In May 2004, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (WWICS), the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), and the U.S. Army’s Eisenhower National Security Series (ENSS) jointly convened an international workshop to examine nuclear proliferation threats and challenges in the wake of 2003’s two major non-proliferation developments: the Iraq war and Libya’s surprise decision in December 2003 to renounce its unconventional weapons programs.
The meeting, held at the IISS in London, involved some 30 senior officials and experts from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Switzerland and Israel. The workshop sessions explored policy options and the prospects for more effective coordination among the United States and its allies on two key issues: first, responding to the nuclear weapons programs in the key countries of proliferation concern – Iran, North Korea and Pakistan – as well as regional proliferation dynamics in the Middle East, East Asia and South Asia; and second, designing more effective efforts to strengthen the existing international non-proliferation regime (especially its cornerstone, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, or NPT) and to develop new instruments (such as the Proliferation Security Initiative) to support the current regime.
Through this trans-Atlantic dialogue, the London conference was intended to build on the Eisenhower National Security Series workshop “Proliferation Challenges After Iraq,” organized by the Woodrow Wilson Center and the
College of William and Mary’s Reves Center for International Studies, and held at the WWICS in Washington in June 2003. This May 2004 meeting expanded upon the participation of the earlier workshop, newly including government officials and experts from the U.K., France, Germany, the E.U., and Russia.
The conference was co-organised and directed by Dr. Gary Samore, Director of Studies and Senior Fellow for Non-Proliferation, IISS; Dr. Robert Litwak, Director of International Studies, WWICS; Dr. Paul Stares, Director of the Research and Studies Program, USIP; and the ENSS Program Manager, Major Jim Craig, U.S. Army. Daniel Freeman of Harvard University served as the workshop rapporteur and drafted this report.
Click here for the full text of the conference report in pdf format.
