David Miliband

Foreign Secretary

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Wednesday 16 September, 2009

Nuclear Issues

Today the Prime Minister and I met nuclear academics and experts to discuss the way forward on nuclear issues.

This is one of the most critical issues we face. Get it right, and we will increase global security, pave the way for a world without nuclear weapons and improve access to affordable, safe and dependable energy – vital to tackle climate change. Get it wrong, and we face the threat of proliferation or the chilling prospect of nuclear material falling into the hands of terrorists.

This issue has been around a long time. But there is an unprecedented opportunity to make progress. On 24 September President Obama will chair a UN Security Council Summit on the issue, a milestone on the road to next May’s critical Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.

The UK is leading international efforts to make sure we get it right. In July, the Prime Minister set out our approach. Earlier this month the UK hosted an historic conference of the P5 to discuss confidence building measures towards disarmament. It was clear at today’s meeting that experts share our goals. By reinvigorating international commitment and working together, we can strengthen our shared security.

Posted at 14:48 16 September 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[10]

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Almost all voters in the Trident Replacement Consultation and Referendum maintain they have the democratic right to be consulted on issues as big as replacing Trident. The poll isn't being run by this Government who refuse people any say. After the MoD procurement fiasco, people don't trust the Government to do the shopping for Trident2 either, and want the £75-100bn it will really cost to offset service cuts instead. General election candidates supporting Trident2 also seem at risk of losing votes, which could swing seats, especially in London, Manchester and Scotland. Britain's foreign policy isn't ethical; it's a shambles. What has David Miliband got in hisr diary for 18 September more important than attending the Suu Kyi appeal hearing, what has the Government said on the appeal and her being barred from attending her own hearing, and why are no Justice Observers being sent by the UK, US or UN? How does having nukes deal with the Burmese Junta? And can the Foreign Secretary tell us, if women campaigners can break into our nuclear installations, how safe are they to terrorist attack?

Posted by Paul Barasi on September 17, 2009 at 08:44 AM BST #

Sir, you are successfully working for a peacefull world without global warming, nuclear weapons and terrorism. Through the success of PELINDABA TREATY, the world is moving towards nuclear weapon free world. Here are my suggestions for the success of proposed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference: 1. nuclear fission are lethal compared to nuclear fusion, so future nuclear reactors should be based upon fusion process; 2. there should be equal rights to all peace loving nations for peacefull energy use; 3. the ratio of nuclear energy for safe peacefull civilian use and for nuclear warheads [only to tacle with outer space attacks] should be around 90:10; 4. there should be transparent nuclear non-proliferation by the world community; 5. the dependency on nuclear energy should be least in comparison to other more safer sources of alternative energy; 6. the UN's security council should include the emerging world economies.

Posted by Prabhat Misra on September 17, 2009 at 04:42 PM BST #

I think the questions of Paul Barasi are very important and shouldn't be ignored in these very delicate and important nuclear issues.

Posted by Costa Rica Real Estate Guy on September 17, 2009 at 10:36 PM BST #

Hear, hear. Mr Barasi's questions are echoed by many of us. It seems to me quite desperately important that Britain take some principled action on this and other matters. There is a great need for our nation to do something significant of which we can feel proud.

Posted by Miles Newman on September 18, 2009 at 10:07 PM BST #

Mr Miliband hasn't replied: because the Government isn't bothered about being accountable to or engaging with the people on foreign policy or on replacing Trident at £130bn? 1 Is Britain doing a deal with the White House for a u-turn on Burma in the pretence that the 2010 elections aren't just about keeping the military in power or why is Mr Miliband silent on the Suu Kyi appeal? 2 will he respond to a real Foreign Secretary, the late but great Robin Cook, on "Worse than irrelevant: Replacing Trident is against both our national interests and our international obligations" http://bit.ly/DMNLD

Posted by Paul Barasi on September 19, 2009 at 12:52 PM BST #

Paul Barasi, Mr Miliband doesn't reply here full stop not even a member of his staff, which is a shame, and a sad limitation to such an interesting and generally positive innovation. It would be useful to know from him how meaningful a reduction from four to three submarines apparently carrying the same number of warheads is.

Posted by OwenE2 on September 23, 2009 at 04:24 PM BST #

If Presedent Obarma and Gorden Brown want all nations to comply with U.N. resolutions they should first get tough with Israel, which has defied them for the past fifty years. Why should Israel have nuclear weapons and be able to threaten Iran with attacking them? Take away nuclear weapons from all nations, or from none.

Posted by victor parry on September 24, 2009 at 04:26 PM BST #

Sir, this is good to think about world without nuclear weapons but this will come into force by first implementation by developed states. Developed nations must present themselves as nuclear free nations before the remaining nations which will then follow them. Countries with peacefull nuclear energy record, like India, Brazil and South Africa, must be given the permanent seat in security council in U.N.. There should also be financial help to developing nations to adopt new energy technology for energy production. Sir, i believe that the dream of a world without nuclear weapons will come true under the enthusiastic leaders like you.

Posted by Prabhat Misra on September 25, 2009 at 04:03 PM BST #

I happen to be proud of the British Armed forces and am dismayed and very suspicious of repeated attempts from outside the UK and from within to disarm us as a nation, to the point where it is my belief that this is all part of the process of EU integration, once are armed forces are of no further effective capability through the combined effects of demoralisation and culling currently going on we shall end up with EU or UN troops on our soil and that will be the end of a thousand years of British history.

Posted by Adrian Peirson on September 25, 2009 at 10:01 PM BST #

Why strict against Israel. Is the world is not looking that Israel is facing toughest geographical situation and fighting with terrorists at every seconds of time. While implementing the NPT, this should be keep in mind that under what conditions the countries are facing security problems. [Prabhat Misra, blog: http://www.mynature-myfuture.blogspot.com]

Posted by Prabhat Misra on September 26, 2009 at 03:58 PM BST #

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