Declarations for a Nuclear-free World
George Farebrother, World Court Project

For many months individuals and groups have been collecting signed Declarations for a Nuclear-free World. These Declarations have been initiated by the World Court Project as one of their efforts to implement the 1996 International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons.

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the most widely supported non-proliferation and disarmament treaty ever with 188 signatory States, is under threat as the nuclear weapon States (NWS) have not implemented their solemn disarmament promises made in the treaty and reaffirmed at the last NPT Review Conference in 2000.

In the lead-up to the make-or-break NPT Review Conference in May this year, everyone who wants to see the NWS honour their legal obligations and abolish these terrible weapons forever can sign a Declaration. These will be presented at UN headquarters in New York during the Conference.

The Declarations are not petitions. They are personal commitments, individually signed, intended to reflect the ‘dictates of public conscience’ recognized under international law as an important component of customary legal restrictions on weapons systems.

To make a declaration see www.abolition2000europe.org.