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February 19, 2023

Interview with Geoffrey Wiseman

The interview with Geoffrey Wiseman highlights his career, including his time at the Ford Foundation, where he managed the Peace and Security program during a transformative post-Cold War period. He outlines three main priorities: promoting alternative security concepts, advancing arms control and disarmament, and strengthening international organizations, particularly in UN peacekeeping. Wiseman reflects on the optimism of the 1990s regarding nuclear disarmament but acknowledges missed opportunities and emerging challenges, such as non-proliferation issues involving India, Pakistan, and North Korea. He emphasizes the importance of proactive philanthropy, fostering new voices in civil society, and leveraging resources to maximize impact while critiquing the complexities of achieving lasting global nuclear disarmament. This transcript was lightly edited to ease understanding. Some names were withdrawn. 

This document summary was generated by an artificial intelligence language model and was reviewed by a Wilson Center staff member.

March 31, 2023

Interview with Chris Wing

The interview with Chris Wing delves into his journey in activism, focusing on peace, nuclear disarmament, and his tenure at the Ford Foundation. He reflects on the evolution of civil society's role in nuclear disarmament and the strategic challenges faced, emphasizing the importance of diverse and inclusive activism. Wing critiques historical approaches to disarmament, including a tendency to focus narrowly on issues like nuclear proliferation, and stresses the interconnectedness of domestic and international political dynamics. He remains skeptical about the likelihood of full nuclear disarmament without significant global shifts or dramatic events but highlights the critical need for adaptive strategies and ongoing civil society engagement.

This document summary was generated by an artificial intelligence language model and was reviewed by a Wilson Center staff member.

September 20, 2022

Interview with Peter Buijs

In this interview, Peter Buijs recounts his journey into nuclear disarmament activism, influenced by his father’s views and his own medical background. He explains that his work with NVMP and IPPNW centers on raising awareness of nuclear weapons’ catastrophic risks, emphasizing prevention as the only viable option. Buijs highlights that civil society, particularly medical professionals, can exert considerable influence on policy by presenting the humanitarian and health risks of nuclear warfare. He shares successes within Dutch civil society, where NVMP’s activism has led to increased political discourse on disarmament and even influenced government policy positions.

This document summary was generated by an artificial intelligence language model and was reviewed by a Wilson Center staff member.

September 27, 2022

Interview with Patricia Lewis

In this interview, Patricia Lewis shares insights from her extensive career in nuclear policy and disarmament, highlighting her transition from nuclear physics to think tank and research work. She explains the risks nuclear weapons pose, not only as physical entities but also as symbols of power that disrupt global politics. Lewis advocates for a focus on risk reduction over immediate disarmament, emphasizing that reducing the chance of nuclear weapon use is the most urgent priority. She discusses the need for broader public awareness and cooperation among governments, think tanks, and civil society to address nuclear issues through a humanitarian lens.

This document summary was generated by an artificial intelligence language model and was reviewed by a Wilson Center staff member.

August 1998

Letter, Strobe Talbott to Jaswant Singh (Draft)

Strobe Talbott writes to Jaswant Singh about India's nuclear weapons.

July 1993

Saddam Meets with Tariq Aziz and Iraqi High-ranking Officials Regarding Ekeus, Inspections, and other Matters

This audio file contains a meeting between Saddam Hussein and Iraqi high-ranking officials in which they discuss different issues. Tarqi Aziz discusses the technical negotiations in New York, and the Security Council Resolution 687 of 1991. He asks whether the sanctions will be lifted after the end of the special commission. He recommends hurrying with the commission to shorten the period of inspection and to let them use the cameras they requested in order to claim Iraq had not imposed any obstacles during the inspection process. Saddam states the special target group is concerned with future observation rather than what they have already done so far. He adds that the attempts of overthrowing the regime have failed, thus they insist on using cameras to guarantee future observation. One of the speakers advises to let the team work in a technical and a professional mechanism away from means of media which always exaggerate things and make matters worse. Saddam shifts to another subject, saying that Iraq has unmasked western democracy. They discuss European political affairs, ruling parties, socialism, and what Arabs and Asians face from offering those hard jobs and low positions requiring only physical effort. Finally, they agree to send a message to the commission saying that when you believe in an appropriate way towards Iraq, you will have positive results. 

August 23, 1998

Minutes of meeting between Saddam Hussein and Indian Parliament Chairman Shiri Ganata Muhana Balayogi

Meeting minutes between Saddam Hussein and GMC Balayogi, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, regarding Inda's latest nuclear test and America's response. Also discussed is American policy toward Iraq, India, and Pakistan.

October 2001

Ba'ath Party Meeting Minutes

This file contains minutes of Ba'ath Party meetings, discussing the cabinet sessions and Saddam Husein's recommendations.

July 14, 1959

Notice from First Secretary Eoin MacWhite To All Irish Diplomatic Missions (Except Washington)

First Secretary Eoin MacWhite informed all missions of Aiken’s concerns that U.S. nuclear information agreements with selected NATO partners could impede efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. He was nonetheless reticent when it came to lodging a formal protest, having been advised by Eoin MacWhite that a strong denunciation would be counterproductive. From MacWhite’s reading no actual nuclear information would be transferred to Allied personnel after all. The agreements related specifically to information necessary for the training of Allied personnel in the employment of U.S. atomic weapons in their hosts’ territories, so Aiken recoiled from further diplomatic protests. He appreciated the need to maintain some nuance on nuclear sharing as he pursued an East-West consensus. 

The strength of NATO's feelings in favor of enhanced alliance nuclear defense and cooperation in the aftermath of the Sputnik shock was well known. The Irish were aware of the Eastern bloc’s objections to NATO nuclear sharing as a dangerous precedent that strengthened NATO’s political and security position. Moscow was especially exercised by any prospect of West German access to nuclear weapons as part of the normalization of German rearmament and progress toward reunification. Moscow opposed any semblance of Bonn’s finger on the nuclear trigger, or its troops gaining proficiency with nuclear weaponry. 

June 26, 1959

Letter from Frederick H. Boland to Con Cremin (Dublin)

Boland gauged opinion at the UN and assisted in preparing the ground for Aiken’s campaign in the XIVth Session in the fall of 1959. Ireland cultivated the UN Secretariat, notably Dr. Protitch, who evaluated the Irish proposal as helpful. Likewise, intimations from the Eastern bloc were positive. The Irish Permanent Representative consolidated links with the second-in-command of the U.S. mission to the UN, James W. Barco, to enable a constructive dialogue with the Americans to fashion a resolution they could tolerate

Pagination