The Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States of America,
The Honorable Vladimir Putin, President of Russian Federation,
The Honorable Anthony Charles Lynton Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
The Honorable Jacques Chirac, President of the French Republic,
The Honorable Hu Jintao, President of the People’s Republic of China.
 
CC:
His Excellency, Ambassador Sergio de Queiroz Duarte
President, 
The 2005 Review Conference of the Parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
 
April 20, 2005
  The Committee of Seven for World Peace Appeal
 Kodi Fusimi
 Kinhide Mushakoji
 Hideo Tsuchiyama
  Yoshino Oishi
 Hisashi Inoue
 Kayoko Ikeda
 Masatoshi Koshiba
 Secretary General Michiji Konuma
 
 

Appeal Demanding Concrete Measures for Disarmament

on the Occasion of the 2005 Review Conference of the Parties

to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

 
 After thirty five years, elapsed since the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) became active, there still exists a persistent critique of this Treaty about its inequality recognizing the possession of nuclear weapons to the five Nuclear Weapon States, while forbidding it to the other signatory State parties. In spite of this problematic aspect, this Treaty is practically the only one legally binding instrument in aiming at nuclear disarmament.
 We, the Committee of Seven for World Peace Appeal, feel deeply concerned by the fact that the “commitment to abolish nuclear armament“ of this Treaty may turn into dead letter at. the Review Conference of the Parties of May 2005.
 We, the Committee of Seven for World Peace Appeal, were formed fifty years ago, in 1955, in response to the Russell-Einstein Manifesto.  From Japan, a country which became the victim of nuclear bombs sixty years ago, we have continued appealing for world peace, 
 On the occasion of the NPT Review Conference of May 2005, we call upon the five Nuclear Weapon States to make serious efforts towards the total abolition of nuclear weapons, meeting specifically the demands which follow:
 
1. The full observation of the international commitments made by the signature of the NPT Treaty:

At the Review Conference of the NPT in May 1995 the five Nuclear Weapon States reaffirmed “their commitment, as stated in Article VI, to pursue in good faith negotiations on effective measures relating to nuclear disarmament” as was stated in the unanimous decisions adopted on the principles and objectives for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. At the 2000 Review Conference of the NPT, the practical steps for the systematic and progressive efforts to achieve complete disarmament were agreed to by all governments signed to the NPT. The steps included that “an unequivocal undertaking by the nuclear-weapon States to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament to which all States parties are committed under Article VI”. From an international ethical point of view, the above commitment must be observed by the subsequent administrations of the States concerned. We call upon the　five Nuclear Weapon States to be faithful to their commitment, and that they confirm their will to abolish completely their nuclear weapons.

2. Take nuclear disarmament measures, as a precondition to nuclear non-proliferation:
 
 We express our deep concern about the unfortunate tendency which exists among some Nuclear Weapon States to emphasize the importance of nuclear non-proliferation, in connection with the War against Terror, neglecting the crucial importance of efforts for nuclear disarmament.
 Our concern is caused by our belief that, some non-Nuclear countries will be tempted to imitate the Nuclear Weapon States and oppose them by going nuclear, thus intensifying the process of nuclear proliferation,　unless the Nuclear Weapon States themselves modify their dependence on nuclear armament. The best means to prevent nuclear proliferation is for the Nuclear Weapon States to show themselves to the non-nuclear States the concrete road towards the abolition of all nuclear armament. We, therefore, request the Nuclear Weapon States to show, with a concrete timetable, a roadmap towards the complete abolition of nuclear armament.
 
3. Confirm publicly irreversible nuclear disarmament policies:
 
 Now, after the termination of the Cold War, some Nuclear Weapon States continue to keep their strategic nuclear arsenal in a state ready to be used. They also continue their　Research and Development activities of tactical nuclear armament, treated as “usable weapons”. We strongly protest against such policies, and demand that they put an end immediately to such activities.
 It is declared in the Non-Proliferation Treaty, as one of its major principles, that the irreversibility of nuclear disarmament will be observed. The American and Russian research on new nuclear weapons and the American resumption of underground nuclear tests are moves in clear contradiction with this principle. We, therefore, demand the permanent renunciation of such plans by the States concerned.
 
 It is our hope that, on the occasion of the NPT Review Conference, the five Nuclear Weapon States, take into serious consideration the wish for peace of the peoples of the world, and that they assume earnestly their responsibilities, so that the Conference could achieve its historical objectives.
 
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Contact:
Michiji Konuma, 
Secretary General
Committee of Seven for World Peace Appeal
fax: +81-45-891-8386
e-mail: mkonuma254@m4.dion.ne.jp