=== WNII No. 16/1998 (Part I) ===
WHAT'S NEW IN INES?
=== WNII No. 16/1998 (Part I) ===
Dateline of this issue: 16 August 1998
Editor: Tobias Damjanov, Am Beckerkamp 12/app 26
D-21031 Hamburg, Germany
e-mail: <>
INES homepage: http://www.mindspring.com/~us016262/ines.html
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Dear WNII readers,
I have decided to split WNII issue No. 16 into two parts:
=== > Part I is devoted to the recently held INES International Council Meeting
=== > Part II contains the usual WNII information
Best regards,
Tobias Damjanov
Editor
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1998 INES INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING
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[see also WNII 15/1998]
CONTENTS:
--- Correction re: WNII 15/1998
--- News from the INES Council
--- Workshop on "New Security Concerns and Approaches, both from an arms control and a wider societal and economic perspective"
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Correction re: WNII 15/1998
Concerning the Project Group ''SUSTAINABILITY AND FEMINISM''
I misunderstood the name of the US co-convenor, whose correct name is:
Tassy McKay
Thanks to Phil B. Smith who drew my attention to this error.
Tobias Damjanov
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News from the INES Council
by Hartwig Spitzer
(abridged in those parts which have already been published in WNII 15/98)
The INES Council met on 24-26 July 1998 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 26 members and 3 guests from 16 countries attended a lively although somewhat tiring meeting. The weather was hot and humid, and we had to change the meeting place twice in order to cut on room rental costs.
* The Council heard a "STATE OF INES REPORT" from the outgoing chairman Hartwig Spitzer and the Executive Secretary Reiner Braun. INES continues to grow as a network. It has over 80 member organisations in countries. It finds growing acceptance in the NGO world (mainly in the area of disarmament). The congresses of INES have pilot character by approaching global problems in an encompassing and innovative way. However, many nodes and links of the network are weak or dormant. The prosperity of projects usually relies only on few people (two or three). I.e. the resource base needs to be strengthened (as in many other NGOs).
* The Council took a vibrant and high tempered interest in the topical questions posed by the INES CONGRESS 2000 in Stockholm "Challenges for Science and Engineering in the 21st Century." This Congress will try to build a bridge between a centuries-old history of modern science and technology and an uncertain future full of challenges and changing roles. At the same time the Congress is meant to connect parts of the science and engineering NGO-world with mainstream representatives (in particular from the coorganising Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences and from the European Physics Society). Discussions at the Council showed a wide variety of opinions on how to address the future role of science and engineering. Much more hard work is needed in order to work out a well focussed and inspiring program.
* UNESCO and the International Council of Scientific Unions are jointly preparing a WORLD SCIENCE CONFERENCE, Budapest, 28-30 June 1999, which will look at the development of science, the interface of science and society and future science policy. Ana Maria Cetto is advising UNESCO chief F. Mayor on the conference. INES will ask for the status of an actively participating NGO. Anyone interested, please contact: Armin Tenner ().
Several of the INES PROJECTS were presented in a poster session.
a) The working group on SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES will focus on questions related to the Climate Convention by linking to the international negotiation process and by looking at implementation problems (contact: Paul Collander, ).
b) Ulrike Otto announced the formation of a new project on "WOMEN, SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT" (contact: ).
c) A change in the coordination of INESAP is due, since the previous coordinator, Dr. Martin Kalinowski, will take a position in the preparatory organisation for the Verification Agency of the Nuclear Test Stop Treaty in Vienna.
d) A support program for universities in Nepal, the NEPAL PROJECT, has been launched by Reiner Braun and the German Scientists Initiative : Some seven tons of used computers, scientific instruments and books have been collected in Germany for shipment to Nepal. The Council approved INES participation in this project. It is hoped to spread the project to other (donor) countries.
* The Council asked the Executive Committee to establish an ADVISORY BOARD. Nominations are welcome (contact: Armin Tenner, ).
* The Council asked Reiner Braun to establish an AD-HOC COMMITTEE ON THE RENEWAL OF INES. The Committee will look at ways of increasing the representation and role of women scientists/engineers and of members from the younger generation in the Council and the Executive Committee.
* The NEXT COUNCIL MEETING is anticipated to be held near Vienna on 23-27 September 1999.
* A full version of the Council minutes will be available upon demand from the network office
(contact: Reiner Braun,
).
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Workshop on "New Security Concerns and Approaches, both from an arms control and a wider societal and economic perspective", organized by INES and supported by the American Academy of Arts and Science
Boston Research Center for the 21st Century, Cambridge, Mass., July 23/24, 98
Brief Report by Eric Fawcett (a full Report will be issued later)
NEW SECURITY CONCERNS
Philip Morrison (USA) in his opening remarks, said that he thinks we are well on the way to solving the nuclear weapons issue, since it presents only technical and political problems. The deeper issues (environmental pollution, economic mismanagement, etc.) are more difficult, but he is still basically optimistic.
Ana Maria Cetto (Mexico) on the other hand spoke of the growing problems of widening income differentials, social decay and environmental degradation, all of which are very evident in her own country, with the resultant problems of crime, economic migration and civil war. A dangerous development in Mexico is the increasing intervention of the military, which never happened there before.
Alia Yaroshinskaja (Russia) described the desperate situation in Russia today, 10 years after Gorbachev launched the program of reform that resulted in the collapse of the Soviet Union. The failure through economic mismanagement to develop a viable state means that pensioners live in utmost poverty, workers are unpaid for months at all levels of society--even the Academicians are going on strike in protest against the abysmal support for scientific research. There is a grave health crisis, with life expectancy dropping catastrophically, especially for men; education is in turmoil, and hundreds of thousands of highly-skilled engineers and scientists have emigrated. And over all looms the nuclear threat posed by a massive arsenal of nuclear weapons with all its infrastructure in the charge of an underpaid and demoralised military.
ARMS CONTROL and SECURITY POLICY
##
David Krieger (USA) still to write
Alice Slater, reported on promising new prospects for nuclear disarmament, including the New Agenda Coalition of Ireland, Sweden, South Africa, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Egypt, and Slovenia calling on the nuclear weapons states not to enter the next millenium without a commitment for nuclear disarmament. Abolition 2000 and the Middle Powers Initiative are organizing to get statements of support for the NAC declaration from other countries and for a General Assembly Resolution this fall.
PANEL DISCUSSION NOTE:
Alice Slater noted recent public opinion polls showing overwhelming public opinion in support of a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons: 87% in the US, UK, and Germany; 93% in Canada. Resolutions have been introduced in the US Congress for signature, calling on President Clinton to negotiate a Nuclear Weapons Convention and for a cut-off of funding for new weapons development programs and sub-critical nuclear tests. She urged that similar efforts be initiated in other nuclear weapons states, and that citizens in non-nuclear weapons states relying on the US nuclear umbrella, or illegal NATO nuclear sharing should try to initiate similar legislative strategies with their
governments.
Karen Wood (USA) gave an account of activities in the Hague Appeal for Peace, which are leading up to the Hague Peace Congress in May, 1999, the centenary of the first ever international peace conference in The Hague. The various events will be announced elsewhere in the INES literature.
Karl Conate (USA) evaluated present and potential results of NATO enlargements in terms of costs, risks and further steps. His realpolitik analysis from the US superpower perspective evoked critical response, and he agreed that the consequences could be disastrous--but that's the way they seem to be thinking.
NEW DIRECTIONS
Paul Walker (USA), as a former member of the US House of representatives introduced his paper "Global role and interests of the USA" by offering six hypothetical scenarios that US foreign policy people might have to deal with, involving:
1] nuclear weapons (Iraq, N Korea, Syria, Libya);
2 & 3] regional conflict (Bosnia & N Korea);
4] humanitarian issues (Sudan);
5] human rights (China);
6] terrorism (Libya).
As the sole global superpower in the middle of all these scenarios, the USA might:
a] play the global cop role;
b] decide this is neither affordable nor effective and do nothing;
c] muddle through, making ad hoc decisions only when a crisis demands it.
In response to many questions critical of his analysis, Paul in every case agreed with the critic--the situations are very complex and can be viewed from many perspectives. Thus he agreed that:
a] domestic lobbies (Jewish, Irish, Cuban, but in particular Corporate) have profound influence on foreign policy;
b] US military have negligible training in peacekeeping;
c] ALL war in 20th century is terrorist (indiscriminate killing of civilians)
--the US in particular is a "rogue state" through its gunboat diplomacy with implicit nuclear threats, and the CIA is a terrorist organization;
d] US congress(wo)men are profoundly ignorant of the world;
e] human rights is not only a civil-political issue, it is also a social -cultural issue, and in the latter respect the USA itself is a bad actor.
Esmat Ezz (Egypt) described passionately Israel's failure over the years to respond to genuine Arab peace initiatives. Sadat made a real effort to settle after the 1974 war, despite strong domestic opposition, but was spurned. Israel's "problems" are demographic and geographic, small population and area, and their "solution" in the light of a worst-case assessment is to demand overwhelming military superiority, which it achieves with the active support of the USA--Clinton recognizes the right of Israel to possess nuclear weapons, and supplies all US military intelligence as well as long-time financial support.
PANEL DISCUSSION
Alia Yaroshinskaja insisted that the nuclear issue is more urgent than even the health and environmental problems--we MUST have ABOLITION.
Paul Walker described the impact of Russia's lack of funds on the arms- control processes for destroying nuclear and chemical weapons, the latter needing at least 10x more to destroy than to make. Ana Maria Cetto said that we urgently need an International Agency for "Preventive Engagement" to STOP wars--NOT the USA alone, nor the UN under Security Council control (as presently constituted); too many people still have the cold-war mentality.
David Krieger said that national sovereignty is dissolving, and we should examine where the real power lies--ideally it should be individuals.
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=== end of No. 16/1998 (Part I) what's new in ines ===
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=== WNII No. 16/1998 (Part II) ===
WHAT'S NEW IN INES?
=== WNII No. 16/1998 (Part II) ===
Dateline of this issue: 16 August 1998
Editor: Tobias Damjanov, Am Beckerkamp 12/app 26
D-21031 Hamburg, Germany
e-mail: < >
INES homepage: http://www.mindspring.com/~us016262/ines.html
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INES MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
Do not forget to inform us about changes of your email address or your homepage!
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===================== INESAPlist references =====================
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=== > Conference on Disarmament Update on the Fissile Ban Treaty
Author: Rebecca Johnson, Acronym Institute, UK < >
NOTE: You can download daily reports on this issue from:
http://www.gn.apc.org/acronym
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============ Member Organisations' + Project Groups' News ============
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=== > France: Syndicat National de l'Enseignment Superieur < ===
CORRECTION: In WNII 14/1998 I have used a misleading English translation of this French INES member organisation. The correct translation reads:
National Association of University Teachers
My apologies.
Thanks to Phil B. Smith who drew my attention to this error.
Tobias Damjanov
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=== > INESAP: Goodbye Martin Kalinowski! < ===
Martin Kalinowski will quit his work with IANUS and INESAP to start a new job in Vienna on October 1 this year. He will work with the Provisional Technical Secretariat of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO). There, he will have the position of a Fusion and Review Officer in the International Data Center Division. His responsibility will be final review and integration of all products from the seismic, radionuclide, hydroacoustic and infrasound measurements.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, INDEED, FOR YOUR INDISPENSABLE INESAP ACTIVITIES; DEAR MARTIN!
BEST WISHES FOR YOUR NEW JOB!
Tobias Damjanov
WNII Editor
I assume that Martin Kalinowski can still be reached at:
<
or:
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NUCLEAR WEAPONS
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=== > Declaration by the German Abolition Coalition < ===
On 5-6 June, the German Campaign ''Abolish Nukes - Start with Ourselves'' (a coalition of 42 German organisations and a member of the Abolition 2000 Network) held its Annual Meeting at Dresden. During this conference, the Trustees' Committee of the Campaign (Trägerkreis) adopted a DECLARATION called ''WHAT IS NEXT AFTER THE LATEST NUCLEAR TESTS? A REVIEW OF NUCLEAR ARMAMENT''.
If you wish to receive it, please contact me directly at:
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=== > Appeal from Scientists in Japan to the Scientists and Citizens of the World
''Charging Scientists with Moral Responsibility for the New Crisis in Nuclear Proliferation'' is the title of this sign-on appeal which was published by the Japanese ''Citizens' Nuclear Information Center'' in early August.
Due to limited space, I am not publishing here the text in full. If you want to receive it, contact either the WNII editor or:
!!! mailto < >
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=== > Sign-on letter to Clinton and Yeltsin on de-alerting < ===
The meeting of President Clinton and President Yeltsin in early September offers an opportunity to press for steps leading to nuclear disarmament.
Robert Tiller (Physicians for Social Responsibility, USA) and Howard W. Hallman (Chair, US Methodists United for Peace with Justice) have recently circulated a sign-on letter in this regard urging President Clinton and President Yeltsin to embark upon a de-alerting initiative and to complete the task no later than December 31, 1999.
You can receive it either from
< >
or from:
< >
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BRIEFINGS
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=== > The Millennium People's Assembly Network < ===
The Millennium People's Assembly Network (MPAN) was formed in September, 1997 during the annual United Nations DPI/NGO Conference in response to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's invitation to civil society and the NGO community to hold a companion People's Assembly in the year 2000. '' It is our goal to build grassroots and public support for the UN, to strengthen it's funding base, and to renew, reinvigorate, and democratize the UN. Several of the key MPAN organizations and supporters have long been advocating and continue organizing for a global and permanent people's assembly affiliated with the United Nations, which would serve as an inclusive voice of the people as called for in the UN Charter. Through a series of local, bio-regional, national and international planning meetings and conferences a People's Agenda will be created which will be presented to the UN Millennium Assembly and highlighted during the millennium events and activities. We hope to build a common consensus on key actions, educate the general public, and lobby aggressively across focus and interest areas for the implementation by governments and the United Nations for ongoing partnership with civil society.''
!!! You can subscribe to MPAN's Passem listserv free of charge.
Simply send an email message to:
<
with the one line message:
subscribe passem
Once you subscribe to passem, more information on this and other listserves will be available. If you have any questions about the list, contact information habitat at < >
or visit the MPAN web site at
http://www.netreaction.com/mpan
For more info:
!!! mailto Sue Zipp, Correspondence Coordinator < >
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=== > MicroPhotonics (MPI), Inc. < ===
Recently, the WNII editor received an executive summary of this company sent by Jonathan Haber, USA. MPI is a research, development and manufacturing company specializing in energy and electro-optical products. Haber is an MPI Vice- President. If you are interested in this summary
!!! mailto < >
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CONFERENCES - MEETINGS - SEMINARS
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!!! NOTE: Events listed here are being published only once due to limited space.
Changes, however, will be taken into account (marked with ''UPDATE'')
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=== > 10 Oct 1998: ''Every Second Counts. Gaining Time to Avert a Nuclear War''
International seminar on de-alerting and de-activation of nuclear forces
Stockholm, Sweden
Organised by the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society (SPAS) and the Swedish Institute of International Affairs
This seminar is held in conjunction with a closed experts meeting on 8-9 October.
Experts from that meeting will attend and contribute in the open seminar.
Also, the seminar includes a meeting for NGOs (hosted by SPAS) discussing if and how the concept of de-alerting could be used in campaigns for nuclear disarmament.
Register before 1 October at:
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=== > 31 Oct - 7 Nov 1998: International Professional Training Project in Conflict Resolution
Venue: Frenchman's Cove, Jamaica
For details,
!!! mailto Common Bond Institute, USA: < >
or visit:
http://ahpweb.org/cbi/jamaica.html
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=== > 1999 < ===
=== > 6-16 May 1999: 7th Annual International Conference on Conflict Resolution (ICR): "Sharing Tools for Personal/Global Harmony"
Venue: St Petersburg, Russia
For details,
!!! mailto Common Bond Institute, USA: < >
or visit:
http://ahpweb.org/cbi/icr.html
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=== > 28-30 June 1999: World Science Conference
Prepared by UNESCO and the International Council of Scientific Unions
Venue: Budapest, Hungary
For more,
!!! mailto Armin Tenner < >
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=== > 23-27 Sep 1999: INES Council Meeting
Venue: (near) Vienna, Austria
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INES WEB- AND EMAIL SERVICE
mailto:
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A full list of all INES e-mail addresses and homepages is available upon request.
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=== > NEW EMAIL ADDRESS of the Dortmund INES OFFICE:
< >
(The previous address is not valid any longer)
NOTE: This is also the new email address of the German INES member organisation
''Scientists' Initiative Responsibility for Peace and Sustainability''
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=== > USA: INES member JoAnn Valenti
Change of email address: < >
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=== end of No. 16/1998 (Part II) what's new in ines ===
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