Two articles in the Financial Times on the UK Nuclear weapons policy quoted ELN Chief Executive, Dr Ian Kearns:
‘UK in cold war doctrine rethink’ by George Parker and James Blitz discusses how the historical foundation of Britain’s nuclear deterrent is being challenged in a most recent government review of UK’s nuclear weapons policy.
‘Trident divides coalition partners’ by James Blitz highlights the growing differences in approach to Britain’s nuclear deterrent between members of the government coalition. Whereas the Conservatives are decisive about replacing Trident, the Lib Dems have been searching for alternative, potentially less expensive options to maintain the nuclear deterrent.
On May 18 a group of 45 European leaders signed a statement calling for change in NATO policy ahead of the Chicago summit. Coordinated through the European Leadership Network, the statement calls for an immediate 50 per cent cut in US non-strategic nuclear weapons stationed in Europe, changes to NATO declaratory policy as well as for increased efforts at deepening a cooperative relationship with Russia and enhancing European defence collaboration.
Two of the signatories to the statement, Des Browne and Volker Rühe published an op-ed in the New York Times ‘The Challenge for NATO in Chicago’.
