Paths to Zero -- Striving Toward a Nuclear-Free World

US nuclear weapons policy for the 21st century

SAN FRANCISCO – The United States must lead the way to reducing nuclear weapons worldwide. The elimination of nuclear weapons is entering the political mainstream. Both presidential candidates have publicly supported deeper cuts to the U.S. nuclear arsenal. While Democrat Barack Obama endorsed the eventual elimination of nuclear weapons, Republican John McCain said he would trim the U.S. nuclear stockpile. Supporting the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) are two of the ways the U.S. can strengthen nonproliferation efforts worldwide. The Federation of American Scientists will host a symposium to discuss U.S. nuclear weapons policy in the 21st century at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, on Friday, 26 September from 12:00 – 2:30 pm PDT.

The future of the world's nuclear security is uncertain. While support in the United States grows for major reductions in nuclear weapons, there is continuing danger of proliferation of nuclear weapons to more countries. In a serious setback for non-proliferation, the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) lifted a three-decade ban on the export of nuclear fuel and technology to India, though India refused to sign the CTBT or the NPT. This historic nuclear technology cooperation agreement between the United States and India could undermine efforts to contain the nuclear ambitions of othere countries, such as Iran, even though preventing these countries from developing nuclear weapons is of vital national security interest to the U.S.

At the same time Russia is urging all countries that have not yet joined the CTBT to sign or ratify it. In September 2008, the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization conducted a field inspection exercise at the Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan to verify the efficiency of field inspection technology and procedures.

What will U.S. nuclear policy look like for the 21st century?

On Friday, 26 September at noon PDT, join FAS for the presentation of the 2008 Hans Bethe Award to Raymond Jeanloz, professor of geology and geophysics at the University of California at Berkeley. Following the award ceremony, Jeanloz will join George Shultz, Sidney Drell, Joseph Cirincione, Harold P. Smith, Jr., Ivan Oelrich and Gloria Duffy for the symposium "Paths to Zero – Striving Toward a Nuclear-Free World" in the Blue Room of the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. This FAS event is free and open to the public. Seating is first come, first served.

Panelists include:

• Raymond Jeanloz, Professor of Earth and Planetary Science and of Astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley
• George Shultz, former Secretary of State and distinguished fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution
• Sidney Drell, Professor Emeritus of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center at Stanford University
• Joseph Cirincione, President of the Ploughshares Fund
• Harold Palmer Smith, Jr., Professor of the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley
• Ivan Oelrich, Vice President of the Strategic Security Program at the Federation of American Scientists
• Gloria Duffy, Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Club (moderator)

For more information on this event or to RSVP, please contact jaron@fas.org.

WHEN: Friday, 26 September 2008 from 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm

WHERE: Commonwealth Club Blue Room
595 Market Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105

http://tickets.commonwealthclub.org/auto_choose_ga.asp?area=1

NOTE TO REPORTERS – To RSVP for this event, contact Monica Amarelo at mamarelo@fas.org or (202) 454-4680. Please include your name, title, and media affiliation in your response.

Advance interviews are available upon request. To schedule an interview or photo opportunity with Henry Kelly or Ivan Oelrich, please contact Monica Amarelo at mamarelo@fas.org or (202) 454-4680. Panelists will be available for interviews on-site.