No Nukes Asia Forum

(November 4, 1994) From 15 - 21 October in Seoul, Korea, the Second No Nukes Asia Forum took place. The No Nukes Asia Forum is a forum dedicated to the military & civil denuclearization of the Asian Region.

(421.4169) WISE Amsterdam - The Forum consists of members from countries:
The Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, India, and Japan. Unfortunately the organizers didn't succeed in participation of people from China and Siberia, although several attempts.

The Forum made several statements regarding regional developments (plutonium production Japan and North-Korea; Japans planned reactor export to Indonesia and China; the construction of 2 reactors and radwaste disposal facility at South Korea) and regarding the extension of the Non Proliferation Treaty.

In this issue we publish the general statement at the end of the conference and (first) the statement on possible extension of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE TREATY ON THE NON-PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS (NPT)

We, participants of the second No Nukes Asia Forum, believe that the threat of nuclear proliferation is increasing more and more around the world, and especially in East Asia in spite of the end of the Cold War.

With serious concern, we have come to the following conclusion concerning the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of nuclear Weapons (NPT) which is to expire next spring.

The United States and the nuclear weapons states (NWS) are organizing support for the extension of the NPT after the spring of 1995. But we of No Nukes Asia Forum are opposed to the extension in any form as this is an excuse to continue further proliferation.

1. We consider nuclear weapons to be the most inhuman, cruel, and destructive weapons in history, and we consider it illegal to produce and use it for any reason.
2. The NPT stands for the nuclear monopoly by the NWSs and the latter have been reluctant to conclude a CTBT or negotiate for nuclear disarmament.
3. The NPT puts strict obligations on the non-NWSs, while on the other hand it allows the NWSs to produce and develop nuclear weapons indefinitely. As a result, thousands of nuclear tests have been conducted and tens of thousands of nuclear warheads threaten the world today.
4. By guaranteeing the "peaceful application of atomic energy", extensive exports of nuclear technology and fissile materials have spread to the non-NWSs. This will accelerate nuclear proliferation.
5. "Peaceful use of atomic energy" has caused terrible environmental contamination, radiation of workers, and disasters such as the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl accidents.
6. We can clearly see from the examples such as India, Israel, or South Africa that the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)'s safeguards are ineffective in preventing nuclear proliferation.
7. The IAEA ignores the huge plutonium program of Japan. At the same time IAEA is extremely strict towards the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. And Japan intends to produce weapons-grade plutonium.
8. Even with the conclusion of a CTBT, the NWSs have already started research and are developing new types of nuclear weapons which need no nu-clear detonation tests. The current NPT clearly has proven ineffective.

We consider the present to be the epoch for nuclear disarmament and real denuclearlization. We, therefore, earnestly demand that;

1. The NWSs reduce their nuclear arsenals immediately.
2. The United States and Japanese governments compensate all victims and survivors of the atomic-bombings in 1945.
3. All NWSs conclude a CTBT, and realize the principle of "No-First-Use."
4. The international community conclude the banning of the production of all fissile materials.
5. The international community earnestly negotiate to find a realistic pro-gram for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the building of a more effective treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons.
6. The international community establish a fair and effective organization which should replace the IAEA.

We, of No Nukes Asia Forum, have realized that our hopes and aspirations towards the complete abolition of nuclear weapons and the abolition of the so called "peaceful application of nu-clear energy" lie in the power of the people. We strongly support all movements and activities towards achieving this end.

NO NUKES ASIA FORUM STATEMENT

We, the people of the Asia region, have gathered here in South Korea, the last one week, to share our experiences and struggle against the nuclearization of this region. During the course of this one week, we have enhanced our solidarity and are firm in our resolution to fight the continued nuclearization of this region.

After a great deal of deliberations we have reached the following conclusions;

1. The most important issue confronting the Asian region is the contamination of the region by the continued operation of nuclear power plants and the indiscriminate disposal of radioactive wastes as in Bukit Merah, Malaysia. We support all struggles of the local people in this region in their opposition to the setting up of waste repositories in their neighborhood. We are also opposed to the ocean disposal of radioactive wastes by any country.
2. We are opposed to the Korean Government's refusal to accept the will of its people, especially that of the Young-kwang region, in opposing the operation of the 3rd and 4th nuclear power plants. The most urgent problem confronting the Korean Peninsula is the setting up of nuclear repositories in Yangsan.
3. We are opposed to the corrupt Taiwan government's policy of setting up the 4th nuclear power plant contrary to the will of the people of Taiwan.
4. We are opposed to the Indonesian government's intention of setting up nuclear power plants,
5. We are opposed to the Japanese plutonium program, the construction of the Rokkasho reprocessing plant, the operation of the Monju fast breeder reactor, and the construction of the recycle equipment test facility, reprocessing plant for Monju, as these will lead to Japanese nuclear armament.

   We are also opposed to the further proliferation of nuclear power plants and the export of such technology to the Asia region by Japan.

6. We are opposed to the setting up nuclear power plants, in the Asia region by their individual government.
7. We are opposed to the extension of the discriminatory NPT in any form and will make every efforts for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

We urge the governments of the Asia region including North Korea to adopt a policy of efficient energy utilization and look for alternative energy sources, so as to abandon nuclear energy.

We would like to reiterate, in closing that we further intend to strengthen our solidarity in the coming years so as to achieve the objective of a nuclear free Asia.

Contact: No Nukes Asia Forum, Korean Committee, Anti Nuclear Information Service; Chief Editor Kim Won Sik. Hi Taek B/D 501, 178 Pyung-Dong, Chongro-ku, Seoul Korea: Tel: + 82-2-732-6801; Fax: + 82-2-732-6802