Moving Beyond Missile Defense: Petition for a Missile Freeze

Worldwide, many efforts are underway to curb missile proliferation. Over the last two days, diplomats from 75 countries met in Paris to discuss an "International Code of Conduct Against the Proliferation of Ballistic Missiles" (ICoC). The code is being discussed in the framework of the Missile Technology Control Regime, an international agreement that undertakes to limit the export of delivery technology for weapons of mass destruction. The ICoC Conference is part of the negotiating process, with launch of the Code itself planned for later this year. Norms on ballistic and cruise missiles do not exist at the international policy level, and developing them bilaterally, regionally, and globally is the most immediate challenge for missile non-proliferation. The ICoC is attractive to states like India and Pakistan, states that are interested in developing cruise and ballistic missiles and at the same time show an interest in demonstrating transparency.

This initiative is highly welcomed by Moving Beyond Missile Defense, a joint project of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and the International Network of Engineers and scientists Against Proliferation that brings together non-proliferation experts from many countries. Moving Beyond Missile Defense this week joined with an international network of peace groups to initiate and circulate an international petition calling for a missile freeze and a ballistic missile and space weapons ban to keep missile issues on the international agenda and publicly visible. While the ICoC offers the practicality of norm-building, the petition provides a sense of what can be achieved in missile non-proliferation.

Signatures to the petition will be collected around the world and submitted to the Prepatory Committee meeting of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to be held in New York in April 2002.