Posted on October 29, 2009 by toplevelgroup
There is a growing international political momentum for serious discussions about nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. In the US, this momentum has been driven by former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and George Shultz, former Defence Secretary William Perry and former Senator Sam Nunn. It has evolved into the ‘Nuclear Security Project’.
In the UK, what started with speeches from Ministers and a letter to The Times has developed into the Top Level Group of UK Parliamentarians for Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation.
Please browse the site to find out further information about our membership and activities.
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Posted on February 26, 2010 by toplevelgroup
Please visit the Members’ Speeches, Articles and Videos page of this site to watch the video interviews of Admiral Lord Boyce and Sir Menzies Campbell MP, as part of the independent film project, TalkWorks Films. In these interviews, the Top Level Group members discussed issues within multilateral nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and prospects for the future.
These new films are in addition to TalkWorks videos with Baroness Shirley Williams, Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Des Browne MP. All of which can be found on the Members’ Speeches, Articles and Videos page.
Further video interviews with other Top Level Group members are soon to follow.
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Posted on January 22, 2010 by toplevelgroup
On Thursday 21 January, Lord Hannay of Chiswick, Chair of the Global Security and Non-Proliferation All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) opened this key debate in the House of Lords with the motion to “to call attention to the prospects for multilateral nuclear disarmament and for strengthening nuclear non-proliferation”.
Eighteen peers in total participated in this debate. This is evidence of the growing interest and support for the objectives of multilateral nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation amongst senior British parliamentarians. The peers raised range of different issues including: the NPT Review Conference, the ICNND recommendations, increasing IAEA safeguard measures, reducing nuclear stockpiles and nuclear declaratory policy, to name but a few.
Important contributions were made by TLG members Lord Howe of Aberavon, Lord Roberston of Port Ellen and Lord King of Bridgewater where they each recounted personal experiences of dealing with the awesome responsibility of nuclear weapons.
Click here to read key excerpts from the debate; or here for the full debate.
Alternatively should you wish to watch the video recording of the debate, please click here.
Filed under: Events, UK parliament | Tagged: House of Lords, nuclear disarmament, Nuclear Non-Proliferation, top level group, UK Parliamentarians | Leave a Comment »
Posted on January 18, 2010 by toplevelgroup
Please visit the Members’ Speeches, Articles and Videos page of this site to watch the video interviews of Des Browne MP, Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP and Baroness Williams, as part of the independent film project, TalkWorks Films. In these interviews, the Top Level Group members discussed issues within multilateral nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and prospects for the future.
The aim of the TalkWorks project is to show the weight, depth and breadth of expert opinion that is behind the US-led global nuclear disarmament initiative.
Further video interviews with other Top Level Group members are soon to follow.
Filed under: Events, Videos | Tagged: Des Browne, Malcolm Rifkind, multilateral, nuclear disarmament, nuclear issues, Nuclear Non-Proliferation, Shirley Williams, TalkWorks Films | Leave a Comment »
Posted on January 13, 2010 by toplevelgroup
All parliamenatary debates from 2009 on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation issues are now available to read on the Parliamentary Report page.
Please click here to view.
The Parliamentary Report now includes all relevant parliamentary oral and written questions, answers and statements from 2009.
Please click here to view.
Filed under: Debate, News, UK parliament | Tagged: debates, disarmament, Hansard, House of Commons, House of Lords, Nuclear Non-Proliferation, PQ, UK parliament | Leave a Comment »
Posted on January 10, 2010 by toplevelgroup
From Monday 14 – Friday 18 December 2009 global decision-makers and non-proliferation experts, including Baroness Shirley Williams, met at the Wilton Park annual conference to discuss nuclear issues. The May 2010 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was a key focus for discussion.
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office spoke to ten senior participants, including Libran Cabactulan, Susan Burk, Pavel Podvig, John Duncan, Maged Abdelaziz, Martin Briens, Jean du Preez, Boniface Chidyausiku and Rebecca Johnson.
Click here to view the above interviews.
Filed under: Audio, Events, News, Videos | Tagged: FCO, NPT Review Conference, nuclear disarmament, nuclear issues, Nuclear Non-Proliferation, Wilton Park | Leave a Comment »
Posted on December 15, 2009 by toplevelgroup
“Eliminating Nuclear Threats: A Practical Agenda For Global Policymakers”, the groundbreaking international Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND) report, was launched on Tuesday 15 December 2009. Gareth Evans, former Australian Foreign Minister, along with Yoriko Kawaguchi, former Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, are co-chairs of the ICNND. Baroness Shirley Williams, member of the Top Level Group, is also a commission member and has been working closely with the co-chairs and her fellow commission members on this project.
To view the report please click here.
Filed under: News | Tagged: Gareth Evans, ICNND, nuclear disarmament, Nuclear Non-Proliferation, Shirley Williams | Leave a Comment »
Posted on November 24, 2009 by toplevelgroup
The Parliamentary weekly magazine, “The House Magazine”, published on 23 November, carried an article by Des Browne MP called “Nuclear Non-Proliferation.” In the article Mr Browne talks about the launch of the Top Level Group and the plans that the Group have for the future.
“The ambition of the group is to manage down the salience of nuclear weapons to defence and, at the same time, manage down the number of nuclear weapons multilaterally.“
To read the article please click here. (See page 42)
Filed under: News, UK parliament | Tagged: House Magazine, House of Commons, House of Lords, nuclear disarmament, Nuclear Non-Proliferation, top level group | Leave a Comment »
Posted on November 18, 2009 by toplevelgroup
At the State Opening of the new 2009-10 session of Parliament today, the Queen made a short but clear statement in the Queen’s speech on the Government’s position on getting to global zero.
She stated: “My Government will work towards creating the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons, including addressing the challenges from Iran and North Korea.”
To read the full speech please click here.
Filed under: News, UK parliament | Tagged: nuclear disarmament, Nuclear Non-Proliferation, Queen's speech, UK parliament | Leave a Comment »
Posted on November 18, 2009 by toplevelgroup
Please visit the events page of this site to listen to the audio recording of the launch of the Top Level Group which took place on Thursday 29 October 2009 in Parliament.
Filed under: Events, News, UK parliament | Tagged: nuclear disarmament, nuclear issues, Nuclear Non-Proliferation, TLG, top level group, UK parliament, UK Parliamentarians | Leave a Comment »
Posted on November 12, 2009 by toplevelgroup
Please visit the Speeches and Articles page to listen to Sir Malcolm Rifkind’s recent speech at the James Martin 21st Century School on getting to Global Zero.
Filed under: Audio, Events, News | Tagged: James Martin 21st Century School, Malcolm Rifkind, nuclear disarmament, nuclear issues, Nuclear Non-Proliferation | Leave a Comment »
