The undersigned, make the following appeal concerning nuclear weapons, and the danger posed by the maintenance of thousands of nuclear warheads and delivery systems on launch-on-warning status.
We call on the governments of the United States, Russia, China, France, and the UK, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea, to support and implement steps to lower the operational status of nuclear weapon systems in order to reduce the risk of nuclear
catastrophe and as part of their obligations, affirmed by the International Court of Justice, to achieve the elimination of nuclear
weapons under strict and effective international control.
We note that:
To this day, thousands of nuclear weapons in the US and Russia are on Launch-on-warning status, and that the megatonnage involved remains more than enough to destroy civilisation and perhaps the human race.
That the Indian subcontinent is increasingly on a ‘hairtrigger’ status.
That there have been numerous incidents in which a nuclear exchange involving thousands of warheads could have taken place, and in which the fate of the earth has depended on the correct judgement of a single individual.
That the US, Russia, China, France, and the UK have failed so far to make further progress to achieve the total and unequivocal elimination of their nuclear arsenals, as called for under international law.
That, in addition to the failure of the ‘official’ nuclear weapons powers to fulfil their treaty obligations, India, Pakistan,
Israel, and North Korea also posses nuclear weapons, and that the risk of their use is very real.
That a number of calls have been made by the UN General Assembly and by the European Parliament to lower the operational status of nuclear weapons.
Accordingly we call on the governments of the United States, Russia, China, France and the UK, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea, to:
Take immediate steps to lower the operational status of nuclear weapons, and to revise nuclear doctrines, policies and postures to reflect such lowered operational status.
To implement in good faith their obligations under international law , to accomplish the total and unequivocal elimination of their nuclear arsenals.
To implement the steps toward nuclear disarmament outlined in the ’13 steps’ of the final declaration of the Year 2000 NPT Review Conference.
We call on non- nuclear nations to press for nuclear disarmament in every available international forum especially including the United Nations General Assembly First Committee and the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.
We call on legislators worldwide to pass resolutions in national and other parliaments pressing for the lowering of the operational status of nuclear weapons and for nuclear disarmament as mandated by international law.
signed:
HH The Dalai Lama, (Peace)
Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, (Bishop of Loriu, Peace 1996)
Mairead Corrigan Maguire,(Peace 1976)
Jose Ramos Horta, (Peace 1996)
Dr Joseph Rotblat, (Peace 1995)
Oscar Arias Sanchez,(Peace 1987)
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, (Peace 1984)
Betty Williams, (Peace 1976)
Dr Alexei Abrikosov,(Physics 2003)
Dr Kenneth Arrow, (Economics 1972)
Dr Baruj Benacerraf ,(Medicine 1980)
Dr Guenter Blobel, (Medicine 1999)
Dr Johan Diesenhofer,(Chemistry 1988)
Dr Peter C. Doherty, (Medicine 1996)
Dr R.R. Ernst, (Chemistry 1991)
Dr John B. Fenn, (Chemistry 2002)
Dr Edmond H. Fischer , (Medicine 1992)
Dr Jerome I. Friedman, (Physics 1990)
Dr Val L. Fitch,(Physics 1980)
Dr Robert Guillemin,(Medicine)
Dr Herbert A. Hauptman, (Chemistry 1985)
Dr Dudley Herschbach,(Chemistry 1986)
Dr Roald Hoffman , (Chemistry 1981)
Dr Gerardus ‘t Hooft,(Physics 1999)
Dr David H. Hubel ,(Medicine 1981)
Dr Brian Josephson, (Physics)
Dr Arthur Kornberg ,(Medicine 1959)
Sir Harry Kroto, (Chemistry 1996)
Dr Paul C. Lauterburg,(Medicine 2003)
Dr Leon M. Lederman , (Physics 1988)
Dr Jean-Marie Lehn, (Chemistry 1987)
Dr Marshall Nirenberg, (Medicine 1968)
Dr Mario Molina, (Chemistry 1995)
Dr Kary Mullis, (Chemistry 1993)
Dr Ferid Murad, (Medicine 1998)
Dr John C. Polanyi, (Chemistry 1986)
Dr Richard Roberts, (Medicine)
Dr Frederick Sanger, (Chemistry 1958, 1980)
Dr Jack Steinberger, (Physics 1998)
Sir John Sulton, (Medicine 2002)
Dr E. Donnall Thomas, (Medicine 1990)
Dr Martinus Veltman, (Physics 1999)
Frank Wilczek, (Physics 2004)
Dr Kurt Wuthrich (Chemistry 2002)
