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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 Some names were withdrawn.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.

July 3, 2024

Interview with Melissa Parke

The interview covers Melissa Parke's background and involvement with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), the challenges ICAN faces in getting countries to disarm and join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), ICAN's strategies and advocacy approaches, and Parke's views on the importance of eliminating nuclear weapons to protect the planet and humanity. This transcript was lightly edited to ease understanding. At a number of occasions, the debate was interrupted by noise from outside, these are marked by […] sign. During the editing process, Melissa Parke added a few notes. These are marked with ‘Note:’

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

December 1, 2020

Interview with Anna George

Anna George is a former Australian diplomat. She served as a member of the Australian delegation to ACRS.

September 25, 1960

[Mao Zedong's] Conversation with [Richard] Dixon and [Lawrence "Lance"] Sharkey [then President and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Australia]

Mao, Dixon, and Sharkey discuss various issues of concern for their respective communist parties, such as the Soviet stance on disarmament and disagreements with the British Communist Party. The Australian communists express support for the Chinese Communist Party, but also urge the Chinese communists to resolve their disputes with the Soviets.

September 13, 2018

Oral History Interview with Richard Butler

The interview with Richard Butler, conducted by Michal Onderco, examines Australia’s proactive role in nuclear arms control and disarmament during the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference. Butler discusses Australia’s bipartisan commitment to non-proliferation and the influence of its uranium resources and regional concerns, including French nuclear testing in the Pacific, on its policies. He highlights Australia’s diplomatic efforts, particularly engaging Israel to support the NPT’s objectives and collaborating with South Africa to advance disarmament proposals at the conference. Butler criticizes the U.S.-led push for an early pledge of indefinite extension as counterproductive and recounts his role in fostering consensus through private diplomacy. He concludes with reflections on the systemic issues of nuclear non-proliferation, the challenges of implementing NPT principles, and his cautious optimism during that period for eventual nuclear disarmament.

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