Disarmament and International Security

Topic: A

Peaceful Uses on Nuclear Technology

DISEC Topic A

Afghanistan

On August 6th, 1945, the first use of Nuclear Power was used by the United States to

destroy the Japanese city of Hiroshima, resulting in the deaths of 66,000 people. On June 27th,

1954, the Soviets demonstrated the first peaceful use of Nuclear Energy when they opened a

power grid in Obninsk, Russia. Since the first use of Nuclear Power, the world has sought to

harvest it only as a peaceful resource. In 1968, the United Nations drafted the Treaty on the Non-

Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which recognizes five states as nuclear-weapon states: the

United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China. Four other states are known or

believed to possess nuclear weapons. The Treaty went into effect in 1970 and was signed by 190

countries. This treaty expressed the world’s wish for only limited use of nuclear arms, and for

mainly peaceful uses of Nuclear Energy.

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan recognizes the threat of Nuclear Weapons and

wishes to use Nuclear Energy as a peaceful energy source. In July of 1968, Afghanistan signed

the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, on the side of ratification. Afghanistan

has no need for nuclear weapons and does not possess or test any form of Nuclear Weaponry.

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan does not have any Nuclear Power Plants, but the Islamic

Republic does have rich Uranium deposits in the Helmand Province in the South.

The People of Afghanistan wish only for peaceful uses of Nuclear Power, for things such

as energy. The Islamic Republic hopes for a continuation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation

of Nuclear Weapons and peaceful means of Nuclear Power.

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Israel

New times are upon us; as technology and science expand and grow, warfare evolves with it—the

State of Israel fully acknowledges that nuclear technology must be operated and handled with intense

caution. Israel recognizes the potential for danger present in the power behind nuclear warheads and

like technology. However, Israel firmly holds the principle of national sovereignty and believes

wholeheartedly in the right for a nation to develop nuclear warheads and like technology. Nuclear

technology is vital for Israel and other nations to prevent a catastrophic event such as World War II from

repeating itself, in addition to securing a successful defense for nations.

The State of Israel thusly opposes the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear weapons. While

Israel affirms that nuclear technology must be used with organization and strict care, the NPT clauses

regarding disarmament and non-proliferation are not only unrealistic, but fundamentally improper. In

addition, Israel believes that the treaty creates a club of “have and have nots” between nations that are

legally allowed to keep and maintain nuclear technology and those who are not, a fissure that grows

increasingly more irrelevant in the global agenda.

Israel supports a new plan that can act as a replacement of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of

Nuclear Weapons. This new treaty contains two main prongs, the agreement to use intense care when

dealing, operating, maintaining, and manufacturing nuclear technology and an agreement to use this

technology in a “no first use”/ only in wartime policy. In order to enforce the “intense care” prong, an

evaluation committee must be established to determine what is to be determined in accordance or out

of accordance with this policy. This committee will gain funding from the World Bank.

The second tier—which also requires the evaluation of said committee—restricts the use of nuclear

warheads and like technology to wartime or in a “no first use” policy, while maintaining principles of

national sovereignty.

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It is important to note that while this plan and treaty restricts the unadulterated use of nuclear

technology, the right of national sovereignty in owning, maintaining, and manufacturing this technology

will be completely instilled. Israel is fully aware that it is obvious that new times are upon us and the

weapons of the times past are no longer the most effective technology to date. With this broadening of

technology comes the responsibility of nations to properly use this power—not going so far as to restrict

this power and to restrict the broadening of technology in its entirety.

Works Cited

1.) Web. 20 Nov. 2014. <https://www.unodc.org/ngo/list.jsp>.

2.) "UAE Symposium to Discuss Violence against Women | The National." UAE Symposium to

Discuss Violence against Women | The National. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/uae-symposium-to-discuss-violence-against-

women>.

3.) "The Global Gender Gap Report 2013". World Economic Forum. pp. 12–13.

4.) "Women in the United Arab Emirates: A Portrait of Progress" (PDF). UAE Ministry of State and

Federal National Council Affairs (June 2007).

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Submitted by: Japan

In the twentieth century, the use of nuclear power for a weapon became the goal of every nation. The race to using the weapon was full of countries, big or small, however, the United States became the first to harness its power and use it. Their first use of the devastating nuclear bomb was on Hiroshima, Japan during World War II. As the Cold War tension built and different countries wanted the power the United States now had, the continued mission to gain nuclear weapons increased. Eventually, the Soviet Union was able to build nuclear weapons as well. The competition for nuclear weapon use continues even today, however many scientists have been looking for peaceful uses for nuclear power rather than for destruction. For example, nuclear power can be used in power plants as a source of electricity, used as radiation for food production or preservation, create new plants that are more resistant to harsh conditions and pests, or in medical technology, such as x-rays. Unfortunately, nuclear power use can be very dangerous and avoiding these dangers is a big issue today.

One incident that reveals nuclear power use as a danger was in Fukushima, Japan. Japan has been on the bad end of nuclear use since the 1940s, when the United States used a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima and Okinawa, marking the first war use of the nuclear bomb. Now, in 2011, Japan provided another incidence proving nuclear power to be dangerous. In Fukushima, there were six nuclear reactors prior to the disaster. On March 11, 2011, the Tōhoku earthquake, that was a 9.0 magnitude, caused a tsunami that hit the power plant. This resulted in a meltdown of three of the six nuclear reactors and a releasing of substantial amounts of radioactive material. Japan now had the largest nuclear incident since the Chernobyl disaster. Majority of the consequences from the disaster has been contamination of the water, which would take decades to cleanup. Luckily, the radiation that people experienced was very low since they were able to evacuate. However, the evacuation process caused many injuries. The cleanup and solutions for the Fukushima disaster are still going on today, making nuclear power a larger problem for Japan than most countries.

When it comes to nuclear power, Japan doesn’t only work to find peaceful uses of nuclear power, but ways to solve and prevent their recent nuclear problems. Since the nuclear disaster in 2011, they have been working to fix the damage and make changes to prevent future destruction. For example, they have built an iron wall and a seabed on the ocean side of the plant to prevent the leakage of radioactive water into the sea. Also, thousands of iron pipes were used to create a wall around the water intakes of 4 reactor facilities to prevent the groundwater and the ocean to be contaminated. In addition, xenon and temperature sensors were installed to find any occurrences, new filters were installed to reduce the amount of radiation released into the air, and fabric covers and filters were to be fit to the three damaged reactor buildings to limit radioactive contamination release. The biggest thing that the Fukushima disaster revealed was the dangers of building multiple nuclear reactors close to one another.

Even though Japan is third in nuclear reactors, they have greatly minimized their nuclear power. After the Fukushima disaster, Japan shut down all 54 of their reactors, but are restarting 48 of them. The process of restarting them is a long process and many of the reactors are under suspension for operation. At one point, 30% of their power came from nuclear and was planned to increase, however, after the disaster, the amount of nuclear power use is about half of that. Due to the dangerous risk of another disaster, most of Japan is against the restarting of the reactors and nuclear power use has even been proven unnecessary. On the other hand, the government still follows through with doing so. During the time of working towards restart, fossil fuels made up most of the source for energy and renewable

DISEC Topic A

resources were on the rise. Consequently, energy bills for households and companies greatly increased. Nuclear power cannot be avoided when talking energy policies. As Japan goes through the process of designing new nuclear policies, the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, an agency that is part of the UN, watches closely to review their plans. The Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, was hesitant with talking nuclear due to the public dissatisfaction; however, he was able to get the reopening of some reactors. “We decided there is no other way but to accept,” said Gov. Yuichiro Ito at a news conference. “Nuclear power is necessary for a while considering Japan’s energy policy.” Since the use of nuclear energy is necessary, the best way to lower risks is making policies towards prevention.

While the energy policies in Japan continue to change, it is known that nuclear power will increase in usage. However, there are other types of peaceful uses for nuclear in Japan. Fortunately, after being bombed in World War II, they made a non-nuclear weapon policy, including non-possession, non-production, and non-introduction of nuclear weapons. This results in Japan only using nuclear energy for peaceful uses. For example, nuclear energy is used in improving food sustainability and production by helping to use the right amount of fertilizers and increasing genetic variability. Nuclear energy can be used for insect control and food preservation as well. It can be used to find unknown sources of fresh water or in household smoke detectors. A big use is in medicine for x-rays, radiation for cancer therapy or in sterilization. The types of nuclear usage can be very simple or very complex, but the peaceful use of it is definitely on the rise.

The way Japan has dealt with nuclear energy has affected country policies throughout the world. The mass destruction they experienced from the United States may motivate some to want that power, but it also has motivated some to avoid that risk of its large power. Japan has proven that there can still be success from avoiding nuclear weapon production. In addition, the disaster they experienced in Fukushima and the continued success from the shutdown of all reactors at one point, has proven that nuclear power is not necessary. Japan has demonstrated that things can go well for a nation through only peaceful or daily uses of nuclear energy.

To continue the success from peaceful uses of nuclear energy, many things can be done in Japan. Their policy involves an increased level of nuclear power for electricity in the future. However, they plan to use used and old reactors that have gone through accidents before. In order to decrease the level of risks, Japan can increase the construction of new reactors and have them built spread out and away from water, unlike in Fukushima. Many advances have been made to help prevent accidents in the reactors, but continued research can be done to continue improvements. In a nation like Japan, earthquakes and tsunamis are bound to happen, so precautionary steps must be carried on. Nuclear energy is also used in many daily tools or medical and food technologies. Since Japan is the third ranked country in GDP, they must find new types of nuclear technology and increase this production to benefit their own nation and the rest of the world. By being part of the IAEA, Japan’s involvement in the Peaceful Uses Initiative is crucial. Also in the UN and as part of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, they must support the fight for disarmament of nuclear possessed nations and work to have India, Israel, South Sudan and Pakistan, the only four UN members who have not signed the treaty, to sign it. In order to help the global increasing of peaceful uses of nuclear technology, Japan must continue to demonstrate the success it can bring for any nation.

Country: Kosovo

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Kosovo is a country that has limited nuclear resources when it comes to creating

weapons, but is not entirely devoid of nuclear technology. While Kosovo is a relatively new

nation, it does seek to build up it’s nuclear power in a way that can be used for the peaceful

harness of energy. Since Kosovo is so new, it lacks the resources and ability to build up this

nuclear power, but would like to. Kosovo would like to work with other nations to establish use

of nuclear power for the creation of energy and powering the infrastructure of countries.

Kosovo also looks to promote peaceful use of nuclear technologies and to condemn the use of

nuclear technology in the creation of weapons. This would include plans to limit and restrict the

creation of nuclear weapons and their use. Kosovo would also like to establish bans on the

creation of more nuclear weapons than those that already exist. This would limit countries from

making more nuclear weapons and implementing a plan to monitor the growth and use of

nuclear technologies in new and developing countries as well as countries that have a history of

nuclear irresponsibility. Kosovo looks forward to working with the other countries in promoting

the proper use of nuclear technology and hopes that all of the delegates can work together in

order to solve the growing problems of countires increasing their nuclear arsenals.

Submitted By : New Zealand School: ArchersIn the past, nuclear technology has had a lot of uses. Some have been good, some have been bad.

DISEC Topic A

It has been used to make atomoic bombs that have been quite beneficial to some nations, and extremely detrimental to the economies of others. New Zealand recognizes the need of the use of nuclear technology in today's world. However, there need to be some restrictions on the possession of this potentially dangerous substance.New Zealand has already dubbed itself a nuclear-free zone. The use of ships that are solely nuclear powered aren't allowed in a 12 mile radius of the island, and the dumping of nuclear material into the water in this area are strictly forbidden. There has also been laws passed that prohibit any New Zealand citizen or resident "to manufacture, acquire, possess, or have any control over any nuclear explosive device." Enacting this legislature has proven to be beneficial to our island. We haven't encountered many problems in the past concerning nuclear technology. That being said, New Zealand has signed on to be a partner with the US and a few other nations to construct a organization (called the PUI) to fund more experiments regarding the use of peaceful nuclear technology. New Zealand is ok with the idea of using nuclear technology, as long as it is peaceful nuclear technology.New Zealand would be willing to use peaceful technology, as well as assist other nations that are hoping to be able to switch to peaceful technology. This assistance would be cut off in the event that there is probability that the country would rebel and use the technology for non-peaceful reasons.New Zealand agrees. Nuclear technology can be beneficial, but if that technology is dangerous and threatening to other, it's no longer fufilling it's potential of helping in areas such as power producing and medical advances. New Zealand expresses its hope that a peaceful resolution can come about and benefit all nations.

Reference pageFox, John. US statement on Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, The US department of State, April 30, 2013

Quevenco, Rodolfo. Understanding the Peaceful Uses Initiave, The International Atomic Energy Agency, September 14, 2012

Submitted by: Sierra Leone

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In conjunction with the UN, Sierra Leone would like to promote the use of peaceful

nuclear activity, and Sierra Leone believes that the UN should monitor countries to make sure

they are using their nuclear means appropriately. Sierra Leone thinks there should be a balance

between violence and accord, and with the help of the UN and DISEC Sierra Leone hopes to

achieve this goal. In 1970, Sierra Leone signed and ratified the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty

which was aimed at trying to limit the spread of nuclear weapons. Sierra Leone strongly believes

that all countries should sign the NPT to try and prevent the extreme danger that nuclear

weapons can bring. In 2000, Sierra Leone signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

which stops the testing of nuclear weapons and any other nuclear explosions. Sierra Leone

however isn’t opposed to the healthy use of nuclear technology in peaceful situations. The

International Atomic Energy Agency has dispatched nuclear technology based machinery to help

fight against the deadly outbreak of Ebola. The machines allow for doctors to detect the virus

within hours, and it helps for the doctors to treat it just that much faster. Sierra Leone is strongly

committed toward a more peaceful world where nuclear technology helps all people. Sierra

Leone strongly back the use of nuclear technology in the fields of medication, power, radiation

in food, etc., in order to boost Sierra Leone’s economy, and to become a model for other

countries trying to develop peaceful uses for nuclear Technologies.

Submitted by:                      Slovak Republic

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When the word “nuclear” is heard, many things may come to mind; bombs, destruction,

Hiroshima, radiation poisoning, etc.  While it is true that nuclear technology has been used for

destructive purposes, there are many peaceful and utilitarian uses for this technology as well.

Today, 10.8%1 of the entire world’s power comes from nuclear energy.  Some nuclear states,

such as Russia and the United States of America, have already implemented programs to use

surplus nuclear warheads for fuel.2  In addition to fuel, there are other applications of the

technology.  Nuclear technology is currently used for medicine, chemical tracing, artifact and

mineral dating, food preservation, naval and commercial ships,3 and could be used in the future

for spacecraft4 and other unknown applications.

Slovakia has no nuclear weapons capabilities5, and as such, it feels defenseless against

nuclear weapons.  Slovakia is already a major producer of nuclear energy.  Former Slovak

president Ivan Gasparovic said, “In the spirit of the initiative, we emphasize, among other things,

the positive aspects of the use of nuclear energy6.”  23.2% of our installed capacity for electricity

comes from nuclear sources7.

1 "Nuclear Power in the World Today." World-Nuclear.org. World Nuclear Association, Apr. 2014. Web. 13 Feb. 2015.

2 "Military Warheads as a Source of Nuclear Fuel." World-Nuclear.org. World Nuclear Association, Aug. 2014. Web. 13 Feb. 2015.

3 "The Many Uses of Nuclear Technology." World-Nuclear.org. World Nuclear Association, Mar. 2014. Web. 13 Feb. 2015.

4 Werka, Robert. "Final Report: Concept Assessment of a Fission Fragment Rocket Engine (FFRE) Propelled Spacecraft." NASA.gov. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2015.

5 "Nuclear Power in Slovakia." World-Nuclear.org. World Nuclear Association, Jan.     2015. Web. 14 Feb. 2015.6 A/67/PV.8 General Assembly Sixty-seventh session 8th plenary meeting Tuesday, 25

September 2012, 6 p.m. New York

7 "The World Factbook." CIA.gov. Central Intelligence Agency, 20 June 2014. Web.     14 Feb. 2015.

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To address the issue of nuclear arms, many countries, including Slovakia8 have signed the

Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, or CTBT, which bans all nuclear explosions on the

face of the earth9 10.  The treaty does not, however, prohibit the possession of nuclear weapons,

and does not create a world without the risk of a nuclear war, which is always possible as long as

countries have such weapons.  The only way to do this is to eliminate the nuclear weapons

themselves.  For this to happen, the international community must cooperate and build strong

trust between nations.

Slovakia suggests that the strategies implemented by the United States and Russia

(Converting military uranium for commercial use)2 be put into effect by all other nuclear states.

This is a way for countries to cut down on their nuclear stockpile and put the enriched uranium to

good use.  The UN should encourage and request similar actions from all nuclear states.

In addition to countries that already have nuclear weapons, states that are enriching

uranium should be overseen by the UN to ensure that the resources are used for peaceful

purposes, and not weapons.  Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said, “The... continuing dispute

over the Iranian nuclear programme... remind[s] us that we live in a world of evolving threats

and challenges.”11  If the UN monitored the use of enriched uranium in countries such as Iran,

there would not be as much dispute over possible nuclear weapons.

8 "Country Profiles - Slovakia: CTBTO Preparatory Commission." CTBTO.org. CTBTO     Preparatory Commission, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2015.9 A/50/1027 agenda item 8 and 65 General Assembly Fiftieth Session Monday, 26 August 1996

10  A/C.1/69/L.56* Sixty-ninth session First Committee (DISEC) Agenda item 102 Monday, 20 October 2014

11 A/61/PV.15 Sixty-first session 15th plenary meeting Thursday, 21 September 2006, 3

p.m. New York

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Nuclear weapons pose a threat to all members of the international community, regardless

of any other issues. The UN and all its member states have a liability to the individuals they

defend, and ought to utilize all possible means to address these problems. Slovakia encourages

all nuclear states to reduce nuclear arms stockpiles, and endorse the benefits of nuclear

technology.

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The Federal Republic of Somalia

The Federal Republic of Somalia lacks the infrastructure for the development of nuclear energy, yet it has largely been on the forefront of the growing source of energy. It is without a doubt that as Somalia languished in turmoil and violence, many of the harms that come with nuclear energy has afflicted it at its weakest. The nuclear fuel cycle produces so-called “radioactive waste”. As the generator creates energy, it gradually depletes the energy from fuel. After 18-36 months of use, the used fuel will be removed and disposed of. Since the 1960s, 200,000 tons of spent fuel has been produced by thirty countries, according to the United Nations System-Wide Earthwatch (Edwards).While Somalia has never reaped the benefits of nuclear energy, it has borne the brunt of highly radioactive and toxic waste products.

In 1992, three years after the overthrow of former-President Siad Barre, various warlords ruled over separate areas of Somalia. The lack of bureaucracy allowed for European nations which made use of nuclear technology to take advantage of the weak nation. Firms from countries such as Italy and Switzerland made sham deals with warlords to dump highly radioactive barrels of nuclear waste into the ocean off the shore of Somalia. Those living on the coast began to suffer the effects of radiation, developing nausea, strange rashes, malformed babies, and cancer. But fourteen years after the first radioactive barrels were dumped; a tsunami swept hundreds of leaking barrels on shore, leading to three hundred Somalians dying from radiation (Hari).

The Federal Republic of Somalia recognizes the benefits that may come from peaceful uses of nuclear technology, but until a clean and regulated method of disposal is developed (and regulated), Somalia refuses to support nuclear technology. Not only has Somalia itself suffered due to the lack of penalties and regulation, but nuclear waste is being disposed in developing countries (Lipman). This is not only tantamount to environmental injustice but also environmental racism. This practice must be stopped.

There are some steps that may be taken to alleviate the situation. The first and foremost step would be to compensate countries unjustly targeted as dumping grounds for nuclear waste. Whether it is through dissemination and funding of technology or investment and capital, there must be recompense for the crimes committed against developing countries. The second step would to be to prevent the further growth of the nuclear waste trade. Somalia suggests that the country producing the nuclear waste must dispose of it in its own sovereign territory – by promoting it as a trade, it harms those who are the most at risk. Finally, the solution to nuclear waste cannot be merely throwing it into a cave and hoping it disappears. The Federal Republic of Somalia suggests the increased international funding of research concerning methods of eliminating waste or somehow repurposing it for a more efficient and safe purpose.

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Works Cited

"Basel Action Network (BAN)." Basel Action Network (BAN). N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2015.

Hari, Johann. "You Are Being Lied to About Pirates." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.

"United Nations System-Wide EARTHWATCH Radioactive Waste > Civilian Radioactive Waste." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.

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Country: Turkey

Turkey is familiar with the advantages and disadvantages associated with nuclear technology. This nation’s past experiences allow it to understand the risks associated with expanding research. As home to Trabzon, Rize and Artvin, some of the cities most heavily impacted by the 1986 Chernobyl Accident, Turkey recognizes the importance of strictly enforced regulations regarding nuclear technology.

Turkey, located downwind from Ukraine, across the black sea was effected both through the sea and air in the time following the accident. A slight increase in cancer cases were reported, however, no other major public health issues arose. Bernard Cohen also offers that, “The sum of [Chernobyl] and exposures to people all over the world will eventually, after about fifty years, reach 60 billion millirems, enough to cause about 16,000 deaths. (Millirem-mrem-is a measure of radioactivity; 1 mrem is estimated to increase one's risk of dying from cancer by about 1 in 4 million, corresponding to a reduction in life expectancy of about 2 minutes.)” Cohen, a University of Pittsburgh radiation health and physics professor, provides perspective in presenting that “16,000 deaths are caused every year by air pollution from coal-burning power plants in the United States alone.”

Despite the disturbing effects of the Chernobyl crisis, Turkey believes that the education and advancement of nuclear technology is vital to maintaining a balance of power throughout the European nations. Though Turkey does not personally have nuclear power reactors or industrial scale reprocessing capabilities, Turkey conducts sophisticated nuclear fuel cycle research at its Cekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center (CNRTC) in an attempt to provide medical advancements, food preservation techniques, as well as new species of plants. Underdeveloped countries need the support radiation techniques can provide, and Turkey is in support of a change to develop radiation techniques to support these nations. When used to induce genetic variation, radiation can be used to create new species of plants, with 1800 having been developed thus far. These genetic variations make plants more resistant to travel and harsh weather, giving food a longer shelf life for travel to impoverished countries.

Additionally, Turkey started the TAEK (Turkish Atomic Energy Authority) which is responsible for ensuring that Turkey's nuclear facilities are in compliance with all relevant safety and security measures. TAEK responsibilities include, writing nuclear policy, managing licenses for nuclear facilities, operating research centers, and dealing with radioactive waste.

Though Turkey recognizes the harmful effects the processing and developments of nuclear technology possess, Turkey believes that research is vital to the betterment of their nation. In its attempt to help impoverished countries Turkey is looking to include more members into the Missile Technology Control Regime. In the effort to prevent the proliferation of weapons while promoting the research and development of nuclear radiation research centers, Turkey supports DISEC’s initiatives to create regulations regarding nuclear technology.

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Works Cited

"Missile Technology Control Regime." MTCR. Government of Canada, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.

<http://www.mtcr.info/english/objectives.html>.

"Nuclear Reactions." Frontline. WGBH, 1993. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.

<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/reaction/readings/chernobyl.html>.

"Turkey." NTI. James Martin Center, Aug. 2014. Web. 10 Feb. 2015. <http://www.nti.org/country-

profiles/turkey/>.

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