Examining the United Nations’ role in disarmament for global security

By : Professor FlowersStrayer University

6 April 2011Keywords: international relations, global peace, security, disarmament,

arms control, United Nations, 1925 Geneva Protocol

“The reduction or limitation of the size, equipment, armament, etc., of the army, navy, or air force of a country,” (Dictionary.com).

1. the penal destruction or reduction of the armament of a country defeated in war ▪ Ex) Versailles Treaty [1919] where Germany and its allies disarmed

2. bilateral disarmament agreements applying to specific geographic areas ▪ Ex) Rush–Bagot Agreement [1817] where the naval forces of both

the US and Great Britain disarmed3. the complete abolition of all armaments, as

advocated by utopian thinkers and some governments;

4. the reduction and limitation of national armament by general international agreement.▪ Ex) United Nations

STRATFORREPORTS

Current trends include an increase interest in disarmament for nations.

Ex) Indonesia, Japan, and Australia holding disarmament meeting at UN General Assembly in New York, September 2010, according to STRATFOR.

Photo taken by Professor Flowers inside the Palais del Nations (United Nations) Geneva, Switzerland (August 2010)

Current Trends

Despite a downward trend in conflict, in 2008, the world’s governments spent US $1,464 billion to arm themselves, amounting to $216 for each person alive today.

Melissa Gilles, Author of The Disarmament : A Basic Guide, 2009.

…Nuclear weapons are not only the most indiscriminately inhumane weapons ever invented, but the only ones capable of destroying life on this planet as we know it….

Gareth Evans, a former foreign minister of Australia, University of Melbourne fellow, and co-chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, 2010.

…The communication of the experiences of Hiroshima and Nagasaki appears to be facing a real problem. This needs to be addressed urgently because the hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) are aging rapidly, and when they die, they will take with them the only first-hand knowledge of the unspeakable horrors of nuclear destruction. We must consider new ways to teach children about war and the prospects for peace.… In this article, the importance of nuclear disarmament education in a wider context of peace education is stressed and suggestions are offered to improve current nuclear disarmament education in Japan, and elsewhere.….

Yumiko Nogami, Resident of Hiroshima, Japan, 2006.

UNODA

United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA)

promotes the goal of nuclear disarmament

and non-proliferation

and the strengthening of the disarmament regimes in respect to other weapons of mass destruction, chemical and biological weapons..

Photo taken by Professor Flowers of the courtyard of the Palais del Nations (United Nations) Geneva, Switzerland (August 2010)

UN ‘s role in disarmament

Prohibits the use of chemical and biological weapons in warfare.

Protocol was signed under the auspices of the League of Nations, held in Geneva, from May 4 –June 17, 1925, and it entered into force on 8 February 1928.”

Established in 1979 Is the single multilateral disarmament

negotiating forum of the international community

Resulted from the first Special Session on Disarmament of the United Nations General Assembly held in 1978.

Conventions are held worldwide, and often at the United Nations Headquarters.

“Salle du conseil,” is a room where the disarmament discussions are held at the UN.

Salle_du_conseil, Palais des Nations, United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland where disarmament

conventions are held

Stockholm International Peace Institute “maintains extensive records of the states which have signed and ratified arms control and disarmament agreements.”

To view the Arms Control and Disarmament Documentary Survey, go to www.sipri.com.

PDF book: Disarmament: A Basic Guide by Melissa Gillis.

Online educational resource: UN CyberSchoolBus.

Graduate courses & degree: Masters programme in non proliferation studies at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS). More information at http://policy.miis.edu/international_security/index.html

Disarmament: reduction or limitation of the

size, equipment, armament, etc., of the army, navy, or air force of a country

The Geneva Protocol signed during the League of

Nations convention from May 4-June 17, 1925

Entered into force on February 8 1928.

The UN has held disarmament conferences since 1979.

The Conference on Disarmament (CD) Established in 1979 (by UN) is the single multilateral

disarmament forum of the international community

The UN provides Disarmament education for lifelong learners, teachers and students.

A noted reference among disarmament education is Disarmament: A Basic Guide by Melissa Gilles.

1. the penal destruction or reduction of the armament of a country defeated in war

2. bilateral disarmament agreements applying to specific geographic areas

3. the complete abolition of all armaments, as advocated by utopian thinkers and occasionally by governments

4. the reduction and limitation of national armament by general international agreement through such international forums, presently used by the UN

Palais des Nations, United Nations

Stockholm International Peace Institute “maintains extensive records of the states which have signed and ratified arms control and disarmament agreements.” To review, see the Arms Control and Disarmament Documentary Survey

Current trends show that nations will continue to move towards disarmament. It has been reported that Indonesia and Japan are scheduled to have a disarmament convention at the UN General Assembly in New York onSeptember2010.

Questions?

Feel free to post your comments in the “Ask the Professor” section under Course Home, and I will gladly reply to your response.

Disarmament. (2010). In Dictionary.com. Retrieved August 10, 2010, from Dictionary.com, an Ask.com Service: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/disarmament

Disarmament. (2010). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved August 10, 2010, from EncyclopædiaBritannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/165165/disarmament

Evans, G. (2010, August 10). Taking disarmament seriously . The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/taking-disarmament-seriously/article1663233/

Gillis, M. (2009, August). In Disarmament: A Basic Guide (Section 1). Retrieved from http://www.un.org/disarmament/HomePage/ODAPublications/AdhocPublications/PDF/guide.pdf

Nogami, Y. (2006). Nuclear disarmament education and the experiences of Hiroshima and Nagasaki [Abstract]. ISYP Journal on Science and World Affairs, 2(1), 9-18. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=Oi_gFIjZI4AC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. (2010). Arms Control and Disarmament Documentary Survey. Retrieved from http://www.sipri.org/research/disarmament/agreements/?searchterm=disarmament

STRATFOR (2010, August 4). Indonesia, Japan: Disarmament Collaboration Sought . Retrieved from http://0-www.stratfor.com.library.regent.edu/memberships/168537/sitrep/20100804_indonesia_japan_collaboration_sought_disarmament

United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs (2010). About Us. In UNODA. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/disarmament/HomePage/about_us/aboutus.shtml