Hans Blix's Weapons of Mass Destruction Report hailed as Rallying Point

By Patrick Checknita [June 28-2006]

VANCOUVER- "A rallying point for all government" is how Johnathan Dean, member of Global Action to Prevent War Coalition,  described the Dr Hans Blix's new report "Weapons of Terror: Freeing the world of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Arms."

The major recommendations of the report were discussed today at a World Peace Forum seminar sponsored by the Simons Foundation at SFU's Wosk Centre. Dr Hans Blix, Chair of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission (WMDC) and former Chief UN weapons inspector in Iraq, gave a brief over view of the 60 recommendations in his report. Thirty of the  recommendations deal specifically with nuclear weapons, while the rest  with chemical, biological and space weapons. 

Highlights of the report include:

• Building upon previous historical treaties, such as the Antarctic Accord, which keeps the Antarctic free of nuclear weapons,
• Controlling the production of fuel, enriched uranium, reducing numbers of existing weapons
• Strengthening the role of the UN and its abilities to verify and enforce compliance of current and subsequent treaties.

Members of the Global Action to Prevent War Coalition, an emerging transnational network of organizations and grassroots activists in 23 countries, called the report a crucial step to re-invigorate the stalled process of global disarmament. Dr. John Barrows, Excutive Director of Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy said the greatest achievement was the report's "emphasise of International Law" which is the only way to ensure that agreements are actually applied with "reciprocity and cooperation".

While Dr. Blix felt that it will take the international community some time to digest the report, all the seminar participants agreed that it is up to civic society in every country to put pressure on government officials to find a solution to disarmament. And with the ideas and dialogues that occurred at the World Pease Forum Vancouver, that pressure is starting to be applied.