His Excellency Mr. George W. Bush
President of the United States of America

Letter of Protest

On May 25, the United States conducted its 21st subcritical nuclear test at the underground nuclear test site in Nevada.  

In ongoing six-party talks, the US is demanding that North Korea completely abandon its nuclear weapons program, and yet you are conducting subcritical nuclear tests.  Obviously, you are applying a self-serving double standard based on the “rule of power.”

 A preparatory committee meeting for the 2005 review of the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) has just ended with most nations and NGOs working energetically to prevent proliferation and promote nuclear disarmament.  In this context, your subcritical test tramples on the cherished desires of the A-bomb survivors and people around the world, the majority of whom seek the abolition of nuclear weapons.  We are outraged by this test and, on behalf of the 603 cities in 108 countries and regions that are members of the Mayors for Peace, we vehemently protest.

I greatly fear that the nuclear policies of the United States are destroying the NPT regime, the central international agreement for the elimination of nuclear weapons, and will provoke a new round of nuclear proliferation.  To prevent this proliferation, the United States must accept its duty as the world’s nuclear superpower and begin working in good faith toward the “…unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the total elimination of [the nuclear weapon states’] nuclear arsenals” promised at the time of the 2000 NPT Review.  I demand that you immediately ratify the CTBT, terminate all nuclear testing, including subcritical tests, and take the lead in carving out a clear path toward the total abolition of nuclear weapons

 May 26, 2004

The Conference of Mayors for Peace