16 March 2010 - UNA-UK youth members debate nuclear issues with the FCO

Members of UNA-UK's youth wing, UNYSA, participated in a discussion at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on nuclear policy issues. Entitled 'Stopping the Spread: can we do it? Addressing the nuclear challenge in the 21st century', this joint event built on UNYSA's flagship 'Stop the Spread' campaign, which aims to mobilise young people in the UK and abroad to take action in support of nuclear non-proliferation and multilateral disarmament.

Around 30 students representing some 15 universities from across the country heard from an expert panel consisting of FCO Minister Ivan Lewis MP, UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay of Chiswick and Paul Ingram, Executive Director of BASIC, before splitting into working groups to debate each of the three pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NTP): non-proliferation, disarmament and peaceful uses of nuclear energy. After the groups presented their findings, participants were able to put questions to the panellists.

Nick Boucher, president of the UNYSA Youth Council, was delighted that the 'Stop the Spread' campaign had been recognised by the FCO. He said "UNYSA hopes to build on today's discussion by expanding its outreach to UN youth groups in other countries, in particular, key nuclear-weapon states".

In his opening remarks, Ivan Lewis MP said "the group that has the most at stake is young people, and it’s important we listen to them. 2010 is one of the most crucial years we’ve seen in a long time. As we move towards the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in May, President Obama and Prime Minister Gordon Brown have expressed commitment to a safer world without nuclear weapons and we have a new head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. These developments provide a backdrop for radical changes, but we acknowledge there are also significant challenges and there’s no doubt the danger of nuclear proliferation has not gone away”.

UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay underscored the importance of the upcoming review of the NPT but noted that this is "an agenda which will stretch across years, indeed decades" before outlining some areas in which UNA-UK would like to see progress, including 'no first use' commitments and the development of a system for internationally guaranteed supplies of nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes. He also expressed hope that today's event could become "part of a wider national debate" on nuclear non-proliferation and multilateral disarmament.

Click here to read the FCO news item on this event
Click here to read Lord Hannay's remarks
Click here to find out more about UNYSA's 'Stop the Spread' campaign
Click here to find out more about UNA-UK's 'Towards Zero' nuclear initiative