The Three Dimensions of Nuclear Diplomacy

Dr. Aslı VAROL 

You must be active in nuclear diplomacy, if you do not expect a solution from a promising group on nuclear activities for our planet, as in Amin Maalouf’s latest novel “Nos frères inattendus*”.

Nuclear diplomacy is critical to a sustainable future. The use of nuclear energy has military, political, economic and environmental dimensions. Nuclear energy plays a role in ensuring peace and security in the world, in energy transformation and in increasing the use of clean energy. For this reason, it is a fact that nuclear diplomacy will be needed more in order to manage nuclear relations in the global arena.

Nuclear diplomacy, which has been dealing with nuclear weapons especially since the Second World War, has gained new dimensions today due to the effects of the climate crisis and the necessity of energy transformation. It is possible to talk about three dimensions of nuclear diplomacy: non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and nuclear disarmament, peaceful use of nuclear energy, and emphasizing the importance of nuclear energy in environmental governance to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis.

Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Disarmament

Possession of nuclear weapons provides a strong position in the international arena. Because, nuclear weapons have a deterrent effect. Especially in the post-World War II period, the nuclear arms race gained momentum in the international arena. Various efforts have been made to prevent this arms race.

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), as a worldwide treaty aimed that non-proliferation, was opened for signature in 1968 and entered into force in 1970. On 11 May 1995 the Treaty was extended indefinitely. The purpose of the NPT is to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and to advance the goal of nuclear disarmament. A total of 191 States participated in the NPT, including five nuclear-armed States. This treaty forbids all signatories to possess or acquire nuclear weapons, with the exception of the United Kingdom, China, France, Russia, and the United States.

The NPT defines “a nuclear-weapon State is one which has manufactured and exploded a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device prior to 1 January 1967” (United Nations, 1968). These states are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. All other states are non-nuclear-weapon states under the Treaty. NPT basically stands on three main pillars. These are nonproliferation, the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and disarmament.

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) was accepted at the 193-member UN General Assembly on 7 July 2017 with the approval of 122 countries and opened for signature on 20 September 2020 (United Nations, 2017). Despite the opposition of nuclear power countries such as the USA, Russia and China, this treaty, which was opened for signature, aims to destroy nuclear weapons all over the world and to ban new ones. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the first international treaty to ban nuclear weapons, required 50 countries’ commitments not to develop, test, manufacture, acquire or stockpile nuclear weapons under any circumstances. Honduras became the 50th country to sign the treaty on 24 October 2020. 90 days after Honduras' ratification, this first international treaty banning nuclear weapons entered into force. The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel, as the nuclear weapons states, did not sign the treaty. On the other hand, although Japan suffered great damage from nuclear weapons in the war, the Japanese government did not sign this treaty.

 

However, Japan continues to make commitments to global nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation initiatives. It is also seen that the new prime minister of Japan advocated nuclear disarmament. Japan must advance in nuclear diplomacy on two issues: managing its relations with its nuclear-powered neighbors and signing and ratifying the TPNW. More broadly, Japan should balance its diplomatic relations with its nuclear-powered neighbors China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, and sign and ratify the TPNW.

In this context, Japan should not jeopardize its relations with China due to the recent tensions between China and Taiwan. Japan has also recently shown its willingness to make diplomatic efforts between the US and Iran to return Iran to the nuclear deal. As it is understood, Japan wants to act together with its alliance partner, the USA, for nuclear disarmament and ensuring regional security in the Middle East. In this case, Japan should use nuclear diplomacy in order not to put its relations with Russia, a nuclear power state, into crisis.

In the last decade the nuclear diplomacy activities of the USA, especially with Iran and North Korea, have been placed on the world agenda as non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. As it is known, former US President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met for the first time in Singapore in June 2018. At this meeting, an agreement was reached on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of lasting peace. The two leaders met once again in Hanoi in February 2019. However, this summit was short-lived and ended without a deal. Then, on June 30, 2019, Trump and Kim Jong-un met in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea and decided to continue the nuclear negotiation process. Working-level meetings between the United States and North Korea, held in Sweden in October 2019, ended after North Korea claimed that the United States was maintaining its old attitudes and stances. President Biden’s administration, on the other hand, expresses its willingness to resume diplomatic relations with North Korea. However, it is clear that whether Washington will continue with diplomacy for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula will be determined by the attitude of the Pyongyang administration.

The Biden administration, at the same time, is taking a positive stance to lift sanctions against Iran, which was initiated during the Trump era, and to revive the Iran nuclear deal. However, in order to ensure this, the USA imposes the precondition of withdrawing Iran’s nuclear activities to the previously agreed level. As it is known, a deal was signed in 2015 between Iran and the USA, China, France, Germany, Russia and the UK on the regulation and supervision of the nuclear activities of the Tehran administration. However, in 2018, US President Trump withdrew from the deal and started to impose sanctions on Iran again.

The US shows that it is ready for dialogue and negotiation with Iran. However, the US still states that if diplomacy fails, other options will be considered. In this process, Israel also states that losing time in the negotiations caused Iran to continue its nuclear program.

At the press conference after the G-20 Summit in Rome, the US President Biden, about their meeting with the leaders of the United Kingdom, Germany and France on Iran's nuclear program, said that “We came together to reiterate our shared belief that diplomacy is the best way to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and discussed how best to encourage Iran to resume serious good faith negotiations” (Wintour, 2021).

Pakistan continues to be an important stakeholder in nuclear diplomacy. Pakistan maintains its commitment to non-proliferation and practices responsible nuclear diplomacy. Since Pakistan became a nuclear weapon state, Pakistan’s nuclear diplomacy has been practiced on the principles of restraint and responsibility. As it is known, the reason why Pakistan had nuclear weapons was to ensure its own security in response to the threat of its neighbor India. However, Pakistan opted to stay out of the developing nuclear arms race in South Asia.  Pakistan seeks to encourage the international community to develop consensus on nuclear weapons control and disarmament through nuclear diplomacy. At the plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva in June 2020, Pakistan expressed its concerns about nuclear disarmament. Pakistan has set an eleven-point roadmap to build a global consensus on non-proliferation. It is also a fact that Pakistan’s nuclear diplomacy and efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons are accepted (Bano, 2020).

Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy

Limiting the use of nuclear energy due to armament concerns is an obstacle for countries that want to invest in nuclear energy. Countries have to consider nuclear energy while creating new energy policies for clean energy transformation. However, while countries create new energy policies for clean energy transformation, they may be exposed to international pressure when they include nuclear energy in their energy mix. To overcome this international pressure, nuclear diplomacy must work to promote the use of nuclear for peaceful and environmental purposes.

Collaboration with the IAEA is required within the framework of the NPT principles to ensure the development of the use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. In cases where nuclear energy will not be converted into explosives and will be used for industrial investments, this cooperation should be ensured between states, the private sector and international organizations. However, nuclear explosions are used in large construction and technology projects. These explosions are non-military explosions. Nuclear energy is needed in different sectors. In this context, states and multinational companies should convince the international community that nuclear energy is necessary to develop a country's production and infrastructure when environmental and safety control is ensured.

The Importance of Nuclear Diplomacy in Environmental Governance

Energy targets today and in the future should aim to achieve zero emissions to mitigate the effects of climate change. In order to increase the use of clean energy, renewable energy and nuclear energy should be included in the energy mix instead of coal energy. In this context, energy policies that encourage nuclear energy along with wind and solar energy should be established while exiting coal energy.

Biden administration is decisive to fight climate crisis. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal’s more than $65 billion investment, as the largest investment in clean energy transmission and the electric grid in American history, proves this ambition. With this investment, the US aims to upgrade its energy infrastructure to facilitate the expansion of renewable energy. The US is investing in demonstration projects and research centers for next-generation technologies such as advanced nuclear reactors, carbon capture and clean hydrogen (The White House, 2021).

After the earthquake in Japan in 2011 and the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant due to the tsunami that occurred after the earthquake, the sensitivity regarding the safety of nuclear power plants became evident in diplomatic relations. Countries have started to monitor each other's nuclear activities more closely. On the other hand, environmental organizations are concerned about nuclear waste. However, experts state that the storage of spent nuclear fuels in water pools has been practiced safely for a long time in every country. As it is known, the waste nuclear fuel pool in the nuclear facility, which was damaged in Japan due to the earthquake and tsunami, had approached the boiling point and the radiation hazard had created fear.

Dialogue between states and non-state actors needs to be strengthened in discussions on the environmental and human health effects of nuclear energy. The high cost of nuclear energy is another matter of discussion. In the fight against the climate crisis, the share allocated to nuclear energy is requested to be transferred to renewable energy. Against this, The World Nuclear Association and IAEA emphasize that nuclear energy has an important role in the fight against the climate crisis.

The World Nuclear Association states that the panel under COP26 emphasized “Nuclear a vital tool in achieving decarbonisation”. Nuclear power is the world’s second largest source of low-carbon electricity today and is an established and reliable technology for many countries (World Nuclear Association). According to the IAEA special report “Nuclear Energy for a Net Zero World”, “Nuclear energy is key to achieving global net zero objectives, working in partnership with renewable energy sources and other low carbon options, as part of a sustainable energy system to decarbonize electricity and non-electric energy production. Many nations opt for nuclear energy to meet their climate objectives, and uptake by countries is increasing” (IAEA, 2021).

In the energy transformation necessary to combat the climate crisis, carbon-free nuclear energy is positioned alongside wind and solar energy. On the other hand, the transition to nuclear energy is also criticized negatively due to the high investment cost and the risks associated with nuclear facilities. Nuclear diplomacy needs to be carried out in a multi-stakeholder manner in the global arena in order to turn negative opinions into positive aspects in this dimension. The interests and concerns of all stakeholders should be taken into account in creating the most correct energy mix for the future of our planet.

 

* Amin Maalouf, “Empedokles’in Dostları (Nos frères inattendus)”, Translation: Ali Berktay, First Edition, Yapı Kredi, Istanbul, 2021.

                                                                                                       

 

References

Akimoto, Daisuke (2020): “What is the Future of Japan’s Nuclear Diplomacy?”, The Diplomat, March 31, 2020, https://thediplomat.com/2020/03/what-is-the-future-of-japans-nuclear-diplomacy/.

Bano, Sher (2020): “Pakistan’s Nuclear Diplomacy: Commitment Towards Non-Proliferation”, Modern Diplomacy, September 14, 2020, https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2020/09/14/pakistans-nuclear-diplomacy-commitment-towards-non-proliferation/.

 

IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) (2021): “Nuclear Energy for a Net Zero World”, Vienna, September, 2021, https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/21/10/nuclear-energy-for-a-net-zero-world.pdf.

The White House (2021): “Fact Sheet: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Boosts Clean Energy Jobs, Strengthens Resilience, and Advances Environmental Justice”, November 08, 2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/11/08/fact-sheet-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal-boosts-clean-energy-jobs-strengthens-resilience-and-advances-environmental-justice/.   

United Nations (1968): “Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)”, https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/nuclear/npt/text/.  

United Nations (2017): “Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons”, United Nations General Assembly, A/CONF.229/2017/8, https://undocs.org/A/CONF.229/2017/8.

Wintour, Patrick (2021): “US would only quit Iran nuclear deal if Tehran were to renege, Biden pledges”, The Guardian, 31 Oct 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/31/us-iran-nuclear-deal-tehran-joe-biden-pledge.

World Nuclear Association (2021): “Nuclear a vital tool in achieving decarbonisation, panel says”, 05 November 2021, https://world-nuclear.org/wnn-climate-change-news/wnn-nuclear-a-vital-tool-in-achieving-decarbonisat.aspx.