In a very useful paper of February 2015, International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms (IALANA) outlines, in a nutshell, the ongoing discussion on nuclear disarmament. It derives from this document that, one the one hand, civil society agrees on the ultimate aim, consisting of a world without nuclear weapons but that, on the other hand, the methods and avenues how to achieve this aim are far from being unanimous.

IALANA seems to favor the beginning of a (long) negotiation process in good faith, within the meaning of Article VI NPT, that might ultimately lead to an instrument in the form of the “Model Convention” elaborated in particular by IALANA itself. ICAN, on the other hand, supports a (rapid) Ban Treaty that is inspired by the Ottawa and Oslo Processes and that lead, within a record time, to the comprehensive ban of anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions. Such a treaty would be a compromise, less comprehensive and less intrusive as far as verification is concerned. It would not necessarily take into account the Nuclear Weapons State, but might have a spilling effect on them.

Click here for the document!

[Daniel Rietiker]