Summary of Delhi Declaration 2010 adopted at the 10th Anniversary Conference of CNDP

Fourth National Convention on the Tenth Anniversary of Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP)

(10 – 12 December 2010)

The Fourth National Convention of the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP), India, was held from 10th to 12th December 2010 in Delhi. CNDP opposes possession of nuclear weapons by any country including India and is wholly committed to seeking complete elimination of the existing stockpile of nuclear weapons at the global as well as regional level. We, the assembled delegates at this Fourth Convention of the CNDP, representing the peace movements in India and coming from various corners of the country reaffirm our conviction in the Nagpur Declaration, the Jaipur Declaration and our Charter of 2000. We also re-emphasise that: “the use, threat of use, or possession of, and even preparation for making, nuclear weapons is immoral, illegal, and politically unacceptable under any circumstances."

Despite much opposition from the peace movements, the rulers of India and Pakistan – two resource-starved countries – persist with their pernicious nuclear weapons programmes, which are a tragic diversion from addressing vital social needs. Although there have been no further nuclear tests since 1998, the continuing test-flights of Agni and Hatf missiles show that the mindless race between them for perfecting nuclear warhead carrying missiles goes on unabated. An alarming recent development has been the Indo-U.S. Nuclear Deal. The nuclear deal, on the one hand, severely undermines the prospects of global nuclear disarmament by (selectively & arbitrarily) legitimizing India’s nuclear status and, in the process, possession of nuclear weapons by the existing NWS – both so-called “recognized†and “unrecognized†ones – and also the aspirations of other actual and potential aspirants. On the other, it would also further intensify the arms race between India and Pakistan – both nuclear and conventional. Also, the consequent shift in focus in favour of highly expensive nuclear power will significantly distort India’s energy options at the cost of efforts to develop environmentally benign and renewable sources of energy. With this deeply disturbing background in mind, the Fourth Convention of CNDP further resolves as under:

1. Nuclear Weapons Free Region in South Asia

CNDP in collaboration with peace movements in the region will work towards establishing a zone of peace in South Asia.

II. Global Convention on Nuclear Disarmament

The CNDP reiterates its commitment to upholding the essence of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s action plan "Towards a Nuclear Weapon Free and Non-Violent World Order†, which was submitted to the UN General Assembly on 09 June 1988. CNDP also notes with deep concern the total eclipse from the agenda of the UN of the McCloy-Zorin Accords on nuclear as well as general and complete disarmament, which was unanimously adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20 December 1961 – a historical event to which India had made significant contribution. However, it is most disheartening to note that even 50 years later, the very nations that unanimously adopted this far-reaching resolution have refused to initiate any significant step in the direction of nuclear disarmament, let alone general and complete disarmament. Therefore, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the McCloy-Zorin Accord, the CNDP calls for a Global Nuclear Weapons [Abolition] Convention as the initial step towards reaching the ultimate goal of general and complete disarmament worldwide. As human survival will be greatly imperiled by large-scale use of nuclear weapons also because of catastrophic climatic effects, convening of such a convention has become extremely urgent.

The projected global disarmament convention would chart out a clear and unambiguous road-map towards universal, complete, verifiable and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament within a defined time-frame. The necessary steps would include “De-alerting†, “No-Use/No-First-Strike pledge†, “Negative Security Assurance to NNWS†, “Moratorium/Ban on Nuclear Weapon Tests†, and “Freeze on Development/Production of Warheads & Delivery/Interception Systems†. CNDP will proactively coordinate with various sections of global peace movements and unwaveringly work towards this goal.

III. Intensification of Struggles against Ignoring Safety and Hazardous Impact of Nuclear Power and Uranium Mining

The CNDP is appalled by the moves of the Indian nuclear establishment, which is all set to embark upon a very ambitious plan of setting up mega nuclear power plants dotting the entire coastal belt and expanding uranium mining in Jharkhand and Rajasthan criminally unmindful of severely traumatic social and potentially disastrous ecological impacts and disregarding international safety standards. The CNDP will actively collaborate with the grassroots people’s movements to resist such mindless moves – singularly lacking in transparency and democratic accountability, and provide all necessary and possible assistances in this regard while unequivocally condemning state repression against such peoples’ protests.

IV. Demand for End of U.S. Occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, Just Resolution of the Palestine Issue to Ensure Global Peace and Facilitate Nuclear Disarmament

Consistent with the goal of global nuclear disarmament, the CNDP demands immediate withdrawal of occupation forces from Iraq and Afghanistan. The CNDP also expresses its wholehearted solidarity with the legitimate struggles of the Palestinian people for an independent state of Palestine, for right of return to their homeland, and against Zionist occupation of their land. The CNDP consequently commits itself to actively associate, in all possible manner, with all global, regional and local movements seeking justice to achieve these goals.

V. Other Related Issues

The CNDP reiterates its demand that Indo-Pak peace process be accelerated. It also demands easing of travel restrictions all over the SAARC region to promote friendship between peoples. It furthermore demands 10% progressive cuts in the so-called "defence" budgets of all the countries in the region. While roundly condemning all acts of terrorism, the CNDP is also opposed to the manipulation of the terrorism discourse to justify attack on democratic rights and suppression of democratic struggles. The urgent need for freezing and reducing the runaway senseless global military expenditure and controlling and eliminating the insidious global arms trade are the other continuing imperatives. The CNDP commits itself to ally itself with all global and regional efforts towards achieving these goals.