International Network of Engineers and Scientists Against Proliferation

Bulletin 19 - Missile Defense and North-East Asia

Shanghai Conference Conclusions

Moving Beyond Missile Defense Website

More information on the Moving Beyond Missile Defense project, including information on the Santa Barbara and Shanghai conferences, conference proceedings and presentations can be found on the Moving Beyond Missile Defense website at www.mbmd.org. The site newly features monthly updates on missile defense issues and statements and responses regarding the US announcement that it will withdraw from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Additionally, there is also a new section on a Space Weapons Ban.

Carah Ong

Moving Beyond Missile Defense, a project of the International Network of Engineers and Scientists Against Proliferation (INESAP) and the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF), joined with the Center for American Studies at Fudan University at Shanghai in holding its second international conference in Shanghai, China from 30 November to 2 December, 2001. The conference brought together more than 30 experts in the science, technology, military and security policy fields from China, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the UK and the US. The goals of the workshop were to review and assess plans to develop and deploy missile defense programs and their potential impact on global security and regional security in North East Asia.

The Shanghai Workshop reached the following conclusions:

Nuclear disarmament and a nuclear weapons-free world

There is an urgent need for drastic reduction in nuclear weapons leading to their total elimination, in particular, the prompt elimination of tactical nuclear weapons and an end to reliance on nuclear weapons in military planning.

All nuclear weapons states should declare a doctrine of No First-Use against other nuclear weapons states and commit themselves to No Use against non-nuclear weapons states.

All nuclear weapons states should fulfill their nuclear disarmament obligations in accordance to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, including ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, preserving and strengthening the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and completing START III negotiations.

International missile control and disarmament

As an immediate step in stopping the development of ballistic missiles and to give time for negotiations, a ballistic missile flight test ban should be declared.

Inasmuch as ballistic missiles produce instability and insecurity in critical regions of the world, it is essential to launch regional initiatives for missile control, including ballistic missile free zones.

A missile race can only be prevented by initiating a process that establishes a universal norm against ballistic missiles in the context of creating a broader security framework.

Space weapons ban

The weaponization of space is destabilizing and is not in the interest of humankind. The international community should proceed speedily to negotiate and conclude a treaty banning space weapons.

There is an inherent link between ballistic missile defense and the weaponization of space. Therefore, the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty must be preserved until something more comprehensive can replace it.

As an immediate step, the international community should declare a moratorium on the development and testing of ballistic missile defense systems and space weapons.

Regional security in North-East Asia

The introduction of ballistic missile defense systems into North-East Asia will only exacerbate the threat posed by missile proliferation. We call upon all actors in the region to address common security concerns with cooperative measures.

To reduce tension in North-East Asia, the international community should reinvigorate the peace process on the Korean peninsula to promote reconciliation of the two Koreas.

All regional actors should refrain from participating in the development and deployment of ballistic missile defense systems in North-East Asia.