Norwegian adherence to the UN ban on nuclear weapons is important for all other NATO countries

Futuro-dopo la guerra. Marco de angelis (it). The last cat. See libex.eu
NUCLEAR WEAPONS / The United States, Britain and France partly justify their nuclear weapons in Allied security. ICAN believes that Norway should not accept this.




(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)

ICAN is the international campaign to ban nuclear weapons. This campaign also has an office in Norway, where Tuva Widskjold is the coordinator. In this position, she is responsible for the dialogue with the more than fifty organizations that are partners in ICAN Norway. We have interviewed Tuva about what it could mean if Norway joins the UN nuclear ban.

- Why is it so important that Norway joins the UN ban on nuclear weapons?

- The nuclear weapons ban asks us a clear question: Do we want to distance ourselves from use and threats about the use of nuclear weapons or not. Norway's goal of a world free of nuclear weapons seems less credible when Norway does not distance itself from these weapons. I believe that threats of the use of weapons of mass destruction are unacceptable, regardless of who possesses and threatens with the nuclear weapons.

"There are no legal contradictions between Norwegian NATO membership and joining the UN
nuclear ban. " Tuva Widskjold

There are several reasons why Norwegian support for the nuclear ban is of great importance. Before the first, Norway is allied with the United States, Great Britain and France, which all have nuclear weapons, and which partly justify their nuclear weapons in Allied security. By clearly stating that we do not support the possession and use of nuclear weapons, our allies can no longer use us as a pretext for having nuclear weapons.

Tuva Widskjold

Secondly, Norway was among the initiators of the humanitarian initiative that highlighted precisely the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons. This initiative led to a UN ban on nuclear weapons.

Thirdly, Norway has a tradition of advocating multilateral co-operation and defending international law norms created through this co-operation.

Pressure on allies

- Why is it so difficult to reach an agreement on the nuclear ban?

- There is no doubt that the nuclear weapons states in NATO have put strong pressure on their allies not to join the UN ban on nuclear weapons. In an internal document, the United States asked its allies not to support the process that led to a ban.

Opponents of the UN ban on nuclear weapons often say that the ban goes against our NATO commitments. It is not true. We are not obligated to support threats of the use of weapons of mass destruction. There are no legal contradictions between Norwegian NATO membership and adherence to the UN nuclear ban. On the other hand, there may be political protests from our NATO allies. Basically, this is about whether we dare to defend humanitarian law principles and multilateral cooperation.

We are not obligated to support threats of reuse of weapons of mass destruction.

- What will it mean for Norway if, after this autumn's parliamentary elections, we get a government that is in favor of supporting the ban?

- Norwegian adherence to the UN ban on nuclear weapons will show the outside world that Norway defends humanitarian law principles and advocates multilateral cooperation. Norway can, as today, be part of NATO's conventional defense, but say that the NATO countries that have nuclear weapons will not threaten to use them on our behalf.

Doorway

- What will Norway's support for the nuclear ban mean for the other NATO countries?

- By joining, or even by clearly signaling that Norway is working to join the UN nuclear ban, we open the door for other NATO countries to do the same. As in Norway, where four out of five want Norway to sign the ban, the agreement has great support among populations in other NATO countries. Several other NATO members have also adopted wordings that favor the ban, such as Belgium, which already has US nuclear weapons in its country. The more states that support the ban, the stronger the norm the ban creates. It is always scary to be the first, which is precisely why it is important that Norway is a door opener, and that we are crystal clear in our goal of accession.

Subscription NOK 195 quarter