BASIC Comment

Convenient Stand-off?

21 June 2006

Back to the BASIC Comment index

So, there we have it. The Russian government has no intention of discussing its tactical nuclear weapons stockpile with the United States, or anybody else for that matter. Meanwhile the US administration refuses to have its deployed tactical nuclear weapons (sub-strategic is their preferred designation) discussed by NATO allies who, apparently, agreed to have them deployed on their territory during the early days of the Cold War.

This farce has been permitted to run and run on the European stage, regardless of low, almost non-existent audience participation and consistent adverse judgements from critics in the know (you have to be in the know as the details of these weapons is kept secret from the very people who should be consulted about their continued presence at airbases ringing the old Soviet Union).

Russia may have announced it "had slashed its reserve of these weapons by over half in the nineties" but how would we know? And from what level? The US administration claims that its unstated number of tactical nuclear weapons at air bases in Belgium, England (Lakenheath in Suffolk for those not in the know), Holland, Italy, Germany and Turkey are there for political, not military purposes - to hold the NATO alliance together. But, the word is that these 'non-military weapons' have been withdrawn, unofficially, from Greece. So, is Greece 'unprotected' by the US nuclear umbrella or out in the rain and out of the political loop?

Apparently, the Russians have indicated that they would indeed be prepared to discuss their tactical nuclear weapons if and when the United States removes its nuclear weapons from third party states, just as they themselves have done (or were obliged to do following the collapse of the former Soviet Union). US diplomats, however, have allegedly responded with some pretty undiplomatic language to perfectly reasonable requests to put this issue on the table at NATO meetings.

The elected governments in the above mentioned NATO countries need to be pressed on this issue by their electorates and a free and enquiring media. The European Parliament Declaration the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from European territory before the end of 2006 is worthy of being taken seriously by a much wider audience than it is initially targeted. It is available as an appendix below or as a pdf file at: http://www.basicint.org/comment/ep2006.pdf.

Appendix: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Written Declaration

12.6.2006, Reference 0047/2006

pursuant to Rule 116 of the Rules of Procedure

by Caroline Lucas and Angelika Beer

on the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from European territory before the end of 2006

Lapse date: 12.10.2006

Written declaration on the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from European territory before the end of 2006

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Rule 116 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas there is widespread concern among Europe's citizens about the continued presence of 480 US nuclear weapons on that country's bases on the territories of its European NATO allies,

B. whereas there has been considerable public protest about this, with several European governments and parliaments, including the European Parliament, demanding the withdrawal of these weapons as soon as possible and in accordance with a well-determined timetable,

C. whereas the US Government has refused to take any steps in this direction,

D. whereas NATO is refusing to take up this issue at the forthcoming meeting of defence ministers on 8 and 9 June in Geneva or at the Riga summit in November, and whereas Europe's leading foreign and defence ministers have opted to remain silent on the issue in order not to hinder the 'transatlantic relationship',

1. Calls on the US Government to present a clear and precise timetable and action plan for the withdrawal of these weapons from Europe before the end of 2006;

2. Urges NATO to include this issue as a permanent item on the agendas for its ministerial meetings and summits until such time as the withdrawal has been completed;

3. Calls on all European governments to put political pressure on their US counterpart to implement this withdrawal;

4. Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with the names of the signatories, to the Council, the Commission and the US Government.