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As the TPNW Second Meeting of States Parties (TPNW 2MSP) comes to a close, we share updates from APLN’s side event on Strengthening a Nuclear-Free Pacific and revisit some of our work on the TPNW. This week, APLN also hosted a private briefing with Executive Secretary Robert Floyd of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), who discussed the latest developments in the signing and ratification of the CTBT.
As always, we highlight activities from our network, including participation in the TPNW 2MSP and analysis on a wide range of security issues. |
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| Pictured (from left to right): Maima Koro, Tarcisius Kabutaulaka, Dimity Hawkins, Bedi Racule, Elaine Natalie, Frank O’Donnell |
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The Second Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW 2MSP) was in full swing in New York this week, and APLN is proud to have hosted a successful in-person side event on Strengthening a Nuclear-Free Pacific Region.
Panelists Dimity Hawkins, Tarcisius Kabutaulaka, Maima Koro, and Bedi Racule discussed topics such as the role that Pacific civil society and intergovernmental organizations play in fighting for a nuclear-free Pacific, how the Rarotonga Treaty could be revisited to reflect current concerns of Pacific countries, and how to persuade the remaining Pacific states to sign onto the TPNW.
Click the link below to see the speakers’ written remarks. |
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| Nobuyasu Abe explores Japan’s considerations and interests when it comes to the TPNW, saying that even if signing the TPNW and renouncing US nuclear deterrence assurances seems unlikely in the foreseeable future, Japan can still support key elements of the TPNW and close the gap between the Japanese public support of the treaty and political action. |
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| Mely Caballero-Anthony provides a Southeast Asian perspective on the First Meeting of States Parties, highlighting regional concerns, expectations, and the potential impact of the treaty on nuclear disarmament efforts in the region. |
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| John Carlson examines the challenges and implications of the TPNW within the context of a complex security environment, arguing that the dangers evident with increasing international tensions demonstrate the urgency of practical nuclear risk reduction steps. |
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| In this Pulse article, six experts from Australia, South Korea, Thailand, Philippines, and Japan share their expectations and concerns for the TPNW ahead of the First Meeting of States Parties in 2022. |
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| We share visual data that explains the status of the TPNW in the Pacific: which states have acceded to the treaty, which have not yet ratified, and which are opposed. |
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Private Briefing with CTBTO Executive Secretary
Dr. Robert Floyd
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The [Russian] de-ratification is certainly disappointing. More than anything, it is a symptom of the very contentious and unstable geopolitical landscape that we are in. Yet the CTBT remains a bright spot and continues to provide a viable path in the non-proliferation and disarmament landscape.
-Executive Secretary Dr. Robert Floyd
On November 29, APLN hosted a private briefing with CTBTO Executive Secretary Dr. Robert Floyd. He provided updates on the latest developments in the signing and ratification of the CTBT, Russia’s withdrawal of its ratification of the CTBT, and the CTBTO’s international monitoring system.
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APLN Executive Director Shatabhisha Shetty has signed an ICAN joint statement that called on all countries that have signed and ratified the CTBT and the TPNW to urge the eight states that have yet to ratify it (China, North Korea, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, and the United States) to do so. In addition, the signatories call for international pressure on Russia to reverse its de-ratification and formally reaffirm its full support for the CTBT.
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APLN has over 150 members from 22 countries in the Asia-Pacific.
Each week we feature their latest contributions
to global and regional security debates.
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| Melissa Parke, ICAN’s Executive Director, delivered a statement to the high level opening session of the second Meeting of States Parties to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition. She emphasized that every species will be harmed in a nuclear war, and only humans possess the capacity to take action and eliminate this risk. |
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| Chung-in Moon, APLN Vice Chair, co-wrote a paper with Young-Deok Shin, arguing that South Korea will face daunting challenges in its quest for independent nuclear capabilities, including nuclear fragility, high human costs, adverse security consequences, an unbearable backlash on its economy and civilian nuclear industry, and profound damage to Seoul’s international reputation. |
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| Ramesh Thakur, Emeritus Professor in the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University, wrote on the Gaza ceasefire and argued that Israelis and Palestinians have to draw a line under historical injustices and work together to create a future of tolerable coexistence. |
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| Huong Le Thu, Deputy Director of Asia Program at the International Crisis Group, discussed the past, present, and future of India-China relations in a panel with Praveen Donthi and Amanda Hsiao. They examined how this regional rivalry is becoming increasingly intertwined with the great power competition shaping Asia. |
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| Yoichi Funabashi, Chairman of the Global Council of the International House of Japan, argued that the prospect of Trump’s return to power is indeed the greatest geopolitical danger facing a Japan without Abe, and Tokyo must formulate a plan in the event of Trump’s return. |
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| Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, Director of the Centre for Security, Strategy, and Technology, wrote for the Diplomat on the recent India-Australia 2+2 Strategic Dialogue and highlighted that Canberra and New Delhi look at each other as vital partners playing critical roles in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. |
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| C. Uday Bhaskar, Director of the Society for Policy Studies (SPS), New Delhi, pointed out that 15 years after the Mumbai attacks, there has been no significant reform in the intelligence domain. The next government should address this issue resolutely, commencing with a rigorous review of previous reports and recommendations by a task force comprised of individuals with proven domain competence and personal integrity. |
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