20 April 2015 – Philippine Ambassador-designate to the Russian Federation Carlos D. Sorreta attended the launch of the report “Nuclear Weapons: The State of Play 2015” organized by the Australian Embassy on April 17 at the Marriott Hotel Novy Arbat, Moscow.

The report is authored by Professors Gareth Evans, Ramesh Thakur, and Tanya Ogilvie-White. It was published by the Centre for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, Crawford School of Public Policy of the Australian National University.

The report provides an assessment of the implementation of the commitments and recommendations of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Review Conference 2010; Nuclear Security Summits 2010, 2012, and 2014; and International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND) 2009.

The report underscores the general lack of significant developments in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation since the successful 2010 NPT Review Conference under the Presidency of the Philippines. It cites minimal to zero progress in such areas as disarmament objectives and strategy, arms reductions, nuclear doctrine, nuclear force posture, compliance and enforcement of the non-proliferation regime; establishment of Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones; export controls, and nuclear testing, among others.

In his presentation, Professor Evans noted that the only positive developments are the recent breakthrough in the Iran-P5+1 negotiations, emergence of the humanitarian consequences (of the use of nuclear weapons) movement; and some accomplishments on the nuclear security front.

The publication of the report is well-timed as the 2015 NPT Review Conference convenes in New York from April 27 to May 22.

The book launching was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, Russian Foreign Ministry officials, and local think tank experts.  END