations
World Conference against A & H Bombs
Organizing Committee
2-4-4 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8464 JAPAN
Phone: +81-3-5842-6034
Fax: +81-3-5842-6033
Email: intl@antiatom.org
URL: www.antiatom.org

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First A-bomb Exhibition in Egypt

Message for nuclear weapon-free and peace shared
Hiroshi TAKA
Secretary General
Japan Council against A and H Bombs (Gensuikyo)

From the viewpoint of what happened under mushroom cloud

With a theme of “For a nuclear weapon-free world – Hiroshima & Nagasaki speak,” a 24-member delegation of the Japan Council against A and H Bombs (Gensuikyo) held an A-bomb exhibition in Cairo, capital of Egypt, for one week from Oct. 24, the first day of the UN Disarmament Week.  We exhibited 30 pieces of “Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-bomb photo posters”, and A-bombed roofing tiles and a blouse with splashed patters that the late mother of Ms. Chizuko Kado wore when she was caught by the bomb.

  The Mubarak Center, three-story public library where the exhibition was held, is located along the west bank of the Nail River.  During the period, about 500 people visited the library and saw the exhibition. A panorama view of the two devastated cities and other posters depicting the effects of heat rays, blast and radiation impressively showed what had happened to people under the mushroom cloud. 

After Rupture of 2005 NPT Review Conference
The planning of the exhibition was started in the 2005 World Conference against A and H Bombs. In May of the same year, the NPT Review Conference with the implementation of an “unequivocal undertaking” for the abolition of nuclear weapons being urged was broken down by the arrogant attitude of the Bush administration.  Drawing a lesson from the disappointing outcome, the world conference came to an agreement to arouse overwhelming public opinion in favor of the abolition of nuclear weapons, and to that end, it called for vigorously carrying out a new signature campaign, peace marches, holding the A-bomb exhibitions to disseminate the damage of atomic bombing in and out of Japan.

In order to implement the decision of the world conference, Gensuikyo decided to conduct the Hibakusha’s speaking tour and the A-bomb exhibition not only in nuclear weapons states but in Asian countries; further, it decided to try to get cooperation from governments of the New Agenda Coalition and the Non-aligned Movement in these activities.  It was Egypt, member state of NAC and next chair nation of the NAM that was the first to kindly accept our request to host these activities.

Serious effort of Egypt government and people on this issue
Along with the exhibition, we had a seminar with the participation of students at Cairo university on Nov. 23, a panel discussion under the same theme of the exhibition on Nov. 24, a lecture meeting with about 30 newly-appointed diplomats as audience at the Diplomatic Institute and a dialogue with junior and senior high school students on Nov. 28.  All the programs were attended by government officials of Egypt. They presided at and spoke to these programs.  They include Prof. Mona El Baradei and Prof. Sanaa Ahmed Esmail at the seminar of the Cairo University, Amb. Abdel Raouf El Reedy, the director of the Mubarak Public Library, and Amb. Hisham Badr, former ambassador to Japan in the panel discussion, and Amb. Soad M. Shalaby, Amb. Amk Aboulatta and Amb. Mohamed Ezzeldine Abdel-Moneim in the lecture meeting.

Active dialogue and Q & A sessions
From the Japanese side, Mikiso Iwasa, assistant secretary general of Hidankyo and I, became speakers on behalf of the delegation. The two other Hibakushas of Junko Kayashige and Masae Kanatani also spoke about their experiences of atomic bombing at some programs.

I spoke that the purpose of the exhibition and the visit was to make known to the world the message of the Hibakusha that humans cannot coexist with nuclear weapons, and I called for making the abolition of nuclear weapons common effort of all humankind. 

Immediately after the atomic bombing and ever since, a myth has been propagated throughout the world that “The A-bombing brought an early end to the war” or “It saved several hundred thousand lives of the youths”.  However, the tireless efforts of the Hibakusha to let the world know the reality of what happened under the mushroom cloud, and of the world peace movement in response to Hibakusha’s call, have finally achieved the “unequivocal undertaking to eliminate nuclear weapons” from the nuclear weapons states in the final year of the 20th century at the 2000 NPT Review Conference.  Along with this achievement, we emphasized that dependence on nuclear weapons still continued, and for securing the survival of human race, all people and governments, beyond all boundaries, should work together to abolish nuclear weapons.

People at these meetings raised many diverse questions as “Why were Hiroshima and Nagasaki made targets for the A-bombing?”, “How were the Hibakusha able to survive until today?”, “Don’t you hold a grudge against the U.S., which dropped the A-bombs?” or “How can we force the nuclear powers to abandon their nuclear arsenals?”.  People were engaged in such lively discussions and Q & A sessions that many of them lined up before the microphone to speak up.

Our delegation also learned many things
The first meeting of the World Conference against A & H Bombs and the government of Egypt was when the late Amb. Mahmoud Mubarak, then Assistant Foreign Minister of Egypt took part in the 2002 World Conference.  He was playing an important role as the representative of Egypt in the New Agenda Coalition.  It was around the time when the Bush Administration had been aiming its sights on Iraq and sent State Secretary Powell to Arab countries, by which tension was rapidly running high.  Through his presentations in the world conference, Amb. Mubarak showed a very firm and clear stance on the abolition of nuclear weapons and the solution of Iraqi problems through peaceful means.  The leadership played by Egypt led to the unanimous demand from the Arab world for a peaceful solution, which moved the anti-war opinion of the world.  Amb. Mubarak contributed greatly to developing friendly relations between the world conference and the government of Egypt, which has been playing a pivotal role in bringing together the NAC, the NAM and the League of Arab States.

Our delegation wanted to know how much the people of Egypt were conscious about nuclear-free and peace issues.  As is well known, Egypt engaged in warfare with Israel 4 times after the Second World War.  And through the 1970s, it shifted its stance to solving through diplomatic means the problems of Palestine and occupied territories by Israel.  That policy shift generated various controversies, but Egypt has proven that its effort for peaceful solutions does not mean the accommodation to injustice or sacrificing other peoples.  In the face of Israel’s possession of nuclear weapons and continued refusal to join the NPT, in early 1990s, Egypt proposed that the Middle East region should be made a zone free of all weapons of mass destruction, and has promoted a non-nuclear and peace diplomacy.  How do the people of Egypt see their government seeking the initiative for peace and a nuclear weapon-free world in the region facing unparalleled and complicated problems in Palestine, Iraq and Israel’s possession of nuclear weapons?  Naturally, the number of people whom we were able to meet during our short stay was limited.  However, when it comes to the question of nuclear weapons and peace, people in Egypt were all very sincere and serious in discussing and tackling the problem.

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Nuclear Weapons & Today's Stand-Off

Middle Powers Initiative Statement
US/Iran Confrontation:
Intensified Diplomacy and Adherence to International Law
September 20, 2007

Absent a Security Council resolution authorizing use of force, there is presently no basis in international law for the United States or any other state to respond to Iran’s nuclear program with a military attack or to threaten such an attack.
>> More

Find out about the world's top nuclear forces here.