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Foreign Minister Westerwelle opens new disarmament and non‑proliferation forum
At the first Forum on Disarmament, Arms Control and Non‑Proliferation, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle today (20 March) discussed with distinguished experts current issues relating to disarmament policy.
Especially on matters of this kind, he pointed out, it was crucial for policy‑makers, diplomats, researchers and civil society to exchange views. Even now the Cold War had ended, disarmament and arms control remained an important priority.
In this connection Westerwelle commented today as follows:
“In the age of globalization nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction can be a grave threat if they end up in the wrong hands. In an increasingly connected world proliferation is also a growing threat. Our disarmament policy must therefore take these new realities into account. Disarmament policy is part and parcel of our strategy for a globalized world.
If Global Zero is to be more than a vision, if it is to become a strategic goal of international security policy, we must work together to generate tangible progress and momentum for disarmament.”
With this new forum, the Federal Foreign Office hopes to intensify the dialogue with researchers, commentators and civil society on disarmament, arms control and non‑proliferation issues.
