On 5 October 2009 Pugwash President Amb. Jayantha Dhanapala addressed the 4th London Conference on A Middle East Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone, organised by the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy at SOAS, and co-sponsored by British Pugwash.
Archive | 2009
Ashdown’s Third Law
On 25 May 2009 Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon delivered the annual Rotblat lecture at the Hay Festival, co-sponsored by British Pugwash and the WMD Awareness Programme. Paddy Ashdown was leader of the Liberal Democrats (1988-1999) and International High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (2002-2006).
British Pugwash Annual Report 2009
Top issues: UK related nuclear weapons issues, particularly government’s decision to proceed with renewing Trident; non-proliferation and disarmament issues.
Prospects for Dialogue in the Middle East
At a British Pugwash discussion meeting on 30 April 2009 Pugwash Secretary General Paolo Cotta-Ramusino, Andreas Persbo (VERTIC), Middle East expert Nomi Bar-Yaacov and Olive Tree Programme Director Rosemary Hollis addressed ‘Prospects for Peace in the Middle East, post-Gaza and the Israeli election’.
The validity of the rationale for UK’s possession of nuclear weapons
‘The validity of the rationale for UK’s possession of nuclear weapons’ (January 2009) Professor Robert Hinde argues that “the basic reasons that have been given for retaining or improving our nuclear weaponry have remained surprisingly similar across the years”. Read the article
UK does not need a nuclear deterrent – Letter
Field Marshal Lord Bramall, General Lord Ramsbotham, General Sir Hugh Beach (member BPG Executive Committee) ‘UK does not need a nuclear deterrent: Nuclear weapons must not be seen to be vital to the secure defence of self-respecting nations’. Letter, The Times 16 January 2009.