Nuclear experts speak at international symposium
8/5/00
The international symposium "Expanding
the Nuclear-Free Umbrella" (sponsored
by the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation
and other organizations) was held on August
4 at the International Conference Center
Hiroshima in Naka Ward, Hiroshima City. Four
panelists, experts on nuclear issues from
Japan, the US, China, and France traded views
on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
Review Conference in May, Hiroshima's role
in bringing about nuclear abolition, and
related subjects.
Thomas Graham, former US Special UN Envoy
on Disarmament, pointed out that keeping
the US mainland missile defense (NMD) system
development on course will give other countries
an excuse to withdraw from the NPT. Chinese
writer, Yu Qiu-yu asserted that "Humanity's
mission is to shift to implementation of
the NPT agreement and to abolish nuclear
weapons."
Concerning Hiroshima's role, Professor Masaaki
Gabe of Ryukyu University suggested, "We
must move the next Summit from Okinawa to
Hiroshima and take the leaders through the
Peace Memorial Museum." Ms. Miho Cibot,
Director of the Hiroshima Nagasaki Institute
in France called for "the creation of
a culture of peace to counter nuclear weapons
and other forms of violence."
In his speech preceding the panel discussion,
Mr. Abdallah Baali, chairman of the NPT Review
Conference, said, "Now that we have
a definite promise to abolish nuclear weapons,
let us join in scrutinizing the movements
of the nuclear weapon states."
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