World leaders gather in bid to impose a ban on nuclear weapons

December 6, 2008

WASHINGTON — A new international group committed to eliminating nuclear weapons over the next 25 years has enlisted scores of world leaders as its campaign gets under way at a conference in Paris on Tuesday.

Richard Burt, chief strategic weapons negotiator for President George H.W. Bush, says the aim is to get to zero.

The group, Global Zero, is proposing deep cuts in U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals, a verification and enforcement system, and phased reduction leading to the elimination of all stockpiles.

After the kickoff meeting, delegations will go to Moscow for talks with Russian officials on Wednesday and to Washington to see Bush administration officials and possibly advisers to President-elect Barack Obama on Thursday.

"In recent months, the threat of proliferation and nuclear terrorism has led to a growing chorus of world leaders calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons," the group said in a statement announcing its plans.

Listed supporters include former President Jimmy Carter; former Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger; former Defence Secretary Frank Carlucci; former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev; Shaharyar Khan, a former Pakistani foreign minister; retired Air Chief Marshal Shashindra Pal Tyagi of India; and Malcolm Rifkind, a former British foreign secretary.

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"I cannot do it alone - you have to make me do it." While some in PE Obama's administration may want new nukes it is up to us to convince him not to do it. This group sounds like the base for that movement.

If there is to be a play for the center we need to make certain that our Democratic values prevail. Those values and efforts should reflect this group's initiative.