“3S” for practical non-proliferation

Japan and Australia on Sunday pledged to help countries with atomic energy programmes to stay clear of the nuclear-weapons path, according to Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith after talks in Perth.

In their Joint Statement, an official transcript of which was received by The Hindu, they pledged to work for “a world without nuclear weapons” and decided to initiate “practical steps”. It was decided to “work together to realise a world of decreased nuclear risk on the way to world without nuclear weapons”. Recognising the “global trend” of many states opting for atomic energy to produce electricity and address climate change issues, they decided to assist such countries in the realm of “3S.”

The “3S” relate to nuclear non-proliferation-related safeguards, safety and security. “Mindful that ensuring 3S is a basis for maintaining the international nuclear non-proliferation regime,” Japan and Australia “decided to cooperate in the provision of assistance ... to countries concerned, in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.”

The move acquires political importance in the context of a non-proliferation report the two nations sponsored. The Ministers announced an “intention to pursue a package of practical ... measures for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference” in May.

They wanted the international community to consider “ideas” for “enhancing the effectiveness of security assurances” by one or more nuclear powers. Such an assurance would be a pledge to refrain from using nuclear weapons against countries without such devices.

Another “idea” was to make more effective any pledge by a nuclear power to “retain [atomic] weapons solely for the purpose of deterring others from using such weapons.”