By Stephen Kopko,
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America
WASHINGTON D.C., United States- For the past two days President Barack Obama has hosted many of the world’s leaders in a discussion of one of the world’s most important issues: nuclear security. The summit was held in the wake of the United States and Russian agreement to reduce their nuclear arsenals. The main objective of the summit was to reduce nations stockpiles of nuclear weapons as well as to make nations more accountable for lost nuclear weapons and equipment. These “loose nukes” have the potential to fall into the hands of terrorist organizations.
Forty seven countries participated in the Nuclear Summit. The leaders pledged commitments to better account for loose nuclear materials in order to promote global security. Experts estimate that there is between 1,300 to 1,900 tons of weapons grade nuclear materials unaccounted for throughout the world. According to reports, some of these materials are housed in university research centers, United States missile submarines, and Russian icebreaker power plants.
The Nuclear Summit accomplished two primary goals. First, the summit empowered nations to “clean up their nuclear arsenals” through the formation of specific plans to find and account for “loose nukes.” Also, the summit placed pressure on nations that have failed to abide by previous nuclear disarmament commitments.
The main criticism of the Nuclear Summit was that it did not accomplish anything of substance. The promises made by the nations in attendance were voluntary. Senator Jon Kyl stated; “The summit’s purported accomplishment is a nonbinding communiqué that largely restates current policy, and makes no meaningful progress in dealing with nuclear terrorism threats.”
Nevertheless, the summit’s proponents point to some nations actions in the wake of the summit. For example, Egypt is in the process of criminalizing the trafficking of nuclear materials in their country. Also, Malaysia, a country known as an easy access point for funneling nuclear materials, imposed stronger export controls. Additionally the nations in attendance promised to cooperate with international nuclear inspectors.
President Obama admitted that the United States has not always abided by its international nuclear agreements. However, the United States did take a step forward during the summit. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signed a proposal with the Russian government that would destroy plutonium that had the ability to make 17,000 nuclear weapons.
For more information, please see:
Associated Press-Nuke summit sets post-Cold War challenge-14 April 2010
Christian Science Monitor-Obama’s nuclear summit report card: incomplete, for now-13 April 2010
NY TIMES-At Security Summit, President Obama Calls For Action, Not Talk, to Secure Nuclear Stockpiles-13 April 2010
