WASHINGTON—A diverse group of officials from more than 25 countries are developing a plan of action to build international capacity and address difficult monitoring and verification challenges that will need to be addressed in future arms control and nonproliferation agreements.
Convened by the U.S. Department of State with the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), the International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification is holding its inaugural meeting today and tomorrow in Washington, D.C. Attendees include representatives from states with nuclear weapons, as well as 23 non-nuclear weapon states under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
“The task of verifying nuclear disarmament presents some truly formidable technical challenges that must be overcome. Addressing these challenges, and finding solutions, is the bridge that spans the gap between the aspiration of nuclear disarmament and the fulfillment of nuclear disarmament,” said U.S. Assistant Secretary of State of Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance Frank Rose.
“The only way to address verification challenges effectively is through diverse and sustained international collaboration,” said NTI Vice Chairman Des Browne. “Today’s meeting marks the start of a unique cooperative effort to advance our ability to monitor and verify future treaty commitments by developing the tools to do so.”
The International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification is a public-private partnership that brings together states with a range of monitoring and verification experience to strengthen trust and cooperation on areas of mutual interest and help create a common understanding of the challenges and constraints some monitoring and verification activities impose. It catalyzes international leadership to jumpstart the technical progress needed to surmount those challenges. Because developing new monitoring and verification technologies and mechanisms will require sustained resources and commitment, the work initiated by the International Partnership will be a long-term effort.
The Partnership will hold a follow-on meeting later this year, where countries will finalize a program of work and establish technical working groups to begin consultation, research and development on a range of verification and monitoring challenges.
About the Nuclear Threat Initiative
The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization with a mission to strengthen global security by reducing the risk of use and preventing the spread of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. Founded in 2001 by former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn and philanthropist Ted Turner, NTI is guided by a prestigious, international board of directors. Joan Rohlfing serves as president.
NTI CONTACT: Cathy Gwin, 202-454-7706, gwin@nti.org
STATE CONTACT: Blake Narendra, 202-368-7838, NarendraBM@state.gov
Source: NTI.org