Pariamentarians and Civil Society Appeal on Iran and Nuclear Weapons issued

February 7, 2006

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PARLIAMENTARIANS AND CIVIL SOCIETY APPEAL ON IRAN AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS
A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO THE IRAN CRISIS AND A NUCLEAR-FREE MIDDLE EAST
NO ‘FIRST USE’ OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

To:
President George Bush
Secy of State Condoleeza Rice
UN Ambassador John Bolton

President Ahmadinejad of Iran
Foreign Minister of Iran, Kamal Jharze
Iran UN Ambassador, H.E. Zarif-Khonsari

Ehud Olmert, Acting Prime Minister of Israel,
Israel Foreign MinisterTzipi Livni,
H.E. Mr. Dan Gillerman, Israel UN Mission

cc
Mr Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission
Tony Blair, Prime Minister of UK
Jack Straw, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs,

The Hon. John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia
The Hon. Alexander Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australia

M. Jacques Chirac, President de la Republique Francaise
M. Dominique de Villepin, Premier Ministre
M. Philippe Douste-Blazy, Ministre des Affaires Etrangeres
S.E. Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, Representant permanent aupres des Nations-Unies

Herr Horst Kohler, Bundesprazsident Deutschlands
Frau Angela Merkel, Bundeskanzlerin Deutschlands
Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Deutsche Bundesaussenminister

Mr Kofi Annan, General Secretary of the United Nations
Mr Mohamed ElBaradei, Director of the IAEA

Wolfgang Schussel, President of the European Union, Chancellor of Austria,

President Putin of Russia
Foreign Minister Ivanov of Russia

China UN, Geneva and IAEA Missions

IAEA Board Members

Dear Presidents Bush and Ahmadinejad, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Foreign Ministers, Secretaries of State,
IAEA Board Members, and Ambassadors,

The proliferation of nuclear weapons is possibly the single greatest threat to civilisation. If a feared cascade of proliferation occurs, the probability that by malice, madness, miscalculation or malfunction, nuclear weapons will at some point be used will increase sharply. All nations have a responsibility to ensure that the number of nations with nuclear weapons does not grow, to prevent non-state actors from obtaining them, and for those who posses nuclear weapons to eliminate and abolish them.

Threats and rumours of military action or even nuclear weapons use only worsen a growing crisis between Iran, the United States, and Israel.

Reports of preparations for and explorations of military options, no matter how speculative, are highly disturbing and are in themselves dangerous. Such explorations must cease. There must be no talk of war.

But there IS talk of war, both from the United States and from Israel. President Ahmadinejad, you have spoken of “wiping Israel from the map.” In the US and Israel, ‘hotheads’ call openly for “swift military action”, while ‘responsible’ leaders speak of “no option being ruled out.” President Bush, we heard these same two formulations used just months before the invasion of Iraq. We urge that the explorations of military or nuclear options cease immediately, and support IAEA General Director, Mohamed ElBaradei in calling for this belligerent talk from all parties to stop now.

The United States and other Nuclear Weapon States and de facto nuclear weapon states -nations that already possess nuclear weapons- have made little progress toward the internationally mandated goal of the total and unequivocal elimination of those weapons. Although there has been some limited progress in lowering total nuclear stockpiles, the established nuclear weapons possessors continue to rely on those weapons in their security doctrines, and do not envisage change in that posture ‘for the foreseeable future’.

This continues in spite of a clear international consensus to the effect that nuclear weapons are a continuing threat to civilisation and life, in spite of repeated calls by the international community for progress toward their total and unequivocal elimination.

Nations that possess large nuclear arsenals cannot consistently or credibly call for others to eliminate or cease the pursuit of nuclear weapons arsenals of their own while not moving to eliminate their own nuclear weapons. A global commitment to the elimination of nuclear weapons is a global commitment to the elimination of nuclear weapons, and applies equally to all parties. There can be no exceptions. Those who now posses nuclear arsenals are obliged to eliminate those arsenals. Those who do not have them must not pursue them.

Similarly, the violation of the goal of a nuclear-free Middle East by one party does not in any way excuse its violation by another party. However, the renunciation of the nuclear option by one party will facilitate its renunciation by another party.

Israel’s nuclear arsenal and the pursuit of nuclear weapons by Iran – if indeed that is taking place – are dangerous per se and open the gate for further proliferation by other Middle Eastern nations, and for a middle eastern arms race that would be dangerous in the extreme. This must not happen.

Serious concerns exist over the possibility that US nuclear doctrine may envisage strikes against other nations that involve a first use of nuclear weapons, or possibly the use of nuclear weapons against nations that are not themselves nuclear – armed. We note with approval the recent letter by US senators and others in this matter.

  • A third use of nuclear weapons must never take place. It would be a catastrophe not only for Iran or Israel but for the entire region and even for the entire world, because of its radioactive fallout, its chaotic effects, and because it would break the taboo against the use of these weapons that has so far held place for the last 60 years. Breaking this taboo could result in the further use of nuclear weapons, with a lower and lower bar for such use. The widespread use of nuclear weapons would be catastrophic for the world. We urge all parties to renounce the pursuit of nuclear weapons, and to adopt policies that rule out their use.The Parliamentarians, civil society organisations, and prominent individuals signed below hereby urge a solution to the crisis in relations between the US and Iran, Israel and Iran, based on the following clearly defined principles:
    1. 1) No use of any military option whatsoever by any party for any reason.
    2. 2) A clear commitment by all nuclear-armed parties not to use nuclear weapons in this situation, and a broader commitment to the doctrine of no ‘first use’ of nuclear weapons.
    3. 3) The implementation of the 1995 Non-Proliferation Treaty Resolution on a Nuclear Weapon Free Zone in the Middle East, implementation of the annual consensus-adopted General Assembly resolutions on ‘Establishment of a Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone in the region of the Middle East’.
    4. (4) A clear commitment by all parties to the global elimination of nuclear weapons, including through reaffirming the Final Declaration of the 2000 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, and relevant General Assembly resolutions.
    5. 5) A diplomatic path to the removal of tensions between the US, Israel, and Iran, involving compromise on both sides, recognition of the legitimate security concerns of all parties including both Israel and Iran, and refraining from inflammatory statements or the exploration of military options by any party.。
  • Signed:

    INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

    Tadatoshi Akiba Mayor of Hiroshima President, Mayors for Peace,
    Abolition-2000 Global Council,
    Douglas Mattern, President, Association of World Citizens, San Fran,
    Ron Mc Coy, President, Dr. Mary-Wynne Ashford, International
    Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW),
    Susi Snyder, Secy General, Womens International League for Peace and Freemdom (WILPF)
    Nicky Davies, Global Disarmament Campaign Coordinator, Greenpeace Int.
    Alfred L. Marder President, International Association of Peace Messenger Cities,
    Margaret Melkonian, Vice Pres, Hague Appeal for Peace,UN Plaza, NY,
    Hans von Sponeck, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq (1998-2000)
    Nouri Abdul Razzak Hussain, Secy-General Afro-Asian Peoples’ Solidarity Organization (AAPSO) Egypt
    Bahig Nassar Coordinator, Arab Coordination Center of NGOs, Egypt,
    Rev. David Mumford, International Coordinator, International Fellowship of Reconciliation, Alkmaar, Neth,
    Andre Bouny, president of the International Committee for Supporting the Vietnamese Victims of the Orange Agent

    NETHERLANDS

    Ak Malten, Global Anti Nuclear Alliance (GANA) The Hague, Neth,
    Peer de Rijk, World Information Service on Energy(WISE) ,Amst, Neth,
    Fiona H. Dove, Director, Transnational Institute, Amst, Neth,
    Martin Broek, Dutch Campaign Against Arms Trade, Neth.
    Marjan Lucas, IKV, The Hague,
    Leo Platvoet Senator GREENLEFT,

    BELGIUM

    Pol D’Huyvetter, For Mother Earth/Friends of the Earth Flanders,
    Ghent, Belgium, (Ab2000GlobalCouncil)
    Prof. H. Firket, President of AMPGN ,IPPNW-Belgium
    Enrique Ferro, Association Belgo-Palestinienne, Brussels BELGIUM
    Peter Vanhoutte, Fmr MP, Belgian Parliament,
    Eloi Glorieux, MP, Flemish Regional Parliament

    FRANCE

    Jean-Marie Matagne, Action des Citoyens pour le Desarmement Nucleaire (ACDN),
    Xavier Renou, Greenpeace- France
    Arielle Denis / Pierre Villard, Mouvement de la Paix, France,
    Dominique Lalanne, Abolition of Nuclear Weapons/Stop Essais France
    Phillipe Brousse, Jean-Yvon Landrac, Reseau “Sortir du nucleaire”, France,
    Jean-Pierre Morichaud, Le Forum Plutonium, France,
    Fabrice Flipo, Vice-president, Amis de la Terre – France
    Jeanne-Henriette Louis, Quakers-France
    Simone Landry & Solange Fernex, Ligue Internationale des Femmes pour la Paix (WILPF-France)
    Rene Wadlow, Editor, Transnational-Perspectives, France
    Roger Schenegg, Vivre entre-Deux Mers
    Andre Bouny, D.E.F.I. Viet-nam
    Miho Shimma-Cibot, Institut Hiroshima-Nagasaki (IHN)
    Anick Sicart & Jacques Trelin, Appel des Cent pour la Paix
    Patrick Hubert, Mouvement pour une Alternative Non-violente (MAN)
    Gerard Levy, Commission ≪ Paix et Desarmement ≫, Les Verts
    Jean Yves Chetail, Arts, Cultures et Humanites,
    Roland Jourdain, navigateur
    Gerard Onesta, MEP, Vice-president du Parlement Europeen

    AUSTRIA

    GLOBAL 2000, Silva Herrmann, Energy Campaigner, Austria,
    Elvira Ploschko, Antiatom Szene, Pasching, Austria,
    Heinz Stockinger, Chair, PLAGE-Salzburg, (Independent Salzburg Platform Against Nuclear Dangers, Austria)
    Doris Holler-Bruckner, Editor-in-chief Oekonews.at, Austria,

    SWITZERLAND

    Bernhard Piller, Swiss Energy Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland
    Claudia BurglerPSR/IPPNW Switzerland,
    Ueli Leuenberger, Vice-president des Verts Suisses,
    Rudolf Rechsteiner MP (Soc Dem) Switzerland,

    GERMANY

    Xanthe Hall, (Ab2000 Global Council/IPPNW Germany)
    Dr. Angelika Clausen, M.D.IPPNW-Germany,
    Greenpeace Germany
    Elias Michaels, “Aktion Volkerrecht / International Law Campaign”
    Irmgard Heilberger, Director, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)Germany,
    Julia Kramer, BANg – European Youth Network for Nuclear Disarmament,Friedens- und Begegnungsstatte Mutlangen

    Gewaltfreie Aktion Atomwaffen Abschaffen (GAAA), Germany,
    Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft – Vereinigte KriegsdienstgegnerInnen (DFG-VK),
    Roland Blach, Tragerkreis “Atomwaffen abschaffen”, Germany,
    Henning Droege, Arzt fur Allgemeinmedizin, Homoopathie,
    Naturheilverfahren, (Haslach) Germany,
    Axel Mayer, BUND Regionalverband Sudlicher Oberrhein, Freiburg, Germany,
    Hans-Peter Richter, German Peace Council
    Angelika Schneider Versoehnungsbund/International Fellowship of Reconciliation, German branch,
    Ingrid Schittich, AWC Deutschland e.V. – Association of World Citizens / German branch
    Eva Quistorp,(FmrMEP), Women for Peace, Germany
    Malte Spitz, Political Director, GRUNE JUGEND (Green Youth), Germany
    Uta Zapf, MP, Social Democratic Party
    Ulrich Maurer, MP, Left Party PDS
    Wolfgang Gehrke, MP, Left Party PDS
    Paul Schafer, MP, Left Party PDS
    Joern Wunderlich, Left Party PDS
    Heike Haensel, Left Party PDS
    Winfried Nachtwei, Green Party
    Hueseyin-Kenan Aydin, The Left Party. PDS
    Kirsten Tackmann, The Left Party. PDS

    UK

    Peter Nicholls, Chair, Abolition 2000 UK,
    George Farebrother, World Court Project, UK,
    Kate Hudson, Chair, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) Lond, UK,
    Jill Stallard, CND Cymru, Wales,
    Jenny Maxwell, Chair, West Midlands CND, Birmingham UK,
    Angie Zelter, Reforest the Earth, UK,
    Frank COOK MP (uk)
    LYNNE JONES MP (Birmingham Selly Oak), UK,
    David Chaytor, MP for Bury North,
    Alan Simpson MP, Labour Member of Parliament, UK,
    Dr. Caroline Lucas MEP Green Party,South East England,
    Jean Lambert MEP – Green Party, London,
    Jill Evans, MEP, Cymru,(Wales),

    NORWAY

    Hallgeir H. Langeland, MP Norway,
    Bjorn Hilt Regional vice president of IPPNW in Europe, Norway,
    Tordis Sorensen Hoifodt – NLA chair, IPPNW-Norway,

    SWEDEN

    Barbara Bradefors, Swedish Peace Committee, SLMK-Sweden
    Sven Thiberg, International ARC PEACE architects

    DENMARK

    John Avery Chair, Holger Terp, Danish Peace Academy, Copenhagen,
    John Avery, Chairman, Danish Pugwash Group
    Povl Revsbech, MD Chair, IPPNW, Danish Affiliate
    Birgit Lindsnas Deputy Director General, DIHR, Copenhagen

    FINLAND

    Juhani Mastokangas Friends of the Earth Finland
    Henri Onodera, Finnish Peace Committee,
    Kati Juva, Chair, Dr. Jouni Ylinen Physicians for Social Responsibility, Finland (PSR-Finland)
    Lea Launokari, Women for Peace, Helsinki, Finland,
    Women against Nuclear Power, Helsinki Finland,
    Grandmothers agains nuclear power, Helsinki, Finland and Amandamaji r.y., Helsinki Finland
    Heidi Hautala MP, Chairperson of the Green Parliamentary Group of Finland,
    Oras Tynkkynen, MP, Green Parliamentary Group, Finland
    Erkki Pulliainen, Professor Member of the Parliament of Finland

    CZECH REPUBLIC

    Hnuti Duha, FOE-Czech Republic, Brno,

    RUSSIA

    Sergey Kolesnikov, Deputy chairman for Committee of State Duma
    (Russian parliament) for education and Science, Vice-Pres IPPNW,
    Enrico Peyretti, Giuliano Martignetti Movimento Nonviolento Torino, Italy
    Thanassis ANAPOLITANOS , MEDITERRANEAN ANTI NUCLEAR WATCH, GREECE,

    ROMANIA

    Constantin S. Lacatus, President, People of Sibiu for Peace (Sibienii Pacifisti)
    Eng. Constantin Cretu, ‘Carpathians Genius’ Bucharest/Romania
    Prof. Ivo SLAUS, President, PUGWASH-Croatia.
    Prof. Dr. Leziz Onaran, President, Umur Gursoy (MD)NUSED (IPPNW-Turkey)
    Ali Eltari President, Albanian Ecological Club,
    Kim Hye-Jeong, Secretary General, KFEM-FoE Korea

    JAPAN

    Yayoi Tsuchida, Japan Council against A and H Bombs (Gensuikyo)
    Hiromichi Umebayashi, President, Peace Depot, Japan,
    Hideyuki Ban, Citizens’ Nuclear Information Center (CNIC) Tokyo, Japan

    UNITED STATES

    Steve Leeper, Mayors for Peace United States,
    Bruce K. Gagnon Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space,
    Alice Slater, Abolition2000 Global Council,
    Phyllis Bennis Institute for Policy Studies, Washington DC, U.S.
    Patrick Groulx founder – Iron John & Mary With A Snugly US,
    Helen Caldicott, President, Nuclear Policy Research Institute (NPRI),
    James Galbraith, Chair, Economists for Peace and Security,
    Daniel Ellsberg, Truth Telling Project, USA,
    Dr. Sadik Alsaraf, Professor, Roundlake, IL, U.S.A.
    Evan Augustine Peterson III, J.D., Executive Director, American Center forInternational Law (“ACIL”), U.S.A

    CANADA

    Steven Starr, Physicians for Global Survival, Canada,
    Joanna Santa Barbara, Centre for Peace Studies, Mc Master Univ, Ont,
    Ray Morris, Co-Chair, KAIROS, Salmon Arm, BC,
    Libby Davies, Member of Parliament, Vancouver East, Canada

    MEXICO

    Efrain Cruz Marin, Vocal de Prensa y Propaganda de Academicos de
    Ciencias y Humanidades, Plantel Sur, Asociaicion Civil, Universidad
    Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Mexico.
    Luis Gutierrez Esparza President, Latin American Circle for International Studies (LACIS), Mexico,
    Luis Gutierrez Esparza, Fundacion por la Paz en la Era Nuclear (FPEN)
    Diodorus Kamala MP, Tanzania,Association of World Citizens – hana
    Celeste Hito Kanyinda Matamba, national president of the Agence pour
    le Developpement Communautaire- Congo Kinshasa (RDC)

    SOUTH AFRICA

    Maya Aberman, Earthlife Africa, Cape Town, RSA,
    Prof. Faisal Suliman, ISLAMIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION,DURBAN,SOUTH AFRICA

    INDIA

    Achin Vanaik, Sukla Sen, Smitu Kothari, Coalition for Nuclear
    Disarmament and Peace, India,(CNDP), ND, India,
    Sandeep Pandey and Arundhati Dhuru, National Alliance of People’s
    Movements (NAPM),
    Prof N.N. Murthy, IBRF, India,
    Mahipal Singh, Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Delhi,
    Syed Shahabuddin, (ex-MP, fmr Amb.), President, All India Muslim
    Majlis-e-Mushawarat, New Delhi, India,
    Smitu Kothari, Intercultural Resources, New Delhi, India,
    Harsh Kapoor, South Asians Against Nukes (SAAN) France/India,
    Prof. J.G. Krishnayya, Systems Research Inst, Pune,
    Prahlad Singh Shekhawat, Alternative Development Centre, Jaipur , India
    Maj. Gen. S. C. N. Jatar, Retd Pres, Nagrik Chetna Manch (Citizens’ Awareness Front), Pune, India,
    Centre for Science and Environment, N. Delhi, India,
    KALYANI MENON-SEN, Coordinator, JAGORI WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTRE, NEW DELHI,
    Dr. Prakash Louis, Bihar Social Institute, Bihar, India
    S. P. Udayakumar, People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy, Nagercoil TN, India.
    D. Gabriele, National Convenor, National Alliance for Peoples Movement Madurai , TN, India,
    Wilfred D’Costa Gen. Secy, Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF) INDIA,
    Harsh Kapoor South Asians Against Nukes India / France,
    J. Gurumurthi, Secy, All India Insurance Employees’ Association (AIIEA) Chennai, INDIA
    Syed Shahabuddin, ex-MP, former Ambassador, presently President,
    All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, New Delhi, India.
    MANOJ BHATTACHARYA.Member of Parliament INDIA.

    PAKISTAN

    Zia Syed, All Pakistan Federation of United Trade Unions (APFUTU),Gujrat, PK,
    A.H. Nayyar, President, Pakistan Peace Coalition

    Amir Hossain Chowdhury Exec.Secy. Institute for Environment and Development Studies, Dhaka, Bangladesh,

    ISRAEL

    Dorothy Naor, New Profile, Israel
    Pnina Feiler, Physicians for Human Rights. Kibbutz Yad-Hanna, Israel
    Itamar Mann Israeli Union for Environmental Defense Tel Aviv Israel
    Ofra Ben-Artzi Jerusalem Israel

    PHILLIPINES

    Sonia S. Mendoza Chair, Mother Earth Foundation – Philippines,
    Clemente G. Bautista Jr, Coord, Kalikasan-Peoples Network for the Environment, Philippines

    NZ

    Bob Rigg, New Zealand National Consultative Committee on Disarmament (NCCD)
    Robert White, Centre for Peace Studies, Univ. Auckland, NZ,
    Hugh Steadman, The Sapiens Movement, Blenheim, New Zealand.
    Gordon F Copeland MP United Future – the Family Party NZ,
    Keith Locke MP, Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Green Party, New Zealand.
    Michael Hemmingsen, President, Society for Global Philosophy, Wellington, NZ,

    AUSTRALIA

    John Hallam, Friends of the Earth Australia Sydney Australia
    Jo Vallentine, People for Nuclear Disarmament, Western Australia,
    Cameron Schraner, PND-NSW, Surry Hills, NSW,
    Dimity Hawkins, Executive Officer, Medical Association for the Prevention of War (MAPW),
    Sue Gilbey, Australian Peace Committee, Adel, SA.,
    Dr Stella Cornelius, Conflict Resolution Network, Chatswood, NSW,
    Hillel Freedman, Nuclear-Free Australia, Melb,
    Dr R. J. Hunter, President, Scientists for Global
    Responsibility(SANA) (Sydney Univ, Aust)
    Rev Allan Thompson, General Secretary, Uniting Church in Victoria and Tasmania,
    Nick Chesterfield, West Papua National Authority, Melb,
    Dr Vacy Vlazna, ACHEH PAPUA MALUKU, Fairlight,
    Vikki John, Bougainville Freedom Movement, Vic,
    Peter Carrol, SCRAP, Holsworthy, NSW,
    Chris Hamer, President, World Citizens Association (Australia)
    VeeSpak, NicNacTheatre, Randwick NSW,
    Michael Priceman, Convenor Sutherland Shire Environment Centre & People Against a Nuclear Reactor
    Doug. N. Everingham, Australian Minister for Health 1972-75
    Parliamentary Adviser, Australian delegation, 1982 UN Assembly
    Senator Lyn Alison, Leader, Australian Democrats,
    Senator Natasha Stott-Despoja, Australian Democrats, SA
    Senator Andrew Bartlett, Democrats, Qld,
    Senator Kerry Nettle, Greens, NSW,
    Kelly HoareMP, Member for Charlton NSW,
    Carmen Lawrence MP, Member for Fremantle, President, ALP,
    Julia Irwin MP Federal Member for Fowler,
    Lee Rhiannon Greens MLC, NSW,
    Ian Cohen MLC, Greens, Parliament of NSW,
    Giz Watson MLC Greens, North Metropolitan Region, W. A.,