SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)

Conference: Middle East WMD Free Zone

The Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy is hosting its fourth conference on the WMD Free Zone for the Middle East. For many years, the international community has set the objective of establishing a Zone - expressed by the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly, the members of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and the Board of the International Atomic Energy Agency - yet political circumstances have allowed the development of neither a negotiating process nor a sustained informal process that can engage both governments and international civil society.

The SOAS project has begun a process of international dialogue on the Zone that has broken new ground in the high level and diversity of participants at a public conference in a leading academic institution set in the heart of one of the world’s leading cities.

For further information on the project, the past conferences and publications please visit the Centre website.

Draft Programme (September 2009)

9.30am Welcome

Professor Paul Webley, Director and Principal, SOAS

9.45am Introduction

Dr Dan Plesch (Director, Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy, SOAS)

10.00am Keynote Address, "The Middle East and the quest for a nuclear weapon-free world"

Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala, President of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs and Former UN Undersecretary General for Disarmament Affairs

10.30am Panel Presentations, Regional Approaches to Security

Chaired by Dr Ayman Khalil, Arab Institute for Security Studies

Professor Gregoire Mallard, North Western University, Chicago, "Can the EURATOM Treaty Inspire the Middle East?"

Professor Nick Wheeler, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, "A Leap of Trust? Overcoming the Distrust in US-Iranian Nuclear Relations"

Professor Peter Jones, University of Ottawa, Canada, "Renewing Middle East Arms Control: Lessons of ACRS"

Coffee Break

12.00pm Speeches by Officials

Mr Simon Manley,  Director of Defence and Strategic Threats, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office

HE Mr Hatem Seif El Nasr, Ambassador to the Court of St James’ of the Arab Republic of Egypt

HE Dr Wael Al Assad, Director of Disarmament and Multilateral Relation, the League of Arab States

Followed by a lunch reception

There is no registration required for this event.