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Peru 2
Peru 2
appeal and ICAN’s briefing note for governments to the 2014 NPT PrepCom, and:
Introduction
Tell them how important it was that your government participated in the second conference
on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons, hosted by Mexico in February 2014. Hand them a
copy of the Mexican chair's summary and ask what they think about it.
Argue that the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons has become the dominant theme in
the international nuclear weapons debate in recent years, but that there is an urgent need for states to
follow up on this initiative if it is going to lead to real and sustainable change in the field of nuclear
disarmament.
Peru has previously associated themselves with the humanitarian initiative (see right for
details). Let them know how important this has been, and ask whether there is anything they can do to
make sure that your government express their concern at the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons
during the 2014 NPT PrepCom.
Ask what they intend to do to ensure that your government welcomes the upcoming
conference in their statement at the PrepCom.
Argue that the NPT, although it faces significant challenges, has served the international
community well by preventing proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Hand them a copy of RCW's article "Preventing Collapse: The NPT and a ban on nuclear
weapons," and argue that although Article VI of the NPT contains a legal commitment to start
negotiations on a treaty "on general and complete disarmament", a multilateral instrument
prohibiting nuclear weapons have not yet been put in place. Success at the NPT Review Conference
should therefore be measured by the extent to which this review cycle has led to real and tangible
progress on disarmament.
About a ban on nuclear weapons
State that you are a part of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)
and that ICAN believes that it is time for states to develop a new legal instrument prohibiting nuclear
weapons, even if nuclear-armed states refuse to participate.
Argue that the fact that there is no explicit legal prohibition of nuclear weapons constitutes a
legal anomaly among weapons of mass destruction.
Argue that a new legal instrument prohibiting nuclear weapons would help achieve the
objectives embedded in the treaty of Tlatelolco, and strengthen and fulfill the purpose of the NPT.
Hand them a copy of Article 36's paper "Banning Nuclear Weapons" and argue that a new
legal instrument prohibiting nuclear weapons would establish a strong international norm against use,
possession and deployment of nuclear weapons and require governments to decide whether they
want to continue to support nuclear weapons or reject them entirely.
Argue that a legal instrument prohibiting nuclear weapons will provide a strong moral
incentive for nuclear possessor states to eliminate their arsenals in compliance with Article VI of the
NPT.
Encourage them to submit a question to your foreign minister, asking how the government
intends to work to achieve a new legal instrument prohibiting nuclear weapons. Offer to help drafting
the question.
And finally
Ask them to join forces with other parliamentarians by signing ICAN’s parliamentary appeal for
a ban on nuclear weapons.