Norway leads NATO nuclear disarmament initiative

Norway, along with fellow NATO members Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, have joined together to call on the Western-based defence alliance to increase support for achieving a world that is nuclear-weapon-free.

“Our aim is to reduce the importance of nuclear weapons in NATO’s security policy,” said Jonas Gahr Store, the Norwegian Foreign Minister. The foreign ministers of the respective countries have jointly presented the NATO Secretary General with a letter that advocates comprehensive and robust discussions of the alliance’s nuclear policy at the next foreign minister meeting, scheduled for April in Tallinn.

“The views expressed in this joint letter correspond closely to those set out in the Norwegian Government’s disarmament strategy. I am pleased that Norway has such good partners to work with in our efforts to promote disarmament,” stated Mr Store.

Norway Post reports that the collaborative letter is regarded as an important step in the new Strategic Concept process by NATO. Norway has expressed its hope that a review of the concept will provoke a reduction in both the number and significance of nuclear weapons in NATO’s security policy.

“Disarmament and non-proliferation are important security policy tools for reducing the risk of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and to ensure a more peaceful and stable world,” said the Foreign Minister.