Reducing nuclear arms through example

Sandra Butcher from Pugwash Conferences on Science & World Affairs provides in the Guardian three steps that the US, Russia, and the UK, could follow that would help move negotiations along at the upcoming nuclear nonproliferation treaty talks in May .

• Both countries could unequivocally state that the only purpose for nuclear weapons is to deter other nuclear weapons;
• They could signal their intent to cure the cold-war hangover of US nuclear weapons stationed throughout Europe, which would set a new principle that no country should base its nuclear weapons on foreign soil;
• Rather than counting on sanctions to fix the Iran situation, they could take solid steps to discuss ways forward on creating a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, a discussion many of the states in the region are eager to have.

Meanwhile, foreign ministers from the Group of Eight leading industrial nations called today for stronger action to be taken against Iran over its nuclear activities while keeping the door open to further talks.