The following statement was released by mayors and members of parliamentsAs mayors and legislators we have a role to protect the security of citizens living within our jurisdictions and to protect our localities for future generations. and congresses, meeting in conjunction with the 7th Review Conference of the
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in May 2005, and has been
endorsed by the mayors and national legislators listed below:
As mayors and legislators we have a role to protect the security of citizens
living within our jurisdictions and to protect our localities for future
generations.
Such security is not advanced when there remain 30,000 nuclear weapons,
many of which are deployed and ready for use at short notice. The risk of
nuclear weapons use – by accident, design or miscalculation ? is increasing due
to the proliferation of nuclear weapons to new States, the possibility of non-
State access to nuclear weapons and bomb-building materials, and the
expanded nuclear weapons use doctrines of the nuclear weapon States.
Regardless of where nuclear weapons are targeted or detonated, or whether
they are used by terrorist organisations or State militaries, no-one would
escape the calamitous consequences of a nuclear attack. Even cities that are
not the direct brunt of an attack would feel the global economic, social and
medical repercussions, which would dwarf those of 9/11. Any nuclear weapons
use would cause unimaginable devastation requiring massive aid, global effects
from nuclear fall-out and a rise in refugees seeking to escape the most contaminated regions.
The only way to prevent nuclear weapons use is to eliminate all nuclear
weapons as mandated by Article VI of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and
the 1996 International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the
Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons. Mayors for Peace have provided a vision
for the achievement of a nuclear weapons free world by 2020.
Therefore, we the undersigned mayors and parliamentarians, call for the
commencement of negotiations which would culminate in the comprehensive
abolition and elimination of nuclear weapons and the international control of
nuclear materials to prevent clandestine bomb-making.
If a small number of States continue to prevent such negotiations being
initiated at the Conference on Disarmament and also at the NPT Review
Conferences, then governments should be encouraged to find an alternative
track to nuclear disarmament as was done with the Landmines Convention.
The overwhelming majority of citizens in our cities, countries and around the
world support the abolition of these ultimate weapons of mass destruction, and
we mayors and legislators have a responsibility to use our authority to ensure
the implementation of this imperative.
Endorsers:
Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor of Hiroshima, Japan
Yzermans Alain, Mayor of Houthalen-Helchteren, Belgium
Senator Lyn Allison, Australia
Senator Abacca Anjain-Maddison, Marshall Islands
Hon. Larry Bagnell, P.C. M.P, Canada
Chris Balance MSP, Scotland
Tim Barnett MP, New Zealand
Senator Andrew Bartlett, Australia
Angelika Beer, Member of the European Parliament (MEP)
Eddie de Bloack, Mayor, Merchtem, Belgium
Senator Stefano Boco, Italy
Hartmut Bopp, Mayor of Aarbergen, Germany
Rosa Maria Bonas i Pahisa MP, Spain
Senator Massimo Bonavita, Italy
Jozef de Borger, Mayor Gemeente Londerzeel, Belgium
Hiltrud Breyer MdEP
Dr Andre Brie, MEP
Senator Bob Brown, Australia
Dr. Charles Yaw Brempong-Yeboah MP, Ghana
Senator Giovanni Brunale, Italy
Senator Paolo Brutti, Italy
Jim Burch, Mayor of Palo Alto, California, USA
Raphael Chegeni MP, Tanzania
Arthur Chesterfield Evans MP, Australia
Keiko Chiba MP, Japan
Senator Nando Dalla Chiesa, Italy
David N. Cicilline Mayor of Providence, USA
Dave Cieslewicz, Mayor of Madison, USA
Ian Cohen MP, Australia
Frank Cook MP, United Kingdom
Raffaele Cortesi, Mayor of Lugo (Ra) Italy
Senator Fiorello Cortiana, Italy
Libby Davies MP, Canada
Luc Dehaene, Mayor of Ieper, Belgium
Elettra Deiana MP, Italy
Roel Deseyn, MP, Belgium
Senator Anna Donati, Italy
Vera Dua, MP, Belgium
Jill Evans MEP
Hans Eyssen, Mayor Holsbeek, Belgium
Senator Antonello Falomi, Italy
Senator Angelo Flammia, Italy
Pietro Folena MP, Italy
Daniel Fontaine, Mayor of Aubagne, France
Deb Foskey MP, Australia
Monica Frassoni, Member of the European Parliament
Antonelle Friestein, Representing the Mayor of Viorglio, Italy
Senator Pierre Galand, Belgium
Eloi Glorieux MP, Belgium
Senator Leopoldo Di Girolamo, Italy
Councillor Brian Gregson, for the Convener, Shetland Islands Council
Senator Brian Greig, Australia
Paul Van Grembergen, Mayor Evergem, Belgium
Edith Cuttat Gyger, Municipalite de Delemont
Sylvia Hale MP, Australia
David Hammerstein MEP
Agne Hansson MP, Sweden
Rebecca Harms MEP
Satu Hassi, MEP
Lotta Hedstrom MP, Sweden
Heide Ruehle MEP
RogerHeyvaert, Mayor of Meise, Belgium
David T. Hildt, Mayor of Amesbury, Massachusetts, USA
Alain Hutchinson MEP
Satoshi Inoue MP, Japan
Tadashi Inuzuka MP, Japan
Senator Nuccio Iovene, Italy
Marie Anne Isler Beguin, MEP
Patrick Janssens Mayor, Belgium
Jenny Jones, Representing the Mayor of London
Gisela Kallenbach MEP
Sandra Kanck, Australia
Seiichi Kaneta, MP, Japan
Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann MEP
Sergey Kolesnikov MP, Russia
Dirk de Kort, Mayor of Brasschaat, Belgium
Rep Dennis Kucinich, USA
Willy Kuijpers, Mayor of Herent, Belgium
Jean Lambert, MEP
Hallgeir Langeland MP, Norway
Carmen Lawrence MP, Australia
Hon. Jack Layton MP, Canada
Etienne LePage, Mayor of Erpe-Mere, Belgium
Bruno de Lille, Deputy Mayor, Belgium
Keith Locke MP, Aotearoa-New Zealand
Senator Aleandro Longhi, Italy
Herman De Loor, Mayor of Zottegem, Belgium
Josiane Lowie, Mayor of Staden, Belgium
Caroline Lucas, Member of the European Parliament
Lynn MacLaren MP, Australia
Magnar Bergo, MP Norway
Senator Luigi Malabarba, Italy
Dr Wayne Mapp MP, New Zealand
Catherine Margate, Mayor of Malakoff, France
Dee Margetts MP, Australia
Senator Luigi Marino, Italy
Tony Martin MP, Canada
Senator Francesco Martone, Italy
Brian Masse MP, Canada
Alexa McDonough MP, Canada
Willy Minnebo, Mayor of Zwijndrecht, Belgium
Luisa Morgantini, Member of European Parliament
Senator Andrew Murray, Australia
Masaharu Nakagawa MP, Japan
Senator Kerry Nettle, Australia
Gerard Onesta, Vice-President European Parliament
Walter Van Parijs, Mayor of Beernem, Belgium
Claes Paul, Mayor of Pepingen, Belgium
President Filippo Penati, Province of Milan
Senator Oskar Peterlini, Italy
Luc Peetermans, Mayor, Kerkstraat, Belgium
Tobias Pflueger MEP
Ingrid Pira, Mayor, Belgium
Senator Leo Platvoet, Netherlands
Eddy Poffe, Mayor of Tienen, Belgium
Bob Price, Lord Mayor of Oxford, United Kingdom
Darren Ray, Mayor Port Phillip, Australia
Lee Rhiannon MP, Australia
Senator Aden Ridgeway, Australia
Senator Natale Ripamonti, Italy
Cllr Bill Risby, former Lord Mayor, Manchester City Council, England
Ross Robertson MP, New Zealand
Matt Robson MP, New Zealand
Senator Emeritus Douglas Roche, Canada
Raul Romera MEP
Claes Roxbergh MP, Sweden
Senator Dulce Maria Sauri Riancho, Mexico
Senator Piero di Siena, Italy
Bill Siksay MP, Canada
Hon Nick Smith MP, New Zealand
Warren Snowdon MP, Australia
Senator Tommaso Sodano, Italy
Lesley Soper MP, New Zealand
Bart Staes, MEP
Peter Stoffer MP, Canada
Senator Natasha Stott Despoja, Australia
Tsuneo Suzuki MP, Japan
Adolfo R. Taylhardat, Member of the Parliament of Latin America
Koen T’Sijen, MP, Belgium
Senator Patrick Vankrunkelsven, Belgium
Daniel Vanpoucke, Mayor of Meulebeke, Belgium
Hendrik Verbrugge, Mayor of Alken, Belgium.
Roger Verduyckt, Mayor of Begijnendijk,
Belgium
Jan Verheyden Mayor of Tessenderlo, Belgium
Mayor De Vis Dirk, Ham, Belgium
Senator Luigi Viviani, Italy
Senator Tana de Zulueta, Italy