Nuclear Politics - Heinrich Böll Stiftung

Nuclear Politics

Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP), Photo by CANDU Owners Group Inc.

INTRODUCTION

There is a wide range of Nuclear Politics issues ranging from Pakistani perspectives on nuclear capacities to global issues such as proliferation, arms control and disarmament. As the Indo-US Nuclear deal in 2008 represents a significant milestone and a paradigm shift in foreign policy relations and its South Asian security policies some related analysis is provided below. Same goes to the related risks of a new nuclear arms race in South Asia. Furthermore we would like to generate debate on the future of nuclear weapons in the 21st century’s multilateral world order.

In-depth Analyses

DOSSIER ON NUCLEAR ISSUES

The 2010 Review Conference on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will be held from May 03 – 28, 2010 at UN Headquarters in New York. A challenge for this Conference is the need to balance proliferation concerns with the right of all signatories to develop nuclear energy. As nuclear issues are both a myth and a taboo in Pakistan this dossier wants to highlight a few facts and thus throw some light. more»

Pakistan as a Nuclear Power

- Amongst all current nuclear powers, Pakistan is the most unstable state. This study therefore focuses on questions: How secure are Pakistan’s nuclear weapons as well as its nuclear facilities? How stable is the domestic political situation in Pakistan? What are the perspectives for the ongoing Pakistan-India conflict? By Oliver Thränert and Christian Wagner more»

Predicting Proliferation: The History of the Future of Nuclear Weapons

- It is a paradox that few aspects of international security have been as closely scrutinized, but as incorrectly forecast, as the future nuclear landscape. Since the advent of nuclear weapons in 1945, there have been dozens, if not hundreds of projections by government and independent analysts trying to predict horizontal and vertical proliferation across the world. By Moeed Yusuf more»

Position Papers

Playing the Nuclear Game: Pakistan and the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty

When it comes to an FMCT, Pakistan’s security managers, predominantly the army, have been pursuing business as usual, which for the past five decades has meant trying to maintain strategic parity with India. Blocking talks on an FMCT enables them to continue to build up their fissile material stockpile and to highlight to the international community their concerns about a fissile material gap with India and the consequences of India’s current military buildup, especially India’s search for missile defenses, and the consequences of the U.S.-Indian nuclear deal. By Zia Mian and A.H. Nayyar more»

NUCLEAR ISSUES PAPERS

Nuclear Power - Myth and Reality

- The deep divide over nuclear power is nearly as old as its commercial use. The early dreams of its proponents have faded, whereas the high risks have remained. Terrorism has introduced dramatic, concrete threat. Global warming and the finite nature of fossil fuels do not dispel the major safety issues associated with nuclear power. And the "accident-proof" reactor has remained an unfulfilled promise now for decades. more»

A World without Nuclear Weapons?

- A debate in the United States resorts to an old vision: the abolition of nuclear weapons. Its initiators are anything but political outsiders. But how realistic are their proposals? And what does the debate entail for German and European policy? By Roland Hiemann and Oliver Thränert more»

Dossier

The Flight To Nowhere

Pakistan’s Nuclear Trajectory

This unpublished piece is an excerpt of the forthcoming book of Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung ( Nov 09) in the Publication series on Promoting Democracy under Conditions of State Fragility. By Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy more»

Pervez Hoodbhoy is one of the panelists in the 10th annual foreign policy conference of Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Berlin , Germany on “A World without Nuclear Weapons or Nuclear Anarchy? The Future of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime” September 10 to 11, 2009. This is an article exclusively writen for HBS on South Asia’s Nuclear Rejectionism. more»

Pakistani Perspectives on the Nuclear Bomb

- Over the last few years there has been a debate in the western media and analyses of Pakistan on its nuclear capability, especially regarding issues of safety, proliferation and terrorism. Many commentators and officials in the West have argued that the instability in Pakistan could lead to nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists. This nightmare scenario has been the basis for many calls in the international community to somehow ‘disarm’ Pakistan of its nuclear weapons. more»

Events

A World without Nuclear Weapons or Nuclear Anarchy?

Heinrich-Böll Stiftung Berlin, Germany
Renowned speakers from international politics, industry and civil society will join us to discuss the dangers posed by nuclear weapons in the 21st century’s multilateral world order. How can we prevent non-state actors, such as terrorists, gaining access to materials that can be used for making nuclear weapons? How can we strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime to protect the world from all-out nuclear anarchy? more»