Global Zero
www.GlobalZero.org
For Immediate Release
Contacts:
In Washington:
Trevor FitzGibbonPh: 202-406-0646
Hilary Perry (TV Bookings) Ph: 202-374-6010
In Paris:
Natalie Faulkner: + 33 1 57 32 85 96 Mobile: + 33 6 14 39 83 24 natalie.faulkner@consultants.publicis.fr
Lorraine Lenoir: + 33 1 57 32 86 55 Mobile: + 33 6 03 53 92 13
lorraine.lenoir@consultants.publicis.fr
Political, Military Leaders From China, India, Pakistan, and Britain Respond to Obama Prague Speech:
All Nuclear Powers Should Commit to Multi-Lateral Negotiations for Elimination of All Nuclear Weapons
Former U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel Says North Korean Missile Launch Underscores Urgency for All Nuclear Powers to Support Obama-Medvedev Effort to Achieve "Global Zero"
Political and military leaders at the forefront of the Global Zero initiative, a nonpartisan international effort to achieve a phased, verifiable plan to eliminate all nuclear weapons worldwide, immediately expressed support for President Obama’s Prague speech and the newly announced U.S.-Russian effort to eliminate nuclear weapons, and called on their own governments to commit now to participating in multi-lateral negotiations for an agreement to eliminate all nuclear weapons worldwide. In his speech yesterday, President Obama said he will “seek to include all nuclear weapons states in this endeavor.”
Air Chief Marshal (ret.) Shashindra Pal Tyagi, former Indian Air Force Chief
“India has always supported the vision of a nuclear weapons free world. Now that the leaders of the U.S. and Russia have declared their desire to achieve global zero, India needs to actively support the movement and participate in a multi-national initiative to ensure a phased, verifiable and time-bound program to eliminate all nuclear weapons.”
K. Shankar Bajpai, former Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs of India
"The US-Russia summit commitment to achieving global zero is as heartening as it is vital. These are the two powers who must set, not just the pace, but the example we can and must all follow. To be clear, global zero does not rest with partial disarmament: all states must abandon all nuclear weapons. I am privileged to be among those supporting this vital cause and to join in urging all states, not least my own, to follow up on the US-Russian statement, swiftly and constructively."
Gen. (Ret.) Jehangir Karamat, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pakistan
“The Obama-Medvedev declaration is a very real and tangible step towards reduction of nuclear weapons and transcends regional and other concerns. Pakistan should, and I am sure will, be supportive of this initiative.”
Maj. Gen. (retired) Peng Guangqian, Chinese Defense Analyst
“Elimination of all nuclear weapons globally is a long process, but most importantly, the U.S. and Russia have taken the first step. China always advocates a complete ban and ultimate elimination of all nuclear weapons. As a country with nuclear weapons, China has demonstrated that it will not avoid the responsibility and obligation in nuclear disarmament."
Malcolm Rifkind, former Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary of the United Kingdom
“It is critical that all of the other nuclear powers commit now to participating in multi-lateral negotiations on an agreement to eliminate all nuclear weapons worldwide – global zero. Getting to global zero will require the phased and verified reduction of all nations’ nuclear arsenals over many years. It is urgent that we begin now.”
Chuck Hagel, former U.S. Senator
“The launch of the North Korean missile – in addition to demanding the aggressive pursuit of the six-party talks – should be viewed as an urgent call for the leaders of all the nuclear countries to support Presidents Obama’s and Medvedev’s bold and historic effort to achieve the only real and lasting solution to proliferation and nuclear terrorism: the elimination of all nuclear weapons – global zero."
Igor Yurgens, Chairman of the Institute of Contemporary Development in Moscow (of which Russian President Medvedev is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees)
“Presidents Obama and Medvedev have made it clear that they view the worldwide elimination of nuclear weapons as a top national security priority for their two countries and the world. Deep reductions to these Russian and U.S. arsenals -- which account for 96 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons – will set the stage for the multi-lateral dialogue that will be essential for eliminating all nuclear weapons and achieving global zero."
Last week, in advance of the historic first Obama Medvedev meeting, more than 100 international leaders on the forefront of the Global Zero initiative urged the U.S. and Russian presidents to work toward dramatic reductions of U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals and to commit to a longer-term effort to eliminate nuclear weapons worldwide. In early March, Sen. Hagel and Ambassador Richard Burt, the former U.S. Chief Negotiator for START, met with President Medvedev in Moscow, where eliminating nuclear weapons was discussed. Sen. Hagel and Amb. Burt have given letters to Presidents Obama and Medvedev, co-signed by more than 90 Global Zero leaders, urging bold action toward eliminating nuclear weapons.
Global Zero leaders includes nine former heads of state; eight former foreign ministers from the United States, Russia, Britain and India; three former defense ministers from the United States and Britain; six former national security advisors from the United States, India and Pakistan; and nineteen former top military commanders from the United States, Russia, China, Britain, India and Pakistan.
