David Miliband

The Non-Proliferation Treaty: an unsung success story

The Non-Proliferation Treaty is 40 years old today. We should celebrate that. 189 countries are members. That’s everyone except India, Israel and Pakistan.
President Kennedy spoke in 1963 about "the possibility in the 1970s of ... a world in which 15 or 20 or 25 nations may have these weapons" (1).  But in reality, 45 years later, there are fewer than ten. The NPT helped bring this about.  It created a 'grand bargain' where those states with nuclear weapons would work towards a world free from nuclear weapons and those without would have equal access to all the benefits of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in return for implementing safeguard and non-proliferation obligations.
We shouldn’t take this for granted. Look at the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran.  We need to make sure the likely expansion of nuclear energy around the world brings prosperity and lower carbon emissions - not insecurity and weapons proliferation.
And we need to strengthen the three pillars of the NPT: zero tolerance of proliferation; a clear forward plan on multilateral nuclear disarmament and supporting the right to the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear energy . We’ll hold a big international conference on nuclear energy later this year to help take this forward. 
 
(1) News conference remarks by President Kennedy on nuclear testing March 21 1963

Posted at 09:38 01 July 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[7]

Quote of the week

My visit this week to Pakistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iraq was punctuated with people describing their links to Britain. One conversation particularly sticks in the memory.

I was told by someone that they had great affection for British education. "I studied at Eton, Oxford, Nottingham and London universities". I congratulated him and said I would not hold his Eton past against him.

He replied: "Why, did you go to Harrow?".

Posted at 16:33 25 April 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[6]

Two's Company: Unity Government in Pakistan

The High Commissioner hosted tonight one of the most remarkable dinners I have ever attended. On my left was Nawaz Sharif, former PM of Pakistan, and on my right Asif Zedari, widower of Benazir Bhutto. Their histories made them desperate foes; the ping pong of Prime Ministership between Mrs Bhutto and Mr Sharif dominated the 1990s. They came tonight as the joint leaders of the unity government in Pakistan. They talked of shared commitment to democracy as the antidote to extremism. They talked of working together. The four ministers who joined them represented both parties.

There are many aspects to being Foreign Secretary but there are few more memorable than being told that your country has helped pave the way to a return to demcoracy in a Muslim country of 180 million people. The challenges are huge and the situation fragile, but there is an opportunity.

Posted at 19:40 20 April 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[4]

Marginalised equals radicalised?

The federally administered area of Pakistan has been just that - federally administered - since independence. But administration without politics is a recipe for marginalisation. In its wake comes radicalisation. So the counter insurgency that is the responsibility of the new Pakistani government is about building political structures not just military strategies.

The fact that the relatives of those killed by recent terrorism should have led me into a discussion of politics made the point. Their modesty was striking and their stories were harrowing: the children of the police chief murdered, the brother of the councillor murdered. Gathered in the ante-room of the chief minister's house - striking in itself though not in the same league as the palatial gardens of the Governor who occupies a house with portraits of British governors going back to 1900 - they cut through the jargon. Some blamed the West for engaging Pakistan in its fight against the perpetrators of 9/11. Others just wanted an effective and comprehensive attack on the conditions that give rise to radicalisation.

All saw the need for the Pashtun question to be addressed across the Afghan/Pakistan border. Lesson 1 for the day. Lesson 2 is that without local politics you have a recipe for disaster.

Posted at 15:38 20 April 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[2]

New start in Pakistan

I am writing this from Peshawar in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province. A band is playing in the garden of the hotel - possibly for a cycle rally. The boys leading dinkey carts are getting a rough time from the police for causing a traffic jam.

We flew across the Indus river after landing in Islamabad. NWFP is the front line in Pakistan's fight against terrorism. More than 100 people have been killed here this year and I will meet surviviors later this morning.

Posted at 08:56 20 April 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[2]

Turkey: Right Place, Right Time

Following the visit of Ali Babacan to London on Monday I am more convinced about the importance of Turkey to the UK’s foreign policy priorities. Not just because he is younger than me, Babacan represents the new Turkey. The fact that the election of his party is under judicial challenge – for alleged breaches of laws on secularism – shows the importance of the work being undertaken in this 99% muslim country that has a proud and secular democracy.

It is one of the most fundamental issues we face – whether and how religion and state can coexist. Put another way how national identity and religious identity coexist. In Turkey this now matters a lot because the constitutional court hearing threatens the will of the people expressed at the ballot box.

It matters for us too. We do more trade (1900 British companies there) and (prosaically) take more holidays (2 million last year) there than ever before. But in foreign policy the places where we have interests the Turks are important partners. Pakistan – Babacan is going there the day before me. Afghanistan – they have troops on the ground. Basra – they are opening a consulate and want to work on an industrial park. Cyprus – there is a new opportunity for resumption of talks in the search for a bizonal and bicommunal solution. Europe - Turkey represents the eastward expansion in the search for stability on the eastern border. Energy – a diversification of gas pipelines for Europe.

Babacan spoke at the RUSI. Read for yourself how they see the world.

Posted at 10:59 16 April 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[2]