Can Common Security replace Nuclear Deterrence?

Tuesday May 5. 16:00-17:30. Conference Room A, United Nations, New York

An event to discuss the ideas and proposals in the joint statement to the States Parties to the NPT entitled Common Security and Nuclear Deterrence: How to replace the current reliance on nuclear weapons with sustainable security for all.

The statement, which has been endorsed by 170 organizations from 37 countries, calls on the nuclear armed and allied states to replace their reliance on nuclear deterrence with common security alternatives, including mechanisms to facilitate negotiation, mediation, arbitration, adjudication, regional organizations and the application of international law to ensure fairness and security for all.

The statement encourages better use of the International Court of Justice, in particular, with the objective of universal acceptance of its jurisdiction. It also proposes that the NPT establish a subsidiary body to outline the full range of theoretical and actual security threats which nuclear deterrence is designed to address, explore common security (and conventional military) alternatives to nuclear deterrence to address these threats, and make recommendations on the transition from nuclear deterrence to non-nuclear security.

Some of these ideas are being advanced in the project LAW not War: Legal Alternatives to War towards universal jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice which will be discussed at this event.

Presenters:

• Dr. Deepshikha Vijh. Executive Director, Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy. (by video message)
• Paul Ingram. Research Affiliate, Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (by video message)
• Jennifer Trahan. Convenor, Global Institute for the Prevention of Aggression. Clinical Professor, NYU’s Center for Global Affairs. 
• Jonathan Granoff. President, Global Security Institute. UN Representative of the Permanent Secretariat of the World Summits of Nobel Peace Laureates. 
• Michael Beer. Executive Director, Nonviolence International. 

Moderators:

• Ms Kehkashan Basu
  Founder and Director, Green Hope Foundation. Co-President, World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy. Winner of the Inaugural Voices Youth Gorbachev-Shultz Legacy Award for Nuclear Disarmament. UN Human Rights Champion
• Alyn Ware. Program Director, World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy. PNND Global Coordinator. Co-founder, UNFOLD ZERO.