The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has successfully limited the number of new states armed with nuclear weapons, but for decades the states which already possess nuclear weapons have continually avoided their obligation to eliminate them. The United States of America is spending over $6 billion a year for nuclear weapons research and development. Also, the United States plans to construct a new nuclear bomb plant to produce 450 new atomic weapons per year. For these reasons and those outlined below, we submit that the United States is now the principal violator of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Therefore, we the undersigned representatives of non-governmental organizations support this People’s Resolution for United States Adherence to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in order to mobilize public opinion for nuclear disarmament, to press for full implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and to bring an end to the nuclear arms race. We bring this People’s Resolution to the attention of all delegations attending the Review Conference of the States Party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in New York on May 2-27, 2005.

Whereas, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is a landmark international treaty the objective of which is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, ¹ and

Whereas, the Treaty entered into force in 1970 and in 1995 was extended indefinitely, and

Whereas, 188 parties have signed the Treaty, including the five nuclear-weapon States,¹ and

Whereas, "more countries have ratified the NPT than any other arms limitation and disarmament agreement, a testament to the Treaty’s significance," ¹ and

Whereas, by ratifying the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the United States and 187 other nations agreed to work together to stop nuclear testing, to eliminate stockpiles, to end the manufacture of nuclear weapons, and to put an end to the arms race at the earliest possible date, ¹ and

Whereas, the United States is the principal violator among the nuclear weapons states in failing to comply with nuclear disarmament obligations under Article VI of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and

Whereas, the United States has withdrawn from commitments made in 2000 to take practical, systematic steps towards nuclear disarmament, and

Whereas, initiatives taken by the United States are contrary to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, a central element of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and

Whereas, the official policy of the United States is that "nuclear weapons, for the foreseeable future, will remain a key element" of national strategy, ² and

Whereas, the United States National Nuclear Security Agency is committed to long-term maintenance and modernization of its nuclear weapons arsenal, and

Whereas, the United States National Nuclear Security Agency budget is $6.57 billion in 2005 for nuclear weapons research and production facilities, ³ with a similar amount proposed for 2006, and

Whereas, the United States is funding a new nuclear bomb plant with an annual production level of 450 plutonium cores, or triggers, for nuclear weapons, a rate similar to Cold War levels. The United States’ plutonium pit budget for 2005 is $336 million, ³ and

Whereas, three specific nuclear weapons initiatives as stated by the Undersecretary of the United States Department of Energy to the United States Congress are to:

1. Enhance nuclear test readiness,

2. Re-establish nuclear warhead advanced concepts teams at the national laboratories, and

3. Accelerate preliminary design work on a modern pit facility [a weapons factory to make plutonium cores for nuclear weapons], ² and

Whereas, the United States and other nuclear weapons states have failed to make nuclear weapons disarmament a central factor in national policy and planning, and

Whereas, The United States and other nuclear weapons states have failed to convene a committee on nuclear disarmament, as pledged in 2000, and

Whereas, the United States and other nuclear weapons states have failed to proceed with multi-lateral elimination of nuclear forces, and

Whereas, Britain and China have stated their willingness to proceed with the elimination all nuclear weapons when the United States and the Russia have reached lower levels, and

Whereas, the legacy of a half century of nuclear weapons research , testing, and use has caused untold human suffering and environmental damage which must be addressed and put right, and

Whereas, the purpose of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is to "to establish and administer safeguards designed to ensure that special fissionable and other materials, services, equipment, facilities, and information made available by the Agency or at its request or under its supervision or control are not used in such a way as to further any military purpose." In carrying out its functions, the IAEA shall, "Conduct its activities in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations to promote peace and international co-operation, and in conformity with policies of the United Nations furthering the establishment of safeguarded worldwide disarmament and in conformity with any international agreements entered into pursuant to such policies." ⁴ and

Whereas, the International Court of Justice has held that the use or threat of nuclear weapons is contrary to international law, and that "There exists an obligation to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control." ⁵

Therefore be it Resolved:

That we the undersigned representatives of non-governmental organizations appeal to our respective national governments to enforce Article VI of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and furthermore

That we call upon the United States and all nuclear weapons states to stop nuclear testing, to eliminate nuclear stockpiles, to end the manufacture of nuclear weapons, and to put an end to the arms race at the earliest possible date, and furthermore

That we call upon the United States and all nuclear weapons states to eliminate funding for all nuclear weapons research and development programs, and furthermore

That we call upon the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to assess the damage to human health and the environment caused by over a half century of nuclear weapons research , testing, and use, and furthermore

That we call upon the United States and all nuclear weapons states to use the funds diverted from nuclear weapons research and development programs to fund a UN and IAEA assessment and repair of the damage caused by over a half century of nuclear weapons research , testing, and use, and

To further these goals, we hereby request that the International Atomic Energy Agency begin inspections of nuclear weapons development sites in California, New Mexico, and South Carolina.

Footnotes:

1. Text of The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) http://disarmament2.un.org/wmd/npt/index.html

2. Statement of John A. Gordon, Undersecretary for Nuclear Security and Administration, National Nuclear Security AdministrationUS Department of Energy, to the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services, February 14, 2002

3. The Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, 2004

4. Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Article III.A.5 and Article III.B.1, 1957 as amended 1963, 1973, and 1989.

5. International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion, On the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons, The Hague, July 8, 1996

People’s Resolution for United States Adherence to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty - Signators page


On behalf of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, I ask you to endorse this resolution which we plan to announce at the upcoming meeting on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at the United Nations in New York. Please give your name, organizational affiliation, address, and email address. If you have questions or need more information, reply to me at BREDL@skybest.com or call 01-336-982-2691. Thank you!

Louis Zeller, Nuclear Campaign Coordinator
Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League
PO Box 88
Glendale Springs, North Carolina, 28629 USA
Website: http://www.BREDL.org

(*) organizational affiliation for identification purposes only

Abhaya Thiele, People's Alliance for Clean Energy* Charlottesville, Virginia

Emma McGregor-Mento, Abolition 2000 *

Tom Turnipseed, Americans for Democratic Action, USA

Bobbie Paul, Atlanta WAND, Atlanta, Georgia

Irene Gale AM, Australian Peace Committee (South Australian Branch) Inc. Adelaide, Australia

Tom Turnipseed, Carolina Peace Resource Center, USA

Lois Marie Gibbs, Center For Health, Environment and Justice, USA

Glenn Carroll, GANE - Georgians Against Nuclear Energy, USA

Alice Slater, Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE)

Elena Day, People's Alliance for Clean Energy*, Charlottesville Virginia

Ruby Fernandez, Charlotte, North Carolina

E.M.T. O'Nan, Protect All Children's Environment, USA

Brett Bursey, South Carolina Progressive Network

Terry Lodge, Toledo Coalition for Safe Energy, Ohio

John Kim, Fellowship of Reconciliation

Carah Ong, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation

John Loretz, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War

Kathy Sanchez, Tewa Women United, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Martin Butcher, Physicians for Social Responsibility

Vladimir Mikheev, Citizens' Center on Nuclear Non-Proliferation, Krasnoyarsk, Russia

Elizabeth Crowe, Chemical Weapons Working Group, Berea, Kentucky

Judith H. Johnsrud, Environmental Coalition on Nuclear Power*, State College, Pennsylvania

Laurel Suggs, President, SC League of Women Voters, Columbia, South Carolina

Peter and Mary MacDowell, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Tammy L. Belinsky, WildLaw Virginias Office* , Copper Hill, Virginia

George Crocker, Executive Director, North American Water Office, Lake Elmo, Minnesota

Rosemarie Pace, Coordinator, Pax Christi Metro, New York, New York

Jen Macuch Kato, Nuclear Waste Issues Chair, Sierra Club Georgia Chapter

Peggy Maze Johnson, Executive Director, Citizen Alert, Las Vegas, Nevada

Mitsuo Okamoto, Ph. D., Co-Director, Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Hiroshima, Japan

David Mickey, Community for Peace, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Gregg Jocoy, Charlotte Area Green Party, USA

Debbie Grisdale, Executive Director, Physicians for Global Survival, Ottawa, Canada

Sally Buckner, Convener, Peace & Justice Mission Group, Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh, North Carolina

Tena Willemsma, Executive Director, The Commission on Religion in Appalachia, Charleston, West Virginia