The nuclear dilemma

Spotlight

Global Zero Campaign Launch

100 International Leaders Launch Global Zero Campaign to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons

One hundred international political, military, business, and civic leaders from across political lines have launched a new initiative to eliminate nuclear weapons globally to combat the threat of proliferation and nuclear terrorism.

Called Global Zero, the initiative will combine high-level policy work with global public outreach to achieve a binding agreement to eliminate all nuclear weapons through phased and verified reductions.

In recent months, the threat of proliferation and nuclear terrorism has led to a growing chorus of government leaders from across political lines calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons, including Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama. This new and unprecedented political support for getting to zero nuclear weapons from key governments around the world has made this goal -- while still difficult -- possible.

Global Zero's public outreach will occur through worldwide media, online communications and grassroots organizing. The Global Zero website gives the public the opportunity to get involved, beginning with signing the same declaration the Global Zero leaders have signed. Global Zero also announced new polling results showing that international public opinion strongly favors this goal.

Global Zero leaders emphasized that eliminating nuclear weapons will not happen overnight but instead must be done through phased and verified reductions over a period of years. Key steps include:

-- Deep reductions to Russian-U.S. arsenals, which comprise 96% of the

world's 27,000 nuclear weapons.

-- Russia and the United States, joined by other nuclear weapons states,

cutting arsenals to zero in phased reductions.

-- Establishing verification systems and international management of the

fuel cycle to prevent future development of nuclear weapons.

To finalize the step-by-step plan, Global Zero will form an international commission of distinguished political and military leaders and policy experts from key countries. Jointly led by two prominent individuals -- one from Russia and one from the United States -- to be named soon, the Global Zero Commission will emphasize establishing a Russian-U.S. partnership to work for the elimination of nuclear weapons.